Let me sleep on it ... I'll give you an answer in the morning

 

Una volta i video musicali si riuscivano a vedere solo attraverso trasmissioni nazionali che venivano trasmesse una volta alla settimana. Frammezzati a interventi, gag, filmati di altro genere e interventi di musicisti che commentavano o semplicemente aprivano la bocca, ogni volta si potevano vedere e ascoltare 4-5 video musicali.

Esisteva un divario impressionante (oggettivamente anche adesso è così) tra il tipo e la qualità dei video stranieri e di quelli degli artisti italiani. Tecnologici, colorati, pieni di ritmo gli uni, sdolcinati, banalotti e tecnicamente poveri i secondi. Espressioni di due realtà e culture differenti. La trasgressivita di taluni dei primi si scontrava con una certa visione paesana e sempliciotta dei secondi.

Anche allora i video permettevano di conoscere artisti nuovi che non godevano di alcuna promozione in italia. Una domenica, ricordo, durante una trasmissione del primo pomeriggio che era un "must" per noi venne trasmesso un video di un certo Meat Loaf. Sconosciuto del tutto ma con una forza devastante.

Di corsa nei giorni successivi, la ricerca del disco. Ovviamente era il deserto. Ma, si sa, insistendo settimana dopo settimana e in virtù di conoscenze che permettevano di accedere a certi magazzini di distribuzione dei dischi in cui si trovavano i "forati" di importazione o quelli con destinazione le truppe miliotari USA dislocate in Europa, ecco che i capitò tra le mani il disco che cervavo.

Bat Out of Hell. Un LP che conteneva la canzone che cercavo. La forza dell'immagine di copertina e la busta interna che recava stampati i testi. Un acquisto certo. Insieme ad altri dischi, perché si era obbligati ad acquistare un certo numero di LP per giustificare la propria presenza lì. E allora, tra "forati" e dischi "not for sale" si usciva con 30-40 LP. Si andava in coppia per dividersi le spese.

Bat out of Hell usciva ad ottobre nel 1977. E non conteneva solo 'Paradise By The Dashboard Light' che era la canzone che cercavo. Aveva anche un'altra gemma, quella 'Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad' che ancora oggi mi fa rabbrividire e che mi fa piacere ascoltare. "You'll never find your gold on a sandy beach - You'll never drill for oil on a city street - I know you're looking for a ruby in a mountain of rocks - But there ain't no Coup de Ville hiding at the bottom Of a Cracker Jack box"

 

Oggi voglio ricordare il primo video di Meat Loaf di quel pomeriggio di domenica. Voglio ricordare Meat Loaf e la sua trasgressività. Lo avrei rivisto in "Rocky Horror Picture Show" nei panni di Eddy, un ex-delivery boy che esce dal freezer cavalcando la sua motocicletta ghiacciata, e con la canzone 'Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul', un'altra perla della musica rock.

Oggi voglio ricordare quel video, quelle emozioni visive e quel testo, quel duetto tra un ragazzo e una ragazza. Tra due modi di vedere l'incontro di una serata. Tra l'illusione e la speranza a cui aggrapparsi di una e il cinico egoismo dell'altro. Espressioni dun un costume che c'era sempre stato e non sarebbe cambiato. Così lontano dal concetto di "gentle people" che cercava di permeare gli anni sessanta della controcultura.

[Boy:]
I remember every little thing
As if it happened only yesterday
Parking by the lake
And there was not another car in sight
And I never had a girl
Looking any better than you did
And all the kids at school
They were wishing they were me that night

And now our bodies are oh so close and tight
It never felt so good, it never felt so right
And we're glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
C'mon, hold on tight
C'mon, hold on tight

Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night
I can see paradise by the dashboard light

[Girl:]
Ain't no doubt about it we were doubly blessed
'Cause we were barely seventeen
And we were barely dressed

[Both:]
Ain't no doubt about it
Baby got to go out and shout it
Ain't no doubt about it
We were doubly blessed

