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Dal 1983 al 1987 gli Smiths hanno regalato agli appassionati alcuni dei più interessanti e suggestivi brani degli anni Ottanta. La loro musica si è sempre basata su un pop melodico e chitarristico impreziosito da liriche intelligenti, letterarie, intelletuali, ciniche ed ironiche cantate con consapevole distacco. Guidato dal carismatico Morrissey e dal bravissimo chitarrista Johnny Marr, il quartetto britannico si è imposto all'attenzione generale sin dagli esordi, evidenziando fra l'altro un'estrema prolificità. I loro brani non lunghissimi, caratterizzati da armonie che spesso riportano alla mente i classici dell'era beat, la voce inconfondibile e personalissima di Morrissey a dominare il tutto sono gli ingredienti con i quali gli Smiths conquistano persino le simpatie del grande pubblico, sulle ali di una musica che indubbiamente possiede tutti i requisiti giusti per essere apprezzata anche da chi non segue da vicino la scena pop-rock internazionale.
Quando però le proposte degli Smiths cominciano ad avvicinarsi troppo agli schemi del pop più scontato, Johnny Marr, che intanto è diventato un apprezzatissimo turnista, annuncia la sua decisione di abbandonare la band, presto imitato da Morrissey che intraprende una fortunata carriera solistica inaugurata dall'album "Viva Hate!", probabilmente il suo disco più riuscito. Il frettoloso live postumo "Rank" e un concerto d'addio senza Marr sanciscono la fine della vicenda Smiths, un gruppo fra i più importanti della storia del pop-rock.
Pubblicato nel 1987 in piena Smiths mania, "The World Won't Listen" è una coerente raccolta che all'epoca riscosse un buon successo commerciale. Per chi ancora non conoscesse nulla della loro produzione discografica questo disco rappressenta un ottimo riassunto della loro elevatissima arte. "The World Won't Listen" ci mostra quanto fossero ottimi maestri Morrissey e Marr nel produrre ottimi brani per il breve formato a quarantacinque giri. "Panic", "Ask" e "London" sono pezzi pop sinuosi mentre dal classico capolavoro "The Queen Is Dead" vengono riproposte le conosciute e accattivanti "Bigmouth Strikes Again", "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" e l'inarrivabile "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out". La raccolta mostra anche il lato più introspettivo del complesso grazie a perle come la pianistica "Asleep", le delicate "Half A Person" e "Unloveable". Non mancano pure una gradita ripresa della bella "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" dall'album "Meat Is Murder" e dell'inno "Shoplifters Of The World Unite" che insieme ad altre interessanti tracce completano questa raccolta intrigante.
Un'opera non indispensabile, diversamente da tutta la loro discografia ufficiale, ma consigliata a tutti nonostante la sua leggera frammentarietà. Soprattutto a chi ancora non conosce l'affascinante universo musicale di questi quattro ragazzi di Manchester e a chi ignora l'enorme influenza che hanno saputo esercitare sul panorama rock inglese degli ultimi vent'anni.
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Panic (02:21)
PANIC on the streets of London
PANIC on the streets of Birmingham
I wonder to myself
Could life ever be sane again
On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down
I wonder to myself
Hopes may rise on the Grasmeres
But Honey-Pie you're not safe here
So you run down
To the safety of the town
But there's PANIC on the streets of Carlisle
Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
I wonder to myself
Burn down the Disco
Hang the blessed D.J.
Because the music that they constantly play
IT SAYS NOTHING TO ME ABOUT MY LIFE
Hang the blessed D.J.
Because the music they constantly play
On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down
On the provincial towns you jog 'round
HANG THE D.J. HANG THE D.J. HANG THE D.J.
HANG THE D.J. HANG THE D.J. HANG THE D.J.
HANG THE D.J. HANG THE D.J. HANG THE D.J.
02 Ask (03:17)
Shyness is nice and
Shyness can stop you
From doing all the things in life you'd like to
So, if there's something you'd like to try
If there's something you'd like to try
ASK me - I won't say no - How could I?
Coyness is nice and
Coyness can stop you
From saying all the things in life you'd like to
So, if there's something you'd like to try
If there's something you'd like to try
ASK me - I won't say no - How could I?
Spending warm Summer days indoors
Writing frightening verse
To a buck-toothed girl in Luxembourg
ASK me, ASK me, ASK me
ASK me, ASK me, ASK me
Because if it's not Love
Then it's the Bomb, the Bomb..
That will bring us together
Nature is a language - can't you read?
Nature is a language - can't you read?
So ASK me, ASK me, ASK me
ASK me, ASK me, ASK me
Because if it's not Love
Then it's the Bomb, the Bomb..
