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L'ULTIMO WAITS PRE-TROMBONES
"Heartattack And Vine" uscì nel 1980, ovvero appena due anni dopo lo splendido capolavoro di "Blue Valentine" del 1978. La musica dell'artista è cambiata parecchio dai primi album di inizio anni '70, di stile più composto e puramente cantautoriale, rispetto alle 'spettinate' ed eccentriche tracce che troviamo in questo disco. Però questa non fu una notizia eclatante perchè il tratto di Waits, era già mutato da qualche anno e per l'appunto non si discosta molto dal precedente lavoro ("Blue Valentine").
Si respira infatti la stessa atmosfera metropolitana, sporca, malfamata ma estremamente viva ed emozionante. Un mondo che va avanti ignorato dalla società benestante, dal quale però 'il vecchio Tom' riesce sempre a trovare le sue migliori ispirazioni compositive. Rispetto al sicuramente più riuscito e più ricco "Blue Valentine" qui i pezzi memorabili sono sicuramente inferiori di numero (ed in parte anche di consistenza), ma ci sono eccome. (Solamente) nove tracce.
Alcune energiche e ricchissime di possenti e rudimentali percussioni che ne scandiscono il ritmo (prevalentemente nella prima parte del disco), altre più lente e riflessive, guidate magistralmente dal piano di Tom Waits (prevalentemente nell'ultima parte del disco). Fra quelle del primo gruppo da menzionare la bellissima "'Til The Money Runs Out" e il coinvolgente ed allucinato viaggio nelle viscere sotterranee della città di "Downtown". Fra le seconde invece devo assolutamente citare la bellissima, malinconica e romantica traccia di chiusura "Ruby's Arms" assieme alla mia traccia favorita dell'album: "On The Nickel", una dolce, gentile e soffice musica orchestrale con tanto di archi di accompagnamento, traina la sgraziata, splendida e graffiante voce di Waits, qui più che mai in particolare risalto.
Una manciata di parole a parte merita anche "Mr. Siegal" un bluesettone da quartiere malfamato, scandito da riff di chitarra e dal piano di Waits. Canzoni di questa tipologia verranno composte anche in futuro, con risultati sempre ottimi, sto parlando di "Jin Soaked Boy" proveniente dal leggendario album "Swordfishtrombones" 1983 e della spettacolare "Table Top Joe" dall'album "Alice" 2002. L'appiccicoso ed orecchiabile ritornello di "Jersey Girl" l'ha resa il pezzo più celebre del disco, forse non fra le canzoni più belle dell'album, ma sicuramente quella che ti entra in testa più velocemente.
Dopo questo album (fatta eccezzione per la colonna sonora "One From The Heart"), Waits virerà le sue composizioni verso uno stile sempre più distorto ed irreale, sempre più cupo e maledetto, che sembrò apparentemente allontanarlo dalla realtà, ma che in realtà scavava all'interno della stessa, fino a toccarne le viscere più profonde. Nasceranno così capolavori come "Swordfishtrombones", "Raindogs" ed a seguire tanti altri ancora.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Heartattack and Vine (04:50)
Liar liar with your pants on fire
White spades hangin' on the telephone wire
Gamblers reevaluate along the dotted line
You'll never recognize yourself on heartattack and vine
Doctor, lawyer, beggar man thief
Philly Joe remarkable looks on in disbelief
If you want a taste of madness, you'll have to wait in line
You'll probably see someone you know on heartattack and vine
Boney's high on china white, Shorty found a punk
Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk
Well this stuff will probably kill you, let's do another line
What you say you meet me down on heartattack and vine
See that little Jersey girl in the see-through top
With the peddle pushers sucking on a soda pop
Well I bet she's still a virgin but it's only twenty-five 'til nine
You can see a million of 'em on heartattack and vine
Better off in Iowa against your scrambled eggs
Than crawling down Cahuenga on a broken pair of legs
You'll find your ignorance is blissful every goddamn time
Your're waitin' for the RTD on heartattack and vine
Boney's high on china white, Shorty found a punk
Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk
Well this stuff will probably kill you, let's do another line
What you say you meet me down on heartattack and vine
Liar liar with your pants on fire
White spades hangin' on the telephone wire
Gamblers reevaluate along the dotted line
You'll never recognize yourself on heartattack and vine
Doctor, lawyer, beggar man thief
Philly Joe remarkable looks on in disbelief
If you want a taste of madness, you'll have to wait in line
You'll probably see someone you know on heartattack and vine
See that little Jersey girl in the see-through top
With the peddle pushers sucking on a soda pop
Well I bet she's still a virgin but it's only twenty-five 'til nine
You can see a million of 'em on heartattack and vine
Boney's high on china white, Shorty found a punk
Don't you know there ain't no devil, there's just God when he's drunk
Well this stuff will probably kill you, let's do another line
What you say you meet me down on heartattack and vine
07 On the Nickel (06:19)
Sticks and stones will break my bones,
but i always will be true, and when
your mama is dead and gone,
i'll sing this lullabye just for you,
and what becomes of all the little boys,
who never comb their hair,
well they're lined up all around the block,
on the nickel over there.
