To Samuel a Son
The Gods
℗ 1970 Columbia Records 6372
The Gods' second album is, like their debut, Genesis, early keyboard-based progressive rock with a psychedelic hangover, vaguely tied into a concept about the experiences of the "Samuel" in the title track. It's more varied in tone than their first record, though, and more surprisingly, a little lighter in touch, though you can still hear some of the bluster of keyboardist Ken Hensley's subsequent group, Uriah Heep. It's a shortage of noteworthy songs, rather than shortcomings in the skills of the players themselves, that dooms this to second-division British psychedelia status. The title track is about the best of the lot, with its nice Mellotron-dominated bridge and distorted fluttering vocals and electronic keyboard tinkles. Psychedelia also lingers in the British observational feel of some of the lyrics, "He's Growing" even sounding a little influenced by Paul McCartney's piano-dominated story-songs, and "Yes I Cry" closer to Badfinger-styled pop than Uriah Heep. The dainty psychedelic popisms go a little over the top, however, in "Sticking Wings on Flies," opening with the lyric, "Sammy's gone to find a job sticking wings on flies, building clouds for thunderstorms, growing apple pies." The CD reissue on Repertoire adds a non-LP 1969 single, an instrumental cover of "Maria" (from West Side Story), as a bonus track. — Richie Unterberger. |
- 1. To Samuel a Son [03:31]
- 2. Eight o'Clock in the Morning [03:18]
- 3. He's Growing [02:27]
- 4. Sticking Wings on Flies [02:41]
- 5. Lady Lady [03:20]
- 6. Penny Dear [02:36]
- 7. Long Time, Sad Time, Bad Time [03:14]
- 8. Five to Three [03:01]
- 9. Autumn [03:14]
- 10. Yes I Cry [02:44]
- 11. Groozy [03:43]
- 12. Momma I Need [03:59]
- 13. Candlelight [02:36]
- 14. Lovely Anita [03:34]
- 15. Maria [03:58]
Тексты:
To Samuel a Son
On a clear day in May When the sun was out to play And the children all made hay Samuel J. was heard to say "I've got a son" All the neighbourhood could hear Everybody far and near And they all let out a cheer Sammy's son was gonna Grow into a man Years and years long the J's Had longed for a son Someone they could show The world as their own
Eight o'Clock in the Morning
8 o'clock in the morning Everybody's yawning School bell is ringing Little voices singing "All things bright and beautiful" Growing up believing Till it's time for leaving All he's been concerning His ambitions burning ABC and XYZ, 2 by 2 and 3 by 3 He is learning Learn to choose, to win and loose Grown up life can be so new He's learning
He's Growing
When we wakes in the morning And opens up his eyes Sun is rising in the sky Another day will soon pass by And he won't know the reason Why he's growing This same boy, now he's older Laughs at his young days Because he's changed In many ways Passed the stage of Playground toys And all the games of little boys Puts away his jigsaw puzzles And all his favourite colouring books Oh… he's growing Oh… he's growing Isn't that a shame His childhood dreams Are almost gone But he won't complain It will all come true as time goes on Thirteen years have passed by Sammy dreams of love And his mind's in imagination Fills his head with promises of Endless days of grown up ways Just a little complication This celebration has to end Oh… he's growing
Sticking Wings on Flies
Sammy's gone to find the job Sticking wings on flies Building clouds for thunderstorms Growing apple pie This could be the end Of beautiful baby dreams Getting old before his time Or that's the way it seems He is faced with Failure's ocean Devils' evil schemes Sammy had the chance To make it in one year Everyone hustled Trying to find him a nice career But he's so tired of Hang-ups searchin' He's leaving here
Lady Lady
He closed his eyes And pretended to sleep And he dreamed a dream Of a lady to love Day after day To walk down the aisle And say: "I'll be your lover" And there'll be no other for me Or for you, or for us Sammy, Sammy don't hesitate She loves you now But her love won't wait You've got to start thinkin' Of your future life So make a lady From Dover your wife A golden band and A few chosen words From a christian man who was In charge of the church at the time For a lady from Dover It was very soon over Her name was Jay And it had changed At the drop o fa hat, fancy that At the drop of a hat Lady, lady, hold my hand ...
