Era il 1998. Nel Natale del suddetto anno non provavo interesse per nessun peluche di qualche strano animale in via d'estinzione, nessun paio d'orecchini che mi facesse apparire più grande, nessun libro illustrato de "I Promessi Sposi" o affini. Avevo 10 anni e sentivo la necessità di possedere un mio cd. Dunque chiesi ai miei di regalarmi quello dei Goo Goo Dolls (ai miei occhi questo exploit era avvolto da un alone di sacralità mista ad una anelata maturità). E questo sorprese sia i miei genitori che le mie sorelle (che al massimo potevano aspettarsi qualche richiesta sui Queen, essendo il gruppo-bandiera della mia famiglia). Quest'album ha avuto il potere di aprire le porte del rock a una bambina (che sarei io!) negli anni in cui imperversavano Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls e simili in erba. E diversamente da questi ultimi, che hanno riscosso un successo quanto mai scontato, i Goo Goo Dolls sono stati osannati, sic et simpliciter direi, per quella che è diventata una delle canzoni d'amore più "dedicate" alla radio (insieme ad "Always" dei Bon Jovi, mi sa).
Ma i Goo Goo Dolls non sono solo "Iris". Il loro background punk è sicuramente andato scemando in Dizzy Up The Girl ma un fine udito può cogliere senz'altro una lieve sfumatura che ancora permane in qualche pezzo. E' il caso di "January Friend", "Amigone" e "Full Forever", brani discreti musicalmente e testualmente parlando. Purtroppo però è innegabile la frattura (evidente anche per un profano del rock quale ero io all'età di 10 anni) fra le canzoni di Rzeznik (voce e chitarra) e quelle di Takac (basso e cori). Le tre di cui sopra hanno infatti un qualcosa di già sentito che potrebbe indurre, senza troppi problemi, un ascoltatore più maturo ad uno scarto repentino (e questo è spesso il problema di canzoni con influenze punk). I pezzi di Takac si interpongono quindi in maniera troppo netta a quelli propriamente rock ma, fortunatamente, ciò non preclude l'opportunità di apprezzare questi ultimi.
"You're cynical and beautiful" è la frase-incipit di "Dizzy", primo brano senza troppe pretese di Rzeznik, dalla durata esigua che invoglia, nondimeno, ad approfondire un primo ascolto. Segue "Slide" con quegli intro e outro arpeggiati che acustici la rendono ancor meglio di quello che è. "Broadway" suona alquanto bonjoviana ed è forse l'unica canzone che si frappone alla duplicità sonora dell'album, non rientando propriamente in nessuno dei due schemi. "Black Balloon" e "All Eyes On Me" sono brani accomunati da una certa vena malinconica, suggerita dalla voce del cantante più che dalle sonorità di per sè. "Bullet Proof " è il pezzo più rock di tutto l'album, forse l'esito giusto che ci si aspettava per la maggior parte delle canzoni di Dizzy Up The Girl. Contrariamente a quest'asserzione si pongono "Acoustic #3" e "Iris", indiscutibilmente belle ma ben lontane dalle precedenti colleghe. Chiude "Hate This Place" che riprende in qualche modo il filone di "Slide".
Quest'album è sicuramente un bell'album. Paroloni per esaltarne le qualità eccelse non servono perchè non ha cambiato molto nella storia della musica rock. Non ha sortito alcun tipo di effetto nè dal punto di vista di influenze che dalla prospettiva meramente musicale. E' semplicemente una buona opera di cui consiglio l'ascolto. Absolutely.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Dizzy (02:41)
You're cynical and beautiful
You always make a scene
You're monochrome delirious
You're nothing that you seem
I'm drowning in your vanity
Your laugh is a disease
You're dirty and you're sweet
You know you're everything to me
Everything you are
Falls from the sky like a star
Everything you are
Whatever ever you are
I wanna kick at the machine
That made you piss away your dreams
And tear down your defenses
'Till there's nothing there but me
You're angry when you're beautiful
Your love is such tease
I'm drowning in your dizzy noise
I wanna feel you scream
Everything you are
Falls from the sky like a star
Everything you are
Whatever ever you are
Everything you are
Falls from the sky like a star
Everything you are
Whatever ever you are
Everything you are
Whatever ever you are
Whatever ever you are
Whatever ever you are
02 Slide (03:32)
Could you whisper in my ear
The things you wanna feel
I'll give you anything
To feel it comin'
Do you wake up on your own
And wonder where you are
You live with all your faults
I wanna wake up where you are
I won't say anything at all
So why don't you slide
Yeah we're gonna let it slide
Don't you love the life you killed
The priest is on the phone
Your father hit the wall
Your ma disowned you
Don't suppose I'll ever know
What it means to be a man
If there's something I can't change
I'll live around it
I wanna wake up where you are
I won't say anything at all
So why don't you slide
Umm, slide
And I'll do anything you ever dreamed to be complete
Little pieces of the nothing that fall
Oh May, put your arms around me
What you feel is what you are
And what you are is beautiful
Oh May, do you wanna get married
Or run away
And I'll do anything you ever dreamed to be complete
Little pieces of the nothing that fall
Oh May, put your arms around me
What you feel is what you are
And what you are is beautiful
Oh May, do you wanna get married
Or run away
I wanna wake up where you are
I won't say anything
Yeah, slide
And I'll do anything you ever dreamed to be complete
Little pieces of the nothing that fall
And I'll do anything you ever dreamed to be complete
Little pieces of the nothing that fall
