• Voto:
Sancita la burrascosa separazione con la sua band madre, Ozzy intraprese una fortunata carriera solista. Il suo carisma di sguaiato rockster ed il calibro dei chitarristi dei quali fu ottimo talent scout, lo innalzarono a vera e propria icona di un genere. Ed in questo, il singer fu davvero scaltro. Basti pensare che senza di lui gente come Zakk Wilde, per sbarcare il lunario, starebbe ancora a contar galloni ad un distributore degli States. Fatta questa doverosa precisazione, è possibile serenamente affermare che le sue presunte doti canore oramai latitano da quasi trent’anni. E pensare che a sentirlo su “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, si ha l’impressione d’aver a che fare con un virtuoso. Forse solo ancora un po’ acerbo, si pensa dando un’ascoltata al bel dischetto. Ma in poche strofe di un qualsiasi lavoro solista, ci si persuade quasi all’idea che il canto non è roba per i figli d’Albione.
Questo “Speak Of The Devil” (1982) ripropone in sede live alcuni tra i maggiori successi dei Black Sabbath, ed alcune songs calzano a pennello con l’approccio decisamente più eighties della band. Episodi come “Symptom Of The Universe”, pezzo d’apertura, ben s’adattano ai suoni dell'epoca. Oppure l’immancabile “Paranoid”, che trascina forse ancor più dell’originale versione. Grande Ozzy poi, quando torna all’armonica delle origini riproponendo “The Wizard”. Ho apprezzato anche "N.I.B", molto accattivante in questa veste più “radiofonica” (digressioni blues a parte).
Purtroppo c’è anche un rovescio della medaglia. In alcuni passaggi, i musici qui reclutati per l’esecuzione, puntano la loro baionetta storpiando dei grandi classici. Alcuni soli inoltre, rispetto alle versioni originali, sono proprio tagliati via (mi chiedo se per volontà di Ozzy). Comunque, è bene precisare che il solo di “Snowblid” potrebbe eseguirlo anche Steve Vai, ma non sarebbe la stessa cosa. E si rimane quasi interdetti sentendo Rudy Sarzo che reinterpreta Butler, soprattutto sulle improvvisazioni di “War Pigs”. Oppure sulle strofe “Fairies Wear Boots”, il bassista personalizza oltremodo l’inconfondibile taglio blues del mitico Geezer. Bravo anche lui, non c’è che dire, ma personalmente preferisco l’originale.
Per nostra fortuna sguaiato e coinvolgente come sempre, il Madman diede alle stampe questo disco quasi contemporaneamente al primo live ufficiale dei suoi ex-compagni (poi disconosciuto per concedere il diritto all’inedito al live della reunion), cominciando a contendersi anche i loro fan. Ancora una mossa da stratega del mercato: l’intero pianeta metallico cominciò a dividersi tra nostalgici dell’era Ozzy ed adepti del nuovo Sabba.
In ogni caso, “Speak Of The Devil” non è deprecabile. Se si è appassionati del genere ne consiglierei l’acquisto assieme a “Live Evil”, di cui è gemello nelle intenzioni, ma del tutto complementare all’ascolto.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Symptom of the Universe (05:27)
Take me through the centuries to supersonic years
Electrifying enemy is drowning in his tears
All I have to give you is a love that never dies
The symptom of the universe is written in your eyes
Yeah
Mother moon is calling me back to her silver womb
Father of creation takes me from my stolen tomb
Seventh night the unicorn is waiting in the skies
A symptom of the universe, a love that never dies
Yeah
Take my hand, my child of love come step inside my tears
Swim the magic ocean I've been crying all these years
When our love will ride away into eternal skies
A symptom of the universe, a love that never dies
Yeah
Oh my child of love's creation, come and step inside my dreams
In your eyes I see no sadness, you are all that loving means
Take my hand and we'll go riding through the sunshine from above
We'll find happiness together in the summer skies of love
02 Snowblind (04:44)
What you get and what you see
Things that don't come easily
Feeling happy in my vein
Iceciles within my brain
Something blowing in my head
Winter's ice, it soon will spread
Death would freeze my very soul
Makes me happy, makes me cold
My eyes are blind but I can see
The snowflakes glisten on the tree
The sun no longer sets me free
I feel there's no place freezing me
Let the winter sun shine on
Let me feel the frost of dawn
Fill my dreams with flakes of snow
Soon I'll feel the chilling glow
Don't you think I know what I'm doing
Don't tell me that it's doing me wrong
You're the one who's really a loser
This is where I feel I belong
Crystal world with winter flowers
Turns my day to frozen hours
Lying snowblind in the sun
Will my ice age ever come?
03 Black Sabbath (05:34)
What is this that stands before me
Figure in black which points at me
Turn 'round quick and start to run
Find out I'm the chosen one
Oh, no
Big black shape with eyes of fire
Telling people their desire
Satan sitting there, he's smiling
Watches those flame get higher and higher
Oh, God--please help me
Oh, no--no
Child cries out for its mother
Mother screaming in the fire
Satan points at me again
Opens the door to push me in
Oh, no
Oh, God
Is it the end my friend
Satan's coming 'round the bend
People running 'cause they're scared
You people better go and beware
No, no
Please, God--no
04 Fairies Wear Boots (06:22)
Goin' home, late last night
suddenly I got a fright
Yeah I looked throught the window and surprised what I saw
Fairy boots were dancin' with a dwarf, all right now!
Fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me
yeah I saw it, I saw it, I tell you no lies
Yeah Fairies wear boots and you gotta believe me
I saw it, I saw it with my own two eyes, well all right now!
So I went to the doctor, see what he could give me
he said "Son, son, you've gone too far.
'cause smokin' and trippin' is all that you do."
