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Living and dying in Chinatown...
Una jungla tutta da esplorare. I primi locali gay-friendly, peep show e bordelli la sua vegetazione. Malavita, corruzione, le prime gang, alcool e droghe (le più svariate) i pericoli in agguato.
In poche parole il quartiere made in China della Londra che si affacciava alla nuova decade.
Il preludio alla gestazione di questo "Chinatown" ('80) per i Lizzy non è dei più felici. L'abbandono di "Robbo" Robertson proprietario del 50% del suono magico del rifforama e dei soli esplosivi che fu il trademark dei T. L. fu definitivo. Gli attriti interni fin li tenuti a bada, ebbero il sopravvento sulla ragione. Gli abusi vari furono i giusti complici, scardinando le ultime remore.
Diede una mano per sostituirlo l'amico fraterno Gary Moore irlandese di Belfast, (guarda un po') con lui l'ottimo "Black Rose"('79), poi i litigi e la voglia di sfondare da solo grazie al talento naturale nei polsi e nell'ugola di razza. Così tutto da capo.
A ciò aggiungete l'atmosfera viziosa dipinta all'inizio in cui si svolsero le registrazioni dell'album.
Ma come nelle vecchie storie che si sentono ancora da queste parti non tutto il male vien per nuocere; tantè che il biondo Snowy White (al tempo turnista con Roger Waters) abile chitarrista dall'animo blues, si trova a duettare in tipico stile Lizzy con Scott Gorham, dentro i solchi di quello che fu per stessa ammissione di Phil Lynott il disco da dentro o fuori. Il microcosmo cinese fatto di mille contraddizioni (la cultura del lavoro simbolo del substrato popolare più basso messa in contrapposizione allo sfarzo delle"famiglie"potenti osteggiato e rincorso con qualunque mezzo meglio ancora se illecito) furono spunto ed ispirazione per Lynott, a cominciare dalla copertina raffigurante il re dragone simbolo imperiale della Cina. Ma badate bene non quello a cinque artigli che trovate nei libri di storia, ma a tre (evidente riferimento alla triade, la temutissima mafia cinese). L'artiglio della morte (il MALE) in mezzo agli altri due simboleggianti POTENZA e DENARO. In fondo era anche ciò che vedeva tutti i giorni per i viottoli lastricati di quella ghetto city che era Soho. Erano gli anni dei Kung-Fu movie e della exploitation a macchia d'olio del signore venuto dall'est. La title track è questo e anche di più, è un totem eretto alle twin guitar, che per i Lizzy erano un po' come la calzamaglia per batman(quello dei telefilm ‘70) o per stare un po' più alti come lo slancio verticale degli edifici nello stile gotico.
Inutile stare a dire quanto furono importanti e basilari per il movimento hard rock o per la NWOBHM in procinto di esplodere. Chi non ha mai sentito almeno una volta "Killer On The Loose".
Andando più a fondo:
L'inno a non mollare mai, l'energica "We Will Be Strong" va a braccetto con il blues-rock al fulmicotone di "Sugar Blues" che cita neanche troppo velatamente il trio texano Gibbons-Hill-Beard grande amore del nuovo Snowy White. A dar man forte ad una band già padrona di sé, la presenza ai cori di Midge Ure e l'introduzione del quinto elemento presente per ora solo nei concerti live ma già citato nei credits. Mi riferisco all'allora, ancora minorenne, Darren Wharton (keyboards e cori) anch'egli amico di Lynott.(autore poi con i Dare del capolavoro romantico "Out Of The Silence").
La vera grandezza dei Thin Lizzy non stava (solo) qua, ma andava ricercata nell'approccio compositivo lungimirante e nella mescolanza di stili. Un incrocio frutticolo-musicale originato dal perfetto equilibrio tra il suono tipicamente inglese e quello americano. Due modi di interpretare rock che nei settanta in molti casi erano in contrapposizione. Il frutto bastardo dell'unione tra due chitarre soliste. Il tocco americano di Gorham e quello che puzzava di malto dello scozzese Robertson ed ora in questo "Chinatown" quello tutto british di Snowy White (tenetelo d'occhio ora con i suoi Blues Agency). Quell'unicità data dalla unione di due elementi tanto diversi (anche sul palco), era la loro forza, come la miscela bastarda che scorreva nelle vene brazilian-irlandesi di Phil Lynott. Un personaggio unico dal carisma abbagliante la cui penna rivelava la sua duplice natura fatta di forza e di disarmante fragilità. Inutile dire quale delle due avrà la meglio su di lui, le serate passate in compagnia di Sid Vicious, Johnny Thunder and Co. hanno fatto il resto. Ma anche da solo sapeva farsi del male molto bene.
Un poeta moderno Lynott, in grado di decantare tanto le tradizioni celtiche della sua Irlanda quanto le storiacce urbane dei sobborghi di periferia dove il vero eroe è chi sopravvive. In Chinatown più dei passati album si è badato al sodo, il giusto mix di intrecci chitarristici senza perdere il sentiero melodico dettato dal buon Scott Gorham, la voce narrante di Lynott e il drumming di Brian Downey, uno dei più sottovalutati batteristi rock in assoluto. Riferimenti agli indiani d'America "Genocide" (la naturale prosecuzione di "Massacre" da "Johnny The Fox" 1977) tematica ricorrente nel songwriting del bassista. Immaginarsi i tamburi di guerra e i fantasmi dei nativi che infestano le caotiche vie della Cina in miniatura è ancora uno spettacolo.
