Hace pocos días se cumplían los 30 años del lanzamiento de ésta maravilla, uno de los mejores álbumes de su década prodigiosa.
"So", es un trabajo imprescindible de los años ochenta, en el que Peter Gabriel da rienda suelta a su pasión por los sabores musicales de todo el mundo, inspirándose en África o Brasil, apropiándose de sus ritmos para vestir de gala sus canciones de pop anglosajón.
El ex-frontman de Genesis regresaba después de un silencio algo prolongado, ya que el hombre acostumbraba tomarse cierto tiempo entre disco y disco, y regresaba por la puerta grande.
Mientras que sus ex compañeros de aquella banda que por entonces "ya eran tres" solamente, lanzaban ése mismo año el peor disco de su carrera, pero exitosísimo comercialmente (hablo de "Invisible touch", obviamente), Peter entrega una producción cuidada, un puñado de canciones inspiradas y destinadas a quedar en la historia.
El músico y productor canadiense Daniel Lanois (Brian Eno,U2) que ya había trabajado con él en la banda sonora de "Birdy" aporta su toque "ambient" al quinto álbum de estudio de Gabriel, en el que participan grandes nombres como Kate Bush, Chris Hughes, Laurie Anderson,L. Shankar o Youssou N'Dour, etc.
Y cosechó también un importante éxito comercial, partiendo por ejemplo de un single absolutamente disfrutable y bailable, pleno de soul y funk.En aquellos tiempos cuando el dj dejaba sonar la flauta shakuhachi (no se si se escribe así) de la intro, sabías que ibas a comenzar a mover los pies con un temazo total.El original videoclip realizado en "stop motion", en una onda que Gabriel repetiría en otros clips de promoción futuros. fue justamente elogiado y premiado,
SLEDGEHAMMER
También estaba una maravillosa melodía construída sobre ritmo de forró brasileño,
MERCY STREET for Anne Sexton
Looking down on empty streets all she can see
Are the dreams all made solid
Are the dreams made real
All of the buildings, all of the cars
Were once just a dream
In somebody's head
She pictures the broken glass, pictures the steam
She pictures a soul
With no leak at the seam
Let's take the boat out
Wait until darkness
Let's take the boat out
Wait until darkness comes
Nowhere in the corridors of pale green and grey
Nowhere in the suburbs
In the cold light of day
There in the midst of it, so alive and alone
Words support like bone
Dreaming of mercy street
Wear your inside out
Dreaming of mercy
In your daddy's arms again
Dreaming of mercy street
'Swear they moved that sign
Dreaming of mercy
In your daddy's arms
Pulling out the papers from drawers that slide smooth
Tugging at the darkness
Word upon word
Confessing all the secret things in the warm velvet box
To the priest - he's the doctor
He can handle the shocks
Dreaming of the tenderness - the tremble in the hips
Of kissing Mary's lips
Dreaming of mercy street
Wear your inside out
Dreaming of mercy
In your daddy's arms again
Dreaming of mercy street
'Swear they moved that sign
Looking for mercy
In your daddy's arms again
Mercy, mercy, looking for mercy
Mercy, mercy, looking for mercy
Anne, with her father is out in the boat
Riding the water
Riding the waves
On the sea
¿Alguien recuerda aquella deliciosa serie policial de los ochentas, en la que abundaba la buena música en cada episodio (Phil Collins y Peter Gabriel eran recurrentes en el soundtrack)?
RED RAIN
"We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)" se refiere al famoso experimento 18 del doctor Milgram.
WE DO WHAT WE´RE TOLD
("Miami Vice", se llamaba la serie)
Para personas con cierta sensibilidad, supongo, la siguiente tiene que ser una canción inolvidable.Inspirada en tiempos de crisis en que familias enteras lo pierden todo (¡que actualidad!), es un hermoso diálogo con cierto aire gospel y final con sonoridad de reggae, entre Peter y Kate Bush.Son el padre de familia que lo ha perdido todo y la esposa que lo contiene y apoya en la adversidad.