so you better bring a bucket,
there is a hole in the pail,
and if you don't get my letter,
then you'll know that i'm in jail,
and what becomes of all the little boys,
who never say their prayers,
well they're sleepin' like a baby,
on the nickel over there.
and if you chew tobacco, and wish upon a star,
well you'll find out where the scarecrows sit,
just like punchlines between the cars,
and i know a place where a royal flush,
can never beat a pair, and even thomas jefferson,
is on the nickel over there.
so ring around the rosie, you're sleepin' in the rain,
and you're always late for supper,
and man you let me down again,
i thought i heard a mockingbird, roosevelt knows where,
you can skip the light, with grady tuck,
on the nickel over there.
so what becomes of all the little boys,
who run away from home,
well the world just keeps gettin' bigger,
once you get out on your own,
so here's to all the little boys,
the sandman takes you where,
you'll be sleepin' with a pillowman,
on the nickel over there.
so let's climb up through that button hole,
and we'll fall right up the stairs,
and i'll show you where the short dogs grow,
on the nickel over there.
08 Mr. Siegal (05:14)
I spent all my money in a mexican whorehouse
Across the street from a catholic church
And then I wiped off my revolver
And I buttoned up my burgundy shirt
I shot the morning in the back, with my red wings on
I told the sun he'd better go back down
And if i can find a book of matches
I'm goin' to burn this hotel down.
You got to tell me brave captain
Why are the wicked so strong
How do the angels get to sleep
When the devil leaves the porchlight on
Well I dropped thirty grand on the nugget slots
I had to sell my ass on Fremont street
And the drummer said there's sanctuary
Over at the Bagdad room
And now it's one for the money
Two for the show
Three to get ready
And go man go, I said
Tell me Mr. Siegal
How do I get out of here
Well Willard's knocked out on a bottle of heat
Drivin' dangerous curves across the dirty sheets
He said man you ought to see her
When her parents are gone
Man, you ought to hear her when the siren's on
You got to tell me brave captain
Why are the wicked so strong
How do the angels get to sleep
When the devil leaves the porchlight on
Don't you know that ain't no broken bottle
That i picked up in my headlights
On the other side of the Nevada line
Where they live hard die young
And have a good lookin' corpse every time
Well the pit-boss said I should keep movin'
This is where you go when you die
And so I shot a black beauty
And I kissed her right between the eyes.
Well Willard's knocked out on a bottle of heat
Drivin' dangerous curves across the dirty sheets
He said man you ought to see her
When her parents are gone
Man, you ought to hear her when the siren's on
You got to tell me brave captain
Why are the wicked so strong
How do the angels get to sleep
When the devil leaves the porchlight on
I spent all my money in a mexican whorehouse
Across the street from a catholic church
And then I wiped off my revolver
And I buttoned up my burgundy shirt
I shot the morning in the back, with my red wings on
I told the sun he'd better go back down
And if i can find a book of matches
I'm goin' to burn this hotel down
And now it's one for the money
Two for the show
Three to get ready
And go man go, I said
Tell me Mr. Siegal
How do I get out of here
09 Ruby's Arms (05:35)
I will leave behind all of my clothes,
I wore when i was with you,
all I need's my railroad boots
and my leather jacket
as i say goodbye to Ruby's arms
although my heart is breaking,
i will steal away out through your
blinds, for soon you will be waking.
The morning light has washed your face
and everything is turning blue now,
hold on to your pillow case
there's nothing i can do now,
as i say goodbye to Ruby's arms,
you'll find another soldier,
and i swear to god by christmastime,
there'll be someone else to hold you.
The only thing i'm taking is
the scarf off of your clothesline,
i'll hurry past your chest of drawers
and your broken wind chimes,
as i say goodbye
i'll say goodbye,
say goodbye to Ruby's arms.
I will feel my way down the darkened hall,
and out into the morning,
the hobos at the freightyards
have kept their fires burning,
so jesus christ this goddamn rain,
will someone put me on a train,
i'll never kiss your lips again
or break your heart,
as i say goodbye
i'll say goodbye,
say goodbye to Ruby's arms.
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