I Travis non sono solo un (grande) gruppo, sono un'entità unica a quattro teste. E l'incidente che rischiò di ridurre sulla sedia a rotelle il batterista Neil Primrose sarebbe stata la fine di una band che da anni produce pop di altissimo livello, mai banale, né scontato, né particolarmente commerciale.
Una band che, dopo aver sfornato un buon disco d'esordio come "Good Feeling", produsse una autentico capolavoro come il mastodontico "The Man Who", picco qualitativo di livello assoluto che si innalzò in mezzo al mare british pop di un'epoca ormai andata. Una band che ha offerto al mondo pezzi pop (nel senso più nobile del termine) di rarissima bellezza come "Turn" (uno dei ritornelli più belli della storia del pop inglese degli ultimi 15 anni), "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?", "Writing To Reach You" (evoluzione naturale di "Wonderwall", citata anche nel testo).
Ma andiamo con ordine: questo "Singles" è, ovviamente, una raccolta dei maggiori successi impreziosita da due ottimi inediti (la conclusiva e piuttosto sostenuta -per gli standard della band- "The Distance", ma soprattutto il singolo-gioiellino "Walking In The Sun", che sancisce l'uscita -definitiva?- dalle tenebre del precedente "12 Memories"). C'è proprio tutto: la hit per eccellenza dei Travis, "Sing", qua utilizzata come opener, la stratosferica e malinconica "Driftwood" (sempre da "The Man Who"), ma anche cose "primitive" e maggiormente movimentate come le travolgenti "Happy", "Tied To The 90's" e "U16 Girls", oppure l'ormai classico "All I Want To Do Is Rock" (divertente strizzata d'occhio ai primissimi Radiohead), oltre alle altre due hit internazionali "Side" e "Flowers In The Window", entrambe dal bestseller "The Invisibile Band". In alcuni pezzi in particolare, come nella beatlesiana "The Beautiful Occupation" e nella struggente "Re-Offender" (entrambe da "12 Memories"), risaltano particolarmente i testi che evocano sensazioni profondissime e molto attuali; la prima, infatti, è stata scritta dopo gli attentati dell'11 settembre, mentre la seconda parla con incredibile efficacia delle quotidiane violenze domestiche ("Cause you say you love me/ And then you do it again, you do it again").
Insomma, per una volta un greatest hits, oltre che una mera operazione commerciale, riesce ad essere un ottimo compendio per conoscere la qualità e le evoluzioni di un grande gruppo pop contemporaneo, oltre che farci apprezzare una splendida voce come quella del frontman Francis Healy. I Travis sono una band che ha stupito, stupisce e non smetterà di stupire in futuro. Consigliatissimo a chi non li ha ancora conosciuti e/o apprezzati.
Se amate il pop di qualità non perdeteveli.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Sing (03:49)
Baby, you've been going so crazy
Lately, nothing seems to be going right
Solo, why do you have to get so low?
You're so
You've been waiting in the sun too long
But if you sing, sing
Sing
Sing, sing, sing
For the love you bring won't mean a thing
Unless you sing
Sing, sing, sing
Colder, crying over your shoulder
Hold her, and tell her everything's gonna be fine
Surely, you've been going too early
Hurry, 'cause no-one's gonna be stopped, na na na na na
But if you sing
Sing
Sing, sing, sing
For the love you bring won't mean a thing
Unless you sing
Sing, sing, sing, sing, sing
Baby, there's something going on today
But I say
Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing
So na na na na
If you sing
Sing
Sing, sing, sing
For the love you bring won't mean a thing
Unless you sing
Sing, sing, sing, sing
Oh baby sing
Sing
Sing
Sing, sing, sing
For the love you bring won't mean a thing
Unless you sing
Sing, sing, sing
02 Driftwood (03:34)
Everything is open
Nothing is set in stone
Rivers turn to ocean
Oceans tide you home
Home is where the heart is
But your heart had to roam
Drifting over bridges
Never to return
Watching bridges burn
You're driftwood floating underwater
Breaking into pieces, pieces, pieces
Just driftwood hollow and of no use
Waterfalls will find you, bind you, grind you
Nobody is an island
Everyone has to go
Pillars turn to butter
Butterflying low
Low is where your heart is
But your heart has to grow
Drifting under bridges
Never with the flow
And you really didn't think it would happen
But it really is the end of the line
So I'm sorry that you turned to driftwood
But you've been drifting for a long, long time
Everywhere there's trouble
Nowhere's safe to go
Pushes turn to shovels
Shovelling the snow
Frozen you have chosen
The path you wish to go
Drifting now forever
And forever more
Until you reach your shore
You're driftwood floating underwater
Breaking into pieces, pieces, pieces
Just driftwood hollow and of no use
Waterfalls will find you, bind you, grind you
And you really didn't think it would happen
But it really is the end of the line
So I'm sorry that you turned to driftwood
But you've been drifting for a long, long time
You've been drifting for a long, long time
You've been drifting for a long, long
Drifting for a long, long time
03 Writing to Reach You (03:42)
Every day I wake up and it's Sunday
Whatever's in my eye won't go away
The radio is playing all the usual
And what's a wonderwall anyway?
