The first "big" concert I attended was Paul McCartney, in October 1989. I was 18, he was 47, and we were saying "wow, the guy's incredibly old, it may be one of the last opportunities to see him playing live, let's go". Now I'm 50, he's turning 80 in less than a month and still touring. Around the same time, I remember my brother and his best friend discussing the future of the Rolling Stones on stage. Their prediction was that they would soon turn into an old bluesmen band. Still waiting. I also remember my father, around 1984 probably, predicting that this Michael Jackson guy was a fad and would be forgotten soon. (Of course he had already been famous for 10-15 years but he didn't know it). Back then, I myself predicted that Hip Hop would not outlive the 1980s. I don't know if good prediction exists, but I certainly don't trust my own or my close relatives'!
Friday and Sunday are essentially Days off this week, so hopefully it will give you the time needed to get clear
I'm one of the rare spuds that really likes Undercover a lot, and never understood the apparent problems with it.... I even liked Dirty Work lol
Freedom Lies. stereo mix (3:34), recorded Jun-Jul 1983 at Konk Studios, Hornsey, London Freedom, there's more to your life so now[?] Old laws, man has made only blind. Oh, give us freedom, a call to the brave and the strong, To stand in the face of all wrong and show the way. Freedom lies, freedom lies, freedom lies. Freedom to live out the dream in a song, Give hope to the hearts of the young. Oh, give us freedom to act out of love and not fear, So all that is true will be clear. Hear tomorrow, calling "Hold me, show me." Freedom lies, freedom lies, freedom lies. Freedom lies, freedom lies, freedom lies. Written by: Dave Davies Published by: Dabe Music, Ltd. This is a medium tempo kind of rock song. I suppose to some degree freedom as a thing seems to be terribly misunderstood.... Here Dave tackles the subject in his own inimitable style. The thing is though, life, the world and people are far too complicated for simple solutions... Standing in the face of all wrong is a just and noble thing, but at some point and from some perspective we all do some of that wrong.... I mean, come on Dave you hit your brothers girlfriend and spit on her lol .... but that's kind of what I mean.... life and our inner-selves are extremely complicated and as much as we may want peace, love and happiness, we seem to lean towards war and confrontation, because we want the peace, love and happiness on our own terms, which don't necessarily line up with everyone else's. We already have the freedom to act out of love and not fear, but are we brave enough and consistent enough to do so? .... sadly it seems too often not really.... but I can only comment from my perspective.... I'm actually a pretty nice guy, but I'm also pretty self aware, and the thing is .... I fail at this too often, and I couldn't even necessarily define exactly why. I like the idea of the song... though I am torn as to whether Dave means Freedom is telling lies, or if he is suggesting that freedom lies somewhere we haven't yet reached. Musically I quite like this, and I think part of it is Dave's relaxed, melancholy and melodic vocal. There is a sort of peaceful, relaxed delivery, and that gives the song a nice feel. We certainly have some guitars here and some nice lead breaks and such, but we have this more mellow feel and sound, and with the synth and keys, it softens Dave's attack quite a bit. The sound and style of the song sort of reminds me of someone, but I'm not exactly sure who.... I really like the way we move from the verse into the chorus... I think the melodic shift works really well. So this is another track that I enjoy.... I'm not sure I will be rushing out to buy this album, but I like the sound and feel of it.
Matter Of Decision. stereo mix (2:52), recorded Jun-Jul 1983 at Konk Studios, Hornsey, London I'd be home free if I could make up my mind, What to do about you. One minute I think I love you, the next I'm playing the fool. You're such a part of me, can't tear myself away from you. Don't care what people say, I just wanna be close. I've changed my mind a thousand times, Now it's a case of do or die. There's no more time to reason why. Now it's a matter of decision, Why can't I make up my mind? I can't stand this indecision, I'm going out of my mind. The world is in such a sorry state. In the papers, in the news. Politicians can't see their hands from their feet, Nobody cares about the truth. Wish I could make the world a better place for you and me. You always run and hide, I only wanna be close. The teachers stuff your head with lies, And make it hard to realize, What's going on, what's wrong, what's right. Well, it's a matter of decision, We all must make a stand, For everything that we believe in, Every woman, every man. It's a matter of decision. A matter of decision, a matter of decision. Written by: Dave Davies Published by: Dabe Music, Ltd. This is much more like what we're used to from Dave.... He is in a more rock mode here, and in those upper vocal reaches. I'm not sure that being in love and playing the fool are mutually exclusive things... they seem quite connected to me lol This seems like a sort of return to Dave's confused writing... It seems to start off a love song, kind of.... and then moves into an indirect kind of politicians and teachers are ruining the world lol.... So we get a return to the confusing Dave lyric that leaves you wondering if he jammed a couple of different songs together to make this one. I quite like this musically.... it is sort of hard rock meets new wave or something.... hard wave? But no, it moves through more variations than that. We get some unusual chord changes, but I don't dislike any of them. We get the obligatory lead break, and Dave has this down now. I really like the change.... "Wish I could make the world...." The chorus has me in two minds... sometimes I like it, and sometimes I don't like it so much... At the end of the day, this is a good Dave song that has all those Dave things going on in it.
