Kiss – Music from “The Elder” (1981)

“Quando la Terra era ancora giovane, loro erano già antichi…”

La storia di “The Elder” ruota attorno all’odissea di un giovane Eroe, chiamato semplicemente The Boy, che viene reclutato dal Consiglio degli Anziani appartente all’Ordine della Rosa (…), un misterioso gruppo dedito alla lotta contro il male.

Il ragazzo verrà seguito da un anziano maestro di nome Morpheus (già…), che lo guiderà nella selva oscura della crescita interiore, nell’affrontare le proprie paure, i dubbi, le insicurezze, fino a completare quell’addestramento che lo porterà a maturare il Guerriero che l’ordine spera di ottenere per continuare la sua lotta contro le forze del male.

Attraverso la guida di Morpheus, il ragazzo affronterà le varie sfide del suo viaggio iniziatico per poter poi intraprendere la sua odissea, ed è proprio lì che la storia narrata si ferma, quando The Boy viene finalmente presentato, da un entusiastico e commosso Morpheus, al Consiglio degli Anziani.

Questo dà adito a pensare che “Music from The Elder” potesse essere il capitolo iniziale di una saga.

La storia risulta scritta da Gene Simmons, il quale spiega che gli Anziani sono una entità incorporea benevola ma impegnata nel mantenere l’equilibrio degli opposti: quando l’oscurità diventa troppo forte, un eroe arriverà per ristabilire l’equilibrio fondamentale.

Vengono in mente molte storie, una su tutte la serie tv inglese Zaffino e Acciaio, di un paio di anni antecedente.

La situazione dei Kiss era pessima, usciti da un disco di scarso successo come Unmasked, cercavano in qualche modo altre strade e un rinnovamento che li portasse di nuovo in vetta alle classifiche.

Il passaggio della Casablanca alla Polydor non fu certo di aiuto: costretti a passare da un ambiente familiare ad una multinazionale, si trovarono piuttosto spaesati e senza un referente dedicato a loro.

Venne chiamato in causa il produttore Bob Ezrin che, reduce dal successo di The Wall, aveva intenzione di ripetere la stessa formula anche per il concept dei Kiss.

Il Batterista storico Peter Criss aveva lasciato la band due mesi dopo gli inizi del progetto e venne sostituito da Eric Carr. Ace Frehley praticamente si tirò fuori dalle registrazioni, inviando per posta le poche parti di chitarra con le quali parteciperà all’album.

Il gruppo dovette quindi avvalersi di collaborazioni esterne tra le quali, la più nota, è la presenza di Lou Reed nella stesura dei testi di tre brani, “Dark Light”, “Mr. Blackwell” e la splendida “A World Without Heroes”.

Senza stare a calcare troppo la mano sulla situazione sconfortante della band e il successivo flop commerciale, direi che la cosa più importante sia quella di concentrare l’attenzione sulle ottime musiche e sugli ancor più ottimi testi, che vi proponiamo nella loro interezza.

Il parere di C2V è che i pezzi migliori siano proprio quelli che con lo stile dei Kiss hanno meno a che fare e che hanno anche i testi più densi di significati: “Odissey”, “Only You”, “Under the Rose” e la già citata “A World Without Heroes”.

Just A Boy

Who steers the ship through the stormy sea?
If hope is lost, then so are we
While some eyes search for one to guide us
Some are staring at me

[Chorus]
But I’m no hero
Though I wish I could be
For I am just a boy
Too young to be sailing
I am just a boy
And my future is unveiling
And I’m so frightened of failing

[Guitar solo]

While some eyes search for one to guide us
Some are staring at me

But I’m no hero
Though I wish I could be
For I am just a boy
Too young to be sailing
I am just a boy
And my future is unveiling
And I’m so frightened of failing

Odyssey

From a far off galaxy
I hear you calling me
We are on an odyssey

[Bridge]
Through the realms of time and space
In that enchanted place
You and I come face to face

[Chorus]
Once upon not yet
Long ago, someday
Countless times we’ve met
Met along the way

[Bridge]
Through the luminescent night
On beams of neon light
You and I in winged flight

[Verse 1]
As we cross the starry sea
Powered by what we see
Now and then, the victory

