Somewhere In England - Dark Horse years reviews

It’s easy to lose this album out of sight, and then have an unfavourable memorance of it.
So therefore you can’t simply write something about “Somewhere In England” without having hearing the album recently, fresh and crisp and clear. However despite giving the album lots of airplay, it still is or rather has become my least favourite album, but that’s not important, and to diminish it as a bad album is not fair. Also I don’t care much for the which is the worse solo album debate, it’s a waste of time. I am only saying that “Somewhere In England” is mine least favourite album.

One thing I must say that the music always seems to be upbeat, even when it doesn’t seem to fit with the lyrics. While the songs are crowded with overpowering synths, creating a George Harrison style wall of sound, it seems not as bad as I always had in mind.

I think the original album is stronger with the songs “Flying Hour” “Sat Singing” “Lay His Head” and “Tears Of The World”, and more true to what George wanted, however it’s not what was released and I can only base my review on what came out.

It’s kind of ironic that “Blood From A Clone” as one of the replacement songs is on the album. George obviously wrote the lyrics as an answer towards Warner Bros. decision not to release George’s original work. His words layed over a catchy jumping rhytm gets somewhat lost however, losing their meaning as the song itself seems to be just a nice enjoyable tune.The lyrcis are powerfull with lines as “Could be they lack roots, still wearing jack boots, they’re marching somewhere in the pouring rain”.

“Unconsciousness Rules” seems to be a follow up to “Blood From A Clone”. After taking on the record industry for wanting only to release some oomph-papa music, now George goes after the people who dances to that oomph-papa. Personaly I say let them dance if they want to, and I don’t care much for the lyrics. Musicaly almost a song that could be played in a discotegue. The re-release restores the 30 seconds extended coda, which was edited out of the originial lp and first cd release.

With “Life Itself” George returns to form. One of my favourite George songs.. The music is a welcome change to the two previous change. Spiritualy moving guitar and slide opens George’s tribute to the one, and apears throughout the song.

“All Those Years Ago” is somewhat hard for me to write about.
It began life as a song for Ringo, after John died George took the music and wrote a new set of lyrics. Here is the problem for me, why not a complete new song for John, the music doesn’t seem to work as a tribute. Nothing wrong with the song itself. The music is nice but almost to upbeat for a tribute.

A George Harrison album where one of the best songs is a cover, is somewhat alarming for me.Carmichael’s songs are obviously close to George’s heart otherwise he would have let his own songs stay and removed both of the covers. In this case of “Baltimore Oriole” I agree with letting it stay on the album. George’s done a great job updating “Baltimore Oriole”. A favourite from the album.

“Teardrops” is another one where I like both the music and the lyrics, but where they don’t blend very well together. The music is catchy and I enjoy listening to it but that’s the best and all I can say about it.

“That Which I Have Lost” is something different however, a more meaningful song.
Stepping away from the more catchy demanded tunes, George shines through on this song lyric wise and musicaly. Some outstanding, country like, guitar work at the end.

Another highlight is “Writing’s On The Wall”. Telling the message of “See Yourself”, and looking for the more important things in life. With the synths more to the background, giving other instruments a time to shine including Alla Rakha on tabla,it’s musically also a highlight on this album.

It’s better to understand the lyrics of “Hong Kong Blues”, better when you set it against the time it was written. George fans might know his fondness of music from the 20 and 30’s.This is the second Hoagy Carmichael song and another one George choise to keep, instead of one of his own songs. I might not like it but that’s all I can say. It’s no use saying he should have thrown if off the album, as said these covers were close to George’s heart.

In “Save The World” George goes as far as saying the russians have the bigest share in polluting our world. This kind of lyrics I don’t really care for, and is what kept me away from listening to “Somewhere In England”. That in hindsight wasn’t fair, and ofcourse there’s nothing wrong with the message that we should take care of the world we live in, but I don’t care much for the finger pointing way it is presented here, over a landscape of sound effects.
I like the acoustic version of it however, which I never heard before. With just George on guitar it’s an welcome addition to the cd.

Next we go troppo.

[size="1"][ Mar 28, 2004, 08:12 AM: Message Edited By: Legs ][/size]

I've always been surprised that Tears of the World got axed and Save the World stayed. I would've done it the other way 'round.

All Those Years Ago I've heard George say somewhere (or was it Ringo?) was just a partial re-write. I so wish that would've been no need for the re-write. What would John say about the world today?? Boggles the mind just living through it.

Life Itself is also one of my favorites. If the world just could see that it doesn't matter what you call God, it just matters that you do.

The strongest lineup in my opinion would've left Blood from a Clone and Save The World off the album and added the 4 they took off.

Originally Posted By friar-park:
The strongest lineup in my opinion would've left Blood from a Clone and Save The World off the album and added the 4 they took off.

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Nooo! Not Blood From A clone! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] It's such a kick-ass little song! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

But I agree the original lineup as George had it would have been a more consistent album. Although, I'm sure one of the songs that sold the album was All Those Years Ago.

[size="1"][ Mar 28, 2004, 09:32 PM: Message Edited By: Savoy Truffle ][/size]

Legs, another very interesting review which make me go and play this album and write you my thoughts on it.

