Il volto fiero di Andy Partridge sulla copertina esprime tutta la soddisfazione per il lavoro appena realizzato, "Black Sea" infatti è il primo componente della trilogia d'oro della band inglese ed è un perfetto esempio della genialità di questi musicisti.
Da molti critici considerati i migliori dopo i Beatles come capacità di mischiare suoni di diverse provenienze e influenzare così in modo profondo la scena musicale del periodo e non solo, Moulding e soci non hanno mai raccolto in termini di notorietà e successo, ma a loro devono molto tantissimi artisti, tra cui 'Coldplay' e 'Police'.
Questo disco realizzato nel 1980 in piena effervescenza New-Wave è un caposaldo della corrente musicale, si possono trovare al suo interno gli ingredienti base, il post-punk, l'elettronica, i suoni nervosi e ripetitivi ma anche il gusto melodico della tradizionale canzone europea.
L'apertura ritmicamente devastante di "Respectable Street" è il biglietto da visita che gli XTC consegnano nelle mani dell'ascoltatore, un brano trascinante cantato perfettamente da Partridge con quel ritornello cosi beatlesiano che chiarisce subito quale sia la fonte di ispirazione principale del gruppo, e che dire allora della melodia fischiata di "Generals And Majors" che si inserisce nella ritmica sostenuta del brano in modo sublime.
Con il reggae rock di "Living Through Another Cuba" si entra ancora di più nella dimensione eccentrica e caotica del lavoro, quì possono convivere tranquillamente percussioni caraibiche con un canto nevrotico senza problemi, Moulding firma la canzoncina "Love At First Sight" ennesimo gioiello che i quattro confezionano, basta ascoltare il lavoro sulle percussioni elettroniche e la parte di chitarra di Gregory per innamorarsene. Il filo che gli XTC seguono produce brani notevoli a getto continuo, "Sgt Rock", "Rock From A Bottle", "No Language In Our Lungs" e la facile "Towers Of London", orecchiabile e perfettamente in linea con il resto.
La copertina è bellissima e nasconde la sigla del gruppo dietro simboli e oggetti, ennesima prova del talento fuori dai canoni comuni di Partridge .
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Respectable Street (03:37)
It's in the order of their hedgerows
It's in the way their curtains open and close
It's in the look they give you down their nose
All part of decency's jigsaw I suppose
Heard the neighbour slam his car door
Don't he realise this is respectable street
What d'you think he bought that car for
'Cos he realise this is respectable street
Now they talk about abortion
In cosmopolitan proportions to their daughters
As they speak of contraception
And immaculate receptions on their portable
Sony entertainment centres.
Heard the neighbour slam his car door
Don't he realise this is respectable street
What d'you think he bought that car for
'Cos he realise this is respectable street
Now she speaks about diseases
And which sex position pleases best her old man
Avon lady fills the creases
When she manages to squeeze in past the caravans
That never move from their front gardens.
Heard the neighbour slam his car door
Don't he realise this is respectable street
What d'you think he bought that car for
'Cos he realise this is respectable street
It's in the order of their hedgerows
It's in the way their curtains open and close
It's in the look they give you down their nose
All part of decency's jigsaw I suppose
Sunday church and they look fetching
Saturday night saw him retching over our fence
Bang the wall for me to turn down
I can see them with their stern frown
As they dispense the kind of look that says
They're perfect.
