Il lato selvaggio della vita è l'argomento portante di questo tredicesimo album (1996) dei metallari teutonici, e anche la sua copertina (che in Europa fu in parte censurata) lo dimostra. Non è il chiaro esempio di come l'heavy metal puro sia nato e morto negli anni '80, ma la sonorità delle tracce di questo album conferma saldamente gli Scorpions ai vertici delle gerarchie di quel genere. Gli "eroi dell'heavy metal", come sono stati definiti dai Rolling Stones (quale onore!), non vogliono strafare con questo album ricco di ballate, non una novità per Klaus Meine e soci, ma allo stesso tempo dedicano qualche minuto anche ai soliti potenti riff di chitarra. Il nuovo batterista Curt Cress, che ha suonato anche con Freddie Mercury da solista e anche Elio e le storie tese, è di passaggio fra Herman Rarebell eil nuovo e attuale James Kottak: non si comporta male, dando anche un buon apporto personale a tutti i brani, soprattutto le ballate.
Nuovi suoni, tastiere ed altri esperimenti che gli Scorps continueranno a condurre nei loro futuri album, caratterizzano questo album di discreto successo (doppio disco d'oro più uno di platino), ma rimangono ricordi i tempi migliori.
"Wild Child" apre il disco, introducendo la chitarra con un giro di cornamuse, originale e volendo anche azzeccato: il brano forse più violento, seguito da "But The Best For You" e dall'allegra "Stone in my Shoe". La hit "You And I" a colpi sembra richiamare i tempi di "Fly to the Rainbow", ma nel complesso si scopre la classica ballata, leggermente sporcata da parentesi molto elettriche; le assomiglia "(Oh Girl)I Wanna Be With You". C'è molto per chi vuole piangere disteso sul letto, chiudendo gli occhi e spegnendo la luce, ascoltando lo struggente arpeggio di "When You Came Into My Life", la più splendida e triste delle ballate qui presenti. Rudolf Schenker e Matthias Jabs dimostrano di saperci fare anche con le chitarre acustiche, e a noi resta solo da sognare un amore migliore, come descritto nelle splendide parole del poeta Meine, rese anche migliori dalla sua magnifica voce; ottime cornici soft anche "Does Anyone Know", "Soul Behind The Face", e le due "Where The River Flows" e "Time Will Call Your Name", leggermente più ritmate e dai risvolti chitarristici quasi country.
Chiude in bellezza la più triste di tutte, "Are You The One?", lasciando anche un po' di amaro in bocca alla fine del disco, e lavoglia di rimetterlo da capo, per sentire di nuovo le cornamuse di "Wild Child".
Arpeggi e lentezza in abbondanza, ma siamo lontani dall'esagerazione, poi di album ricchi di canzoni lente degli Scorpions non ci si potrebbe mai stancare, a testimonianza appunto dell'elevata produzione di best of e raccolte varie da parte del gruppo.
La traccia "She's Knockin' At My Door" è presente solo nella versione giapponese del disco, a testimonianza dell'interesse dei tedeschi di conquistare anche il mercato orientale.
Come sempre alla fine si può dire, un album pubblicizzato male, spesso uno di quelli che vengono comprati solo dai fan della band, ma fatelo ascoltare a qualcuno che sa apprezzare la vera anima del rock, e, se non può definirlo una pietra miliare, di sicuro almeno ve lo chiederà in prestito.
Il giudizio globale vede il gruppo, storico ma mai fuori tempo, confermarsi nel proprio genere, e a chi è accanito disprezzatore dei loro famosi pezzi lenti, qualcuno che predilige le canzoni più dure, possiamo replicare che nessun artista non è tale senza sentimento, e, più che altro, che nessuno sa fare le "ballads" come gli Scorpions.
