Voglio parlarvi di un disco che mi mette sempre di buon umore, di un disco che non mi stanco mai di ascoltare, di un disco spontaneo e semplice, di un disco che mi spinge a osare. "Dare!" degli Human League è un gran bel disco, un simbolo del new romantic inglese, dei tempi maturi per la musica elettronica di massa, diceva chiaro e tondo che la disco era morta e che il sound dei Kraftwerk non era ormai più appannaggio di una elite. Su questo album, quello in assoluto di maggior successo della band capitanata da Philip Oakey, si possono spendere tante parole e fare filosofia finché si vuole. Io invece vorrei riprenderne lo spirito e fare una recensione semplice.
Come mi capitò tra le mani? Quella copertina... sì, quella con quel viso truccato, liscio, perfetto... aveva qualcosa che in un qualche modo mi diceva: "ascoltami". Più o meno sapevo chi fossero gli Human League (visto che conosco piuttosto bene gli Ultravox, Bowie e mi piacciono i Roxy music) ma di loro non avevo mai ascoltato nulla. Così per 10 € mi faccio la ristampa su CD (l'originale risale al 1981) e lo do in pasto al Hi-Fi di casa. Cosa succede? Semplice, parte subito. "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of" oggi lo posso considerare una sorta di manifesto personale. "Take a cruise to China, or a train to Spain, go around the world again and again" , "Do all the things you've never dared" . Un testo molto easy e sempliciotto, ma al tempo stesso così coinvolgente e allegro. Il tutto condito da elementari quanto a volte, nella loro semplicità, geniali melodie e ritmiche, tutte rigorosamente elettroniche. QUESTO era quello che la mia fame di musica chiedeva a gran voce di saziare. E saziato fui.
Dopo il vivace intro si passa a "Open Your Heart" , con quel riff di synth nel ritornello che diventerà marchio di fabbrica dell'album. Le coriste Joanne e Susanne (la mora e la bionda per i più attenti nei videoclip) qui si fanno sensibilmente più notare. Altri 4 minuti di spensieratezza che volano. Se l'appetito vien mangiando ecco che si presenta uno degli emblemi della band di Sheffield, un singolo che spopolò nelle piste da ballo occupate fino a ieri da sola disco music. "The Sound Of The Crowd" è essenziale e minimale fino all'osso, un principiante qualsiasi la suonerebbe senza problemi (qui si nota quanto la new wave sia vicina all'attitudine punk) ma non è nella complessità degli arrangiamenti che il sound degli Human League (come lo fu per i Kraftwerk) trova se stesso, bensì invece nelle scelte stilistiche giuste e negli abbinamenti (un lavoro da sarto insomma).
Così si approda alle atmosfere oscure, pastose e sinistre di "Darkness" (cantata da un intenso e gelido Oakey) , vero passaggio new romantic del disco che da un ulteriore tono all'opera, che appare fin qui già ben condita. Volendo sfruttare un po' di più l'hardware in proprio possesso, la band, con l'ausilio della (allora) estremamente innovativa Linn drum (la prima drum machine che usava campioni digitali per il suono dei componenti e non la sintesi analogica) ricreano in studio le ritmiche esotiche solari di "Do Or Die", simbolo che la gelida elettronica sa anche essere calda e briosa come un coro gospel o una voce soul.
A questo punto si entra nel lato B del LP con l'interludio strumentale di "Get Carter" (una malinconica melodia eseguita con un synth) e poi con la interessante "I'm The Law", che richiama un po' a se il sound già sentito in "Darkness". Si passa in breve alla "Bowieana" "Seconds" (a mio parere tra le più belle dell'album) prima di incontrare, proprio quando si pensa che il disco sia ormai giunto al termine, il "cuore" pulsante di tutto il poutpourri di Dare, due singoli da numero 1. Per prima "Love Action (I Believe In Love)" , che metterei tra le mie preferite in assoluto dell'intera discografia del gruppo, con un testo ovvio e spensierato, quanto in realtà appagante e funzionale. L'ultima song è la famosa "Don't You Want Me" , nella quale non spendo parole in commenti, visto che il passaggio d'epoca nei dancefloor (dagli anni 70 agli 80) di cui è stata responsabile si commenta da solo.