Trasversali da sempre, mai troppo hard da rientrare nel filone heavy (anche se dal vivo heavy lo erano davvero) né troppo FM oriented in tutta la loro carriera e questo Chinatown non fa eccezione. A volte epici altre volte romantici, senza mai sfociare nel pacchiano o nella parodia e se mi permettete senza mai dover travestirsi o pittarsi la faccia.....
Alle nuove leve che sfoggiano le t-shirt nere di un Eddie in versione egiziana o in quella futuristica di Somewhere... Consiglio di "sporcarsi le mani" ma di non cominciare con questo "Chinatown" bensì di ripercorrerne l'evoluzione album dopo album in modo da capire quanto è il peso e quale l'eredità delle tele che avete sulle spalle.
In buona fede vi dico che se vi trovate in centro a Londra lungo Gerrard Street e dopo una corsa in risciò vi chiedono più del dovuto, voi non fate storie e pagate perché come diceva il vecchio Phil : << When you are in Chinatown you better look around>>, io lo faccio sempre e sono ancora qui a raccontarvelo.
Solo ora mi accorgo di essermi dilungato inutilmente sprecando parole per rendere onore a chi forse non lo ha chiesto. Bastavano gli ultimi due versi della celebre "Warriors" (da "Jailbreak" 1976) per spiegare Phil Lynott, la sua vita e la sua band: << My heart is ruled by Venus and my head by Mars>>.
Benvenuti al capodanno cinese.
Il parere del commendatore Bossolazzi:
Di frontman come il Filippo non ne nascono così spesso e di band come i Lizzy non ne nascono più.
4 nespole al disco, massimo dei voti a tutto il resto..... Se non si era capito.
Elenco tracce testi e video
02 Chinatown (04:41)
Living and dying
In chinatown
Yes they're living and dying down in old chinatown
You better look around
Man, you don't stand a chance if you go down in chinatown
Man, you don't stand a chance if you go down in chinatown
Laughing and crying you know it's a fact
They're not laughing they are crying
`cause they won't be back
Oh no you don't come back
Not from chinatown
Man, you don't stand a chance if you go down in chinatown
Man, you don't stand a chance if you go down in chinatown
Chinatown, it's a different scene
There are people there, they are so obscene
If you see what I mean
Then they've sold you the dream
Down in chinatown
What goes up it must come down
Living and dying
There is no release
Living and dying
There is no relief
There is no beliefs
Not in chinatown
Man, you don't stand a chance if you go down in chinatown
Man, you don't stand a chance if you go down in chinatown
03 Sweetheart (03:29)
If I was to stand in a General Election
Would you tell me about your close inspection
And how I never stood for detection
Or would you take another man?
If I told you I had the solution to starvation
All the nations would be their own salvation
And those that lead us lead us not into temptation
Or they pick another man?
Sweetheart
It's affecting me
Sweetheart
It's so effective
Sweetheart
Do you detect in me
A sacred sweetheart
If I told you about my plan would you believe me?
This is my body, my blood, would you receive me?
Or would you be the first to deceive me
And take another man
If I told you that I'm not the man to worry
Would you believe me when I said I was really sorry?
Or would you rush off in a hurry to take another man?
Sweetheart
Disconnect from me
Sweetheart
You have got no respect for me
Sweetheart
It's affecting me
My sacred sweetheart
And when you're troubled and when you're ill
You know I'll help, I always will
And when you're troubled and really down
You know I'll always be around
And when you're troubled and really broke
There is hope, there's hope, there's hope
Sweetheart
It's affecting me
Sweetheart
You've got no respect for me
Sweetheart
It's so effective
My sacred sweetheart
Sweetheart
Disconnect
Sweetheart
It's so effective
Sweetheart
It's affecting me
My sacred sweetheart
Sweetheart
Sweetheart
Sweetheart
05 Killer on the Loose (03:54)
Some people they call me Jack
Some people they call me insane
I'm looking for somebody
And I don't even know her name
I might be looking for you
Wherever you may be
For there is something I've got to do to you honey
And it's between you and me
Now you might think it's fun
Or maybe it's a joke
But you've got plenty of reason to worry honey
Cause you wouldn't stand a hope
There's a killer on the loose again
A killer on the loose
There's a killer on the loose again
A ladykiller on the loose
Now I'm not trying to be nasty
Or I'm not trying to make you scared
But there's a killer on the loose
Or haven't you heard
He'll be walking around this town
Just about midnight
Yes, that's Chinatown
That's right
That's right
Now you might think I'm messing
Or he don't exist
But honey I'm confessing
I'm a mad sexual rapist
There's a killer on the loose again
A killer on the loose
There's a killer on the loose again
A ladykiller on the loose
"I'll be standing in the shadows of love
Waiting for you
Don't unzip your zipper
`Cause you know I'm Jack the Ripper
Now don't wail, don't..."
