"Lights Out" aveva consacrato gli Ufo ad essere annoverati fra i grandi. Eppure, il tanto atteso grande successo può avere effetti nefasti sulle sorti di un band.
Metteteci "una spolverata di cocaina, per tenerci su di giri", come ha recentemente ammesso il cantante Phil Mogg, gare di automobili non autorizzata per i declivi di Laurel Canyon ed infine una band un po' piena di sé, e non a torto forse, dato che in quel momento è all'apice del proprio successo e delle proprie capacità artistiche, e il gioco è fatto. Il complesso di onnipotenza non è da attribuirsi a tutto l'organico della band: mentre gli Ufo si erano spostati in California, dopo la trionfale tournée di "Lights Out", il chitarrista Michael Schenker, era scomparso.
Questo non fece che peggiorare le cose: Schenker fu ritrovato dopo qualche mese sulle spiagge della Spagna, a fare il bagno con la sua ragazza. Solo l'opera persuasiva del bassista Pete Way riuscì a riportarlo dai suoi compagni di band. Schenker si sentiva oppresso dagli estenuanti spettacoli dal vivo che, complice anche una certa dipendenza dall'alcool in quel periodo, sfociò in una vera e propria fobia per il palco e in un'insicurezza generale del biondo e teutonico chitarrista. Considerato il problema della lingua (Schenker parlava un inglese pessimo), più sentito ai tempi di "Phenomenon", ma ugualmente presente come ostacolo, considerando anche che la sua grande personalità cozzava con quella altrettanto grande del cantante Phil Mogg, il quadro è pressoché completo: Schenker chiarì che sarebbe tornato, ma solo per incidere un album e suonare dal vivo nell'ultimo tour con gli Ufo, almeno fino al 1993.
Ci fu anche nervosismo in studio, complice il produttore Roy Nevison, che impose una rigida condotta in fase di registrazione, cosa che diede da un lato l'ottimo risultato dell'uscita di un disco del calibro di "Obsession", ma dall'altro ebbe modo di porre l'accento sui problemi personali della band. Nevison se la prese con in particolar modo con Paul Raymond, il tastierista/secondo chitarrista, che venne bersagliato dal produttore poiché lo considerava un ottimo tastierista ma un pessimo chitarrista, giudizio forse troppo severo.
Nonostante tutte queste premesse, l'album fu quanto di meglio gli Ufo riuscirono a sfornare, dato ancora oggi "Obession" è annoverato come uno dei migliori lavori in studio della band da parte dei fan e della critica. Forse, ciò che dal punto musicale colpisce di più, è la grande energia che traspare dalle11 tracce di questo album, in brani come Only You Can Rock Me, Pack It Up (And Go), You Don't Fool Me, One More For The Rodeo e Hot'n'Ready. Ma forse l'elemento più significativo, che conferisce una velata verve di genialità al disco è la presenza di parti orchestrali in lenti fanstaci come Born To Lose e Lookin' Out For No.1, di cui c'è anche bellissimo reprise strumentale, come strumentale è anche Arbory Hill, ove Schenker suona chitarra acustica e chitarra, un abbozzo di quella che sarà Tales Of Mistery con i suoi MSG. Grandiosa infine ache Cherry, ove è il basso di Pete Way ad essere il protagonista nel riff. Infine, una canzone di vera e propria e protesta, in cui gli Ufo lamentano il fatto che la loro casa discografica Chrysalis abbia fatto togliere proprio in quel periodo i poster degli Ufo dalle proprie sedi in favore della nuova scoperta, i Babys di John Wait: il brano si intitola infatti Ain't No Baby.
"Obsession" fa parte di quella categoria di dischi che rappresentano un ultimo baluardo, una sorta di canto del cigno di un'epoca (in questo caso quella di Schenker) della band, forse la più gloriosa, segnata dall'esecuzione sopraffina e da un alto livello di composizione delle canzoni, nonostante tutti i guai della band a livello personale.
Un'ultima parola dedicata alla copertina, ennesima stravaganza della Hipgnosis: i membri della band furono portati in una vera sala operatoria, furono vestiti in giacca e cravatta fu chiesto loro di fare il codino ai capelli lunghi. Con una colla speciale gli furono attaccate su occhi, naso e bocca delle sfere di metallo, anche se si è a lungo dubitato di questa versione fornita dalla band e si è pensato piuttosto ad un fotomontaggio. Unica pecora nera della band è Schenker, che in copertina è ritratto senza essere così conciato in mezzo Phil Mogg e Pete Way, forse a simboleggiare la sua imminente dipartita. Sul retro vi sono Andy Parker e Paul Raymond. Una copertina forse a prima vista non esteticamente piacevole, ma di sicuro di grande impatto, come lo è del resto anche il grandioso "Obssession".
