“Shake Your Money Maker” dei Black Crowes è un album al quale non manca praticamente nulla. Prendiamo una pietra miliare del Hard Rock/Blues: “Led Zeppelin IV”. In un album del genere troviamo canzoni come “Black Dog” o “Rock n’ Roll” con ritmi incalzanti e riff potentissimi da far venire giù uno stadio e poi delle ballate come “Going to California” o la mitica "Stairway to Heaven” per concludersi con la leggendaria e forse traccia a me preferita dell’album, ovvero l’inesorabile “When the Levee Breaks” che arranca nei suoi 7 minuti e passa di durata sempre sullo stesso giro di accordi in Open D. Ma perché vi sto parlando di questo album invece di prendere in esame quello indicato dal titolo, ovvero l’esordio dei Corvi Neri capitanati dai fratelli Robinson? Bé per fornire un termine di paragone ovviamente, se prendiamo come canone l’album del Led, perfetta rappresentazione di un genere, da cui ogni hard rock band dovrebbe attingere e cercare di imitare, bé Shake Your Money Maker affronta la sfida e ci arriva molto vicino.
L’album si apre con “Twice as Hard” canzone che fa sentire tutta l’influenza di Page sui corvi con una buona dose di slider con bottle neck molto “Southern” che non fa mai male. “Jealous Again” invece fa veramente piangere, ma non perché la canzone sia particolarmente triste anzi, tutt’altro, la malinconia ti colpisce quando ti salta alla mente il pensiero che quei bridge di piano, quel ritmo di pennata sulla chitarra e quella voce acuta e penetrante li hai già sicuramente sentiti almeno 20 anni prima nei CD degli Stones. Alla malinconia segue poi la rabbia riflettendo su quanto siano diventati negli anni ’90 Jagger & Co.
L’album prosegue con toni allegri a metà fra il Blues e l’Hard Rock con assoli semplici senza troppe pretese, ma assolutamente funzionali. Si arriva finalmente alla zona ballad e si incontra inevitabilmente “Seeing Things" e la toccante “She Talks to Angels". La prima mantiene un tono elettrico anche se estremamente clean e disteso, accompagnato da un organo jazz che fa davvero molto, ma molto John Paul Jones. La seconda invece parte con un riff acustico da sogno ( ricordo la prima volta che lo imparai, mi diede una grandissima soddisfazione perché suona davvero da dio ). In questa traccia tutti i componenti si amalgamano tra loro con una semplicità e sintonia disarmante, un po’ come accade per “Stairway to Heaven” dove ogni strumento, ogni nota, sembra davvero al proprio posto.
Si viene poi al piatto forte, la traccia che ha messo in risalto una band appena sbocciata che suona un genere che si, è vero, è sempre un evergreen, ma che, diciamoci la verità, incominciava leggermente ad ammuffire negli anni ‘90. Tutto questo in un mare magnum dominato da Metallica all’apice della carriera, AC/DC che ci davano ancora di brutto e Guns N’ Roses reduci dal loro cattivissimo e cazzutissimo esordio con Appetite. La traccia in questione non può non essere che “Hard to Handle” cover del leggendario soulman Otis Redding. La canzone respira aria nuova in questo ri-arrangiamento hard rock che sembra davvero vestirgli perfettamente per il suo groove e la sua composizione. Per quanto non la ritenga la migliore dell’album, è una canzone davvero che potresti ascoltare e riascoltare senza mai stancarti.
L’album ahimè non si conclude con una simil memorabile “When the Levee Breaks” ma con una più che accettabile “Stare It Cold”. La parte migliore della traccia? Assolutamente la parte finale quando il ritmo prende il volo in una chiusura così energica, che davvero fa rimpiangere gli Stones ai tempi d’oro e che proprio non riesce a farti stare fermo in qualsiasi posto tu ti possa trovare.
In conclusione “Shake Your Money Maker” è uno di quegli album che sicuramente porterei su un’isola deserta e che non mi stancherei mai di ascoltare. Riesce a coniugare in un mix piuttosto originale, generi come il Blues, il rock e l’hard rock condendo il tutto con un po’ di American Spirit. E’ un album dalla quale emerge una incredibile passione per la musica in una delle sue tante declinazioni che si concretizza in un album d’esordio davvero di una intensità ed energia notevoli e assolutamente invidiabili.
