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Ora svelo un piccolo segreto.
Il mio nick (con il quale mi firmo ovunque in rete) non è un omaggio al famoso Mulo Parlante, né (visto che siamo in un sito che si chiama "Debaser") a Francis Black. No, nemmeno Francis Ford Coppola.
Il mio è un omaggio a Francis Healy, una delle voci bianche più belle partorite dalla Gran Bretagna negli ultimi anni, e un songwriter spesso poco preso in considerazione ma a mio parere decisamente diverse spanne sopra il bolso Chris Martin, tanto per fare un esempio.
"The Invisible Band", terzo disco dei Travis pubblicato nell'estate 2001 (due anni dopo il trionfale ingresso nelle charts europee di "The Man Who") sarà sempre ricordato, quando si parlerà della carriera della band scozzese, come l'album di "Sing" il tormentone storico di quell'anno, aiutato da un videoclip entrato nell'immaginario collettivo.
Il successo di "Sing" (una sorta di soffice ballata cantilenata supportata da un ipnotico banjo: vabbè, chi non la conosce?) ebbe una portata straordinaria anche in Italia, dove invece era passato inosservato l'altrettanto epico singolo "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" e spinse i Travis alla consacrazione nei più noti circuiti mainstream.
Un paradosso, se vogliamo: non c'è niente che può essere distante dai lustrini, pailettes e starlette dello showbusiness come questo gruppo scozzese, sorto dalle ceneri profanate del britpop ed evoluto poi in uno stile che (anche se potremmo discuterne per anni) ha anticipato di diverso tempo il tanto decantato "New Acoustic Mouvement".
I Travis hanno riproposto in una chiave allo stesso tempo moderna e retrò (caratteristica speciale della musica britannica) i ricordi uggiosi della Glasgow anni '80 di Deacon Blue e Del Amitri, le insicurezze urbane di gruppi scozzesi più "estremisti" (Belle & Sebastian, Arab Strap, Delgados), le melodie nostalgiche dei Beatles (versante McCartney) e di altri miti del rock (Bob Dylan, Byrds, David Bowie, Kinks). Hanno realizzato quella formula provata da tanti ma riuscita da pochi: venire dal popolo, arrivare alle masse ma allo stesso tempo rimanere semplici, confortevoli, se vogliamo ancora "vergini" commercialmente, nonostante le hits.
"The Invisible Band" è, in fondo, un concept album sulla difficoltà di restare se stessi e di mantenere i propri progetti, il proprio "design for life", nei confronti delle persone che amiamo o con cui viviamo. Ecco perchè in "Sing" Fran esorta la propria fidanzata a cantare, a tirare fuori la propria voce; si sfoga nella notturna e solitaria "Dear Diary" e parla di "fiori che cresceranno alla nostra finestra" ("Flowers In The Window").
La produzione di Nigel Goldrich rende questo disco una raccolta di quadretti in cui si rivivono momenti del passato da un punto di vista "invisibile", come se, tramutato in fantasma, Fran Healy canti dei propri tormenti cambiando continuamente spazio, tempo e luogo: così "Side" e "Pipe Dreams" sono visioni oniriche e astratte di un tramonto, "The Cage" e "Safe", con Healy che si accompagna da solo alla chitarra, sono la quiete a tratti irreale di un bosco sperduto, "Follow The Light" è la notte stellata di San Lorenzo, "Last Train" è l'ultimo addio prima di partire lontano, "Afterglow" sono le onde del mare in inverno, "The Humpty Dumpty Love Song" (la canzone che più ricorda gli U2) trasporta la mente in un limbo indefinito solcato dall'infinita estensione finale degli archi.
Canzoni evocative, romantiche, pop ma allo stesso tempo, in certi casi, sofisticate: la voce di Fran è ai più alti livelli e la band la asseconda con disinvoltura.
Il futuro dei Travis, con questo memorabile album, sembrava solare e radioso: sarà il grave incidente al batterista Neil Primrose a gettare le prime vere ombre nel gruppo e a generare un disco cupo come "12 Memories". Ma vale comunque la pena continuare a tifare per loro.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Sing (03:48)
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 Dear Diary (02:56)
Dear diary
What is wrong with me
'Cause I'm fine between the lines
Be not afraid
Help is on its way
A sentence suspended in air
Way over there
Dear diary
What else could it be
As nightshade descends like a veil
Under the sail of my heart
Be still, don't stop until the end
Dear diary
What is wrong with me
'Cause I'm fine between the lines
03 Side (03:59)
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...