Oh May, why don't you slide into my room
Just slide into my room and we'll run away, run away
03 Broadway (03:58)
Broadway is dark tonight
A little bit weaker than you used to be
Broadway is dark tonight
See the young man sittin' in the old man's bar
Waitin' for his turn to die
The cowboy kills the rock star
And Friday night's gone too far
The dim light hides the years
On all the faded girls
Forgotten but not gone
You drink it off your mind
You talk about the world
Like it's someplace that you've been
You see you'd love to run home
But you know you ain't got one
Cause you're livin' in a world that
You're best forgotten, around here
Broadway is dark tonight
A little bit weaker than you used to be
Broadway is dark tonight
See the young man sittin' in the old man's bar
Waitin' for his turn to die
You choke down all your anger
Forget your only son
You pray to statues when you sober up for fun
Your anger don't impress me
The world's laughed in your face
It always rains like hell on the loser's day parade
You see you'd love to run home
But you know ain't got one
Cause you're livin' in a world
That you're best forgotten
When you're thinkin' of a joke
Ain't nobody gonna listen
To the one small point
I know they've been missin' round here
Broadway is dark tonight
A little bit weaker than you used to be
Broadway is dark tonight
See the young man sittin' in the old man's bar
Waitin' for his turn to die
You see you'd love to run home
But you know ain't got one
Cause you're livin' in a world
That you're best forgotten
When you're thinkin' of a joke
Ain't nobody gonna listen
To the one small point
I know they've been missin' round here
Broadway is dark tonight
A little bit weaker than you used to be
Broadway is dark tonight
See the young man sittin' in the old man's bar
Waitin' for his turn to die
04 January Friend (02:44)
Reach
For higher ground
About the way you look
The way you scream out loud
Mine
Just like the last time
It's all the same to me
She said
Chorus:
Let's pretend
My January friend
I'm wanting you again
I wanna touch ya
Every single heart that beats pretend
My January friend
I'm wanting you again
I wanna touch ya
Every single heart that beats
Cry
Don't cry out loud
You've gotta bear your cross
But never dream too loud
And you're tied
Tied to the next time
You realize
Your crimes
Chorus
Time stood still
Monday mornin' yeah
Showed me what I had to see
It's not the way I thought it should be
Oh yeah
You're my January friend
You're my January friend
You're my January friend
And every heart that beats pretend
Oh January friend
You're my January friend
You're my January friend
You're my January friend
And every heart that beats tonight's
Pretend
05 Black Balloon (04:09)
Baby's black balloon makes her fly
I almost fell into that hole in your life
And you're not thinking about tomorrow
'Cause you were the same as me
But on your knees
A thousand other boys could never reach you
How could I have been the one
I saw the world spin beneath you
And scatter like ice from the spoon
That was your womb
Comin' down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Or are you someone's prayer
You know the lies they always told you
And the love you never knew
What's the things they never showed you
That swallowed the light from the sun
Inside your room, yeah
Comin' down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Always someone
And there's no time left for losin'
When you stand they fall, yeah
Comin' down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
All because I'm
Comin' down the years turn over
And angels fall without you there
And I'll go on and I'll lead you home and
All because I'm
All because I'm
And I'll become
What you became to me
06 Bullet Proof (04:37)
Do you listen to yourself
Never live for someone else
Do you like the way you feel
Nothing hurts when no one's real
She wants to shake this scene
Yeah she wants to shake with me
She's not looking for the holes in all the lies
I wanna bullet proof your soul
Would you like to lose control
I won't let you fall until you tell me so
What are we? (Whatchya wanna be)
Everything! (That you wanna be)
All I need (Right in front of me)
I've know before
Would you come my way
Or did you burn out to the end
Would you come my way
Should have listened when you called my name
Yeah she wants to tear you down
And she leaves without a sound
It's like fallin' backwards
Into no one's arms
You're a bullet through my soul
And I'll never let you know
I won't let you fall until you let it go
What are we? (Whatchya wanna be)
Everything! (That you wanna be)
All I need (Right in front of me)
I've know before
Would you come my way
Or did you burn out to the end
Would you come my way
Should have listened when you called my name
Would you come my way
Or did you burn out to the end
Would you come my way
Should have listened when you called my name
Should have listened when you called my name
Should have listened when you called my name
07 Amigone (03:15)
Everytime you point your finger
Three more point right back at you
I'm not sayin' that it's something wrong with life
'Cause that's a sad excuse
An age old game of rat and mouse
Chasin' us from house to house
I'm not sayin' that there's something wrong with you
It's wrong with me as well
Are you alive
Amigone (...Miracles gone wrong)
Is it too late to call and tell you to be strong
Are you alive
Amigone (...Miracles gone wrong)
Was the poison in our love there all along
Amigone
Heavenly intoxication
Love's been marred by medication
