Si può realizzare un disco praticamente perfetto, in tutte le sue parti, dalla cover fino all'ultimo pezzo, beh la risposta è sì, ma poi c'è il rischio di scontentare sempre qualcuno. Il lavoro che Paul McCartney e soci mettono assieme fra il 1974 e il 1975 rispecchia perfettamente questa definizione , infatti "Venus And Mars", sembra un lavoro molto studiato a tavolino, poco spontaneo ma maledettamente riuscito, tanto che per qualsiasi altro artista sarebbe un apice creativo.

La formazione che lo incide è notevole, oltre a Linda e a Denny Laine, McCartney ha assunto il giovane e promettente chitarrista Jimmy McCulloch e i batteristi Geoff Britton e Joe English. Il gruppo appare affiatato, ottimamente amalgamato da Sir Paul, i risultati si sentono fin subito dalle prime note di chitarra acustica che aprono la "cosmica" "Venus And Mars", una canzone che mette i brividi e che rimanda subito alle aperture dei concerti del "Over The World Tour". La title track sfocia poi nella maestosa "Rock Show", una celebrazione del mondo dei concerti in cui Paul sfoggia una grinta notevole seguito a ruota dagli altri, un brano perfetto per essere eseguito dal vivo. "Love In Song" è una perla rara, ottimamente eseguita nel suo crescere melodico, con la superba voce di McCartney che ci porta indietro, ai tempi di "Abbey Road". L'ecclettismo del leader del gruppo sforna melodie sopraffine a ripetizione, "You Give Me The Answer", ballad al piano di atmosfera retrò, la sessione ritmica potente di "Letting Go", la ripresa di "Venus And Mars" che conduce alla cosa meno riuscita dell'album, "Spirit Of Ancient Egypt", cantata con Laine. Bellissima la sporca "Medicine Jar" di McCulloch, un classico invece "Listen To What The Man Said", brano dalla melodia sbarazzina contraddistinta dai fiati dai suoni tipici di New Orleans. Chiude la bellissima "Treat Her Gently", canzone sugli anziani lasciati soli, in cui spiccano i versi "Trattala con gentilezza/Trattala bene/lei non riconosce nemmeno i suoi pensieri/", che delineano un ritratto di solitudine caro a Paul.

La cover è firmata da Linda, un album bello e coinvolgente, solo troppo perfetto che lo fa stare un gradino sotto ai Must di Paul.

Elenco tracce e testi

01   Venus and Mars (01:19)

02   Rock Show (05:34)

What's That Man Holding In His Hand?
He Looks A Lot Like A Guy I Knew Way Back When
Its Silly Willy With Philly Band
Could Be . . . . . Oo-Ee . . . . . .

What's That Man Movin' Cross The Stage?
It Looks A Lot Like The One Used By Jimmy Page
Its Like A Relic From A Different Age
Could Be . . . . . Oo-Ee . . . . . .

If There's Rock Show
At The Concertgebow
They're Got Long Hair
At The Madison Square
You've Got Rock And Roll
At The Hollywood Bowl,
We'll Be There . . . . . . Oo Yeah . . . . . . .

The Lights Go Down - They're Back In Town O.K.
Behind The Stacks You Glimpse An Axe
The Tension Mounts You Score An Ounce Ole!
Temperatures Rise As You See The White Of Their Eyes

If There's Rock Show
At The Concertgebow
You're Got Long Hair
At The Madison Square
They've Got Rock And Roll
At The Hollywood Bowl,
We'll Be There . . . . . . Oo Yeah . . . . . . .

In My Green Metal Suit I'm Preparing To Shoot Up The City
And The Ring At The End Of My Nose Makes Me Look Rather Pretty
Its A Pity There's Nobody Here To Witness The End
Save For My Dear Old Friend And Confidante - Madamoiselle Kitty

What's That Man Movin' To And Fro?
That Decibel Meter Doesn't Seem To Be Reading Low.
But They Was Louder At The Rainbow
Could Be . . . . . Oo-Ee . . . . . .

If There's Rock Show
At The Concertgebow
They're Got Long Hair
At The Madison Square
You Got Rock And Roll
At The Hollywood Bowl,
We'll Be There . . . . . . Oo Yeah . . . . . . .

If There's Rock Show . . . . . . .

If There's Rock Show . . . . . . .

If There's Rock Show . . . . . . .

03   Love in Song (03:04)

04   You Gave Me the Answer (02:15)

You Gave Me The Answer
To Love Eternally.
I Love You And - You,
You Seem To Like Me.
Wherever We Wander
The Local Folk Agree,
I Love You And - You,
You Seem To Like Me.

Heading Back To Old Familiar Places,
Places Where The Cobwebs Blow Away
I Can Forget The Airs And Graces

Terpsichory . . . . . . .

