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I Molly Hatchet possono senza dubbio essere considerati la più grande band di rock sudista dopo i leggendari LYNYRD SKYNYRD, da cui si differenziarono sin dagli esordi per un approccio alla musica più selvaggio e legato all'hard rock. Originari di Jacksonville, Florida, come i loro cugini Skynyrd hanno avuto una carriera travagliata segnata da un destino spesso crudele e maledetto. La maledizione del Southern?
Questo "Beatin' the odds" e' il loro terzo album, uscito nel 1980, dopo i fortunati "Molly Hatchet", esordio datato 1978 e il loro disco più conosciuto e venduto il famoso "Flirtin' with disaster" uscito un anno dopo. L'uscita di Beatin' the odds e' accompagnata dall'importante entrata del nuovo cantante, il corpulento Jimmy Farrar, chiamato a sostituire il loro singer originale Danny Joe Brown ammalato di diabete, che rientrerà nel gruppo nel 1982 per poi riuscirne nuovamente fino alla prematura scomparsa nel 2005.
L'album si presenta fin dalla copertina con il famoso vichingo disegnato da Frazetta e che diventerà il loro simbolo che campeggerà su tutte le covers successive arrivando fino ai giorni d'oggi. Meno dotato vocalmente del suo predecessore Farrar lascerà comunque il segno, tanto che quest'album e il successivo "Take No Prisoners" sono da considerarsi tra i migliori lavori della band sudista. Trainati dalle famose tre chitarre tre introdotte dai Lynyrd Skynyrd, i brani sono una summa del Molly Hatchet pensiero, che mischia canzoni dall'impianto fortemente Hard Rock con il blues più viscerale tralasciando il country e comunque di soluzioni acustiche in questo album non vi è traccia.
Subito in evidenza le chitarre di Steve Holland, Dave Hlubek (unico superstite nella formazione attuale)e Duane Roland (scomparso nel 2006) con il riff iniziale della title track "Beatin' the Odds, saccheggiato negli anni a venire (...tra cui... vi ricordate Cambio dei Negrita?). Questa canzone diventerà un classico del gruppo riproposta ancora oggi nei loro live. Certo l'originalità non è mai stato il loro punto di forza, tanto che le varie "Double Talker", "Sailor", "Dead and gone" e "Get her back" scorrono via quasi uguali l'una con l'altra.
Si riprende un po' il fiato con l'unico lento dell'album "The Rambler" in cui Farrar mette in mostra la sua voce, perdendo comunque il confronto con Brown. Da segnalare inoltre la cover dei Creedence Clearwater Revival, "Penthouse pauper". Meno originali dei primi Lynyrd Skynyrd, i Molly Hatchet, come la scelta del nome suggerisce, a voi scoprire di cosa si tratta, puntano tutto sull'agressività e la forza facendo dei concerti il loro punto di maggior forza sfruttando a pieno la spettacolarità delle tre chitarre sul palco che in sede live si lanciano in fulminanti jam sessions.
Dopo il successivo disco Farrar abbandonerà il gruppo per una carriera solista poco prodiga di successi mentre la band richiamerà Joe Brown, ma il meglio il gruppo sembra averlo già dato.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Beatin' the Odds (03:18)
Well she grabbed me and asked me,
If I had a name,
She told me she was interested to see,
If I could play the game,
She said her name was victory,
She didn't want to know the rules,
That's just the way I wanted to play,
In a game designed for fools.
Chorus:
We were beatin' the odds, we were beatin' the odds,
We were beatin' the odds again,
We were gambling with our souls,
We were playing to win,
We were beatin' the odds again.
Well I rolled the dice feelin' cold as ice,
And Victory drew the cards,
We knew that loosin' when the stakes were high,
Could really hit us hard,
I strapped into the drivers seat,
With Miss Victory by my side,
She knew at a glance she was takin' a chance,
By coming along for the ride.
Chorus:
We were beatin' the odds, we were beatin' the odds,
We were beatin' the odds again,
We were gambling with our souls,
We were playing to win,
We were beatin' the odds again.
