• Voto:
Di solito i vari greatest hits o best of non rappresentano appieno l'essenza di una band ma solo i brani preferiti dai fans e i grandi successi; questo è diverso: da questa raccolta uscita nel 1997 si può capire perfettamente tutto il percorso artistico di questa Blackmoriana creazione: l'evoluzione, o meglio, l'involuzione pazzesca che portato questa band (o one man mand, a seconda dei punti di vista) dall'essere una delle espressioni più pure, espressive, geniali, innovatrici e poetiche della storia del rock all'essere una rock band come tante nel giro di 8 anni di vita (1975-1983).
Andiamo con ordine seguendo la scaletta del disco: correva l'anno 1975 e l'Uomo in Nero, abbandonati i Deep Purple assolda la rock band americana Elf, compreso il talentuosissimo poeta-cantante Ronnie James Dio. Il risultato è il disco che dà vita all'epic metal: "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow" di cui figurano su questa raccolta "Man On The Silver Mountain" e "Catch The Rainbow" la prima è una stupenda danza hard rock/medievale/celticheggiante che vede in primissino piano il Divin Piccoletto, che con la sua voce epica ed evocativa riesce a trasmettere appieno l'epicità e la poesia del brano, mentre la seconda è una ballata soffusa e sognante, una visione onirica e rilassante che sarà presa a modello da tantissimi gruppi futuri. (Basti pensare a Born Again dei Black Sabbath) Si sa, però, che Ritchie Blackmore è famoso per la sua lunaticità, e dopo questo pur bellissimo disco d'esordio decide di abbandonare gli Elf (ovviamente escluso Ronnie James Dio) e formare un nuovo gruppo con l'immenso Cozy Powell dietro le pelli, Jimmy Bain al basso e Tony Carey alle tastiere. Il risultato è un altra pietra miliare della storia del rock come Raibow Rising: sei canzoni, sei epiche emozioni, di cui sono state inserite in questo best of "Starstruck" un hard rock molto ritmato e coinvolgente che ha per tema la stregoneria e ovviamente il capolavoro assoluto dei Rainbow: "Stargazer" Un'estasi di hard rock mistico che è di fatto la risposta di Ritchie Blackmore a "Kashmir" dei Led Zep. Otto minuti di magia e potenza onirica. Tutto quello che di buono è stato fatto in "Rainbow Rising" viene confermato due anni dopo con "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll", che vede l'ingresso di Bob Daisley al basso e David Stone alle tastiere. Canzoni come la titletrack, autentico inno al rock con in consueto Divino tocco di epicità, la straordinaria "Kill The King" sostenuta da una potentissima base tastieristica e la soave melodia orientaleggiante di "Gates Of Babylon" spalancano definitivamente ai Rainbow le porte del Valhalla del rock, ma proprio sul più bello i rapporti tra due prime donne come Dio e Blackmore si incrinano e il Divin Folletto abbandona i Rainbow per accasarsi alla corte di Tony Iommi, segnando di fatto la fine della mistica poesia dell'arcobaleno.