04 Pipe Dreams (04:05)
I read it all every word
And I still don't understand a thing
What had you heard
What had you heard, was it love
Was it take another walk in the dark
You'll never learn
I'd pray to God if there was heaven
But heaven seems so very far from here
And it all boils down to the same thing
Just a yin and a yang or a couple of pipe dreams
And it all boils down to the same old pain
Whether you win or you lose isn't gonna change a single thing
I stood in line and a thought crossed my mind
I had been dreaming but I didn't mind
I signed the line and the woman looked right through me
She didn't smile
I'd pray to God if there was heaven
But heaven seems so very far from here
And it all boils down to the same old thing
Just a yin and a yang or a couple of pipe dreams
And it all boils down to the same old pain
Whether you win or you lose isn't gonna change a single thing
I'd pray to God if there was heaven
But heaven seems so very far from here
And it all boils down to the same old thing
Just a yin and a yang or a couple of pipe dreams
And it all boils down to the same old pain
Whether you win or you lose isn't gonna change a single thing
And it all boils down to the same old fear
Just a link in a chain just a puppet on a string
And it all boils down to the same old fear
Whether you win or lose
Whether you win or lose
Whether you win or lose
Whether you win or lose
05 Flowers in the Window (03:41)
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
06 The Cage (03:05)
You broke the bread
We drank the wine
Your lip was bleedin' but it was fine
Come on inside babe
Across the line
I love you more than I
But then this bird just flew away
She was never meant to stay
Oh to keep her caged
Would just delay the spring
You broke your word
Now that's a lie
We had a deal that you would try
Come on inside girl
I think it's time
High time we drew the line
But then this bird just flew away
While I looked the other way
Oh to keep her caged
Would just delay the spring
You broke my soul dear
You stole the plot
You left an empty shot
There's nothing left here
'Cause you took the lot
an empty cage is all I've got
'Cause when your bird has flown away
She was never meant to stay
Oh to keep her caged
Would just delay the spring
To keep her caged
Would just delay... the spring
07 Safe (04:23)
Take all the goods from all the bads
And tell the people that you've gone away
Now lift your head up to the sky
And now you can tell apart the black from the white
And you wish the time they treasure dear
And my only thought is that they could be right
Well look, there goes another year
About as distant as a satellite
And I feel safe - so safe
And I feel safe - so safe
And I feel safe - so safe
So safe
The world's a small child in the dark
And my mind's the same place that it's always been
The monsters seem to fade so fast
Upon the waking of another dream
And I feel safe - so safe
And I feel safe - so safe
And I feel safe, I feel so brave
I'm not afraid of anything they've got to say
And you're okay, because your tucked away
Don't go astray
You've got to be just who you are, who you are
When I was young things didn't last
My only cares went to the price of sweets
Now I'm more older I can laugh
A darling mixed up man with problem teeth
And I feel safe - so safe
And I feel safe - so safe
And I feel safe - so safe
So safe
And I feel safe - so safe
And I feel safe - so safe
And I feel safe - so safe
So safe
08 Follow the Light (03:08)
Nobody really knows
Where they're supposed to go
Hiding behind a wall
Afraid that they'll lose it all
But it's alright
Just follow the light
And don't be afraid of the dark
In the moonlight you'll dance till you fall
And always be here in my heart
But nobody wants to know
'Cause nobody even cares
Everyone's on the make
Oh and everyone's out for themselves
Me I’m on the longest road
Where everything's overload
But I've got my heart and soul
So don't throw me overboard
'Cause it's alright
Just follow the light
And don't be afraid of the dark
In the moonlight
You'll dance till you fall
And always be here in my heart
'Cause it's alright
Just follow the light
And don't be afraid of the dark
In the moonlight
You'll dance till you fall
And always be here in my heart
'Cause it's alright
Alright now
And you're alright
Yeah we're alright now
09 Last Train (03:16)
Rain on the brain
Now there's flowers in your window
She, well she's so strange
I don't know anything about her
But if it's all the same to you
Here's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna write a song
Gonna sing it to everyone
And then I'll sing it to you
'Cause it was you that wrote it too
This could be the last train
Search within yourself for feelings
Everybody's got them
You left me on the shelf
And no there's no one to rely on
But if it's all the same to you
Here's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna buy a gun
Gonna shoot everything everyone
And then I'm coming for you
'Cause it was you that drove me to
This could be the last train
Rear window with the room in the hair
And on her jacket there's a picture in white of Che Guevara
As he sits beneath the tree
But that's not important
But he looked a bit like me
If you took all the little feelings in your heart
And took all those little feelings all apart
Oh well now what's the point in doing all of that
10 Afterglow (04:05)
Feeling myself all of the time
All of the time feeling alright
Taking a while raising a smile
Raising a smile makes it all worthwhile
But if you wanted to find peace of mind
Then you could find it any time you liked
You are the afterglow
Feeling my way all of the time
All of the time doing just fine
Taking a page out of my life
Out of my life wouldn't it be nice
But if you wanted to find peace of mind
Then you couldn't find it any time you liked
You are the afterglow
You are the midnight show
The only one I know
You come and then you go
And when you finally leave
You leave nothing for me
11 Indefinitely (03:52)
Everyday in every way I'm falling
Everything that everyone says turns me on
Shine a light on me
So that everyone can see
That I wanna stay here indefinitely
Time exists but just on your wrist so don't panic
Moments last and lifetimes are lost in a day
So wind your watches down please
'Cause there is no time to lose
And I'm gonna stay here indefinitely
And I wanna stay here so just let me be
Now I can see the light circling round your reflection
And I'm gonna stay here indefinitely
and I'm gonna stay here so just let me be
Indefinitely
Indefinitely
Indefinitely
Indefinitely
Indefinitely
Indefinitely
12 The Humpty Dumpty Love Song (08:16)
All of the king's horses and all of the king's men
Couldn't pull my heart back together again
All of the physicians and mathematicians too
Failed to stop my heart from breaking in two
'Cause all I need is you
I just need you
Yeah you got the glue
So I'm gonna give my heart to you
I had a premonition a movie in my mind
Confirming my suspicions of what I would find
It followed me to LA down to Mexico
Came in through the back door at the start of the show
Still all I need is you
I just need you
Yeah you got the glue
So I'm gonna give my heart to you
Oh was a perfect day
Oh in a perfect way
You know something had to go
You left me high
You left me low
Now as I lie in pieces and wait for your return
The sun upon my forehead it burns baby burns baby burns
An eye on all my horses you've slept with all my men
I'm never gonna get it together again
Still all I need is you
I just need you
Yeah you got the glue
So I'm gonna give my heart to you
Yeah you got the glue
And there's nothing I can do
Yeah you got the glue
So I'm gonna give my heart to you
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