You'll Never Be Crowned By
The Aristocracy,
To Their Delight, You'd Merely Invite
Them In For A Cup Of Tea . . . . And
I Love You And - You
You Seem To Like
You Seem To Like
You Seem To Like
Me.

05   Magneto and Titanium Man (03:17)

06   Letting Go (04:41)

07   Venus and Mars (reprise) (02:07)

Standing In The Hall
Of The Great Cathedral
Waiting For The Transport To Come
Starship 21zna9
A Good Friend Of Mine
Studies The Stars
Venus And Mars
Are Alright Tonight.

Come Away On A Strange Vacation
Holiday Hardly Begun
Run Into A Good Friend Of Mine

Sold Me Her Sign
Reach For The Stars
Venus And Mars
Are Alright Tonight

08   Spirits of Ancient Egypt (03:05)

You're My Baby And I Love You
You Can Take A Pound Of Love
And Cook It In The Stew . . . . .

When You've Finished Doing That
I Know What You'll Want To Do
'Cos You're My Baby And I Love You

I'm Your Baby -- Do You Love Me?
I Can Drive A Cadillac
Across The Irish Sea
But When I've Finished Doing That
I Know Where I'll Want To Be
'Cos I'm Your Baby, And You Love Me.

Spirits Of Ancient Egypt
Shadows Of Ancient Rome
Spirits Of Ancient Egypt
Hung On The Telly
Hung On The Telly
Hung On The Telephone . . . .

You're My Baby, I Know You Know
You Could Sell An Elevator
To Geronimo
And When You've Finished Doing That
I Know Where You'll Want To Go
'Cos You're My Baby, I Know You Know

Spirits Of Ancient Egypt
Echoes Of Sunken Spain
Spirits Of Ancient Egypt
Hung On The 'Phone
A-Hung On The 'Phone
A-Hung On The 'Phone
. . . . . Again . . . .

09   Medicine Jar (03:38)

What's Wrong With You?
I Wish I Knew
You Say Time And Tell
I Hope That's True
There's More To Life Than Blues And Reds
I Say, I Know How You Feel,
Now Your Friends Are Dead.

Dead On Your Feet, You Won't Get Far
If You Keep On Sticking Your Hand
In The Medicine Jar.

Now Don't Give Up
Whatever You Do
You Say Time Will Tell
I Hope That's True
If You Go Down And Lose Your Head
I Say, I Know How You Feel
Now Your Friends Are Dead.

Dead On Your Feet, You Won't Get Far
If You Keep On Sticking Your Hand
In The Medicine Jar.

Dead On Your Feet . . . . .

What Can I Do?
I Can't Let Go
You Say Time Will Heal
But Very Slow
So Don't Forget The Things You Said
I Say I Know How You Feel
Now Your Friends Are Dead.

Dead On Your Feet, You Won't Get Far
If You Keep On Sticking Your Hand
In The Medicine Jar.

10   Call Me Back Again (05:00)

Well When I, When I Was
Just A Little Baby Boy
Every Night I Would Call
Your Number Brought Me Joy.
I Called Your House, Every Night Since Then
But I Ain't Never, No No Never
Heard You Calling Me
Come On And Call Me Back Again . . . . .

Call Me Back Again.

I've Heard Your Name Every Night Since Then
But I Ain't Never, No No Never . . . . .

Well When I, When I Was
Just A Little Baby Boy
Every Night, Every Night
I Would Call Because Your Number
Brought Me Joy

Oh -- I've Called Your Name
Every Night Since Then,
But I Ain't Never, No No No No Never
Heard You Calling Me
Come On And Call Me Back Again.

Call Me Back Again.

11   Listen to What the Man Said (04:02)

Any time, any day
You can hear the people say
That love is blind
Well, I don't know, but I say love is kind

Soldier boy kisses girl
Leaves behind a tragic world
But he won't mind
He's in love and he says love is fine

Oh, yes indeed, we know
That people will find a way to go
No matter what the man said
And love is fine, for all we know
For all we know, our love will grow
That's what the man said
So won't you listen to what the man said
He said

Oh, take it away

Oh, yes indeed, we know
That people will find a way to go
No matter what the man said
And love is fine, for all we know
For all we know, our love will grow
That's what the man said
So won't you listen to what the man said
He said

Oh, yes indeed, we know
That people will find a way to go
No matter what the man said
And love is fine, for all we know
For all we know, our love will grow
That's what the man said
So won't you listen to what the man said
He said

The wonder of it all baby
The wonder of it all baby
The wonder of it all baby, yeah yeah yeah
Ooh

12   Treat Her Gently / Lonely Old People (04:25)

13   Crossroads Theme (01:02)

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