Is It Any Wonder. stereo mix (3:52), recorded Jun-Jul 1983 at Konk Studios, Hornsey, London They say you're as cold as ice. All that matters to me, Is what I see inside you. You know what people are like, Talk about you when your back is turned. But don't you worry about a thing, Oh, some people, they just never learn. They just can't understand you, all the things you do, But I'm glad that I've found you, to share this love so true. ["Do you really wanna stay with him?"] They say. ["Do you really go away with him?"] They say. ["I don't know I'm sure"] Is it any wonder? You surely gotta wonder. (But I love you, honey, I can't let go.) Is it any wonder? Sometimes people make me laugh, With their false morality. Judging other people's lives, But I don't care as long as you're with me. One day when the world has grown, And we see things as they really are Please remember two souls, Struggling hard to reach a star. There's a life that is planned here just for me and you, That goes beyond understanding, all the little things we do. Do you really like the way you live? Why is it always take, not give? I don't know I'm sure. Is it any wonder? You surely gotta wonder. Is it any wonder? Is it any wonder? (But I love you, honey, and I can't let go.) Is it any wonder? (Well, I love you, honey, and I can't let go.) Is it any wonder? (Well, I love you, honey, and I can't let go.) Written by: Dave Davies Published by: Dabe Music, Ltd. So Dave loves someone that other people see as cold as ice, but they also tell her she shouldn't be with him? So often I find it hard to follow Dave's logic. So lyrically I find it hard to connect with the song, because I can't find a solid ground to stand on, it seems a little scattershot This is another more mellow affair with the intro seeming to come in a little awkwardly. For the most part I like the feel, and the changes are interesting. I really like the female backing vocals, they change up the texture nicely, but I don't feel like I have anything else here to hang my hat on.
My 20-year-old son made me appreciate US hip hop simply by making me listen to French hip hop. Pretty easy. A few French titles, and then when an American track popped up, I went "Oh, what's this, it sounds good, as if some actual musicians were involved there!" I'm not going to listen to this kind of music on a daily basis, but I understand it better now, the groove of it. It took me more than 30 years. I still don't get why there's always a guy speaking above the music though. And deep down in my heart I still think hip hop was a great idea for a tune, maybe for an album, but a whole musical genre???
Forgot my webmail password and my physical optus home email is broken and they won't send a reset option anywhere else. Call centre sent me to a store who just referred back to a tech in a call centre so a full 360. Ended up back in a store with a guy in an Indian call centre talking the store through the fix. End Result: Password reset on home computer but won't work on mobile phone so spoke again to call centre yesterday for 1 hour for exactly zero results plus my better half had previously left the hands free off the charger so at this point the call suddenly ended!
I think this is a really good three-song run. "Freedom Lies" - the observant among you will notice that the title comes from the lyrics of "Is This The Only Way" - not that this necessarily helps us to understand the song any more. It's a fairly standard Dave soft rocker, with a chunky riff in the intro leading to a melodic verse. The chorus has a relaxed, confident feel, and the song shifts up a gear with a well-placed middle section. Making the songs shorter on this album certainly hasn't done any harm, as for the most part they are tightly-structured and don't outstay their welcome. "Matter Of Decision" - an uptempo rocker which harks back to the feel of the first album, particularly "Nothing Left To Lose". For a change the intro goes straight into the verse without a left turn between them. This is one of those Dave songs where if you don't like the melody, just wait a few seconds and a different one will be along. Lots of disparate elements in here, some of which work better than others, but it just about hangs together, and I like the echoed vocals on the outro. "Is It Any Wonder" - There is a point at about the minute mark where you have the call-and-response between the female vocalists and Dave's reply, which is unnervingly reminscent of Jimmy Nail's "Ain't No Doubt" ("she's lying!"). Once you've got past that, this is another very accomplished ballad, and I especially like the haunting chorus with the icy synth tone. The delivery is sincere and as a song it's uniquely Dave.