Elenco tracce e testi
01 Only You Can Rock Me (04:08)
Michael Schenker; Pete Way; Phil Mogg
Who’s taking time out, we’ll take a shine out
We’re the boys we got nothing to lose
I’ve had enough now of school and stuff now
If you ain’t with us then it’s just bad news
Only you can rock me rock me
Come on back now d o it again
Only you can rock me, rock me
Kicking out just like a hurrican3
We can’t wait from day to day
Cuz we’ve got something to say
We can’t wait from day to day
Cuz we’ve got something to say
Come on the street now on every corner
Breaking out and we’re doing what we want to
Just like a jewel shines in the night
She burns so hot out under the street light
Chorus
We are here and there’s no end
We keep on coming again
We are here and there’s no end
We just keep coming again
Instrumental
Who’s taking time out, we take a shine out
We’re the boys we got nothing to lose
I’ve had enough now of school
And stuff now
If you ain’t with us then it’s just bad news
Only you can rock me, rock me
Come on back now, do it again
Only you can rock me, rock me
Kickin’ out just like a hurricane
We can’t wait from day to day
Cuz we’ve got something to say
We are here and there’s no end
We’ll keep on coming again
We can’t wait from day to day
Cuz we’ve got something to say
We are here and there’s no end
We’ll keep on coming again
Only You Can Rock Me
02 Pack It Up (And Go) (03:14)
I've got to sympathize
You run with all the rest
You've kept on moving but never got the best
And all our yesterdays go sailing out of view
I know there's something left hope you can make it through
Pack It up and go, pack it up and go,
Leftover from the show, just pack it up and go
You made the impact back in 1969
But now move over friend I think you've had your time
And all our yesterdays go sailing out of view
I know there' something left, hope you can make it through
Pack it up and go, pack it up and go, left over from the show just pack it up and go
--instrumental ---
And all our yesterdays go sailing know there's something left
Hope you can make it through
(1) instrumental ending ---
04 Ain't No Baby (03:58)
Hey there now big shot well just listen to me
I know the score and it's no great mystery
I hear you talking and it's all been said
But what I'm thinking I keep inside my head
* I ain't no baby, so get out of my way
Keep in with your own kind
Ain't none of your business, you got nothing to say
Stay away, forever
You play the cool star it's a dangerous game
Don't forget the street and who gave you your name
Romancin' with the company as they pour in the pounds
If the next thing is you and then who are the clowns?
* chorus
--instrumental--
* chorus
Stay away, forever
05 Lookin' Out for No. 1 (04:34)
Just a kid with a crazy dream wants it all before he's seventeen
Don't know where to begin
With a wild thought he knows the fact, no no there's no looking back
Just gotta stand up and make it real
How does it feel to be right out on your own
Just gotta keep looking out for #1
Some people make it and others don't try, they seem happy to live out a lie
I'm right here on my own
Me I'm a gambler and I pay for my sins,
I've been right there and I'm back again
Just gotta stand up and make it real
How does it feel to be right out on your own
Just gotta keep looking out for #1
Let's get away right out of here, it's not soon enough for me
Breaks of a lifetime it's there like a lifeline, reach out and grab it it's free
(short instrumental)
How does it feel right out on your own
Just gotta keep looking out for #1
(another short instrumental)
How does it feel right out on your own
Just gotta keep looking out for #1
How does it feel...to be out on your own... just gotta
how does it feel to be out on your own, just gotta keep lookin' out for #1
How does it feel to be out etc.
How does it feel
07 Cherry (03:34)
Gotta give you love oh cherry
dance for me there's only you
play the barrooms just for pennies
Wish I wasn't just passing through
Tell me your secrets, tell me no one way lyin' now
We are golden, We are golden
And I'm out here on the road, I feel just like a rolling stone
Into the highways of the night I roll alone
On the tabletops she's dancing, sit and smile into your beer
Turn around no cherry for me, let me know you know I'm here
We are golden, We are golden
And I'm out here on the road, I feel just like a rolling stone
Into the highways of the night, making it feel all right
Come on cherry let's make it together
Out of the neon and into my life
We can't play this game forever, now.....
(1) (instrmental)
Gotta give my love oh Cherry, dance for me there' s only you
play the barrooms just for pennies, wish I wasn't just passing through
Tell me your secrets, tell me no one way lyin' now
We are golden, we are golden
And I'm out here on the road, I feel just like a rolling stone
into the highways of the night I roll alone
08 You Don't Fool Me (03:23)
If I could see you would you still give me
Just hold me tighter and love me maybe
You'll be my thunder, I don't want saving
You don't fool me, oh no you don't fool me
One look at you it's easy to see
Oh no you don't fool me, oh babe you don't fool me
I'll play along, just give it to me
You build me up now, you pull me down
You make me come on yeah, keep me around
I'll want to move you, I surely could
You don't fool me, oh no you don't fool me,
One look at you, it's easy to see oh no
You don't fool me, oh babe you don't fool me,
I'll play along, just give it to me
---instrumental---
Just gotta have you, you drive me crazy, tell me you feel it, your honey give me ...
Here burns the fire, I feel your heat
You don't fool me, oh babe you don't fool me
One look at you, it's easy to see
Oh no you don't fool me, oh babe you don't fool me
I'll play along, just give it to me
Oh no you don't fool me, oh babe you don't fool me
One look at you girl, it's easy to see
Oh no you don't fool me, oh babe you don't fool me
I'll play along, just give it to me
10 One More for the Rodeo (03:45)
One more for the rodeo, an old-school '60s team A great new wide awakening spews out at the seams Laid out cold on the table, a sheet pulled over his head I turned around to the janitor, asked him just how long you'd been dead And it's one more for the rodeo, one more for the show One more pretender who just had to go All the gods and gurus blowing from the east So caught up in your principles it eats your mind like a disease I wish I was invisible, hidden from the crowd And this cold wind blows down the sidewalk and leaves me wondering how And it's one more for the rodeo, one more for the show One more pretender who just had to go ---instrumental--- One more for the rodeo, one more for the show, one more pretender, who just had to go
11 Born to Lose (03:31)
Wonder if you belong, think you've got it down
Does it still feel the same, now that he's not around
Born to lose, Born to lose, make your mind up no fooling round
Now that I know, I could never be, I would never be the only one.
Wonder how it all began, as if that mattered anyway
There's someone else you're always wanting, every single day
Born to lose, born to lose, make your mind up no fooling round,
Now that I know, I could never be, I would never be the only one.
* instrumental -
Born to lose, Born to lose, make your mind up no fooling 'round
Now that I know, I could never be, I would never be the only one.
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