Because my inside is outside
My right side's on the left side
'Cause I'm writing to reach you now but
I might never reach you
Only want to teach you
About you
But that's not you
It's good to know that you are home for Christmas
It's good to know that you are doing well
It's good to know that you all know I'm hurting
It's good to know I'm feeling not so well
Because my inside is outside
My right side's on the left side
'Cause I'm writing to reach you now but
I might never reach you
Only want to teach you
About you
But that's not you
Do you know it's true?
But that won't do
Maybe then tomorrow will be Monday
And whatever's in my eye should go away
But still the radio keeps playing all the usual
And what's a wonderwall anyway?
Because my inside is outside
My right side's on the left side
'Cause I'm writing to reach you now but
I might never reach you
Only want to teach you
About you
But that's not you
Do you know it's true?
But that won't do
And you know it's you
I'm talking to
04 Why Does It Always Rain on Me? (04:24)
I can't sleep tonight
Everybody's saying everything is alright
Still I can't close my eyes
I'm seeing a tunnel at the end of all these lights
Sunny days
Where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shining
I can't avoid the lightning
I can't stand myself
I'm being held up by invisible men
Still life on a shelf when
I got my mind on something else
Sunny days
Oh... where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shining
I can't avoid the lightning
Oh... where did the blue sky go?
Why is it raining so?
It's so cold
I can't sleep tonight
Everybody saying everything is alright
Still I can't close my eyes
I'm seeing a tunnel at the end of all these lights
Sunny days
Oh where have you gone?
I get the strangest feeling you belong
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shining
I can't avoid the lightning
Oh, where did the blue sky go?
And why is it raining so?
It's so cold
Why does it always rain on me?
Is it because I lied when I was seventeen?
Why does it always rain on me?
Even when the sun is shining
I can't avoid the lightning
Why does it always rain on me?
Why does it always rain on...
05 Re-Offender (03:47)
Keeping up appearances
Keeping up with the Joneses
Fooling my selfish heart
Going through the motions
But I'm fooling myself
I'm fooling myself
'Cause you say you love me
And then you do it again
You do it again
And you say your sorry's
And then you do it again
You do it again
Everybody thinks you're well
Everybody thinks I'm ill
Watching me fall apart
Falling under your spell
But you're fooling yourself
You're fooling yourself
'Cause you say you love me
And then you do it again
You do it again
You say your sorry's
And then you do it again
You do it again and again and again
And again and again
But you're fooling yourself
You're fooling yourself
'Cause you say you love me
And then you do it again
You do it again
You say your sorry's
And then you do it again
You do it again
You say you love me
And then you do it again
You do it again
You say your sorry's
And then you do it again
You do it again and again and again
And again and again
07 Tied to the 90's (03:06)
We're tied to the 90's
In the middle
I'm terribly frightened
I'm takin' it fast
Takin' it slow
There's thunder and lightning
It's terribly frightening
Lord knows
Where it goes
But I know
That if so
Well I want to tell you
We're tired of the 90's
We're tired of the 90's
But we're tied to the 90's
Tied to the 90's
Remember the 80's?