[Boy:]
'Cause we were barely seventeen
And we were barely dressed

Baby don'cha hear my heart
You got it drowing out the radio
I've been waiting so long
For you to come along and have some fun
And I gotta let you know
No you're never gonna regret it
So open up your eyes, I got a big surprise
It'll feel all right
Well I wanna make you motor run

And now our bodies are oh so close and tight
It never felt so good, it never felt so right
And we're glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
Glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife
C'mon, Hold on tight
C'mon, Hold on tight

[Both:]
Though it's cold and lonely in the deep dark night
I can see paradise by the dashboard light
Paradise by the dashboard light

You got to do what you can
And let Mother Nature do the rest
Ain't no doubt about it
We were doubly blessed
'Cause we were barely seventeen
And we were barely

We're gonna go all the way tonight
We're gonna go all the way
And tonight's the night

[Radio Broadcast:]
OK, here we go, we got a real pressure cooker going here
Two down, nobody on, no score, bottom of the ninth
There's the wind-up, and there it is
A line shot up the middle, look at him go
This boy can really fly
He's rounding first and really turning it on now
He's not letting up at all, he's gonna try for second
The ball is bobbled out in the center
And here's the throw and what a throw
He's gonna slide in head first
Here he comes, he's out
No, wait, safe, safe at second base
This kid really makes things happen out there
Batter steps up to the plate
Here's the pitch, he's going
Amd what a jump he's got
He's trying for third
Here's the throw
It's in the dirt, safe a third
Holw cow, stolen base
He's taking a pretty big lead out there
Almost daring them to pick him off
The pitcher glances over, winds-up and it's bunted
Bunted down the third base line
The suicide squeeze is on
Here he comes, squeeze play, it's gonna be close
Here's the throw, here's the play at the plate
Holy cow, I think he's gonna make it

[Girl:]
Stop right there
I gotta know right now
Before we go any further

Do you love me
Will you love me forever
Do you need me
Will you never leave me
Will you make me so happy
For the rest of my life
Will you take me away
And will you make me your wife
Do you love me
Will you love me forever
Do you need me
Will you never leave me
Will you make me so happy
For the rest of my life
Will you take me away
And will you make me your wife

I gotta know right now
Before we go any further
Do you love me
Will you love me forever

[Boy:]
Let me sleep on it
Baby, baby let me sleep on it
Let me sleep on it
And I'll give you an answer in the morning

Let me sleep on it
Baby, baby let me sleep on it
Let me sleep on it
And I'll give you an answer in the morning

Let me sleep on it
Baby, baby let me sleep on it
Let me sleep on it
And I'll give you an answer in the morning

[Girl:]
I gotta know right now
Do you love me
Will you love me forever
Do you need me
Will you never leave me
Will you make me so happy
For the rest of my life
Will you take me away
And will you make me your wife
I gotta know right now
Before we go any further
Do you love me
And will you love me forever

[Boy:]
Let me sleep on it
Baby, baby let me sleep on it
Let me sleep on it
And I'll give you an answer in the morning
Let me sleep on it

[Girl:]
Will you love me forever

[Boy:]
Let me sleep on it

[Girl:]
Will you love me forever

[Boy:]
I couldn't take it any longer
Lord I was crazed
And when the feeling came upon me
Like a tidal wave
I started swearing to my god
And on my mother's grave
That I would love you to the end of time
I swore I would love you to the end of time

So now I'm praying for the end of time
To hurry up and arrive
'Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you
I don't think that I can really survive
I'll never break my promise or forget my vow
But God only knows what I can do right now
I'm praying for the end of time
So I can end my time with you

[Boy:]
It was long ago and it was far away,
And it was so much better than it is today.

[Girl:]
It never felt so good, It never felt so right
And we were glowing like the metal on the edge of a knife.

autore: JAMES JIM STEINMAN

Soundtrack: Meat Loaf - Paradise By The Dashboard Light