That will bring us together
If it's not Love
Than it's the Bomb, than it's the Bomb
That will bring us together
So ASK me, ASK me, ASK me
ASK me, ASK me, ASK me
03 London (02:07)
Smoke
Lingers 'round your fingers
Train
Heave on - to Euston
Do you think you've made
The right decision this time?
You left
Your tired family grieving
And you think they're sad
Because you're leaving
But didn't you see the Jealousy in the eyes
Of the ones who had to stay behind?
And do you think you've made
The right decision this time?
You left
Your girlfriend on the platform
With this really ragged notion
That you'll return
But she knows
That when he goes
He really goes
And do you think you've made
The right decision this time?
04 Bigmouth Strikes Again (03:13)
Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said I'd like to smash every tooth
In your head
Sweetness, sweetness I was only joking
When I said by rights you should be
Bludgeoned in your bed
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her roman nose
And her walkman started to melt
Bigmouth.. bigmouth..
Bigmouth strikes again
And I've got no right to take my place
To the Human race
And now I know how Joan of Arc felt
Now I know how Joan of Arc felt
As the flames rose to her roman nose
And her hearing-aid started to melt
05 Shakespeare's Sister (02:09)
Young bones groan
And the rocks below say:
"Throw your skinny body down, son!"
But I'm going to meet the one I love
So please, don't stand in my way
Because I'm going to meet the one I love
No, Mamma, let me go!
Young bones groan
And the rocks below say:
"Throw your white body down!"
But I'm going to meet the one I love
At last! At last! At last!
I'm going to meet the one I love
La-de-da la-de-da
No, Mamma, let me go!
I thought that if you had
An acoustic guitar
Then it meant that you were
A Protest Singer
Oh I can smile about it now
But at the time it was terrible
No, Mamma, let me go!
06 There Is a Light That Never Goes Out (04:04)
Take me out tonight
Where there's music and there's people
Who are young and alive
Driving in your car
I never, never want to go home
Because I haven't got one
Anymore
Take me out tonight
Because I want to see people
And I want to see lights
Driving in your car
Oh please, don't drop me home
Because it's not my home, it's their home
And I'm welcome no more
And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine
Take me out tonight
Take me anywhere, I don't care..
And in the darkened underpass
I thought: 'Oh God, my chance has come at last!'
But then a strange fear gripped me
And I just couldn't ask
Take me out tonight
Oh take me anywhere, I don't care..
Driving in your car
I never, never want to go home
Because I haven't got one
Oh I haven't got one
And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure, the privilege is mine
There is a light that never goes out
07 Shoplifters of the World Unite (02:57)
Learn to love me
Assemble the ways
Now, today, tomorrow and always
My only weakness is a list of crimes
My only weakness is.. well, never mind
SHOPLIFTERS of the world
Unite and take over
SHOPLIFTERS of the world
Hand it over
Learn to love me
And assemble the ways
Now, today, tomorrow and always
My only weakness is listed crime
But last night the plans for a future war
Was all I saw on Channel Four
SHOPLIFTERS of the world
Unite and take over
SHOPLIFTERS of the world
Hand it over
A heartless hand on my shoulder
A push and it's over
Alabaster crashes down
(Six months is a long time)
I tried living in the real world
Instead of a shell
But before I began
I was bored before I even began
SHOPLIFTERS of the world
Unite and take over
SHOPLIFTERS of the world
Take over
08 The Boy With the Thorn in His Side (03:16)
The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the Hatred there lies
A murderous desire for love
How can they look into my eyes
And still they don't believe me?
How can they hear me say those words
And still they don't believe me?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they ever believe me?
And if they don't believe me now
Will they, will they ever believe me?
The boy with the thorn in his side
Behind the Hatred there lies
A plundering desire for love
How can they see the Love in our eyes
And still they don't believe us?
And after all this time
They don't want to believe us
And if they don't believe us now
Will they ever believe us?
And when you want to Live
How do you start?
Where do you go?
Who do you need to know?
09 Asleep (04:10)
Sing me to sleep
Sing me to sleep
I'm tired and I
I want to go to bed
Sing me to sleep
Sing me to sleep
And then leave me alone
Don't try to wake me in the morning
'Cause I will be gone
Don't feel bad for me
I want you to know
Deep in the cell of my heart
I will feel so glad to go
Sing me to sleep
Sing me to sleep
I don't want to wake up
On my own anymore
Sing to me
Sing to me
I don't want to wake up
On my own anymore
Don't feel bad for me
I want you to know
Deep in the cell of my heart
I really want to go
There is another world
There is a better world
Well, there must be
Well, there must be
Bye.. Bye..