(They were something)
Were worse than the 90's
We're stuck in a path
Where fashion is fast
And nothin' is lasting
Its all ghetto blasting
And Lord knows
Where it goes
But I know
That if so well I want to tell you
We're tired of the 90's
We're tired of the 90's
But we're tied to the 90's
Tied to the 90's
Ah oh no
It's nothing to go on
The hi-fi five alive
That's it I'm stayin' in bed
'til my hair falls out
Everything's over
That said I like my wig
And I hate myself
I know its all in my head
We're tired of the 90's
We're tired of the 90's
We're tired of the 90's
But we're tied to the 90's
Oh we're tied to the 90's
We're tied to the 90's
We're tied to the nines
Tied to the nines
Tied to the 90's
09 Flowers in the Window (03:28)
When I first held you I was cold
A melting snowman I was told
But there was no one there to hold
Before I swore that I would be alone for ever more
Wow look at you now, flowers in the window
It's such a lovely day
And I'm glad you feel the same
'Cause to stand up out in the crowd
You are one in a million
And I love you so
Let's watch the flowers grow
There is no reason to feel bad
But there are many seasons to feel bad sad mad
It's just a bunch of feelings that we have to hold
But I am here to help you with the load
Wow look at you now, flowers in the window
It's such a lovely day
And I'm glad you feel the same
'Cause to stand up out in the crowd
You are one in a million
And I love you so let's watch the flowers grow
So now we're here and now is fine
So far away from there and there is time time time
To plant new seeds and watch them grow
So there'll be flowers in the window when we go
Wow look at us now, flowers in the window
It's such a lovely day
And I'm glad you feel the same
'Cause to stand up out in the crowd
You are one in a million
And I love you so let's watch the flowers grow
Oh wow look at you now, flowers in the window
It's such a lovely day
And I'm glad you feel the same
'Cause to stand up out in the crowd
You are one in a million
And I love you so let's watch the flowers grow, grow
Let's watch the flowers grow
11 More Than Us (03:57)
More than us
And we are them
But they don't know
What's in their hands
It's more than you
And it's more than I
But it's more
And everybody calls it love
But I'm not really sure if it's love
At all
No, not anymore
More than he
More than she
They all sleep
But we just dream
More or less
Means more for us
But it's more
And everybody wants a hand
But I'm too busy holding up the world
To carry on
Oh, not anymore
I wish that I
Could fly, fly, fly away
And if I should fall
And you hear me call
Would you stay
More than us
And we are them
But they don't know
What's in their heads
It's more than you
And it's more than I
But it's more
And everybody calls it love
But I'm not really sure if this is love
At all
No, not anymore, oh
Anymore
Anymore
Anymore
12 Side (03:55)
Well I believe there's something watching over you
They're watching every single thing you say
And when you die they'll set you down and take you through
You'll realise one day
The grass is always greener on the other side
The neighbour's got a new car that you wanna drive
And when time is running out you wanna stay alive
We all live under the same sky
We all will live we all will die
There is no wrong there is no right
The circle only has one side, side, side
We all try hard to live our lives in harmony
For fear of falling swiftly overboard
But life is both a major and minor key
Just open up the chord
But the grass is always greener on the other side
The neighbour's got a new car that you wanna drive
And when time is running out you wanna stay alive
We all live under the same sky
We all will live we all will die
There is no wrong there is no right
The circle only has one side, side, side, side
But the grass is always greener on the other side
The neighbour's got a new car that you wanna drive
And when time is running out you wanna stay alive
We all live under the same sky
We all will live we all will die
There is no wrong there is no right
But the grass is always greener on the other side
The neighbour's got a new car that you wanna drive
And when time is running out you wanna stay alive
We all live under the same sky
We all will live we all will die
There is no wrong there is no right
The circle only has one side, side, side, side, side, side, side, side...