A fine riproduzione il disco te lo ricordi, le sue note risuonano nella mente e ti fa voglia di sentirlo ancora. Non è un lavoro che senti e poi butti, riesce veramente a entrarti in testa! In seguito gli Human League avranno altri grandi successi e pubblicheranno dischi di comunque più che buona qualità (i singoli "The Lebanon" e "Human" su tutti) , ma i picchi di "Dare!" non li raggiungeranno più. Se poi qualcuno vuole scoprirsi gli Human League in versione sperimentale (come prima della svolta "pop" di "Dare!") se li potrà gustare nelle ristampe di "Reproduction" (1978) e "Travelogue" (1979). Gli Human League "versione pop" migliori invece si possono trovare nel EP "Fashination" (1982), e negli album "Hysteria" (1984) e "Crash" (1986, in versione più R&B). Particolare per collezionisti e amanti delle chicche: la Virgin ha dato in ristampa anche il disco di remix di "Dare!" che gli Human League pubblicarono come "Love and Dancing" nel 1982 sotto il falso nome di "The League unlimited orchestra" (parafrasi alla "Love unlimited orchestra" di Barry White). Per chi non si vuol perdere proprio nulla insomma.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 The Things That Dreams Are Made Of (04:15)
Take time to see the wonders of the world
To see the things you've only ever heard of
Dream life the way you think it ought to be
See things you thought you'd never ever see
Take a cruise to China
Or a train to Spain
Go round the world
Again and again
Meet a girl on a boat
Meet a boy on a train
And fall in love
Without the pain
Everybody needs love and adventure
Everybody needs cash to spend
Everybody needs love and affection
Everybody needs 2 or 3 friends
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
Take a lift to the top of the Empire State
Take a drive across the Golden Gate
March, march, march across Red Square
Do all the things you've ever dared
Everybody needs love and adventure
Everybody needs cash to spend
Everybody needs love and affection
Everybody needs 2 or 3 friends
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
Like fun and money and food and love
And things you never thought of
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
New York, ice cream, TV, travel, good times
Norman Wisdom, Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, good times
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
These are the things
These are the things
The things that dreams are made of
02 Open Your Heart (03:56)
And when it hurts you know
They love to tell you
How they warned you
They say "Don't be surprised
At someone's lies"
They think they taunt you
But if you can stand the test
You know your worst is better
Than their best
And so you stand here
With the years ahead
Potentially calling
With open heart
Or with a spirit dead
You walk on
Lies the reason
Faith or treason
Playing a part
End concealing
Try revealing
Open your heart
Dare to feel
Take the chance
Make the deal
Being an island
Shying from trying
Seems the easy way
Such an easy way
But there's no future
Without tears
Lies the reason
Faith or treason
Playing a part
End concealing
Try revealing
Open your heart
But if you can stand the test
You know your worst is better than their best
Lies the reason
Faith or treason
Playing a part
End concealing
Try revealing
Open your heart
03 The Sound of the Crowd (04:05)
Put your hand in a party wave
Pass around
Make a shroud pulling combs through a backwash frame
Find the copies in a carbon mount
Pass around
Stroke a pocket with a print of a laughing sound
Get around town
Get around town
Where the people look good
Where the music is loud
Get around town
No need to stand proud
Add your voice to the sound of the crowd
The shades from a pencil peer
Pass around
A fold in an eyelid brushed with fear
The lines on a compact guide
Pass around
A hat with alignment worn insde
Get around town
Get around town
Where the people look good
Where the music is loud
Get around town
No need to stand proud
Add your voice to the sound of the crowd
Get in line now
Get in line now
Stay in time with the rhythm and rhyme
Get around town
Get around town
Where the people look good
Where the music is loud
Get around town
No need to stand proud
Add your voice to the sound of the crowd
Get around town
Get around town
Where the people look good
Where the music is loud
Get around town
No need to stand proud
Add your voice to the sound of the crowd
Get around town
Get around town
Where the people look good
Where the music is loud
Get around town
No need to stand proud
Add your voice to the sound of the crowd
04 Darkness (03:59)
In darkness
Where my dreams are all too clear
Darkness, darkness
Filled with all the sounds of fear
I hear voices (don't turn out the light)
Calling faraway
I see shadows (don't turn out the light)
Moving, changing shape
And the clock stops
As darkness closes in
I hesitate but it's too late
I scream and scream again
I hear colours black and red
I see sounds that fill my head
I'll never read those books again
In darkness
Where my dreams are all too clear
Darkness, darkness
Filled with all the sounds of fear