Blackmore ingaggia l'ex bandmate Roger Glover al basso e il buon cantante Graham Bonnet, ma l'incantesimo ormai è infranto: "Down To Earth" è un comunissimo disco di AOR, certamente fatto con grande arte, come dimostrano canzoni come l'orecchiabilissima e passionale "Since You've Been Gone", ma pur sempre di rock commerciale si tratta. Nel 1981 altro cambio di vocalist con l'arrivo di Joe Lynn Turner ma la musica non cambia: Difficult To Cure è sempre un album AOR, anche se molto ben fatto e di buon gusto, com dimostra la bella "I Surrender" Il livello scende ulteriormente con i successivi dischi "Straight Between The Eyes" del 1982 e "Bent Out Of Shape" del 1983, come testimoniano singoli (stavolta davvero bruttini e banalotti) come "Stone Cold" o "Street Of Dreams" Qui Blackmore, compreso che i suoi Rainbow non avevano ormai più niente da dire chiude baracca e burattini (perdendo di fatto il confronto con il rivale Tony Iommi, che anche negli anni del glam rock più squallido e becero non si è mai abbassato producendo capolavori come "Seventh Star o "The Eternal Idol") Lasciando così ai posteri il ricordo di una grandissima band, che ha dato il la a quel magnifico movimento che vede raggruppati gruppi come Manowar, Rhapsody Of Fire, Gamma Ray, Dragonforce, Hammerfall e tanti altri.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Man on the Silver Mountain (04:39)
I'm a wheel, I'm a wheel
I can roll, I can feel
And you can't stop me turning
Cause I'm the sun, I'm the sun
I can move, I can run
But you'll never stop me burning
Come down with fire
Lift my spirit higher
Someone's screaming my name
Come and make me holy again
I'm the man on the silver mountain
I'm the man on the silver mountain
I'm the day, I'm the day
I can show you the way
And look, I'm right beside you
I'm the night, I'm the night
I'm the dark and the light
With eyes that see inside you
Come down with fire
Lift my spirit higher
Someone's screaming my name
Come and make me holy again
I'm the man on the silver mountain
I'm the man on the silver mountain
Come down with fire
And lift my spirit higher
Someone's screaming my name
Come and make me holy again
I'm the man on the silver mountain
I'm the man on the silver mountain
Well, I can help you, you know I can
I'm the man on the silver mountain
I'm the man on the silver mountain
Just look at me and listen
I'm the man, the man, give you my hand
I'm the man on the silver mountain
Come down with fire
And lift your spirit higher
I'm the man on the mountain
The man on the silver mountain
I'm the night, the light
The black and the white
The man on the silver mountain
02 Catch the Rainbow (06:39)
When evening falls
She'll run to me
Like whispered dreams
Your eyes can't see
Soft and warm
She'll touch my face
A bed of straw
Against the lace
We believed we'd catch the rainbow
Ride the wind to the sun
Sail away on ships of wonder
But life's not a wheel
With chains made of steel
So bless me
Come the dawn
Come the dawn
Come the dawn
Come the dawn
We believed we'd catch the rainbow
Ride the wind to the sun
And sail away on ships of wonder
But life's not a wheel
With chains made of steel
So bless me, oh bless me, bless me
Come the dawn
Come the dawn
Come the dawn
Come the dawn
03 Starstruck (04:08)
If I'm high on the hill
She'd still been looking down at me
What does she see that brings her closer every day to my heart
If I'm away from home
And think I'm all alone
She's there, somewhere
I look around and see
And looking back at me
She's there, beware!
Creeping like a hungry cat
I've seen her before
I know it can mean that
The lady starstruck, she's nothing but bad luck
The lady starstruck, running after me
The lady starstruck, she's nothing but bad luck, yeah
I could fly to the moon
But she soon find me and wait me there
I never knew for a while as smile made me really care
She wants a souvenir
To everyone it's clear
She's hooked, one look
She want a photograph
But everybody laughs but not me 'cause I see
She's creeping like a hungry cat
I've seen her before
I know I can mean that
The lady starstruck, she's nothing but bad luck
The lady starstruck, running after me
The lady starstruck, she's nothing but bad luck, oh oh o-o-oh
Oh my
The lady starstruck, she's nothing but bad luck
The lady starstruck, running after me, yeah
The lady starstruck, she's nothing but bad luck, yeah
It used to be a game
Now I can't repeat my name at all
She seems to believe that
I never can refuse a call
She wants a souvenir
To everyone it's clear
She's hooked; one look
She want a photograph
And everybody laughs, hah!
But not me 'cause I see
She's creeping like a hungry cat
I've seen her before
I know it can mean that
The lady starstruck, she's nothing but bad luck
The lady starstruck, running after me
The lady starstruck, she's nothing but bad luck, bad luck
The lady starstruck, she's nothing but bad luck
The lady starstruck running after me
The lady starstruck, she's nothing but bad luck
Bad luck, bad luck, bad luck
And back in the tree looking back at me
Climbing up my stair
I've just got to beware
Lady starstruck, yes, she's bad luck, bad luck
04 Stargazer (08:28)
High noon, oh I'd sell my soul for water
Nine years worth of breakin' my back
There's no sun in the shadow of the wizard
See how he glides, why he's lighter than air?