Elenco tracce testi e samples
02 But the Best for You (05:20)
Let me tell you something
In the darkness of the room
I'm leaning back against the wall
Try to walk on broken glass
A cut so deep just hurts so bad
I remember what you said
Tears were rollin' down your face
And after all's been said and done
You're a woman, I'm a man
Could I turn back the time again
You must know by now
I won't let you down
Whatever comes along the way
Don't you agree that one thing is true
I'm not the best, but the best for you
And I step outside the door (step outside the door)
Blinded by a million lights
In the valley of the fools (in the valley of the fools)
Another day went by so fast
What in the world will ever last
You must know by now
I won't let you down
Whatever comes along the way
Don't you agree that one thing is true
I'm not the best, but the best for you
There's nothin' else that we have got
But our love is like a rock
Standing up against the tide
There's nothin' else that we have got
But our love is like a rock
Standing up against the tide
You must know by now
I won't let you down
Whatever comes along the way
Don't you agree that one thing is true
I'm not the best, but the best for you
You must know by now
I won't let you down
Whatever comes along the way
Don't you agree that one thing is true
I'm not the best, but the best for you
Don't you agree that one thing is true
I'm not the best, but the best for you
I'm not the best, but the best for you
I'm not the best, but the best for you
03 Does Anyone Know (05:57)
Music: Klaus Meine
Lyrics: Klaus Meine
Is this world out of control
Say what is right what is wrong
Do I know this world at all
I think I do but then I don't
I'm confused by what I see
I try to understand
But it makes no sense at all
I'm confused by what I feel
I thought that our love
Was something that is real
Does anyone know
The truth we're looking for
Can't find it anymore
Does anyone know
How to make me feel
For something that is real
So many things that I recall
When we were young just flying high
Can we turn our fate at all
I wish we could say don't you cry
I'm confused by what I hear
Girl it seems to me
We're losing after all
I'm confused by what I feel
I thought that our love
Was something that is real
Does anyone know
The truth we're looking for
Can't find it anymore
Does anyone know
How to make me feel
For something that is real
Another day has just begun
Life goes on there's no return
How can I trust anyone
When honesty is such a dirty word
Does anyone know
The truth we're looking for
Can't find it anymore
Does anyone know
How to make me feel
For something that is real
Does anyone know
The truth we're looking for
Can't find it anymore
Does anyone know
How to make me feel
For something that is real
Yeah
04 Stone in My Shoe (04:38)
I keep on dancin' on the roof
Try not to fall, stay in the groove
A step too far. I'm out of place
Life beats you up some of these days
Just like a whisper there's a voice
Inside of me
It's sayin' you ain't got a choice
Well, can't you see
Ooh, when your world comes tumbling down
Ooh, you better find a way around
I keep on walkin' in the clouds
Find out what life is all about
I keep on runnin' away from here
To learn the grass ain't greener there
Just like a whisper there's a voice
Inside of me
It's sayin' you ain't got no choice
As you can see
Ooh, when your world comes tumbling down
Ooh, you better find a way around
Ooh, cause no one else but you
Ooh, can find the stone inside your shoe
Ooh, when your world comes tumbling down
Ooh, you better find a way around
Ooh, cause no one else but you
Ooh, can find the stone inside your shoe
Inside your shoe
Inside your shoe
Inside your shoe
Yeah
Keep rockin' in the street
Keep landing on your feet
Keep runnin' on and on
Still play my favorite blond
Keep rockin' mother earth
Just all around the world
These days mean safer sex
Get my survival pack
My orgasm isn't faked
Ooh Lord, I need a break
And what's annoying, too
Is that damn thing in my shoe
Ooh, there is a stone in my shoe
05 Soul Behind the Face (04:00)
Would you care for me if I was deaf and blind
Would you hear my voice if I was always quiet
Would you hold my hand if I was going to fall
Would you cry for me would you know my name at all
Would you be there if I was on the ground
Would you be my friend if no one was around
Would you hold me close if I was in the cold
Would you pray for me would you know my name at all
Would you care would you be there
For the soul behind the face
Would you love me for what I am
Would you care would you be there
For the soul behind the face
Would you love me for what I am
Would you care would you be there
For the soul behind the face
Would you love me for what I am
Would you care would you be there
For the soul behind the face
Would you love me for what I am
Would you love me for what I am
Would you love me for what I am
Would you love me for what I am
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