"Gadji Beri Bimba Clanridi
Lauli Lonni Cadori Gadjam
A Bim Beri Glassala Glanride
E Glassala Tuffm I Zimbra"
(I Zimbra)
È il 3 agosto ’79 quando le mitiche Teste Parlanti pubblicano "Fear of Music", terza prova discografica dopo lo scintillante ’77 e il capolavoro "More Songs About Buildings And Food", che vedeva l’ingresso di Brian Eno nel sound della band.
Ma Fear of Music è quasi un corpo a se stante nella carriera dei Talking Heads: lo stile spostava già in avanti le coordinate musicali e concettuali del quartetto, l’atmosfera ballabile e intrigante degli esordi lascia il posto ad ambiziose escursioni ritmiche nella nevrosi quotidiana. Sì, perché questo disco è la colonna sonora delle piccole (e grandi) ossessioni che rischiano di imprigionare l’individuo comune in una spirale d’indecifrata alienazione, e la copertina dell’album dovrebbe farlo intuire: un muro metallico completamente nero che sta a significare il totale isolamento, la perdita della libertà che non ha solo “paura della musica”. La figura esagitata di David Byrne qui prende il sopravvento, facendo leva su interpretazioni al limite dell’esaurimento, sia che parli di menti indisposte alle sue idee sia di città cui voglia identificarsi, di un 1979 immaginato durante la guerra mondiale, animali che gli cambiano la vita, chitarre elettriche processate per crimine contro lo stato… senza trascurare l’apporto strumentale della Weymouth, Harrison e Frantz, tessitori di trame compositive che ruotano ansimanti attorno al loro leader.
L’inizio è a dir poco affascinante con quella "I Zimbra" venata di suggestioni etniche in anticipo sui tempi, saggio dadaista del nuovo corso intrapreso dal gruppo: tastiere esotiche, basso pulsante, una chitarra suonata graziosamente da Robert Fripp e percussioni tribali che riaffiorano nel singolo finto-dance di "Life During Wartime". L’allucinata "Mind" brilla per le note isteriche della chitarra, il basso che scivola su se stesso e gli improvvisi squarci elettronici; "Paper" è semplicemente irresistibile, viva, capace ancora di influenzare gruppi della nuova generazione (per informazioni rivolgersi ai Franz Ferdinand); "Cities" ci sbatte da una metropoli all’altra col suo ritmo frenetico e i vocalizzi schizzati di Byrne.
Nella splendida "Memories Can’t Wait" serpeggia un inquietudine frustrata dai ricordi “non attesi”, dai fantasmi che tornano a far sentire la loro voce, grazie alla melodia thrilling e un grandissimo ritornello a tinte fosche. Una geniale "Air", anticipa la ballata più emozionante dei Talking Heads, "Heaven"; l’atmosfera trasognata del brano sembra davvero proiettarci in un paradiso sconosciuto, malinconicamente sospeso, enfatizzato dalle parole tanto semplici eppure così toccanti di Byrne:
"Everyone is trying to get to the bar
the name of the bar, the bar is called Heaven
the band in Heaven plays my favorite song
they play it once again, they play it all night long
Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens"
...fantastica.
Gli ultimi brani che seguono, sono i più stranianti:
"Animals", dal ritmo zoppicante e il canto decisamente urlato, sfocia in toni paradossali che riflettono la grottesca instabilità umana; "Electric Guitar", col ronzìo impertinente delle tastiere e una chitarra non proprio “elettrica”, mantiene sghembi legami visionari con la conclusiva "Drugs", epilogo quantomai lisergico nella sua astratta costruzione, puntellata da effetti campionati e sonorità balbettanti (esemplare il lavoro di Eno in questa canzone, come nell’intero album); chitarre acide che sfumano in lontananza chiudono l’opera nel segno della misteriosità.
Fear of Music, oltre ad essere una grande testimonianza di New Wave colta e variegata, è pura arte moderna.
E il bello doveva ancora venire con "Remain In Light"…
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 I Zimbra (03:08)
GADJI BERI BIMBA CLANDRIDI
LAULI LONNI CADORI GADJAM
A BIM BERI GLASSALA GLANDRIDE
E GLASSALA TUFFM I ZIMBRA
BIM BLASSA GALASSASA ZIMBRABIM
BLASSA GLALLASSASA ZIMBRABIM
A BIM BERI GLASSALA GRANDRID
E GLASSALA TUFFM I ZIMBRA
GADJI BERI BIMBA GLANDRIDI
LAULI LONNI CADORA GADJAM
A BIM BERI GLASSASA GLANDRID
E GLASSALA TUFFM I ZIMBRA
02 Mind (04:12)
Time won't change you
Money won't change you
I haven't got the faintest idea
Everything seems to be up in the air at this time
I need something you change your mind
Drugs won't change you
Religion won't change you
Science won't change you
Looks like I can't change you
I try to talk to you, to make things clear
but you're not even listening to me...
And it comes directly from my heart to you...
I need something to change your mind.
