The lamp that lights the way
Is a light from yesterday
The drum which leads the way
Is a sound from yesterday.
The road is filled with shadows
Of a million, living leaves
Darkness all around us
And not a friend in sight.
We sang a song together
To help us through the night
The song was sung with spirit
But soft, and like a choir.
And as the others sang along
Our voices lifted higher
We sang until we reached the bridge
We crossed, then saw the wire.
But by the time we stopped the song
The enemy had opened fire.
Now, we ain't gonna sing that song no more
Ain't gonna sing that song no more
Just don't pay to sing no more
Especially when you're in a war. A war.
Now, this time through,
We want everybody to listen to the punchline
All right. All right. All right! All right!
The song was sung with spirit
But soft and like a choir
But by the time we stopped the song
The enemy had opened fire.
Now, we ain't gonna sing that song no more
Ain't gonna sing that song no more
Just don't pay to sing no more
Especially when you're in a war.
Is a light from yesterday
The drum which leads the way
Is a sound from yesterday.
The road is filled with shadows
Of a million, living leaves
Darkness all around us
And not a friend in sight.
We sang a song together
To help us through the night
The song was sung with spirit
But soft, and like a choir.
And as the others sang along
Our voices lifted higher
We sang until we reached the bridge
We crossed, then saw the wire.
But by the time we stopped the song
The enemy had opened fire.
Now, we ain't gonna sing that song no more
Ain't gonna sing that song no more
Just don't pay to sing no more
Especially when you're in a war. A war.
Now, this time through,
We want everybody to listen to the punchline
All right. All right. All right! All right!
The song was sung with spirit
But soft and like a choir
But by the time we stopped the song
The enemy had opened fire.
Now, we ain't gonna sing that song no more
Ain't gonna sing that song no more
Just don't pay to sing no more
Especially when you're in a war.
Contributed by Bernart Bartleby - 2016/3/8 - 23:16
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Parole e musica di Harry Nilsson
Nell’album intitolato “Son of Schmilsson”, ancora più eccentrico del precedente “Nilsson Schmilsson” (1971)
Un disco che vide alla batteria Ringo Starr (celato sotto lo pseudonimo di Richie Snare) e alla chitarra Peter Frampton. La tromba e l’arrangiamento di tutti gli splendidi fiati sono di Jim Price, musicista di chiara fama, associato a Rolling Stones e Joe Cocker.
From its opening notes the guitar sets the bluesy scene - more instruments join in but never clamour space in another very 'open' and spacious mix. By the time the piano enters the groove is established and then the low-pitched, sleazy trumpet enters sounding more akin to a seedy speakeasy than a battlefront but, nevertheless, it works!
The brass throughout this song is superb - all instruments played by Price showing, his sensitivity, invention and versatility. Often, early in the song the brass is low in the mix and needs to be listened for (always a venture well-worth the effort!) but as the song progresses it comes much more to the fore. (How I'd love a 5:1 surround mix of this album!!!)
The song builds in power and intensity as it nears the melee then explodes in a wonderful overdose of pathos...
You want to join in the chorus and find yourself singing along - you find yourself ducking the bullets as well! And Harry enjoyed it all so much he repeated the chorus again - this time leaving Price to emphasise the sucker-punchline in unmistakeable fashion! Fabulous stuff!
(dall’appassionata recensione di Marc Harry)