13 U16 Girls (04:01)
I met a girl in LA
The million dollar kind
She was all for all or nothing
She was open all the time
But when I called her number
Her mother's on the line sayin'
You've no business as God's my witness
With a child as young as mine
So make sure that she's old enough
Before you blow your mind
She may look like she knows enough
But look her in the eye
And if so
Let her go
You'll let her down in style
I met a girl in Paris
She talked like Vera Lynn
And her eyes were filled with dewdrop
The moment I walked in
She was awfully nice
The kind that likes to win
But if I'd been wiser, a whole lot wiser
Then I might have thought again
So make sure that she's old enough
Before you blow your mind
She may look like she knows enough
But look her in the eye
And if so
Let her go
You'll let her down in style
14 Happy (04:15)
It starts in the morning
When you're lying next to me
I'm rolling, I'm rolling
I'm rolling so quickly
Now I'm not a doctor
And I'm not a lawyer
I get a prescription and set it on fire
Blow me a kiss, I'll be happy for the rest of my life
And I'm so happy 'cause you're so happy
I'm so happy 'cause you're so happy
I'm so happy 'cause you're so happy
And I'm so happy 'cause you're so happy
Oh, oh, aw
And I'm so happy
And I really shouldn't like it
But I love it
When I say I'm not excited
You're invited
And I think I'm getting older
There's this weight across ma shoulder
Its a shame we're the same
Such a shame I'm to blame all the time
But early this evening
I wanted to be with you
I got on the blower
The next thing I know you're speaking
Now I'm gonna tell you what I've been thinking
And I've got a hunch that you're thinking the same thing and with some luck
We'll be lying together tonight
And I'm so happy 'cause you're so happy
I'm so happy 'cause you're so happy
I'm so happy 'cause you're so happy
And I'm so happy 'cause you're so happy
Oh, oh, aw
And I'm so happy
Oh, oh, ah
Oh, oh, ah
Oh, oh, ah
And I'm so happy
15 All I Want to Do Is Rock (03:53)
Hey
I would really like to talk with you
Girl
Do you have the time to stop?
Say
All I wanna do is rock
If this was any other day
I'd turn and walk the other way
But today
I'll stay
Not walk away
Hey
I'm a foot without a sock without you
Love
You seem to work around the clock
Say
All I wanna do is rock
If this was any other day
I'd turn and walk the other way
But today
I'll stay
Not walk
Just rock
Hey!
Love!
Say
All I wanna do is rock
If this was any other day
I'd turn and walk the other way
But today
I'll stay
OK
16 The Beautiful Occupation (03:46)
Don't just stand there watching it happening
I can't stand it
Don't feel it
Something telling me
Don't wanna go out this way
But have a nice day then
Read it in the headlines
Watch it on the TV
Put it in the background
Stick it in the back
Stick it in the back
For the beautiful occupation
The beautiful occupation
You don't need an invitation
To drop in upon a nation
I'm too cynical
I'm just sitting here
I'm just wasting my time
Half a million civilians gonna die today
But look the wrong way then
Read it in the headlines
Watch it on the TV
Put it in the background
Stick it in the back
Stick it in the back
For the beautiful occupation
The beautiful occupation
You don't need an invitation
To drop in upon a nation
Don't just stand there
Watching it happening
I can't feel it
Don't need this
Something telling me
Don't wanna go out this way
But have a nice day then
Read it in the headlines
Watch it on the TV
Put it in the background
Stick it in the back
Stick it in the back
For the beautiful occupation
The beautiful occupation
You don't need an invitation
To drop in upon a nation
The beautiful occupation
The beautiful occupation
So much for an intervention
Don't call the United Nations
17 Turn (04:24)
I want to see what people saw
I want to feel like I felt before
I'd like to see the kingdom come
I want to feel forever young
I want to sing
To sing my song
I want to live in a world where I belong
I want to live
I will survive
And I believe that it won't be very long
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Turn, turn, turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Then we might learn
So where's the stars?
Up in the sky
And what's the moon?
A big balloon
We'll never know unless we grow
There's so much world outside the door
I want to sing
To sing my song
I want to live in a world where I'll be strong
I want to live
I will survive
And I believe that it won't be very long
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Turn, turn, turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Then we might learn, learn
We've got to turn
We've got to turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Turn, turn, turn
If we turn, turn, turn, turn, turn
Then we might learn
Learn to turn
Carico i commenti... con calma