Elenco tracce testi e video
02 Jealous Again (04:34)
Cheat the odds that made you brave to try to gamble at times
Well I feel like dirty laundry sending sickness on down the line
Tell you why
'Cause I'm jealous, jealous again
Thought it time I let you in
Yeah, I'm jealous, jealous again
Got no time, baby
Always drunk on Sunday, trying to feel like I'm at home
Smell the gasoline burning, boys out feeling nervous and cold
Oh yeah
I'm jealous, jealous again
Thought it time I let you in
Jealous, jealous again
Got no time, baby
Stop, understand me
I ain't afraid of losing face
Stop, understand me
I ain't afraid of ever losing faith in you
Never felt like smiling sugar wanna' kill me yet
Find me loose lipped and laughing, singing songs ain't got no regrets
Oh yeah
I'm jealous, jealous again
Thought it time I let you in
Jealous, yeah, I'm jealous again
Got no time, baby
Stop, understand me
I ain't afraid of losing face
Stop, understand me
I ain't afraid of ever losing faith in you
Don't you think I want to, don't you think I would
Don't you think I'd tell you baby if I only could
Am I acting crazy, am I just too proud
Am I just plain lazy, am I, am I, am I, am I
Jealous, jealous again
Thought it time that I let you in
Jealous, jealous again
Got no time to let you in
Oh yeah, I'm jealous, jealous again
Got no time now to let you in
Jealous, yeah, jealous again
Got no time, baby
Oh yeah
03 Sister Luck (05:13)
Worried sick my eyes are hurting
To rest my head I'd take a life
Outside the girls are dancing
'Cause when you're down it just don't seem right
Feeling second fiddle to a dead man
Up to my neck with your disregard
Like a beat dog that's walking on the broadway
No one wants to hear you when you're down
Sister luck is screaming out
Somebody else's name
Sister luck is screaming out
Somebody else's name
A flip of a coin
Might make a head turn
No surprise, who sleeps
Held my hand over a candle
Flame burnin' but I never weep
Sister luck is screaming out
Somebody else's name
Sister luck is screaming out
Somebody else's name
What a shame
(Repeat 2nd Chorus)
04 Could I've Been So Blind (03:44)
How could I've been so blind
So empty that I've never felt warm
Can I spell it out
Turn myself out of my home
Lookin' like a fool
Feelin' even worse than it seems
Tryin' hard as nails
Believin' only in myself
And now it looks like innocence is gone
I know right and I know what's wrong
Feeling lonely that's the way it goes
Sometimes
But my greatest fear
Paint a smile from ear to ear
Alone and cryin'
Living like this is no better than dying
I tell you baby things are gonna' change
Looking like we were caught out in the rain
Feeling lonely
That's the way it goes
Sometimes
Chorus:
Could I ever have been so blind
Could I ever have been so blind
Could I ever have been so blind
Could I ever have been so blind
Solo
Could I ever have been so blind
Could I ever have been so blind
Hardest thing I ever had to do
Was stand up straight and tell it all to you
Look you right in the eye
Tell you baby sorry but I have lied
And now it looks like innocence is gone
I know right and I know what's wrong
Feeling lonely that's the way it goes
Sometimes
(Repeat Chorus 4 times)
05 Seeing Things (05:18)
I find it hard to shed a tear
You brought it all on yourself my dear
Wrong, yes I may be
Don't leave a light on for me
'Cause I ain't comin' home
It hurts me baby to be alone
Yes, it hurts me baby
A hundred years will never ease
Hearing things I won't believe
I saw it with my own two eyes
All the pain that I can't hide
And this pain starts in my heart
And this love tears us apart
You won't find me bent down on my knees
Ain't bendin' over backwards baby
Not to please
'Cause I'm seeing things for the first time
I'm seeing things for the first time, oh yeah
I'm seeing things for the first time
In my life, in my life
I used to dream
Of better days that never came
Sorry ain't nothin' to me
I'm gone and that's the way it must be
So please I've done my time
Lovin' you is such a crime
You won't fine me down on, on my knees
Won't fine me over backwards baby
Just to please
'Cause I'm seeing things for the first time
I"m seeing things for the first time
Seeing things for the first time
Oh I'm seeing things for the first time
Yeah, seeing things for the first time
I'm seeing things for the first time
Yeah, I'm seeing things for the first time
In my life, in my life
06 Hard to Handle (03:07)
Baby, here I am, I'm a man on the scene
I can give you what you want, but you got to come home with me
I forgot some good old lovin' and I got some more in store
When I get through throwin' it on you, you got to come back for more
Boys and things that come by the dozen
