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Un disco fondamentale per comprendere appieno lo stile musicale di Rory Gallagher è senza dubbio questo "Blueprint" pubblicato a inizio 1973 e che di fatto rappresenta uno dei dischi cosiddetti must-have del geniale artista irlandese.
La sua genesi è, tuttavia, piuttosto particolare: dopo il successo di "Live! In Europe" del 1972, infatti, la band intorno a Rory cambia pelle, in quanto il posto di Wilgar Campbell alla batteria viene preso dall'ambidestro Rod de'Ath e viene aggiunto alla tastiere Lou Martin nativo di Belfast e compagno di band di de'Ath dai tempi dei "Killing Floor", piccola band Rock/Blues nella quale entrambi inizialmente militavano.
La diretta conseguenza di questa piccola rivoluzione in seno alla "Rory Gallagher Band" si avverte soprattutto a livello stilistico, in quanto il sound già potente e riconoscibile di Rory si arricchisce di elementi nuovi, estendendosi verso altri stili musiciali, come vedremo da qui a poco.
L'esordio è di quelli memorabili e viene affidato alla stupenda "Walk On The Hot Coals" che già dà prova di questo cambiamento sostanziale: la chitarra sempre inappuntabile di Rory svisa e improvvisa, stagliandosi su un avvolgente tappeto sonoro rappresentato non solo dalla sezione ritmica McAvoy-de'Ath di livello, ma dalle tastiere di Martin che conferiscono al pezzo in questione un'inedita ma assolutamente originale impronta funky.
"Daughter Of The Everglades" è, invece, un'immaginifica ballata che evoca magicamente atmosfere addirittura di stampo medioevale, grazie soprattutto al sempre eccellente lavoro alle chitarre (acustiche ed elettriche) del buon Rory.
Con "Banker's Blues" torniamo, invece, al Blues più classico, ispirato alla figura del bluesman "Big" Bill Bronzy, e dove sia Rory sia Martin si dividono equamente le (belle) parti soliste.
"Hands Off" è, invece, un pezzo Rock/Blues di grande impatto e potenza dove la "slide guitar" del solito irlandese si fa sentire eccome, idem dicasi per l'altrettanto bellissima "Race The Breeze" dove il ritmo sembra emulare quello delle sempre affascinanti locomotive a vapore alle quali pare si sia ispirato il genietto di Ballyshannon per la creazione di tale geniale pezzo.
Con "Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son" ci si avventura persino in territori quasi psichedelici alla maniera dei The Doors, come si evince dalla intro iniziale che sembra quasi fare il vero a una "The End" qualsiasi, per un totale di quasi 8 minuti e mezzo dove Martin sfodera un'altra ottima prestazione alle tastiere e Rory rifinisce con un bell'assolo tagliente a metà canzone all'incirca.
La strumentale "Unmilitary Two-Step" mostra, per contro, il lato Folk/Rock di Rory dove per circa 2 minuti e mezzo intrattiene l'ascoltatore con questa canzone acustica che per alcuni arpeggi potrebbe persino ricordare qualche pezzo acustico dei Led Zeppelin, soprattutto "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp", a ben ascoltare alcuni passaggi di essa.
Il finale è di quelli all'insegna di un Country assai sognante ed è rappresentato dalla magnetica "If I Had A Reason" che chiude alla perfezione un altro album che ciascun amante del Rock quello vero dovrebbe possedere in bacheca soprattutto per capire la grandezza del "fu" Rory Gallagher.
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01 Walk on Hot Coals (07:03)
Well I lost my shirt at a card game in which I never had a chance
Well I lost my shirt at a card game in which I never had a chance
The deck was marked, the game was rigged,
You could not tell at a glance.
Well, Lost my job on the weekend and I was back out on the street
Well, I lost my job on the weekend and I was back out on the streets
No way to get a dollar, but I spent it at the roulette wheel
Well I walk on hot coals, sleep on a bed of nails
Walk on thin ice, skate on razor blades
Got my little girl beside me no matter what else fails.
Well I spent it all down at the race track
All the way my horsre led the field
Well I spent it all down at the race track
All the way my horse led the field
But it was a hoax, the mare was doped,
a length to win she fell down on her knees
Gonna throw away my lucky penny, rabbit's foot and gypsy ring
Gonna throw away my lucky penny, rabbit's foot and gypsy ring
not gonna gamble on my baby,
on this loosing streak I might not win
Well I walk on hot coals, sleep on a bed of nails
Walk on thin ice, skate on razor blades
Got my little girl beside me no matter what else fails
Well I walk on hot coals, sleep on a bed of nails
Walk on thin ice, skate on razor blades
Got my little girl beside me no matter what else fails
02 Daughter of the Everglades (06:13)
Were you were raised by the river
Down in the low, low land
Where the air is dark and sinister
In the night there's no safe place to stand
In the reeds there are eyes that peek
Voices I can't understand
Flamingos flying endlessly
Into the silent sky
Daughter of the everglades
You never made it clear
Child of the river
If you wanted to be here
Daughter of the everglades
I never saw your tears
Well you looked like your mama
Before you walked, you swam
Learned to make that snake tail stew
From your daddy
Crazy talking fisherman
In this place there is no law
The river makes all the rules
What they are, I found out
When I came to look for you
Daughter of the everglades
Why did you bring me here?
