Broadsword and the beast
(Jethro Tull - 1982,Chrysalis)Список песен:
1. Beastie
2. Clasp
3. Fallen on Hard Times
4. Flying Colours
5. Slow Marching Band
6. BroadSword
7. Pussy Willow
8. Watching Me Watching You
9. Seal Driver
10. Cheerio
Комментарий Иана Андерсона к альбому:
Время, когда вышел этот диск, было трудным для нас - первый альбом за два года. Chrysalis Records привели к нам американского рок-н-ролльного продюсера, имя которого я сейчас не могу припомнить, который, как они считали, должен был с нами работать. Его главной целью было записать песни на пленку как можно скорее, а затем смикшировать их в Америке, когда нас нет поблизости. После двух недель работы с ним мы сказали лэйблу: "Уберите этого типа отсюда". Время было как раз перед Рождеством, а мы оказались вовсе без продюсера. Пришлось взять телефонный справочник (Yellow Pages) и поглядеть в графу "record producers". Звучит смешно, но это - абсолютная правда! Мы проглядели список, и первым знакомым именем был Пол Сэмуэлл-Смит, который работал с Кэтом Стивенсом, и, разумеется, был одним из участников-основателей Yardbirds.Этой же ночью Пол приехал к нам, и мы приступили к работе. Это было отлично, иметь в коллективе человека, который совершенно беспристрастно ко всему относится. Тогда я собирался обустроить собственную домашнюю студию. Пол выступал в роли няньки, помогая всем записывать свои партии, в то время как я штудировал справочники по микшерам и размышлял о том, как я буду работать точно так же у себя дома.
Тексты песен:
1. Beastiе
From early days of infancy through trembling years of youthlong murky middle-age and final hours longin the tooth
he is the hundred names of terror -
creature you love the least
Picture his name before you and exorcise the beast.
He roved up and down through History - spectre with tules to tell
In the darkness when the campfire's dead - to each his private Hell
If you look behind your shoulder as you feel his eyes to feast
you can witness now the everchanging nature of the Beast.
Beastie
If you wear a warmer sporran, you can keep the foe at bay
You can pop those pills and visit some psychiatrist who'll say -
There is nothing I can do for you, everywhere's a danger zone
I'd love to help get rid of it but I've got one of my own.
There's a beast upon my shoulder and a fiend upon my back
Feel his burning breath a-heaving, smoke oozing from his stack
And he moves beneath the covers or he lies below the bed
He's the Beast upon you shoulder. He's price upon your head.
He's the lonely fear of dying, and for some, of living too
He's your private nightmare pricking. He'd just love to turn the screw
So stand as one defiant - Yes, and Let your voices swell.
Stare that Beastie in the face and really give him Hell.
2. Clasр
We travellers on the endless wastes in single orbitsgliding cold-eyed march towards the down behind
hard-weather hoods a-hiding
Meeting as the tall ships do, passing in the channel
Afraid to chance a gentle touch - afraid to make the Clasp.
In high-rise city canyons dwells the discontent of ages
On ring roads, nose to bumper crawl commuters in their cages
Cryptic signals flash across from pilots in the fast lane
Double-locked and belted in - too late to make the Clasp.
Lets break the journey now on some lonely road
Sit down as strangers will, let the stress unload
Tolk in confidential terms, share a dark unspoken fear
Refill the cup and drink it up. Say goodnight and wish good luck.
Synthetic chiefs with frozen smiles holding unsteady courses
Grip the reins of History, high on their battle horses
And meeting as good statesmen do before the T.V. Eyes of millions
hand to hand exchange the lie -
pretend to make the Clasp.
3. Fallen on Hard Times
Fallen on Hard Times - but it feels good to knowthat milk and honey's just around the bend
Running on bad lines - we'd better run as we go
Tear up, tear up the overdraft again.
Oh, dear Prime Minister - it's all such a mess
Go right ahead and pull the rotten tooth
Oh, Mr President - you've seen put to the test
Come clean, for once, and hit us with the truth.
Looking for sunshine - oh but it's black and it's cold
Yet you say that milk and honey's just round the bend.
Giving us a hard time, my friends
Handing us the same line again.
Fallen on Hard Times - and there's nowhere to hide
Now they've re-possessed the Rolls Royce and the mink
Turning on the peace sign - and it's back to the wood
Soon there will be raised an holy stink.
Somebody wake me. I've seen sleeping too long
Oh, I don't have to take this lying down
You can keep your promises. Shove'em where they belong
Don't ask me to the party - won't be around.
4. Flying Colours
Shout if you will, but that just won't doI, for one, would rather follow softer options
I'll take the easy line; another sip of wine
And if I ignore the face you wore, it's just a way of mine
to keep from flying colours.