Penny Dear
Penny dear, wish you could be here Sammy's far away He'll be back one day He thinks of you Hope you're thinking of him He's feeling bad, you're feeling sad Penny dear, it's plain and clear You're both far apart Your thoughts are in his heart You write each day And he reads what you say Though you're sad, it's not so bad You know he loves you and it's true You know he needs you, only you You know he loves you and it's true You know he needs you, only you Penny dear, the time is near He is on his way, only one more day You've been alone And now he's coming home No falling tears when he appears
Long Time, Sad Time, Bad Time
Listen baby, he's coming home Where he belongs So stop your weeping And on the high tide He'll be by your side In the bed he always Used to sleep in So stop your wonderin', guessin' Sammy J. is coming home It's been a long time, sad time Bad time living on your own For your sadness Will turn to gladness By the time you count One hundred and ten, girl Watch your baby, cook the dinner Listen for the bell, and then, girl All the years you've been crying All the time you've felt like dying All you really needed was to be Beside the one you love
Five to Three
Sammy and his wife Living city life From eight till six every day Fourtynine years and more They've spent in the big town store With never a morning away All at once the day approaches Sammy knows it's time to leave One thing playing on his mind is Do they know how he will grieve But Sammy needn't sigh His days have not passed by Without being noticed at all At nearly five to three The manager wants to see Sammy In his office by the hall "Please accept this gift we offer Thank you for your loyal years" Then it's over, the store is silent Sammy cries devoted tears What will Sammy do His working life is through But the firm must have Cared after all A part of him has died But he still has the pride Of five to three In the office by the hall Have you read the morning paper Did you see my picture there Have you seen The watch I'm wearing Given to me on that day
Autumn
Oh, how the days fly by Never stopping for a minute While he cries, no, no, no But no tears fill his eyes And no sighs or goodbyes To the world that is Treating him badly Now his autumn years To cloud his mind with fears He knows his time has come Life is almost gone As life leaves The strongest fighter dead And the figures of Past years approach his bed Shared those sorrow on this day As he passes away Samuel J is the name They'll remember An end, yet life begins He looses but he wins Sammy will live on In the shadow of his own son
Yes I Cry
If she brings me down what can I do There'd be nothing left if I lost you If she makes me sad And goes away (She makes me sad) There'd be nothing left for me to say And so I cry, cry, cry, yes I cry Though I try, try, try not to cry I cry Crying hurts me and It can hurt you too (Crying hurts me too) So you know it's only up to you In my heart I know it hurt to stay (Inside my heart) Tims stood still, moved Then she went away
Groozy
Standing outside in the rain Blown all my money again Shining in the gutter The neon lights can flutter again Sam steppede outside the arcade Whispered, man, we've got it made I just got the invite And we won't spend Our whole night un-laid Something is wrong I don't feel like I should I know you've tried And if I understood I'd explain the whole thing And I'd come if I could But something is wrong You better forget it Forget it, forget it! And I know something is wrong (Something is wrong) It won't let me, you go alone (We're going on) Said I know something is wrong (Something is wrong) I've lost the tune of my song So believe me when I whisper it's so groozy All you hippy happy chicks are really choosy Try to make it and forget about the sad scene You can tell Farukh the King's a nasty has-been Layaround and left upon the hurly-shurley-burly Always welcome on the hurdy gurdy Don't forget that whisky makes your hair grow curly And it swells inside to make your brain go whirly We can make a good time boozy, groozy, lose it Hit that thing!
Momma I Need
Momma I need Your shoulder to cry on Bring it on home for me to rely on Momma I need your bed to lie on I'm sure my time has come Here I stand, a broken man A lifesize illustration of A fallen favourite son And I lay deep in sleep Of a lonely kind And sadness reflecting misery Good morning, sorrow Today I'm going out ot borrow Just a little of the sun From someone else's life But the way to happiness Is gonna be closed again And so I begin to feel It just the same In her heart a million ways to love In her head a thousand Poisoned dreams Just for the first time This has got to be the last time I can't get down any further Pain and dreams are hand-in-hand But who holds the answer I need Where is my turning in life's long road Did I take a side-lane to this hell I'm in Momma I need Your shoulder to cry on Bring it on home for me to rely on Momma I need your bed to lie on
Candlelight
By the sun and candlelight Wandered through a misty night In a dream not long ago I saw her In a dream not long ago I walked all around the town Thinking she might be around In a dream not long ago I saw her In a dream not long ago Foolish heart of mine Going out to find Someone who is never there How am I to know If she'll care at all For someone who's never there
Lovely Anita
Lovely Anita, I'd love you To meet her Her eyes are as deep As a wishing well Her eyes are so pure And her lips are so cool I love her forever and ever She makes my heart bleed When she knows that I need The good things in life That I know she can give And when we're alone And there's no-one the same I tell her I love her again and again… Yes, I know Anita is mine Lips like strawberry wine Yes, I know Anita is mine Mine till the end of time Lovely Anita, I'm going to meet her She waits for me down by The trees near the lane And when we're alone And there's no-one around We make love again and again… Lovely Anita… Going to meet her…
Maria
Maria I just met a girl named Maria And suddenly that name Will never be the same to me Maria I just kissed a girl named Maria And suddenly I've found How wonderful a sound can be Maria Say it loud and there's music playing ?? Say it soft and it's almost like praying Maria I'll never stop saying Maria