Oh I see his face!
Where is your star?
Is it far, is it far, is it far?
When do we leave?
I believe, yes, I believe
In the heat and the rain
With the whips and chains
To see him fly
So many die
We built a tower of stone
With our flesh and bone
Just to see him fly
But don't know why
Now where do we go?
Hot wind, moving fast across the desert
We feel that our time has arrived
The world spins, while we put his dream together
A tower of stone to take him straight to the sky
Oh I see his face!
Where is your star?
Is it far, is it far, is it far?
When do we leave?
Hey, I believe, I believe
In the heat and the rain
With the whips and chains
Just to see him fly
Too many die
We built a tower of stone
With our flesh and bone
To see him fly
But we don't know why
Ooh, now where do we go
All eyes see the figure of the wizard
As he climbs to the top of the world
No sound, as he falls instead of rising
Time standing still, then there's blood on the sand
Oh I see his face!
Where was your star?
Was it far, was it far
When did we leave?
We believed, we believed, we believed
In heat and rain
With the whips and chains
To see him fly
So many died
We built a tower of stone
With our flesh and bone
To see him fly
But why
In all the rain
With all the chains
Did so many die
Just to see him fly
Look at my flesh and bone
Now, look, look, look, look, Look at the tower of stone
I see your rainbow rising
Look there, on the horizon oh no, who's rising
And I'm coming home, I'm coming home, I'm coming home
Time is standing still
You, give back my will
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Going home I'm going home
My eyes are bleeding
And my heart is lead ahead
But it's not home
But it's not home
Ooh
Take me back
You, give me back my will
Ooh ooh ooh ooh
Going home
I'm going home
My eyes are bleeding
And my heart is lead ahead
But it's not home
But it's not home
Take me back, take me back
Back to my home ooh, ooh, ooh
05 Kill the King (04:30)
Danger, danger the Queen's about to kill
There's a stranger, stranger and life about to spill
Oh no move me out of harm
I need a spell and a charm
Fly like the wind
I'm no pawn, so be gone, speed on and on
Kill the King
Tear him down
Chorus:
Kill the King
Strike him down
Power, power it happens every day
Power, devour all along the way
Oh no move me out of harm
I need a spell and a charm
Fly like the wind
I'm no pawn, so be gone, speed on and on
Kill the King
Treason, treason, the spectre looms again
Treason, reason, the realm is safe and then
Oh no move away from harm
I need a spell and a charm
Fly like the rainbow
I'm no pawn, so be gone, speed on and on
Chorus:
Kill the King
Tear him down
Kill the King
Got to take his crown
Chorus:
Kill the King
He'll rule no more
Strike him dead
The people roar
Kill the King
Take his head
Down, down, down, down
Oh, kill, oh, kill, oh, oh
07 Gates of Babylon (06:48)
Look away from the sea
I can take you anywhere
Spend a vision with me
A chase with the wind
Move closer to me
I can make you anyone
I think you're ready to see
The gates to babylon
The power of what has been before
Rises to trap you within
A magic carpet ride a genie maybe more
A city of heavenly sin
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay
Sleep with the devil, the devil will take you away
Oh gates of babylon
You can see but you're blind
Someone turned the sun around
But you can see in your mind
The gates of babylon
You're riding the endless caravan
Bonded and sold as a slave
A saber dance removing all the veils
Getting as good as you gave
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay
Sleep with the devil, the devil will take you away
Look away from the sea
I can take you anywhere
Spend a vision with me
A chase with the wind
Move closer to me
I can make you anyone
I think you're ready to see
The gates of babylon
The power of what has been before
Rises to trap you within
A magic carpet ride a genie maybe more
A city of heavenly sin
Sleep with the devil and then you must pay
Sleep with the devil, the devil will take you away
Black gates of babylon
The devil is me
And I'm holding the key
To the gates of sweet hell
Babylon
08 Since You Been Gone (03:19)
[INTRO]
Whhooaa, whhooaa, whhooaaaa
I get the same old dreams, same time every night
Fall to the ground and I wake up
So I get out of bed, put on my shoes, and in my head
Thoughts fly back to the break-up
These four walls are closing in
Look at the fix you've put me in
Since you been gone, since you been gone
I'm outta my head, can't take it