Ain't it funny how a life can take a turn
When the end is near
Are you alive
Amigone (...Miracles gone wrong)
Is it too late to call and tell you to be strong
Are you alive
Amigone (...Miracles gone wrong)
Is it too late to face the truth that it was wrong
Amigone
I'm not sayin' that it's something
I'm not gonna play along
I'm not wishin' for a miracle
That miracle's gone wrong
And you're too strong
Amigone (...Miracles gone wrong)
Is it too late to call and tell you to be strong
Are you alive
Amigone (...It's there all along)
Was the poison in our love there all along
Are you alive
Amigone (...Miracles gone wrong)
Is it too late to call and tell you to be strong
Are you alive
Amigone (...It's there all along)
Was the poison in our love there all along
08 All Eyes on Me (03:57)
Daylight burns your sleepy eyes
It's hard to see you dreaming
You hide inside yourself
I wondered what you're thinkin'
And everything you're chasing
It seems to leave you empty
And it won't take long to burn
All eyes on me
Through the nothing that you've learned
All eyes on me
And the things you choose to be
All eyes on me
Just look away
It's so hard to be someone
Strung out from today
And all that you knew slips away
You drown in deeper oceans
Inventing new religions
They smile and stab my back and
I lie and have to laugh
And it won't take long to burn
All eyes on me
Through the nothing that you've learned
All eyes on me
And the things you choose to be
All eyes on me
Just look away
It's so hard to be someone
Strung out from today
And all that you knew slips away
And you hid in your room
And the light burns away
And you move from the truth
It's all so far from you
09 Full Forever (02:51)
And I've had to fight
Another blurred affair tonight
Eyelids wrestle once again
Never gonna see my friend
Guided by the blinding white
Have you left home in spite
Knowing I'm alone tonight
Waiting for the light of day
Doesn't matter anyway
Something that I need to say
And I've gone underground
Never hangin' round
Should have made it back again
Why can't the moon stay full forever
Wednesday's bad but Friday's ain't much better (Someone's hell)
Why can't the moon stay full forever
Right now she's got nothin' on her mind
Will this neverland
Free me from its clutching hand
It won't release me
And I've gone underground
Obsessions I have found
Couldn't make it back again
Why can't the moon stay full forever
Wednesday's bad but Friday's ain't much better
(Someone's hell)
Why can't the moon stay full forever
Right now she's got nothin' on her mind
10 Acoustic #3 (01:56)
They painted up your secrets
With the lies they told to you
And the least they ever gave you
Was the most you ever knew
And I wonder where these dreams go
When the world gets in your way
What's the point in all this screaming?
No one's listening anyway
Your voice is small and fading
And you're hiding here alone
And your mother loves your father
Cuz she's got nowhere to go
And she wonders where these dreams go
Cuz the world got in her way
What's the point in ever trying?
Nothing's changing anyway
They press their lips against you
And you love the lies they say
And I tried so hard to reach you
But you're falling anyway
And you know I see right through you
Cuz the world gets in your way
What's the point in all this screaming?
You're not listening anyway
11 Iris (04:49)
And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now
And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
And sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
I just want you to know who I am
12 Extra Pale (02:10)
Extra pale
Oh you're frail now
I couldn't laugh about it
Tragedy sets you free but
I should have known it from the start
I should have known that it was
Just another sequel
Just another reason for you
How's your day
Did it go your way but
You never ask about it
All the things I wish I'd be
I should have known it from the start
I should have known that it was
Just another sequel
Just another reason for you
Just another sequel
Just another reason for your sighs
Extra pale
Oh you're frail now
I couldn't laugh about it
Tragedy sets you free but
I should have known that it was
Just another sequel
Just another reason for you
Just another sequel
Just another reason for your (lies)
14 Name (04:29)
And even though the moment passed me by
I still can't turn away
'Cause all the dreams you never thought you'd lose
Got tossed along the way
Letters that you never meant to send
Get lost and thrown away
And now we're grown up orphans
That never knew their names
We don't belong to no one
That's a shame
But you could hide beside me
Maybe for a while
And I won't tell no one your name
And I won't tell 'em your name
Scars are souvenirs you never lose
The past is never far
Did you lose yourself somewhere out there
Did you get to be a star
And don't it make you sad to know that life
Is more than who we are
You grew up way too fast
And now there's nothing to believe
And reruns all become our history
A tired song keeps playing on a tired radio
And I won't tell no one your name
And I won't tell 'em your name
I won't tell 'em your name
Mmm, mmm, mmm
And I won't tell 'em your name...
Mmmmmm
I think about you all the time
But I don't need the same
It's lonely where you are come back down
And I won't tell 'em your name
Carico i commenti... con calma
Altre recensioni
Di QbProg
La prima volta che l'ho ascoltato mi ha fatto sognare, ed è questa forse la sua caratteristica saliente.
Un classic-rock americano che ha molta atmosfera ed uno stile già sentito ma originale.