Freedom Lies A pleasant song with some crunching guitar licks and Dave's vocal register is kept in check. Not sure about the lyrics though it seems a nice and noble sentiment.
Matter Of Decision Apparently Dave had to make more to avoid a slightly schizophrenic song both musically and especially lyrically. Dave's primal rock instincts are back but at times receed to betray near apologetic tepid rock passages. Agree with @mark winstanley about the seemingly confused lyrics that start out as a love song and switch to a parallel rant about teachers and politicians all the while the beau is likely taking slow measured paces in the other direction. Nonetheless not a bad track.
Is It Any Wonder If I said a part of the last song was tepid i now unreservedly take it back. There is no memorable melody or hook here plus there is saccharine lyrics with the only above mediocre vocal being the female backing one.
A rare thing for Dave tunes, both Freedom Lies and Is it any wonder? are immediately melodic and easy to listen to. The latter is a little bit more synth driven and eighties sounding (and not too inspired either) whereas the former’s really laid back, well sung, like a harder, less slick and less groove-oriented Gerry Rafferty tune. This time around, the chorus consisting of the repeated title works great. Matter of decision is back to disjointed strident Dave, like an outtake from the AFL record unearthed. As little as I relate to it, it’s still reassuring to hear this kind of disjointed, all over the place tracks, full of little sections, rhythmical left turns and crazy guitars still coming out of this guy. He may change, evolve, improve, but he's still the same endearingly weirdo Dave Davies.
Freedom Lies: synth overkill over a rock foundation. The vocal is nice; smooth not strident. I like the bridge: “here tomorrow…” All in all, a well put together song. —— Matter of Decision: I like the “you’re such a part of me” portion, and the “wish I could make the world a better place.” Otherwise, no. My decision is “no.” ——- Is It Any Wonder: the backing/overlapping female vocals are the best part of this one.
Take One More Chance Side One goes out with a whimper on this treacly confection. Dave veers into Adult Contemporary, which is nearly as ill-fitting for him as that suit he wore on Bandstand. Freedom Lies This was the stodgy riff that greeted you as you logged onto his website, which was pretty sophisticated for its time; the website that is, not the riff. Why this particular riff when so many better ones lay about in his arsenal? Dunno. The lyrics don’t add up, so that’s two strikes on the batter. Better get back in the box and swing away. Matter Of Decision Another semi-generic rocker with the obligatory guitar breaks. Not terrible musically but when you have an ABAB chorus that rhymes decision/indecision and mind/mind, it’s back to the drawing board. Strike three! (Good morning, good afternoon, and good night) Next batter! Is It Any Wonder A slight up-tick after the last three tries, but this one still reminds me of Lady In Red by Chris DeBurgh. I don’t like being reminded of Lady In Red by Chris DeBurgh. I do like Dave’s subtle picking towards the end. Side Two is sinking.
Freedom Lies Well, I think this is a great song by Dave. Well played, well sung. One of the best on this album. Matter of Decision Oh oh it's shouty Dave this time - and he has a problem with politicians and teachers: doesn't he know there ain't no cure for the summertime blues. I actually don't like this one - it's an angry song, but I'm not persuaded that he has anything to be angry about. Is It Any Wonder This is a pleasant-enough song which is undermined by its trite lyrics. One I'm happy to skip.
Hip Hop I'm very split on. In all honestly I don't get it tbh, I'm generally not into the sound of most of it, and I really don't understand how it became such a prevalent, dominant genre in popular music. On the other hand at it's best I think the lyrics (both in content and form) often puts that of most other pop music to shame in terms of scope and density. And I'm big into lyrics, so...
There's a period of hip hop/rap that I like... Eighties and nineties... some early 2000's, but I get tired of the ridiculous machismo, gun toting, women abusing direction a lot of them go in... I know rock has been guilty of that too, but not quite as. .... urm.... gratuitously.... for the most part.
Here's a link to the "What's New" section of the Kinda Kinks website which has added a chart by Mark Teehan on how the Kinks' first Reprise singles from "You Really Got Me" to "A Well Respected Man" fared on the 200 US radio markets, from NYC to Billings, MT: What's New As for Hip Hop, not really a fan, but it's not as bad as early 80s hardcore, which was just noise and yelling.