[Chorus]
Once upon not yet
Long ago, someday
Countless times we’ve met
Met along the way

[Verse 2]
There’s a child in a sun dress
Looking at a rainy sky
There’s a place in the desert
Where an ocean once danced by
There’s a song in the silence
Weaving in and out of time
We are notes in the music
Searching for remembered rhyme

[Guitar solo]

On a mountain high somewhere
Where only heroes dare
Stand the stallion and the mare
We have been, and we shall be
Each other’s destiny
One another’s odyssey

[Chorus]
Once upon not yet
Long ago, someday
Countless times we’ve met
Met along the way

[Outro]
We’ve met along the way
Met along the way

Only You

Only you
Have the answers
But the questions you have to find
Only you
Know the secrets
But the truth lies deep in your mind
Only you
Are the answer
You turn the night into day (yeah, yeah, yeha)
Only you
Are the manchild
You are the light, and you are the way

Tell me the secrets
I want to know
Tell me the secrets
I want to know
I want to know

Only you
Are the manchild
You are the light, and you are the way

I can’t believe this is is true
Why do I listen to you?
If I am all that you say
Why am I still so afraid?

[Bridge]
Only you
Only you
Only you

[Outro]
In every age
In every time
A hero is born
As if by a grand design

Under The Rose

Though you may be pure of heart
And free of sin
And though you have been chosen
To begin
And yet you must be worthy of the prophecy
But seek and you shall find your destiny

[Chorus]
Loneliness will haunt you
Will you sacrifice?
Do you take the oath?
Will you live your life
Under the rose?

The more you hurt, the less you feel the pain
And the more you change, the more you stay the same
But now before you lies the quest at hand
And from this boy you may become a man

[Chorus]
Do you understand
Will you sacrifice?
Do you take the oath?
Will you live your life
Under the rose?

[Guitar solo]
[Chorus]
Loneliness will haunt you
Will you sacrifice?
Do you take the oath?
Will you live your life
Under the rose?

Dark Light

Look out, ‘cause there’s something wrong
And you don’t know what it is
Watch out, or it’s Sodom and Gomorrah
The malevolent order
Right now, before it’s much too late
Before it’s much too late

[Chorus]
A dark light, a darkness never ending
A dark light, the devil gets his due
A dark night is everywhere descending
A dark light is coming for you

[Verse 2]
Now look up, well, the skies are black
And they’re getting darker all the time
Watch out, for the things that you believe in
You’re going to be attacked
And you won’t know what it is
Wise up, you better watch your step
You better watch your step

[Chorus]
A dark light, a darkness never ending
A dark light of perversion and hate
A dark night is everywhere descending
A dark light, there’s no time to wait

[Guitar solo]
[Verse 3]
Look out, for the death of love
There will be no more love
Watch out, it’s yourself that you are fooling
Who do you think you’re fooling?
Shout it out, it’s a terrible thing
Such a terrible thing

[Chorus]
A dark light, a darkness never ending
A dark light, the sun is turning cool
A dark night is everywhere descending
A dark light is shining at you

[Outro]
Dark light
Dark light
Is shining at you
Dark light

A World Without Heroes

A world without heroes
Is like a world without sun
You can’t look up to anyone
Without heroes
And a world without heroes
Is like a never-ending race
Is like a time without a place
A pointless thing, devoid of grace

[Chorus]
Where you don’t know what you’re after
Or if something’s after you
And you don’t know why you don’t know
In a world without heroes

[Verse 2]
In a world without dreams
Things are no more than they seem
And a world without heroes
Is like a bird without wings
Or a bell that never rings
Just a sad and useless thing

[Chorus]
Where you don’t know what you’re after
Or if something’s after you
And you don’t know why you don’t know

[Guitar solo]
[Outro]
In a world without heroes
There’s nothing to be
It’s no place for me

The Oath

Like a blade of a sword, I am forged in flame
Fiery hot
Tempered steel, fire-bright to the night I tame
I fear not
Now compelled by something that I cannot see
I go forth surrendering to history

[Chorus]
Your glory, I swear I ride for thee
Your power, I trust it walks with me
Your servant, I am and ever shall I be

Through a dream
I have a come to an ancient door
Lost in the mists
I have been there a hundred times or more
Pounding my fists

Now inside, the fire of the ancient burns
A boy goes in, and suddenly a man returns

[Chorus]
Your glory, I swear I ride for thee
Your power, I trust it walks with me
Your servant, I am and ever shall I be

[Guitar solo]

I gave my word and gained a key
I gave my heart, and I set it free
There’s no turning back from this odyssey
Because I feel so alive suddenly
And I wonder, is this really me?