That ain't nothin' but drugstore lovin'
Hey little thing let me light your candle
'Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle now
Yes around
Action speaks louder than words and I'm a man of great experience
I know you got another man but I can love you better than him
Take my hand, don't be afraid, I'm gonna prove every word I say
I'm advertising love for free, so you can place your ad with me
Boys will come along a dime by the dozen
That ain't nothing but ten cent lovin'
Hey little thing let me light your candle
'Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle now
Yes around
Yeah, hard to handle now, oh baby
Baby, here I am, I'm a man on your scene
I can give you what you want, but you got to come home with me
I forgot some good old lovin' and I got some more in store
When I get through throwin' it on you, you got to come a-runnin' back for more
Boys will come along a dime by the dozen
That ain't nothing but drug store lovin'
Hey little thing let me light your candle
'Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle now
Yes around
Hard, hard to handle now, oh yeah
Boys will come along a dime by the dozen
That ain't nothing but ten cent lovin'
Hey little thing let me light your candle
'Cause mama I'm sure hard to handle now
Yes around
07 Thick n' Thin (02:44)
Got a chainsaw buzzin'
Who's that cussin'
Eyes start blinkin'
The boys all start their wishing
Left holdin' the bag again
Buring it at both ends
Don't believe she's a friend
Chorus:
Thick, thick & thin
Let it loose now, let it go to the wind
Got my clock tock tickin'
Hear the madame start bitchin'
See the boys itch itchin'
Do girls ever know what they're missin'
But it sounds like shit to me
Last laugh mine will be
I don't believe she is clean
Chorus:
Thick, baby, yeah, thick & thin
08 She Talks to Angels (05:29)
She never mentions the word addiction
In certain company
Yes, she'll tell you she's an orphan
After you meet her family
She paints her eyes as black as night, now
Pulls those shades down tight
Yeah, she gives a smile when the pain comes
The pain's gonna make everything alright
Says she talks to angels
They call her out by her name
Oh yeah, she talks to angels
Says they call her out by her name
She keeps a lock of hair in her pocket
She wears a cross around her neck
Yes, the hair is from a little boy
And the cross is someone she has not met, not yet
Says she talks to angels
Says they all know her name
Oh yeah, she talks to angels
Says they call her out by her name
She don't know no lover
None that I ever seen
Yeah, to her that ain't nothing
But to me, yeah me
It means everything
She paints her eyes as black as night now
She pulls those shades down tight
Oh yeah, there's a smile when the pain comes,
The pain's gonna make everything alright, alright yeah
She talks to angels
Says they call her out by her name
Oh yeah-eah-eah, angels
Call her out by her name
Oh-ooh-oh-oh angels
They call her out by her name
Oh-oh, she talks to angels
They call her out
Yeah-eah-eah, they call her out
Don't you know that they call her out by her name?
10 Stare It Cold (05:14)
Under the weather
I never got better
Wrapped up in my disease
Mile away, she want to count my day
Look a little older in the light
Under the weather
Feelin' very heavy
Never up for no air
Sea legs start to wigglin'
And sick I'm still feelin'
Just know I never cared
Don't you want to feel it
Don't you want to stare it cold
Don't you want to feel it
Don't you want to stare it cold
Never thought about it
And never no questions
Seein' where I've gone wrong
No kiss made it magic
'Cause that old girl has had it
Then it's time for me to run along
(Repeat Chorus 4 times)
(Repeat verse 1)
(Repeat Chorus 4 times)
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Altre recensioni
Di shooting star
Se il Southern Rock non morì ai tempi di 'Sweet Home Alabama' è proprio grazie a 'Shake Your Money Maker'.
'She Talks To Angels', una delle più belle canzoni dell'intera discografia, toccante viaggio tra visioni e allucinazioni di un tossicodipendente.
Di Karter4
Shake Your Money Maker è uno di quegli album che riescono ad entrarmi anche nel cuore oltreché nel cervello.
Questo album segna davvero la rinascita di un genere che sembrava morto e sepolto con la dipartita di Van Zant.
Di claudio carpentieri
Non parliamo assolutamente di semplici replicanti trascinati da un’incontenibile voglia di revival, qui la classe c’è tutta e la si percepisce ad orecchio nudo.
Cinque freaks americani in grado di affacciarsi al mondo discografico con una release onesta e magari non perfetta, ma capace di omaggiare caldamente il passato dimostrando di essere figlia del suo tempo.