I hear voices (don't turn out the light)
Calling faraway
I see shadows (don't turn out the light)
Moving, changing shape
Don't turn out the light (don't turn out the light)
Or I'll go over the edge
Don't turn out the light (don't turn out the light)
Or I'll go over the edge
In darkness
Where my dreams are all too clear
Darkness, darkness
Filled with all the sounds of fear
I hear voices (don't turn out the light)
Calling faraway
I see shadows (don't turn out the light)
Moving, changing shape
I hear voices (don't turn out the light)
Calling faraway
I see shadows (don't turn out the light)
Moving, changing shape
05 Do or Die (05:25)
Those cocky little fires you started in the night
The independent claims that just meant "Hold me tight"
The bruises on your body that you swore were from a fight
I'll pass at your insistence
Alsatians fall unconscious at the shadow of your call
One glance from your direction and the government will fall
Whole continents of misery don't bother you at all
But for me you have persistence
Run all day, run all night
Do or die, do or die
Got to run for your life
Do or die, do or die
I'd like to leave so would you kindly look the other way
You tell me to be honest but I've nothing left to say
Just like your feet my goddess, my brain has turned to clay
An end to all resistance
Run all day, run all night
Do or die, do or die
Got to run for your life
Do or die, do or die
Run all day, run all night
Do or die, do or die
Got to run for your life
Do or die, do or die
Run all day, run all night
Do or die, do or die
Got to run for your life
Do or die, do or die
Run all day, run all night
Do or die, do or die
Got to run for your life
Do or die, do or die
07 I Am the Law (04:08)
My life
I'm a fool for you
You who take no advice
You who think evil doesn't exist
Just because you deny it is true
You're lucky I care
For fools like you
You're lucky I'm there
To stop people doing the things
That you know they are dying to do
You know I am no stranger
I know rules are a bore
But just to keep you from danger
I am the law
A dog must bark
So evil calls
Both in the wild and
Within these walls
You know I am no stranger
I know rules are a bore
But just to keep you from danger
I am the law
08 Seconds (04:59)
All day
Hiding from the sun
Waiting for the golden one
Waiting for your fame
After the parade has gone
Outside was a happy place
Every face had a smile like the golden face
For a second
Your knuckles white as your fingers curl
The shot that was heard around the world
For a second
It took seconds of your time to take his life
It took seconds
It took seconds of your time to take his life
It took seconds
It took seconds of your time to take his life
It took seconds of your time to take his life
Seconds
Seconds
It took seconds of your time to take his life
It took seconds
It took seconds of your time to take his life
It took seconds
For a second
It took seconds of your time to take his life
It took seconds
It took seconds of your time to take his life
It took seconds
For a second
It took seconds of your time to take his life
Seconds of your time to take his life
For a second
For a second
For a second
09 Love Action (I Believe in Love) (05:00)
When you're in love you know you're in love
No matter what you try to do
You might as well resign yourself
To what you're going through
If you're a hard man or if you're a child
It still might get to you
Don't kid yourself
You've seen it all before
A million mouths have said that too, ooh
I've had my hard times (hard times!) in the past
I've been a husband and a lover too
I've laid alone and cried at night
Over what love made me do
And the loved ones who let me down
And couldn't share my point of view
But this is Phil talking
I want to tell you
What I found to be true
I love your love action
Lust's just a distraction
No talking just looking
Watching your love action
I believe I believe what the old man says
Though I know that there's no Lord above
I believe in me
I believe in you
And you know I believe in love
I believe in truth
Though I lie a lot
I feel the pain from the push and shove
No matter what you put me through
I'll still believe in love, and I say
I love your love action
Lust's just a distraction
No talking just looking
Watching your love action
I love your love action
Lust's just a distraction
No talking just looking
Watching your love action
I love your love action
Lust's just a distraction
No talking just looking
Watching your love action
Love action
Love action
Love action
I love your distraction
I love your love action
Lust's just a distraction
No talking just looking
Watching your love action
I love your love action
Lust's just a distraction
No talking just looking
Watching your love action
11 Hard Times (05:45)
Hard times
Hard times
Hard times
Hard times
Hard times
Hard times
Hard times
Hard times
Hard times
Hard times
Hard times.
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Altre recensioni
Di egebamyasi
Dare rappresenta infatti un disco generazionale, capostipite di tutta una serie di imitatori.
"Don't You Want Me" è la canzone più famosa degli Human League, un inno degli anni '80.