Like a blade of a sword, I am forged in flame
Fiery hot
Tempered steel, fire-bright to the night I tame
I fear not
Now compelled by something that I cannot see
I go forth surrendering to history

[Chorus]
Your glory, I swear I ride for thee
Your power, I trust it walks with me
Your servant, I am and ever shall I be

Mr. Blackwell

I never said I was more than I am
Do what I want, I don’t give a damn
You’re all so weak, you know it makes me ill
Don’t like you now and probably never will

[Bridge]
You cheat and lie and wonder why
You can’t sleep at night

[Chorus]
You’re not well, oh, Mr. Blackwell
And we can tell
You’re not well, oh, Mr. Blackwell
Why don’t you go to Hell?

[Verse 2]
I am a sinner who just loves to sin
I am a fighter who just loves to win
I am the truth about this crummy hole
There’s nothing here that can’t be bought or sold

[Pre-Chorus]
You’re cold and mean, and in between
You’re rotten to the core

[Chorus]
You’re not well, oh, Mr. Blackwell
And we can tell
You’re not well, oh, Mr. Blackwell
Why don’t you go to Hell?

[Bridge]
You’re a victim, a real disgrace
You should be banished from the human race

[Guitar solo]

(Mr. Blackwell)
(Mr. Blackwell)
(Mr. Blackwell)

[Verse 3]
We’ll drink to sorrow, then we’ll drink to waste
We’ll drink a toast to the inhuman race
Here’s to the world and the times we’re in
Here’s to the kid, a real man among men

[Pre-Chorus]
You’re cold and mean, and in between
You’re rotten to the core

[Chorus]
You’re not well, oh, Mr. Blackwell
And we can tell
You’re not well, oh, Mr. Blackwell
Why don’t you go to Hell?

I

I was so frightened
I almost ran away
I didn’t know that I could do
Anything I needed to
And then a bolt of lightning
Hit me on my head
Then I began to see
I just needed to believe in me

[Chorus]
And I, I believe in me
And I, I believe in something more
Than you can understand
Yes, I believe in me
Woah-ooh and I believe in me
Ooh yes, I believe in something more
Than you can understand
Yes, I believe in me

[Verse 2]
Listen!
They said I didn’t stand a chance
I wouldn’t win no way
But I’ve got news for you
There’s nothing I can’t do
Ain’t no pretending
Ain’t no make-believe
But I’ve got to be the one
I’ve got to do what must be done

[Chorus]
And I (I) believe in me
Whoa-oh and I (I) believe in something more
Than you can understand
Yes, I believe in me

Well you know that I (I) believe in me
Ooh yes, and I (I) believe in something more
Than you can understand
Yes, I believe in me
I believe in me
Yes, I believe in me
Yeah!

[Finger snapping]
[Verse 3]
I don’t need no money
I don’t need no fame, no
I just need to believe in me
And I know most definitely
Don’t need to get wasted
It only holds me down
I just need a will of my own
And the balls to stand alone

[Chorus]
‘Cause I (I) believe in me
Whoa-oh I (I) believe in something more
Than you (something more) can understand (something more)
Yes, I believe in me
Whoa-oh, and I believe in me (you feel it too, don’t you?)

Well you know that I (I) believe in me
Ooh yes and I (I) believe in something more (Come on)
Than you can understand
Yes, I believe in me (well, do you really?)
I believe in me (do ya, do ya?)
Yes, I believe in me (I wanna rock and roll all night)
Yes, I believe in me!

Finale

[Spoken]
[Elder]
Morpheus, you have been summoned here to offer your judgement of the boy. Do you still deem him worthy of the fellowship?

[Morpheus]
I certainly do, my Lord. As a matter of fact, I, I think you’re going to like this one. He’s got the light in his eyes. And, the look of a champion. A real champion!