Could I be wrong, but since you been gone
You cast a spell, so break it
Oooohhh - Whhooooaaa - Ooooohhh
Since you been gone
So in the night I stand beneath the back street light
I read the words that you sent to me
I can take the afternoon, the night-time comes around too soon
You can't know what you mean to me
Your poison letter, your telegram
Just goes to show you don't give a damn
Since you been gone, since you been gone
I'm outta my head, can't take it
Could I be wrong, but since you been gone
You cast a spell, so break it
Oooohhh - Whhooooaaa - Ooooohhh
Since you been gone
[INTERLUDE]
If you will come back
Baby you know
You'll never do wrong
Huhhhhh
Since you been gone, since you been gone
I'm outta my head, can't take it
Could I be wrong, but since you been gone
You cast a spell, so break it
Oooohhh - Whhooooaaa - Ooooohhh
Ever since, you been gone
[GUITAR SOLO OUTRO]
Since you been gone, since you been gone
I'm outta my head, can't take it
Since you been gone, since you been gone
[FADE]
09 All Night Long (03:52)
You're walking up with your eyes on me
It's looking good but I just don't know
I need a girl who can keep her head
All Night Long
You didn't come just to see the show
I guess you know what you wanna see
The way you smile lets me know I can't go wrong
(Bridge)
I wanna touch you
I wanna feel you
I wanna make you mine
(Chorus)
I wanna love you (all night long)
I wanna be with you (all night long)
I wanna love you (all night long)
I wanna be with you (all night long)
I saw you standing down by the stage
Your Black stockings and your see through dress
Your mouth is open but I don't wanna hear ya
Say good night
You're sorta young
But you're over age
I don't care cause I like your style
Don't know about your brain
But you look alright
(Bridge)
(Chorus)
Your mind is dirty
But your hands are clean
You show the class
But youre left alone
I know I can't stand another night
(on my own)
Hey girl would you like some wine
What's your name?
Are you by yourself?
Are you the one?
But you say can I take you home
(Bridge)
(Chorus x2)
10 I Surrender (04:03)
I Surrender
I surrender to your heart babe
Do anything that you want me to do
Please be tender I'm in your hands girl
This is a feeling I never knew
You know I tried to make it on my own
That's not the way it was meant to be
Spend my time waiting by the phone
Oh darling come back to me
I surrender, I surrender
I'm giving up the role of pretender
Oh be tender, girl be tender
Can't you feel the love that I send you
I surrender.
I remember, seems like a lifetime
Can't believe it's a matter of days
Since you left me I'm near to heartbreak
I want you so bad don't turn away
What does it take to stay by my side
You know I'll do what you want me to
Don't take away this feeling inside
I'm still in love with you
I surrender, I surrender
I'm giving up the role of pretender
I remember, I remember
Can't you feel the love that I send you
I surrender.
I surrender, I surrender
Darling now won't you be tender
Surrender, oh surrender
Feel the love that I send you
I surrender.
11 Can't Happen Here (04:59)
Contaminated fish and micro chips
huge supertankers on Arabian trips
oily propaganda from the leaders' lips
all about the future
there's people over here, people over there
everybody's looking for a little more air
crossing all the borders just to take their share
planning for the future
and we're so abused, and we're so confused
it's easy to believe that someone's gonna light the fuse
can't happen here, can't happen here
all that you fear they're telling you, can't happen here
Supersonic planes for a holiday boom
Rio de Janeiro in an afternoon
people out of work but there's people on the moon
looking for the future
concrete racktracks nationwide
juggernauts carving up the countryside
cars by the million on a one way ride
using up the future
and we're so abused, and we're so confused
it's easy to believe that someone's gonna light the fuse
can't happen here, can't happen here
all that you fear they're telling you, can't happen here
Satellites spying for the CIA
the KGB and the men in grey
wonder if I'm gonna see another day
somewhere in the future
We got everything we need for a peaceful time
take what you want but you can't take mine
everybody's living on the Siegfried line
worried 'bout the future
and we're so abused, and we're so confused
it's so easy to believe that someone's gonna light it
easy to believe someone's gonna light the fuse
can't happen here, can't happen here
all that you fear they're telling you, can't happen here can it?