DON´T GIVE UP
In this proud land we grew up strong
We were wanted all along
I was taught to fight, taught to win
I never thought I could fail
No fight left or so it seems
I am a man whose dreams have all deserted
Ive changed my face, Ive changed my name
But no one wants you when you lose
Dont give up
cos you have friends
Dont give up
Youre not beaten yet
Dont give up
I know you can make it good
Though I saw it all around
Never thought I could be affected
Thought that wed be the last to go
It is so strange the way things turn
Drove the night toward my home
The place that I was born, on the lakeside
As daylight broke, I saw the earth
The trees had burned down to the ground
Dont give up
You still have us
Dont give up
We dont need much of anything
Dont give up
cause somewhere theres a place
Where we belong
Rest your head
You worry too much
Its going to be alright
When times get rough
You can fall back on us
Dont give up
Please dont give up
got to walk out of here
I cant take anymore
Going to stand on that bridge
Keep my eyes down below
Whatever may come
And whatever may go
That rivers flowing
That rivers flowing
Moved on to another town
Tried hard to settle down
For every job, so many men
So many men no-one needs
Dont give up
cause you have friends
Dont give up
Youre not the only one
Dont give up
No reason to be ashamed
Dont give up
You still have us
Dont give up now
Were proud of who you are
Dont give up
You know its never been easy
Dont give up
cause I believe theres the a place
Theres a place where we belong
Laurie Anderson incluyó en su "Mister Heartbreak" de 1984 la versión original de ésta colaboración con Peter.Él a su vez quiso incluírlo también, con algunos arreglos ligeramente diferentes, en "So":
THIS IS THE PICTURE (EXCELLENT BIRDS)
Sólo termino diciendo que es uno de mis discos favoritos de todos los tiempos.Sobre cada tema en particular y la producción de éste álbum formidable ya hay abundante información en muchos medios, así como en innumerables blogs al que como éste, muy poca gente va a leer,así que no me apetece dar más datos sobre un álbum que todo el mundo conoce y si no, debería conocer.
PROGRAMA
All songs written by Peter Gabriel, except where indicated.
Side one
01."Red Rain" 5:39
02."Sledgehammer" 5:12
03."Don't Give Up" (featuring Kate Bush) 6:33
04."That Voice Again" (Gabriel,David Rhodes) 4:53
Side two
05."In Your Eyes" (feat.Youssou N'Dour) 5:27
06."Mercy Street" 6:22
07."Big Time" 4:28
08."We Do What We're Told (Milgram's 37)" 3:22
09."This Is the Picture (Excellent Birds)" (featuring Laurie Anderson) (Laurie Anderson,Gabriel)
4:25
IN YOUR EYES
PERSONAL
Credits adapted from So's liner notes. The track numbers correspond to the original release.[84]
Peter Gabriel – lead and backing vocals, Fairlight CMI, Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 (all except tracks 5, 9), piano (all except tracks 7, 9), Linn LM-1 (tracks 3, 7), synthesizer (tracks 5, 7), percussion (track 4), Yamaha CS-80 (track 6), LinnDrum (track 9), Synclavier (track 9)
Tony Levin – bass guitar (tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5), drumstick bass guitar (fretting only) (track 7)
David Rhodes – guitar (all except tracks 6, 9), backing vocals (tracks 1, 5)
Jerry Marotta – drums (tracks 1, 8), additional drums (track 5), drumstick bass guitar (drumming only) (track 7)
Manu Katché – drums (tracks 2, 3, 4, 5), percussion (tracks 3, 4, 5), talking drum (tracks 5, 9)
Chris Hughes – LinnDrum programming (track 1)
Stewart Copeland – hi-hat (track 1), drums (track 7)
Daniel Lanois – guitar (tracks 1, 2, 4), tambourine (track 2), surf guitar (track 7), 12-string guitar (track 9)
Wayne Jackson – trumpet (track 2, 7), cornet (track 7)
Mark Rivera – tenor saxophone (track 2, 7), processed saxophone (track 6), alto and baritone saxophone (track 7)
Don Mikkelsen – trombone (track 2, 7)
P. P. Arnold – backing vocals (track 2, 7)
Coral Gordon – backing vocals (track 2, 7)
Dee Lewis – backing vocals (track 2, 7)
Richard Tee – piano (tracks 3, 5, 6)
Simon Clark – Yamaha CS-80 chorus effect (track 3), Hammond, Fairlight CMI and bass (track 7)
Kate Bush – vocals (track 3)
L. Shankar – violin (tracks 4, 8)
Larry Klein – bass guitar (tracks 5, 6)
Youssou N'Dour – vocals (track 5)
Michael Been – backing vocals (track 5)
Jim Kerr – backing vocals (track 5)
Ronnie Bright – bass vocals (track 5)
Djalma Correa – surdo, congas and triangle (track 6)
Jimmy Bralower – LinnDrum kick (track 7)
Bill Laswell – bass guitar (track 9)
Nile Rodgers – guitar (track 9)
Laurie Anderson – vocals (track 9)
BIG TIME