10 Unloveable (03:56)
I know I'm UNLOVEABLE
You don't have to tell me
I don't have much in my life
But take it - it's yours
I don't have much in my life
But take it - it's yours
I know I'm UNLOVEABLE
You don't have to tell me
Message received
Loud and clear
Loud and clear
I don't have much in my life
But take it - it's yours
I wear Black on the outside
'Cause Black is how I feel on the inside
I wear Black on the outside
'Cause Black is how I feel on the inside
And if I seem a little strange
Well, that's because I am
And if I seem a little strange
That's because I am
But I know that you would like me
If only you could see me
If only you could meet me
I don't have much in my life
But take it - it's yours
11 Half a Person (03:36)
Call me morbid, call me pale
I've spent six years on your trail
Six long years on your trail
Call me morbid, call me pale
I've spent six years on your trail
Six full years of my life
On your trail
And if you have five seconds to spare
Then I'll tell you the story of my life:
Sixteen, clumsy and shy
I went to London and I
I booked myself in at Y.W.C.A.
I said: "I like it here - can I stay?
I like it here - can I stay?
Do you have a vacancy
For a back-scrubber?"
She was left behind and sour
And she wrote to me on the hour
She said: "In the days when you were
Hopelessly poor, I just liked you more.."
And if you have five seconds to spare
Then I'll tell you the story of my life:
Sixteen, clumsy and shy
I went to London and I
I booked myself in at Y.W.C.A.
I said: "I like it here - can I stay?
I like it here - can I stay?
And do you have a vacancy
For a back-scrubber?"
Call me morbid, call me pale
I've spent too long on your trail
Far too long, chasing your tail
And if you have five seconds to spare
Then I'll tell you the story of my life:
Sixteen, clumsy and shy
That's the story of my life
Sixteen, clumsy and shy
The story of my life
That's the story of my life
That's the story of my life
That's the story of my life
The story of my life
12 Stretch Out and Wait (02:45)
On the high-rise estate
What's at the back of your mind?
Oh, a three-day debate
On a high-rise estate
What's at the back of your mind?
Two icy-cold hands conducting the way
It's the Eskimo blood in my veins
Amid concrete and clay
And general decay
Nature must still find a way
So ignore all the codes of the day
Let your juvenile influences sway
This way and that way (this way)
This way and that way (this way)
God, how sex implores you
To let yourself lose yourself
STRETCH out and wait
STRETCH out and wait
Oh ... let your puny body, lie down, lie down
As we lie, you say
As we lie, you say
STRETCH out and ...
STRETCH out and wait
STRETCH out and wait
Oh ... let your puny body lie down, lie down
As we lie, you say:
Will the world end in the night time?
(I really don't know)
Or will the world end in the day time?
(I really don't know)
And is there any point ever having children?
Oh, I don't know
What I do know is we're Here and it's Now
So ... STRETCH out and wait
STRETCH out and wait
There is no debate, no debate, no debate
How can you conciously contemplate
When there's no debate, no debate?
STRETCH out and wait
STRETCH out and wait
STRETCH out and wait
Wait
Wait
Wait
Wait
13 That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore (03:51)
Park the car at the side of the road
You should know
Time's tide will smother you
And I will too
When you laugh about people
Who feel so very lonely
Their only desire is to die
Well, I'm afraid
It doesn't make me smile
I wish I could laugh
But that joke isn't funny anymore
It's too close to home
And it's too near the bone
It's too close to home
And it's too near the bone
More than you'll ever know
Kick them when they fall down
Kick them when they fall down
It was dark as I drove the point home
And on cold leather seats
Well, it suddenly struck me
I just might die with a smile on my face, after all
I've seen this happen in other people's lives
And now it's happening in mine
16 Rubber Ring (03:47)
A sad fact widely known
The most impassionate song
To a lonely soul
Is so easily outgrown
But don't forget the songs
That made you smile
And the songs that made you cry
When you lay in awe
On the bedroom floor
And say: "Oh, smother me, Mother!"
The passing of time
And all of its crimes
Is making me sad again
The passing of time
And all of its sickening crimes
Is making me sad again
But don't forget the songs
That made you cry
And the songs that saved your life
Yes, you're older now
And you're a clever swine
But they were the only ones who ever stood by you
The passing of time leaves empty lives
Waiting to be filled
The passing of time
Leaves empty lives
Waiting to be filled
I'm here with the cause
I'm holding the torch
In the corner of your room
Can you hear me?
And when you're dancing and laughing
And finally living
Hear my voice in your head
And think of me kindly
Do you love me
Like you used to?
(YOU ARE SLEEPING
YOU DO NOT WANT TO BELIEVE
YOU ARE SLEEPING)
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