12 Jealous Lover (03:13)
Lost and lonely
Clouds hide the sun
Out on the highway
It's all hit and run
Cold empty nights
Demons in my head
It's something I did
Or baby something you said
And it's hard to discover
That you're just another
Jealous Lover
And its so tough to take
But you're making no mistake
Jealous Lover
Oh Yeah
Don't want no other
Shades of red
Eyes of green
Sees black and white
And there's no in between
Ask me no questions
I'll tell you no lies
Still you keep thinking
That it's all alibis
And it's hard to discover
You're like any other
Jealous Lover
And you're saying I'm a fake
But you're making a mistake
Oh, no no
Every day it's the same
The faces and the names
How long can I go on
Playing this game
So I live for the nights
Soft candle lights
Today they love you
Then tomorrow they might
And it's hard to face
Someone else takes your place
Jealous Lover
And they're saying that's the brakes
But I got what it takes
Jealous Lover, ohh oh
Jealous Lover
Jealous Lover
Don't need no, no no
Don't need no other
Jealous Lover, yeah
Jealous Lover
13 Stone Cold (05:19)
Every night I have the same old dream
'Bout you and me and what's in between
So many changes, so many lies
Try to run, try to hide
From everything that I feel inside
But I can't escape you or your frozen eyes
Searching in the darkness
Fading out of sight
Love was here and gone like a thief in the night
Stone cold
And I thought I knew you so well
Stone cold
Can't break away from your spell
Another dark and empty night
If I was wrong, I wanna make it right
But you are so distant, so far away
Your words like ice fall on the ground
Breaking the silence without a sound
Oh, familiar strangers with nothing to say
Searching in the darkness
Fading out of sight
Love was here and gone like a thief in the night
Stone cold
And I thought I knew you so well
Stone cold, yeah
I can't break away from your spell
You leave me stone cold
Searching in the darkness
Fading out of sight
Love was here and gone like a thief in the night
Stone cold
And I thought I knew you so well
Stone cold, yeah
I can't break away from your spell
Stone cold, baby
(And I thought I knew you so well)
You're stone cold, ice cold
(I can't break away from your spell)
(You put me in the deep freeze) Stone cold
(Oh baby, don't you leave me) And I thought I knew you so well
(Stone cold, your leavin' me cold) Stone cold
I can't break away from your spell
Stone cold
And I thought I knew you so well
Stone cold
Can't break away from your spell
Stone cold
And I thought I knew you so well
Stone cold
Can't break away from your spell
14 Power (04:28)
Everybody's sayin' that the times are getting rough
You gotta stay loose baby and you gotta be tough...oh
I get knocked down...get right back up again
Cause I never give up and I never give in...
Oh - so strong
Got the power when I turn it on
Yeah - I'm gonna get my fill
Nothin's gonna stop me now and nothin' ever will
I got the...power
I got the power
I feel the power...
and don't forget it
Make some, break some ain't no big surprise
They're gonna wheel ya, deal ya, tell ya all the lies...(realize)
But I'm a hot shot, shoot em down let me be (that's me)
Cause I got nothin' for nothin' and nothin's ever free...no
Oh - so strong
All I gotta do is turn it on
Yeah - I'm gonna get my fill
Nothin's gonna stop me now and nothin' ever will
I got the power
Oh, I got the power
I can feel the power
I got the power
Yeah yeah yeah...turn it on
I can take anything that gets in my way
I don't worry 'bout tomorrow I just live for today...
Oh - so strong
Got that feeling when I turn it on
Yeah - I'm gonna get my fill
Nothin's gonna stop me now and nothin' ever will
I got the power
I can feel the power
power
I can feel the power...
Turn it on...
Power (can you feel it)
Power
(repeat)
(you can turn it on, turn it on, switch it on behind)
(Super charged...I can feel the power)
Carico i commenti... con calma