There's a killer on the loose again
Standing in the shadows
A killer on the loose
There's a killer on the loose again
Coming to get you
A ladykiller on the loose
There's a killer on the loose again
Standing in the shadows of love
A killer on the loose
There's a killer on the loose again
A ladykiller on the loose
There's a killer on the loose again
Standing in the shadow
A killer on the loose, of love
There's a killer on the loose again
Oooh
A lady killer on the loose
You better watch out
There's a killer on the loose again
A killer on the loose
Play that back
Check it back
There's a killer on the loose
06 Having a Good Time (04:35)
Me and my buddies we're going to get drunk
We're going to go out on the town
We'll be checking it out, slipping it in
And stepping out of line
You know everybody likes to get a little crazy
In their own particular way
But my buddies and I we go over the top
And we're going over again today
We'll be having a good time
Passing the by-line
Having a good time
You know it's a rock and roll pastime
It might be typical, topical or maybe tropical
That doesn't mean anything
If you're political, practical
Then it's improbable, that you do anything
But me and my buddies we like to go crazy
We like to go over the hill
Hey, woman will you be there, because my buddies and I will
Having a good time
Passing the by-line
We'll be having a good time
It's a rock and roll pastime
"Hey, Snowy...play a bit for me
That was Snowy White
And he likes err...it in the night
The next to play
I must say, is Scott Gorham
And away..."
We'll be having a good time
Passing the by-line
Having a good time
It's a rock and roll pastime
Let's play that one more time
Hit me with that drum Brian
Hit me as hard as you can
Oh yes, that's they way I like it
Do it again, do it again, let's do it again
Having a good time
Oh yes I like this
Having a good time
Typical, topical, who cares?
Having a good time
Political, practical, impossible
Having a good time
Don't ask me why Jack?
Having a good time
Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho!
Having a good time
Having a wild time
Having a good time
I'm slipping on the inside
Having a good time
That's fine having a good time
Having a good time
Drinking Beaujolais
No that doesn't rhyme
Having a good time
I'm talking from the top of my head
Having a good time
To the bottom of your soul
07 Genocide (05:05)
When they try to tell you knowledge is a dangerous thing
"it's such a dangerous thing"
The people that have it are the people that sin
And the people that need it are the people that can never win
"they can never win"
Let me get you out of here little broken wing
There are people round here that are right
There are people round here that like to sleep at night
There are people round here that go slow
There are people round here that don't kindly to the killing of the buffalo
When they tear up all the treaties and break up all the plans
"they break up all the plans"
Did you do your duty and kill on command?
Did you know the redman used to roam this land?
"he used to roam this land"
Now the souls of lost warriors blow across the sands
People round here they get it right
People round here we like to sleep at night
There are people round here that go slow
People round here that don't take kindly to the killing of the buffalo, oh no
So listen to my story and listen to it well
"you better listen well"
Listen to the glory of the gory details of the tale I tell
Did you know the redman very well?
"i used to know him well"
Did you know the hunting ground before it became a hell?
There are people round here that are right
There are people round here that like to sleep at night
There are people round here I don't know
There are people round here that don't take kindly to the killing of the buffalo
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing
The killing of the
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing
The killing
So listen to my story of genocide
How they were hunted and slaughtered till there was no place left to hide
Did you know the redman used to hold his head with pride?
Till every man, woman and child were destroyed
There are people round here that get it right
There are people round here that couldn't sleep at night
There are people round here I don't know
There are people round here that don't take kindly to the killing of the buffalo
There are people round here that understand
There are people round here that couldn't give a damn
There are people round here that go slow
There are people round here that don't take too kindly to the killing of the buffalo
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing
The killing of the
They're killing all the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing
They're killing all the
They're killing all the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing of the buffala-o
The killing
The killing
The killing of the buffala-o
(repeat at random)
09 Hey You (05:07)
You're living in a small town
The people there are cold
Just living in a small town
Just doing as you're told
You move up to the jungle
You find that it's a hell
When you slip, you fall, you stumble
They lock you in a cell
Hey you, you've got it made
Hey you, you've got it made
Hey you, you've got it made
Hey you, all your friends told you in your small town
Hey you, you've got it made
Just living in your home town
Sometimes it's kinda cruel
Living in your home town
Where they treat you like a fool
You move up to the city
You find that it's tough
And it doesn't seem very pretty
Now you're sleeping in the rough
Hey you, you've got it made
Hey you, you've got it made
Hey you
You've got it made
Hey you
You're heading for the big time
Hey you, you've got it made
You're headed for a life of crime
Living in this jungle
It's like living in a hell
When you slip, you fall, you stumble
They lock you in a cell
You move out to the country
For something you have done
You're living in the country
Why don't you go back to where you come from?
Hey you, you've got it made
Hey you, you've got it made
Hey you, you've got it made
Hey you, you've got it made
Hey you, you've got it made
Forget all these backslappers
You don't stand a chance
Why don't you go home?
Go right back to where you come from
Don't get involved in this masquerade
This big city is going to eat you up
All the backslapping
Hey you, you've got it made
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