Heard the neighbour slam his car door
Don't he realise this is respectable street
What d'you think he bought that car for
'Cos
He realise this is respectable street
He realise this is respectable street
He realise this is respectable street
02 Generals and Majors (04:05)
Generals and majors, uh-huh
They're never too far
From battlefields so glorious
Out in a world of their own
They'll never come down
'Til once again victorious
Woah, generals and majors always
Seem so unhappy 'less they got a war
Generals and majors, uh-huh
Like never before
Are tired of being actionless
Calling generals and majors
Generals and majors everywhere
Calling generals and majors
Your World War III is drawing near
Generals and majors, uh-huh
They're never too far
Away from men who made the grade
Out in a world of their own
They'll never come down
Until the battle's lost or made
Woah, generals and majors always
Seem so unhappy 'less they got a war
Generals and majors, uh-huh
Like never before
Are tired of being in the shade
Calling generals and majors
Generals and majors everywhere
Calling generals and majors
Hey, your World War III is drawing near
World War III
Generals and majors, uh-huh
They're never too far
From battlefields so glorious
Out in a world of their own
They'll never come down
'Til once again victorious
Woah
Woah
Woah
Woah
Generals and majors
Generals and majors
Generals and majors
03 Living Through Another Cuba (04:44)
Living through another Cuba
It's 1961 again and we are piggy in the middle
Living through another Cuba
While war is polishing his drum and peace plays second fiddle
Living through another Cuba
Russia and America are at each other's throats
But don't you cry
Living through another Cuba
Just on your knees and pray, and while you're
Down there, kiss your arse goodbye
Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba
We're the bulldog on the fence
While others play their tennis overhead
Living through another Cuba
It's hardly love all and somebody might
Wind up red or dead
Living through another Cuba
Pour some oil on the water quick
It doesn't really matter where from
Living through another Cuba
He love me, he loves me not
He's pulling fins from an atom bomb
Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba
This phenomenon happens every 20 years or so
Living through another Cuba
If they're not careful your watch won't be the
Only thing with a radioactive glow
Living through another Cuba
I'll stick my fingers in my ears
And hope they make it up before too late
Living through another Cuba
If we get through this lot alright
They're due for replay, 1998
Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba
Living through another another, living through another another...
Living through another Cuba
Cuba cuba cuba....
Living through another Cuba
ba ba ba ba...
Living through another Cuba
Look out for my corpse in the colour supplement
Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba just like 1961 again
Get the bulldog to put its teeth back in
Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba
Living through another Cuba
Cu-ba, Cu-ba, Cu-ba the ba-ba
Living through another Cu-BA!
04 Love at First Sight (03:06)
See the lovers all gone crazy
Looking for romance it seems
Many sleepless nights will follow
Some may lose but some succeed
Love at first sight
What they want is
Make a play of lust intention
Only just one thing in mind
Make a slip could be forever
Wedding bells, the shotgun kind
Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is
Mouse takes the bait
As soon as he leaves his seat
There's no escape, very soon their eyes will meet
Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is
Mouse takes the bait
As soon as he leaves his seat
There's no escape, very soon their eyes will meet
Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is
Take your partner to surrender
Then your misdemeanour's done
Sacrifice of maidenhood
But little boys must have their fun
Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is
Love at first sight
What they want is
05 Rocket From a Bottle (03:30)
Birds beware, expect me up there
me and air are feeling light today
jets should hide, I'll fly alongside
me and pride are bolted tight today
I've been set off by a pretty little girl
I'm like a rocket from a bottle shot free
I've been just explosive since you lit me
I've been up with the larks
I've been shooting off sparks
and I'm feeling in love
I'm a rocket from a bottle shot free
I've been just explosive since you kissed me
I've been up in the clouds
I've been shrugging off shrouds
and I'm feeling in love
Hate step back, my smile might just crack
can't stop grins from going wide today
hell look sharp, angels play your harp
I feel strong like the tide today
06 No Language in Our Lungs (04:53)
There is no language in our lungs
To tell the world just how we feel
No bridge of thought
No mental link
No letting out just what you think
There is no language in our lungs, lungs, lungs, lungs
There is no muscle in our tongues
To tell the world what's in our hearts
No no no no no we're leaving nothing behind
Just chiselled stones
No chance to speak before we're bones
There is no muscle in our tongues, tongues, tongues, tongues
I thought I had the whole world in my mouth
I thought I could say what I wanted to say
For a second that thought became a sword in my hand
I could slay any problem that would stand in my way
I felt just like a crusader
Lionheart, a Holy Land invader
But nobody can say what they really mean to say and
The impotency of speech came up and hit me that day and
I would have made this instrumental
But the words got in the way
There is no language in our...
