“Time Fades Away” costituisce uno dei gioielli meglio nascosti nella sterminata produzione di Neil Young. Pubblicato nel 1973, all’indomani dell’incredibile successo di “Harvest”, viene generalmente considerato un lavoro significativo non tanto per il suo valore intrinseco, quanto per ciò che rappresenta all’ interno della carriera della canadese – la fine dell’epopea westcoastiana e l’ ingresso nell’ abisso di droga e disperazione degli anni 70 che avrebbe portato ai suoi capolavori “On The Beach” e “Tonight’s The Night”. Nonostante non raggiunga lo zenith artistico di quei dischi, “Time Fades Away” è tuttavia un’ opera che andrebbe riscoperta. Anzitutto, è uno dei pochissimi casi in cui un’ artista pubblica materiale inedito dal vivo. Gli otto brani qui presenti infatti sono stati registrati quasi tutti nel tour successivo a quello di “Harvest” . Ma il suono è lontano anni luce dal celestiale sound che rese quel disco l’apice della stagione country- rock. Benché non manchino momenti che si riallacciano al passato prossimo, come le stupende ballate al pianoforte “Love In Mind” e “ The Bridge” che riportano alle atmosfere oniriche di” After The Gold Rush”, il sound che avvolge "Time Fades Away" è un rock distorto e allucinato, fondamentale premessa a quel “ Tonight’s The Night” che Flea dei Red Hot Chili Peppers ha recentemente definito "il più grande disco di rock sporco della storia” .
Il loner canadese inizia a esorcizzare i suoi demoni – un successo inebriante che lo travolge, i problemi di droga dei suoi amici, i fallimenti della generazione di Woodstock– e lo fa sul palco, davanti a fans accorsi a vederlo sperando di sentire le dolci melodie di “Heart Of Gold” o “ Old Man”. La musica che ne deriva riflette l’umore del suo autore, che sovente saliva sul palco all’ epoca sbronzo. L’ iniziale title-track è emblematica in tal senso: su un tappeto sonoro corrosivo e quasi garage, puntellato da un piano saltellante che sembra parodiare gli stilemi country-rock, Neil esordisce cantando “Fourteen junkies too weak to work/One sells diamonds for what they're worth /Down on pain street, disappointment lurks” . Sullo stesso registro si snodano “Yonder Stands The Sinner” e “ L. A: ” , quest’ ultima appena mitigata da una melodia cristallina nel refrain. “Don’ t Be Denied” è invece uno dei pezzi più struggenti nell’ intero repertorio di Young. Ripercorrendo la storia della sua vita e l’ importanza salvifica che in essa ha avuto la musica, il pezzo si regge su un riff al curaro che ne forgia perfettamente l’ urgenza. Degna chiusura si ha con “ Last Dance”, la prima delle celebri tirate younghiane contro tutto e tutti. Una cavalcata sferzante e disperata, la colonna sonora dell’ ingresso di Neil nel tunnel degli anni 70, mentre sembra salutare i fans esortando “You can live your own life, making it happen, working on your own time” .
In definitiva, "Time Fades Away" è forse il primo disco punk, in cui un autore si mette pubblicamente a nudo, facendo sentire il rumore dei cristalli che si spezzano. Miglior complimento a un disco credo non si potrebbe fare.
Elenco tracce e testi
02 Journey Through the Past (03:22)
When the winter rains
come pourin' down
On that new home of mine,
Will you think of me
and wonder if I'm fine?
Will your restless heart
come back to mine
On a journey thru the past.
Will I still be in your eyes
and on your mind?
Now I'm going back to Canada
On a journey thru the past
And I won't be back
till February comes
I will stay with you
if you'll stay with me,
Said the fiddler to the drum,
And we'll keep good time
on a journey thru the past.
When the winter rains
come pourin' down
On that new home of mine,
Will I still be in your eyes
and on your mind?
Will I still be in your eyes
and on your mind?
03 Yonder Stands the Sinner (03:11)
Well, you heard about the Great Pretender?
I went to see him and he's not the same
Down by the club on the parking lot cinders
I was to meet him and play his game.
Yonder stands the sinner
He calls my name without a sound.
I saw his face in the attic window
Yellin' down through the broken pane
Sinner man! What you got to run for?
Church bells rang when he said that name.
Yonder stands the sinner
He calls my name without a sound.
Well, I was about as scared as I could be.
I went and hid behind the nearest tree.
Peeked out from behind the branches.
Sinner!
Yonder stands the sinner
He calls my name without a sound
To get down.
I guess you heard about the Great Pretender?
I went to see him and he's not the same.
I guess you heard about the Great Pretender?
I went to see him and he's not the same.
04 L.A. (03:10)
In a matter of time,
There'll be a friend of mine
Gonna come to the coast,
You're gonna see him
Up close for a minute or two
While the ground cracks under you.
By the look in your eyes
You'd think that it was a surprise
But you seem to forget
Something somebody said
About the bubbles in the sea
And an ocean full of trees.
And you now, L.A.
Uptight, city in the smog, city in the smog.
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
Well, it's hard to believe
So you get up to leave
And you laugh at the door
That you heard it all before
Oh it's so good to know
That it's all just a show for you.
But when the suppers are planned
And the freeways are crammed
And the mountains erupt
And the valley is sucked
Into cracks in the earth
Will I finally be heard by you.
L.A.
Uptight, city in the smog, city in the smog.
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
Don't you wish that you could be here too?
06 Don't Be Denied (05:17)
When I was a young boy,
My mama said to me
Your daddy's leavin' home today,
I think he's gone to stay.
We packed up all our bags
And drove out to Winnipeg.
When we got to Winnipeg
I checked in to school.
I wore white bucks on my feet,
When I learned the golden rule.
The punches came fast and hard
Lying on my back in the school yard.
Don't be denied, don't be denied.
Don't be denied, don't be denied.
Don't be denied, don't be denied.
Well pretty soon I met a friend,
He played guitar.
We used to sit on the steps at school
And dream of being stars.
We started a band,
We played all night.
Don't be denied, don't be denied.
Don't be denied, don't be denied.
Don't be denied, don't be denied.
Oh Canada
We played all night
I really hate to leave you now
But to stay just wouldn't be right.
Down in Hollywood
We played so good
The businessmen crowded around
They came to hear the golden sound
There we were on the Sunset Strip,
Playing our songs for the highest bid.
We played all night
The price was right.
Don't be denied, don't be denied.
Don't be denied, don't be denied.
Don't be denied, don't be denied.
Well, all that glitters isn't gold
I know you've heard that story told.
And I'm a pauper in a naked disguise
A millionaire through a business man's eyes.
Oh friend of mine
Don't be denied.
07 The Bridge (03:04)
The bridge, we'll build it now
It may take a lot of time
And it maybe lonely but
Ooh baby, ooh baby.
The bridge was falling down
And that took a lot of lies
And it made me lonely
Ooh baby, ooh baby.
The bridge was falling.
The bridge was falling.
The bridge was falling.
One day, when you talked to me
I saw myself again
And it made me love you.
Ooh baby, ooh baby.
And love came running down
Like a river on your skin
And you let me in.
Ooh babe, ooh babe.
You let me in
You let me in
You let me in
The bridge, we'll build it now
It may take a lot of time.
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