Ghost of a Smile

Smile

℗ 1969 Mercury Records 18PP

℗ 2007 barin.livejournal.com BR LLB 38336

Быть может (а скорее — и наверняка), альбом представлял бы собой куда меньший интерес, не обрети десятилетие спустя QUEEN такую популярность. Поэтому при оценке музыки SMILE, конечно, неизбежны сравнения с QUEEN — группой, в которую SMILE превратится после ухода Стэффела и счастливой встречи Меркюри. Наиболее логично сравнивать «Ghost of a Smile», конечно, с дебютной работой «Queen».

Проект Стэффела проигрывает в сравнении, что вполне ожидаемо. Но быть слабее QUEEN — это ещё не показатель. Игра Мэя и Тейлора уже весьма профессиональна, вокал Стэффела тоже очень неплох. Спокойная техничная музыка с хорошим вокалом, интересные и самобытные композиции — SMILE с первого же (и единственного) альбома проявили свой неповторимый стиль. Пластинка записана качественно и без сбоев, песни слушаются на одном дыхании (тем более, что и длится запись очень недолго). Стоит отметить песню «Doing Allright», которая в 1973 году в немного изменённом виде, с вокалом Меркюри и с Джоном Диконом на басу, появится на первом альбоме QUEEN.

1. Earth (Tim Staffell) [04:02]
2. Step On Me (Tim Staffell — Brian May) [03:11]
3. Doing Allright (Tim Staffell — Brian May) [03:49]
4. April Lady (Stanley Lucas) [02:44]
5. Blag (Roger Taylor — Brian May) [03:13]
6. Polar Bear (Brian May) [04:05]

Участие в альбоме:

Brian May: vocals, guitar, piano (2)
Tim Staffell: vocals, bass guitar
Roger Taylor: drums, backing vocals

Тексты и видео:

Earth

(Tim Staffell)

I might be at a table
And suddenly I'll catch
A fleeting vision of her crystal seas
Or I might be standing in a crowded dockyard faraway
Underneath the sun I've never seen

'Cos I have seen many worlds
For what it's worth
But I'll never see again the planet earth, my earth

I might be chasing waves of light
Out towards the rim
Where stars are sparse
And the cold of space seeps in
Or I might be in a bar room
Drinking methylated gin
And thinking of the places I have been

Yes, I have seen many worlds
For what it's worth
But I'll never see again the planet earth, my earth

I have seen many worlds
For what it's worth
But I'll never see again the planet earth, my earth

Cast adrift amongst the stars
I float from sun to sun
Dreaming of the world that gave me birth
All the places I have been
Remind me there is none
To match the cool green rolling hills of earth

'Cos I have seen many worlds
For what it's worth
But I'll never see again the planet earth, my earth

Step On Me

(Tim Staffell — Brian May)

Know what I said when I saw you crying
Hang on that's for me
I was weak in the head, I believed your lying
You're just a bad memory
My life is going to be better, oooh
My why could I never ever see she'd step on me

Well I talked to your friend just the other day
I was lonely, couldn't raise a smile
She hid a smile and she ain't like you
Gonna stay for more than just a little while
My life is going to be better, oooh
My why could I never ever see she'd step on me
Step on me, step on me, step on me

Now it's so good I won't waste my time
On a two year old picture of you
Oh now that you're gone everything's fine
But your pride won't admit that we're through
My life is going to be better, oooh
My why could I never ever see she'd step on me
Step on me, step on me, step on me

Now it's so good I won't waste my time
On a two year old picture of you
Now that you're gone everything's fine
But your pride won't admit that we're through
My life is going to be better, oooh
My why could I never ever see she'd step on me
Never ever see she'd step on me

Doing Allright

(Tim Staffell — Brian May)

Yesterday my life was in ruin
Now today I know what I'm doing
Gotta feeling, I should be doing alright
Doing alright

Where will I be this time tomorrow
Jumped in joy or sinking in sorrow
Anyway, I should be doing alright
Doing alright

Should be waiting for the sun
Anyway I've got to hide
Going back to where the skies are blue (skies are blue)
Going home to find the world

Should be waiting for the sun
Anyway I've got to hide

Ahhh, ahhh, ahhh, ahhh, oooh
Yesterday my life was in ruin
Now today I know what I'm doing
Gotta feeling, I should be doing alright
Doing alright

Doing alright

April Lady

(Stanley Lucas)

She won our hearts, the arts she loved
Was painting pictures for free
When she was done she hung them up
For all the children to see

Goodbye april lady
It's been good to have you around
Goodbye april lady
You've done a lot for the folks in this town

The children learned to read
She strung their beads
It's sorry she was the one
As you can see isn't she good
She don't leave nothing undone

Goodbye april lady
It's been good to have you around
Goodbye april lady
You've done a lot for the folks in this town

She taught them all to love
She was their cream
And we don't want her to go
But we know too well
She fell in love
And there's no stopping her so

Goodbye april lady
It's been good to have you around
Goodbye april lady
You've done a lot for the folks in this town

Goodbye april lady
Goodbye april lady
Goodbye

Blag

(Roger Taylor — Brian May)

Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do

Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do

Take away my sunshine
You take away my rain
I can see it in your eye

There must be an answer somewhere (there must be a way)
You can find a way
I can see it in your eye

Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do
Do, do, do

Polar Bear

(Brian May)

In the bright shop window sits the polar bear
Makes the children's eyes light up to see him there
Oooh, amongst the tinsel he gives everyone a smile
Too see him as you'd see a star
Love him from where you are
He's not for, not for, not for sale

Past an open window walks the pretty girl
Does she see me at her feet it's hard to tell
Oooh, but if I ask her she might turn her smile away
I see her as I'd see a star
Love her from where you are
He's not for, not for, not for sale

I guess I'll learn to look
Oooh, without a grasping hand
Minor contentment wears a smile
I love her from where I lie
He's not for, not for, not for sale
Not for sale