Daughter of the everglades
My love has turned to fear
Daughter of the everglades
Let me feel you near
Well you laughed in the city
But I knew after a year
That you'd cry in the city
I should not have brought you here
So far from the bayou
Down in the low, low land
Don't know why you left me
But now I think I understand
04 Hands Off (04:31)
Anyone can tell you, lies like one and one is two,
And then call 'round and tell that I'm not right for you.
Hands off, . You're gonna hear me saying,
Hands off, . Things sure need some changing,
Hands off, . We'd all be much better of then.
Anyone can tell you, lies like one and two is three,
And then call 'round and tell that you were'nt made for me.
Hands off, . Do you need persuading?
Hands off, . I've had enough interrogation,
Hands off, . Do you hear what I say?
Hands off, . Now do you need persuading?
Hands off, . I've had enough interrogation.
Hands off, . Do you hear what I say?
Yeah...
You know that I'm a peaceful man, now as a general rule,
That's the way I'd like to keep it, if I had to choose.
Hands off, . Now here's the situation,
Hands off, . My girl needs consideration,
Hands off, . Did you hear what I say?
There's people letter-writing until the ink turns green,
Trying to ruin my reputation, sell it to a magazine.
Hands off, . Now here's the situation,
Hands off, . My girl needs consideration,
Hands off, . We'd all be better off then.
Hands off, . Now here's the situation,
Hands off, . My girl needs consideration,
Hands off, . Did you hear what I say?
Hands off, . Now here's the situation,
Hands off, . Needs some consideration,
Hands off, . Did you hear what I say?
Hands off,.... Off..hey..
Hands off, . Now here's the situation,
Hands off, . Did you hear what I say.
05 Race the Breeze (06:54)
Well that sounds like the night train, blowin' its stack
Spreading its wings on homeward track
Arrived here this morning, won't be here for long
As fast as a shooting star, that's' what them eight wheels are for
Come on baby lets jump aboard
It's a mean piece of transport baby
You know that's no joke
On board the aging gamble smiles as he peels
The seal off a new deck, then he quietly deals
Hands round the table from the bottom he slips three
Watch yourself if you play this game the fastest card game on wheels
Come on, won't you be there when it leaves
Can't you hear them talkin' about it together we could race the breeze
It shines out a light, in the darkest night
To make us feel alright
To make us feel alright
I've prayed every night
That you will wanna go there too
Come on darlin', let's go
Night is over as the dawn begins to crack
Sounds like a hen hatching in a chicken shack
Late last night I think I heard a lonely cry
Heard the blind owl howling in a moonless sky
Come on
Won't you be there when it leaves
Can't ya hear me talkin'
Together we could race the breeze
Old engine driver never stepped on the ground
Got no degree in geography but he's been around
Knows all the back lines, eyes can hardly see
Don't tell this man to slow down
'Cause he don't know what you mean
Come on
Won't you be there when it leaves
Can't you hear me talkin baby
Together we can race the breeze
It shines out a light, in the darkest night
To make us feel alright
To make us feel alright
I've prayed every night
That you will wanna go there too
Alright
Well that sounds like the night train, blowin' its stack
Spreading its wheels on homeward track
Arrived here this morning, won't be here for long
As fast as a shooting star, that's' what them eight wheels are for
Won't you be there when it leaves
Can't you hear me talkin' baby
Together we can race the breeze
Can't you hear me talkin' baby
Together we can race the breeze
Can't you hear me talkin' baby
Together we can race the breeze
08 If I Had a Reason (04:30)
If I had a reason I'd tell you what it is,
Must I explain how I feel
I've tried and I've tried to make it so clear
But my time is just wasted I fear
Well it's only an old song but it serves it's purpose so well
By the cry in your voice Im can tell
When you sing there's a feeling behind the words
That brings it all back again
I'm reaching, I'm reaching, while you slip away
I'm searching for words I can say
I'm listening, I'm listening, tryin' not to hear
You say that we might met one day
There's a picture that's faded and curling from it's frame
Of a face that smiles patiently,
It might smile forever to make me feel better
But I might just bust it and see.
Oh I'm reaching, I'm reaching while you slip away,
I'm searching for words I can't say.
I'm listening, I'm listening tryin' not to hear
You say that we might meet some day
There's answers to questions that we both wanna know
But those answers keep evading me
There's rhymes and there's reasons,
There's rights and there's wrongs
For being what you are to me.
If I had a a reason I'd tell you what it is
Would you do the same thing for ne?
"Cause the minute you go there's one thing I know,
That day will mean nothing to me.
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