Don't lay your bait while the whole world waits
around to see me shoot you down - it's all so second-rate.
When we can last for days on a loving night;
or for hours at least on a warm whisper given.
You always pick the best time to rise to the fight.
To break the hard bargain that we've driven
Once again were flying colours.
I thought we had it out the night before
and settled old scores, but not the hard way.
Was it a glass too much? Or a smile too few?
Did our friends all catch the needle match -
did we want them to ?
In a fancy restaurant we were all aglow
Keeping cool by mutual permission
How did the conversation get to where we came to blows
We were set up in a red condition
And again we're flying colours.
Shout - but you see it still won't do
With my colours on I can be just as bad as you
Have I had a glass too Much? Did I give a smile too few?
Did our friends all catch the needle match -
did we want them to?
We act our parts so well, like we wrote the play
All so predictable and we know it.
We'll settle old scores now, and settle the hard way
You may not even live to outgrow it!
Once again we're flying colours.
5. Slow Marching Band
Would you join a Slow Marching Band?And take pleasure in your leaving
as the ferry sails and tears are dried
and cows come home at evening.
Could you get behind a Slow Marching Band?
- join together in the passing
of all we shared through yesterdays
in sorrows neverlasting.
Take a hand and take a bow
You played for me; thats all for now
Oh, and never mind the words just ham
along and keep on going.
Walk on slowly - don't look behind you
Don't say goodbye, love. I won't remind you.
Dream of me as the nights draw cold
still marking time through Winter
You paid the piper and called the tune
and you marched the band away.
6. Broadsword
I see a dark sail on the horizonset under a dark cloud that hides the sun
Bring me my Broadsword and clear understanding
Bring me my cross of gold as a talisman
Get up to the roundhouse on the cliff-top standing
Take women and children and bed them down
Bring me my Broadsword and clear understanding
Bring me my cross of gold as a talisman
Bless with a hard heart those who surround me
Bless the women and children who firm our hands
Put our backs to the North wind. Hold fast by the river
Sweet memories to drive us on for the Motherland.
7. Pussy Willow
In the half-tone light of a young morningshe sighs and shifts on the pillow
And across her face dancing, the first shadows fly
to kiss the Pussy Willow.
In her fairy-tale world she's a lost soul singing
in a sad voice nobody hears
She waits in her castle of make-believing
for her white knight to appear.
Pussy Willow - down fur-lined avenue
brushing the sleep from her young woman eyes
Runs for the train - see, eight o'clock's coming
cutting dreams down to size again.
She longs for the East and a pale dress flowing
on apartment in old Mayfair
On to fish the Spey, spinning the first run of Spring
or to die for a cause somewhere.
Pussy Willow - down fur-lined avenue
brushing the sleep from her young woman eyes
Runs from the train. Near her typewriter humming
cutting dreams down to size again.
8. Wathing Me Watching Yоu
I sit by the cutting on the Beaconsfield lineHe's watching me watching the trains go by
And they move so fast. - Boy, they really fly
He's still watching me watching you
watching the trains go by.
And the way he stares - feel like locking my door
and pulling my phone from the wall
His eyes, like lights from a laser burn
making my hair stand - making the goose-bumps crawl.
He's watching me watching you watching him watching me
I'm watching you watching him watching me watching Stares.
At the cocktail party with Bucks Fizz in my hand
I feel him watching me watching the girls go by
And they move so smooth without even trying
He's still watching we watching the trains go by
And the crowd thins and he moves up close
but he doesn't speak
I have to look the other way
But curiosity gets the better part of me and I peek
Got two drinks in his hand - see his lips move
what the Hell's he trying to say
He's watching me watching you watching him watching me
I'm watching you watching him watching me watching
Stares.
9. Seal Driver
Take you away for my magic shipI have two hundred deisel horses thundering loud
Sea birds call your name and the mountains on fire
As the summer lightning cuts the sky like a hot wire
And you ride on the swell and your heart is alive
think I'll make you my seal driver.
I'm no great looker, I'm no fast shakes
I'll give you a steady push on
a six knot simmering high tide
I can hold us down - keep our head to the wind
Or let us roll on the broadside, cold spray flying in
And we'll ride on the swell and our hearts are alive
let me make you my seal driver.
I could captain you if you'd crew for me
follow white flecked spindrift -
float on a moon-kissed sea
Could you fancy me as a pirate bold
Or a longship Viking warrior with the old gods on his side
Well, I'm an inshore man and I'm nobody's hero
But I'll make you tight for a windy night and a dark ride
Let me take you in hand and bring you alive
Going to make you my seal driver
10. Cheeriо
Along the coast road, by the headlandthe early lights of winter glow
I'll pour a cup to you my darling
Raise it up - say Cheerio.
