A mio parere ciò che viene sfornato dalle fornaci delle Collaborazioni fra artisti è sempre una cosa interessante, o per lo meno curiosa.
La giovanissima bella cantante, attrice e modella Vanessa Paradis la vediamo in questo album del 1992 spalleggiata, nonchè prodotta, niente di meno che da Lenny Kravitz. Che ne può venire fuori dal connubio artistico fra una dolcissima francesina che cantava come una bambina imbronciata "Joe le taxi" e l'eclettico Lenny?

Bene il risultato è abbastanza vario, lo zampino di Lenny Kravitz lo si sente bene e forte, importante quanto i gesti di un direttore d'orchestra. Lo vediamo intervenire con tutti gli strumenti da lui utilizzabili (basso, chitarra, batteria, tastiere ...) e anche nel cantato nel duetto della trasognante "Lonely Rainbows". Carina la versione cantata da Vanessa di "I'm waiting for the man" dei mitici Velvet Underground, che qui è diventata una canzoncina orecchiabile da viaggio in Texas a bordo di una Cadillac rosa fantasia mucca... bah... comunque la voce della Paradis è talmente affascinante che le si concede pure di reinterpretare Lou Reed.
Sottolineo inoltre "The Future Song" dove Kravitz si cimenta nell'esecuzione in prima persona di tutta la parte strumentale e ne viene fuori un pezzo che si stacca dal resto, la tastiera Fender Rhodes ci dà quel tocco lounge in un contorno ritmico quasi garage.

Per finire immaginate un quadro di Balthus ambientato in un prato hippy anni '60, vedeteci ballare una ragazzina in baby-doll rosa ... e ascoltatevi la dolcissima "Be my baby"...

Elenco tracce testi e video

01   Natural High (03:21)

All I give
Is all I got
And all I am
Ain't what I'm not
And I ain't gonna lie or beg
For your love
I'm on a natural high

When morning comes
Take my hand
To free your mind
Come to my land
But I ain't gonna lie or beg
For your love
I'm on a natural high

And I don't require no service
And I'll make sweet love to you
Every day and night
I live my life for you
I'm on a natural high

All I give
Is all I got
And all I am
Ain't what I'm not
And I ain't gonna lie or beg
For your love
I'm on a natural high

02   I'm Waiting for the Man (03:25)

I'm waiting for my man
Twenty-six dollars in my hand
Up to Lexington 1-2-5
Feeling sick and dirty more dead than alive
I'm waiting for my man

Hey white boy, what you doin' uptown
Hey white boy, you chasin' our women around
Oh pardon me sir, it's furthest from my mind
I'm just lookin' for a dear dear friend of mine
I'm waiting for my man

Here he comes, he's all dressed in black
PR shoes and a big straw hat
He's never early, he's always late
First thing you learn is that you always gotta wait
I'm waiting for my man

Up to a brownstone, up three flights of stairs
Everybody's pinned you but nobody cares
He's got the works gives you sweet taste
Then you gotta split because he's got no time to waste
I'm waiting for my man

Baby don't holler, darlin' don't you ball and shout
I'm feeling good, you know I'm gonna work it on out
I'm feeling good, I'm feeling oh so fine
Until tomorrow but that's just some other time
I'm waiting for my man.

03   Silver and Gold (02:44)

04   Be My Baby (03:41)

05   Lonely Rainbows (02:33)

Tonight, I'm yours
And you are mine
I know a place we can hide
I know a place
Where we can finally see the rainbow
And we can fly fly fly fly fly

I know a place
Over the lonely lonely rainbow
Were we can make things right

I know a place where we can
Always be together
And we can go tonight

I know a place where we can live our lives
And I know a place
Where we can see the light

I know a place
Over the lonely rainbow
Where we can make things right
Over the lonely lonely lonely lonely
rainbow.

06   Sunday Mondays (03:56)

The sun is out
The clouds are slowly going
And now my heart is growing fast
So let's get up
Put on you hat and clothing
Let's take a trip and lose our minds
Let's go walking through the park today
I love Sunday Mondays any day
When the skies are blue and it's not grey
I'll take Sunday Mondays any every day

Sometimes it's fun
To just escape and run
And leave the troubled world behind
So let's get lost
And get our juices flowing
And let's go se what we can find

Let's go walking through the park today
I love Sunday Mondays any day
When the skies are blue and it's not grey
I'll take Sunday Mondays any every day

Let's go walking through the park today
I love Sunday Mondays any day
When the skies are blue and it's not grey
I'll take Sunday Mondays any every day

07   Your Love Has Got a Handle on My Mind (03:56)

08   The Future Song (04:55)

09   Paradis (03:03)

10   Just as Long as You Are There (03:25)

I'll walk across a river without any thought
Do it for you baby

Just as long as you are there my love
Just as long as you are there

I'll go up to the mountain
Go into the sea
Gonna save you baby
Alright you and me
Just as long as you are there

Just as long as you are there my love
Just as long as you are there

Boy you know I won't be far
And if you call me I'll be there
And we'll leave all our troubles behind
As I walk through life I see that life
Has taken me through many changes
But as long as we can learn to love
I know everything's gonna be alright
So take hold of my hand baby

Just as long as you are there my love
Just as long as you are there

So baby just call me
And you know that I'll be there
And you don't have to beg or plead
Just call my name

Just as long as you are there my love
Just as long as you are there

I'll walk across a river
I'll walk across the water

11   Gotta Have It (02:17)

I know where I shouldn't be
You take my heart and drink it for tea
You mix me up and walk out the door
You take my love and hurt me for more

But I gotta have it
Watch out for the damage
From New York straight to Paris
I'm talking Lenny Kravitz

Whenever he is around
He puts me six feet under the ground
And when you call he can never be found
'Cause he is always out on the town

But I gotta have it
Watch out for the damage
From New York straight to Paris
I'm talking Lenny Kravitz

He is so funky and he's looking so good
And he does it like a good man should
And I would love him if I only could
But his heart is like a piece of wood

But I gotta have it
Watch out for the damage
From New York straight to Paris
I'm talking Lenny Kravitz.

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