Time and space stood still that day,
With Victory's soul and mine,
We were running a race between heaven and hell,
And we could not find the finish line,
And when it was all over we won it in the end,
We were splittin' the prize when she opened her eyes,
And said Baby let's try it again.
Chorus:
We were beatin' the odds, we were beatin' the odds,
We were beatin' the odds again,
We were gambling with our souls,
We were playing to win,
We were beatin' the odds again.
Chorus:
We were beatin' the odds, we were beatin' the odds,
We were beatin' the odds again,
We were gambling with our souls,
We were playing to win,
We were beatin' the odds again.
02 Double Talker (03:15)
You said you loved me baby,
I believed in you,
But the words you're saying now,
Just ain't ringing true,
Lord you been steppin' 'round,
With someone new,
And that look that's in your eyes,
Been tellin' on you.
I just can't take it baby,
All your running 'round,
You know you make me look,
Just like a clown,
But a change better come on soon,
Or I'll be gone,
I can't be hangin' 'round with all of this,
Goin' on.
You're tellin' me lies,
With those lyin' eyes,
You take me for a fool,
I've seen the light,
You better get right,
Tell me baby,
What you tryin' to do,
oooh you double talkin' fool.
You've been singin' that same ol' song,
And I've been cryin' the blues,
I've just about had enough,
Enough of being used,
Gonna be some changes comin',
Changes comin' soon,
I've had my fill of your sweet talkin',
Now you're gonna pay your dues.
I just can't take it baby,
All your runnin' 'round,
You know you make me look,
Just like a clown,
But a change is comin' soon,
Or I'll be gone,
I won't be anyone's fool,
For very long.
You better change your ways,
Here one of these days,
Or I'll send you back to school,
Better shoot straight,
Before it's too late,
'Cause I tell you baby,
I'll be puttin' on my walkin' shoes,
I'm runnin' from a double talkin' fool.
03 The Rambler (04:50)
I'm going down to the river,
Just to bide my time away,
Don't you look or me tommorrow,
Cause I won't be back this way,
Oh girl I hate to leave you,
But I just can't seem to say,
When I see the sunrise in your eyes,
Darling I'll be on the way.
The miles go by so slowly,
It seems that time stands still,
I long for the day that I can settle down,
But I guess I never will,
Oh the cities they pass by me,
Like the ships that sail the sea,
Lord I here that highway calling,
Darling I hope you'll wait for me.
Oh it's cold here in the city,
I live my life from day to day,
Guess I'll always be a rambler,
But it's so hard to find my way,
Lord I need someone to help me,
I just can't go on this way,
I need your smiling face beside me,
So darling I'm coming home today.
09 Poison Pen (03:06)
Poison Pen can there be no end,
The words on the page,
Make you no man's friend,
Change a man's fate,
With a drop of a line,
What your gonna write about next time,
Bite like a snake,
But it's never too late to look,
Yourself in the eye,
You're gonna have to pay for all you say,
Before your ink runs dry
Poor Mr. Pen you're the Devils friend,
you talk so much there ain't no end,
Is it a game to wreck my mind,
When you print your name at the Top of the line,
The bite of a snake,
Is easier to take,
'Cause once that ink is dry,
The venom's on the page,
Till you end your days,
Makes me wonder why
Poison Pen you're no man's friend,
Wish I knew what's inside of you,
Poison Pen ain't there no end,
To those men with the Poison Pen
Poison Pen can there be no end,
The words on the page,
Make you no man's friend,
Change a man's fate,
With a drop of a line,
What your gonna write about next time,
Bite like a snake,
But it's never too late to look,
Yourself in the eye,
You're gonna have to pay for all you say,
Before your ink runs dry
Poison Pen you're no man's friend,
Wish I knew what's inside of you,
Poison Pen ain't there no end,
To those men with the Poison Pen
Chorus:
Poison Pen you're no man's friend,
Wish I knew what's inside of you,
Poison Pen ain't there no end,
To those men with the Poison Pen
Ooh Poison Pen
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