There is no language in our lungs
To tell the world what's in our hearts
No no no no no we're leaving nothing behind
Just chiselled stones
No chance to speak before we're bones
There is no language in our
Lungs
Lungs
Lungs
07 Towers of London (05:23)
Towers of London
When they had built you
Did you watch over the men who fell
Towers of London
When they had built you
Victoria's gem found in somebody's hell
Pavements of gold leading to the underground
Grenadier Guardsmen walking pretty ladies around
Fog is the sweat of the never never navvies who pound
Spikes in the rails to their very own heaven
Towers of London
When they had built you
Did you watch over the men who fell
Towers of London
When they had built you
Victoria's gem found in somebody's hell
Bridges of muscles spanning so long and high
Merchants from Stepney walking pretty ladies by
Rain is the tears of the never never navvies who cry
For the bridge that doesn't go
In the direction of Dublin
Towers of London
When they had built you
Did you watch over the men who fell
Towers of London
When they had built you
Victoria's gem found in somebody's hell
And I've seen it in a painting
And I've seen it in engraving
And I've seen it in their faces
Clear as children's chalk lines on the paving
And I've seen it in a painting
And I've seen it in engraving
And I've seen it in their faces
Clear as children's chalk lines on the paving
Towers of London
When they had built you
Did you watch over the men who fell
Towers of London
When they had built you
Victoria's gem found in somebody's hell
Towers of London, Towers of London
Towers of London, Towers of London
La La Londinium, La La Londinium
La La Londinium, La La Londinium
La La Londinium...
08 Paper and Iron (Notes and Coins) (04:17)
Paper, iron, won't buy Eden
working for paper and for iron
work for the right to keep my tie on
working for paper and for iron
work for the unicorn and lion
I pray the kids aren't starving
no chicken for the Sunday carving
I'll stay for one more farthing
I take home my notes and coins every week
I'm told I'm worth much more
but the Church says turn the other cheek
the other cheek
paper, iron, won't buy Eden.
I know the family needs me
can't moan, the factory feeds me
won't bite the hand that bleeds me
I take home my notes and coins every week
I'll inherit the earth I'm told
but the Church says to remain this meek
remain this meek
I'm still a proud man.
Won't show anybody else my wage
a blend in the crowd man
is this anybody's golden age
is this anybody's golden age
is this anybody's golden age
or am I dreaming of a golden cage
La la lo it's paper
la la lo it's iron
la la lo just paper
la la lo just iron
10 Sgt. Rock (Is Going to Help Me) (03:56)
"Sgt. Rock (Is Going To Help Me)"
I'm enlisting, overseas aid
need assisting, help with a maid
get the expert, on mademoiselles
he could diffuse, any bombshell
If I could only be tough like him
then I could win
my own, small, battle of the sexes
Sgt. Rock is going to help me
make the girl mine
keep her stood in line
Sgt. Rock is going to help me
make the girl mine
keep her stood in line
make the girl mine, wave the victory sign
I'm invading, territories
Girls are foreign, and strange to me
get the expert, at kissing and stuff
he stays easy, when things get rough
Sometimes relationships don't go as planned
some girls, can make themselves so cold
a no-mans land.
11 Travels in Nihilon (06:56)
You've learnt no lessons
all that time so cheaply spent
there's no youth culture
only masks they let you rent
Travels, travels in Nihilon
we've seen, no Jesus come and gone
Fashion, their vampire
drapes itself across your back
as you fall from style
it waits rebirth on its rack
Building your whimsy
hypnotising you to need
dance goes full circle
one step ahead of your greed
You've learnt no lessons
all those years to get it right
flashes of promise
burn out faster than strobe light
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