03 Paper (02:39)
Hold the paper up to the light
(some rays pass right through)
Expose yourself out there for a minute
(some rays pass right through)
Take a little rest when the rays pass through
Take a little time off when the rays pass through
Go ahead and mis it up...Go ahead and tie it up
In a long distance telephone call
Hold on to that paper
Hold on to that paper
Hold on becuase it's been taken care of
Hold on to that paper
See if you can fit it on the paper
See if you can get it on the paper
See if you can fit it on the paper
See if you can get it on the paper
Had a love affair but it was only paper
(some rays they pass right through)
Had a lot of fun, could have been a lot better
(some rays they pass right through)
Take a little consideration, take every combination
Take a few weeks off, make it tighter, tighter
But it was never, it was never written down
Still might be a chance that it might work out (if you)
Hold on to that paper
Hold on to that paper
Hold on because it'll be taken care of
Hold on to that paper
Don't think I can fit it on the paper
Don't think I can get it on the paper
Go ahead and rip up, rip up the paper
Go ahead and tear up, tear up the paper
04 Cities (04:10)
Think of London, a small city
It's dark, dark in the daytime
The people sleep, sleep in the daytime
If they want to, if they want to
CHORUS
I'm checking them out
I'm checking them out
I got it figured out
I got it figured out
There's good points and bad points
But it all works out
I'm a little freaked out
Find a city
Find myself a city to live in.
There are a lot of rich people in Birmingham
A lot of ghosts in a lot of houses
Look over there!...A dry ice factory
A good place to get some thinking done
Down el Paso way things get pretty spread out
People got no idea where in the world they are
They go up north and come back south
Still got no idea where in the world they are.
Did I forget to mention, to mention Memphis
Home of Elvis and the ancient greeks
Do I smell? I smell home cooking
It's only the river, it's only the river.
07 Air (03:34)
Air...Air
Hit me in the face
I run faster
Faster into the air
(I say to myself)
What is happening to my skin?
Where is that protection that I needed?
Air can hurt you too
Air can hurt you too
Some people say not to worry about the air
Some people never had experience with...
Air...Air
It can break your heart
So remember when the weather gets rough
(You'll say to yourself)
What is happening to my skin?
Where is that protection that I needed?
Air can hurt you too
Air can hurt you too
Some people say not to worry about the air
Some people don't know shit about the...
Air...
08 Heaven (04:00)
Everyone is trying to get to the bar.
The name of the bar, the bar is called Heaven.
The band in Heaven plays my favorite song.
They play it once again, they play it all night long.
Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.
Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.
There is a party, everyone is there.
Everyone will leave at exactly the same time.
Its hard to imagine that nothing at all
could be so exciting, and so much fun.
Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.
Heaven is a place where nothing ever happens.
When this kiss is over it will start again.
It will not be any different, it will be exactly
the same.
It's hard to imagine that nothing at all
could be so exciting, could be so much fun.
Heaven is a place where nothing every happens.
Heaven is a place where nothing every happens.
09 Animals (03:30)
I'm mad...And that's a fact
I found out...Animals don't help
Animal think...They're pretty smart
Shit on the ground...See in the dark.
They wander around like a crazy dog
Make a mistake in the parking lot
Always bumping into things
Always let you down down down down.
They're never there when you need them
They never come when you call them
They're never there when you need them
The never come when you call them down down down down.
I know the animals...Are laughing at us
They don't even know...What a joke is
I won't follow...Animal's advice
I don't care...If they're laughing at us.
They're never there when you need them
They never come when you call them
They're never there when you need them
The never come when you call them down down down down.
They say they don't need money
They're living on nuts and berries
They say animals don't worry
You know animals are hairy?
They think they know what's best
They're making a fool of us
They ought to be more careful
They're setting a bad example
They have untroubled lives
They think everything's nice
They like to laugh at people
They're setting a bad example
(Go ahead) Laugh at me.
11 Drugs (05:09)
And all I see is little dots
Some are smeared and some are spots
Feels like a murder but that's alright
Somebody said there's too much light
Pull down the shade and it's alright
It'll be over in a minute or two.
I'm charged up...Don't put me down
Don't feel like talking...Don't mess around
I feel mean...I feel O.K.
I'm charged up...Electricity
The boys are making a big mess
This makes the girls all start to laugh
I don't know what they're talking about
The boys are worried, the girls are shocked
They pick the sound and let it drop
Nobody know what they're talking about
I'm charged up...I'm kinda wooden
I'm barely moving...I study motion
I study myself...I fooled myself
I'm charged up...It's pretty intense.
I'm charged up...Don't put me down
Don't feel like talking...Don't mess around
I feel mean...I feel O.K.
I'm charged up...Electricity.
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di Bleak
"Fear Of Music è una vera e propria opera saggistica, uno studio paranoico e surreale sulla vita di tutti i giorni."
"La vita, per Byrne, è un'infinita spirale di nevrosi e inquietudine, un ciclo nel quale la normalità è l'unico elemento anomalo."