05 War Pigs (08:22)
Generals gathered in their masses,
just like witches at black masses.
Evil minds that plot destruction,
sorcerers of death's construction.
In the fields the bodies burning,
as the war machine keeps turning.
Death and hatred to mankind,
poisoning their brainwashed minds.
Oh lord, yeah!
Politicians hide themselves away.
They only started the war.
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor, yeah.
Time will tell on their power minds,
making war just for fun.
Treating people just like pawns in chess,
wait till their judgement day comes, yeah.
Now in darkness world stops turning,
ashes where the bodies burning.
No more War Pigs have the power,
Hand of God has struck the hour.
Day of judgement, God is calling,
on their knees the war pigs crawling.
Begging mercies for their sins,
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings.
Oh lord, yeah!
06 The Wizard (04:30)
Misty morning, clouds in the sky
Without warning, the wizard walks by
Casting his shadow, weaving his spell
Funny clothes, tinkling bell
Never talking
Just keeps walking
Spreading his magic
Evil power disappears
Demons worry when the wizard is near
He turns tears into joy
Everyone's happy when the wizard walks by
Never talking
Just keeps walking
Spreading his magic
Sun is shining, clouds have gone by
All the people give a happy sigh
He has passed by, giving his sign
Left all the people feeling so fine
Never talking
Just keeps walking
Spreading his magic
07 N.I.B. (05:43)
Oh yeah!
Some people say my love cannot be true
please believe me, my love, and I'll show you
I will give you those things you thought unreal
The sun, the moon, the stars all bear my seal
Oh yeah!
Follow me now and you will not regret
Leaving the life you led before we met
You are the first to have this love of mine
Forever with me 'till the end of time
Your love for me has just got to be real
Before you know the way I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
Oh yeah!
Now I have you with me, under my power
Our love grows stronger now with every hour
Look into my eyes, you will see who I am
My name is Lucifer, please take my hand
Oh yeah!
Follow me now and you will not regret
Leaving the life you led before we met
You are the first to have this love of mine
Forever with me 'till the end of time
Your love for me has just got to be real
Before you know the way I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
I'm going to feel
Oh yeah!
Now I have you with me, under my power
Our love grows stronger now with every hour
Look into my eyes, you will see who I am
My name is Lucifer, please take my hand
08 Sweet Leaf (05:40)
ALRIGHT NOW!!
Won't you listen?
When I first met you, didn't realize
I can't forget you, for your supriSe
you introduced me, to my mind
And left me wanting, you and your kind
I love you, Oh you know it
My life was empty forever on a down
Until you took me, showed me around
My life is free now, my life is clear
I love you sweet leaf, though you can't hear
Come on now, try it out
Straight people don't know, what your about
They put you down and shut you out
you gave to me a new belief
and soon the world will love you sweet leaf
09 Never Say Die (04:26)
People going nowhere, taken for a ride
Looking for the answers that they know inside
Searching for a reason, looking for a rhyme
Snow White's mirror said "partners in crime!"
Don't they ever have to worry?
Don't you ever wonder why?
It's a part of me that tells you
Oh, don't you ever, don't ever say die
Never, never, never say die again
Sunday's satisfaction, Monday's home and dry
Truth is on the doorstep, welcome in the lie
All dressed up in sorrow, got no place to go
Hold back, `till it's ready, taking it slow
Don't they ever have to worry?
Don't you ever wonder why?
It's a part of me that tells you
Oh, don't you ever, don't ever say die
Never, never, never say die again
Don't you ever say die
Don't you ever say die
Never say die
Panic, silver lining, writing's on the wall
Children get together, you can save us all
Future's on the corner, throwing us a die
Slow down, turn around, everything's fine
There's no need to have a reason
There's no need to wonder why
It's a part of me that tells you
Oh, don't you ever, don't ever say die
Never, never, never say die again
12 Paranoid (03:02)
Finished with my woman 'cause she couldn't help me with my mind
people think that I'm insane because I am frowning all the time
All day long I think of things but nothing seems to satisfy
'Think I'll lose my mind if I don't find something to pacify
Can you help me occupy my brain?
Oh yeah
I need someone to show me the things in life that I can't find
I can't see the things that make true happiness, I must be blind
Make a joke and I will sigh and you will laugh and I will cry
Happiness I cannot feel like love to me is so unreal
And so as you hear these words telling you now of my state
I tell you to end your life, I wish I could but it's too late
13 Sweet Leaf (03:23)
ALRIGHT NOW!!
Won't you listen?
When I first met you, didn't realize
I can't forget you, for your supriSe
you introduced me, to my mind
And left me wanting, you and your kind
I love you, Oh you know it
My life was empty forever on a down
Until you took me, showed me around
My life is free now, my life is clear
I love you sweet leaf, though you can't hear
Come on now, try it out
Straight people don't know, what your about
They put you down and shut you out
you gave to me a new belief
and soon the world will love you sweet leaf
14 War Pigs (08:12)
Generals gathered in their masses,
just like witches at black masses.
Evil minds that plot destruction,
sorcerers of death's construction.
In the fields the bodies burning,
as the war machine keeps turning.
Death and hatred to mankind,
poisoning their brainwashed minds.
Oh lord, yeah!
Politicians hide themselves away.
They only started the war.
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role to the poor, yeah.
Time will tell on their power minds,
making war just for fun.
Treating people just like pawns in chess,
wait till their judgement day comes, yeah.
Now in darkness world stops turning,
ashes where the bodies burning.
No more War Pigs have the power,
Hand of God has struck the hour.
Day of judgement, God is calling,
on their knees the war pigs crawling.
Begging mercies for their sins,
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings.
Oh lord, yeah!
Carico i commenti... con calma