Also for me, not my favorite album, but each song does have its special and interesting features and I do see quite some beauties in it and love the special bit cynical way George got back with new songs after those lovely ones were rejected for some odd reason.

I will retire to chambers for some writing.

I agree, if this album had had the original lineup it would have been a lot better. I cannot get over the fact that a bunch of record company executives would tell an ex-Beatle what to put on an album, that has always floored me! No wonder he took a break from recording in the eighties.

My favorite songs off this album are Life Itself and That Which I have Lost. I have never been a huge fan of All those Years Ago, but I can listen to it. I love the guitar playing in That Which I have Lost.

The songs that were left off, Sat Singing, Lay His Head, Flying Hour and Tears of the World are all great songs.

[quote]Originally Posted By Savoy Truffle:

Nooo! Not Blood From A clone! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] It's such a kick-ass little song! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Okay, I give you Blood from the Clone back.

If you take the lineup as released, substitute Tears of The World for Save the World--where would you put the other 3? A 13 track album wouldn't be oput of the question. How about:

1. Blood From A Clone
2. Unconsciousness Rules
3. Life Itself
***Sat Singing
4. All Those Years Ago
5. Baltimore Oriole
6. Teardrops
***Lay His Head
7. That Which I Have Lost
***Flying hour
8. Writing's On The Wall
9. Hong Kong Blues
10. **Tears of the World

For some reason, “Somehere In England� has been underrated by many fans, for some time even by myself.

I wonder what that is, is it indeed the presence of the keyboards which in some cases overshadow the sound we want to hear, i.e. guitars?

Or is it our disappointment about the rejected songs not being on it and to fans seen as probably the most interesting combination of 4 songs?

For quite some years, when I would pick a Harrison album, I would not take this one. Sorry George. But.. okay you may say "here is FPSHOT again who adores everything about George" ... okay well I do, but I do have preferences and for a while songs from this album were not amongst them, however opinions can change and people can try to see the beauty in everything, if they put themselves to it... so in each song I find beauty and I will try to put that in words.

Derek Taylor brought the original album to Warner and the executives who listened to the tapes, had just heard the tapes of the long awaited John & Yoko "Double Fantasy". That may have had influence to them, who will know.

George actually gave John a tape cassette of the original album when they met September 28, 1980 at a Monty Python concert in LA.

When Derek came back to George with the sad news over the rejection, George, upset, took a vacation in Hawaii and wrote there the 'new' songs.

Blood From A Clone

Maybe the intro seems a bit ‘nervous’ , okay .. are we getting reggae? What is it? The tempo is a bit like the guitars play a different song than the bass and drums, and the bass can not keep up with the tempo, but then very soon ‘beating your head on a brickwall’ brings us back to the Harrisonic sound we know so well. I love that part and am happy it’s being repeated. And when that ‘reggae’-ish sound comes back, it is more in place and I like it, it fits with the song.

Actually, I laugh out loud (LOL) when I read the first lines to the song and think that our George must have looooved writing these. I wonder if Warner was asleep when they listened to the remade album, because if I was at Warner, I’d feel a bit shy by those first very direct lines, "Good Morning Warner, this is George Harrison, I am back with some new songs, listen to this" .... but I am not at Warner and love them [img]graemlins/laugh2.gif[/img] how dare they

""They say they like it, now, but in the market it
May not go well as it's too laid back.
You need some oomph-papa,
nothing like Frank Zappa
And not New Wave they don't play that crap

Try beating your head on a brick wall
Hard like a stone
Don't have time for the music
They want the blood from a clone""

Very cool George !!!!!

Unconsiousness Rules

Yes Legs, there seems to be a similarity in the two first songs.

Maybe George was in a certain mood when he wrote both lyrics and music.

As for the lyrics... isn't it so, that many would have 'discoteque periods', like go in at night, all night, whether or not joined by joint or something similar, get out in the early morning, sleep it off and then at night start the circle all over? I believe George, the nature man, refers to that. Oh and don't think I am an old man with boring imaginations.. I used to be a DJ for quite some years.

Funny enough it is a song one can easily dance to on a discotheque floor.

Great to hear Tom Scott again on horns.

I like the doubled solo guitar parts here and at the end of the song I hear a resemblance to Tired Of Midnight Blue or maybe another one, can't get to it yet. The Ooo-laa-laa's remind me of something.

Life Itself

Guitars again, and many, yeah this is back to George, what he loves most.

This is such a beautiful spiritual product. Call it song, prayer, devotion...

This song always makes me silent.. respectfull and loving for the One it is created for... and for the one who created it.

A subleme song, also for the sound of the various guitars, the backing vocals.

It is sometimes described as a ballad, even Jerry reffered to this song as such.. sorry but to me that decreases this beautiful song to one of the many 'ballads' there are.

To me, it is much more than a ballad. Personal opinion.

All Those Years Ago

Legs, I understand your motives for the lyrics. Is there somewhere the original Lyrics for Ringo?

I like the line up here, having Paul and Linda around, and Ringo..

The song itself is special for John, very, I believe George showed his love for John in a song he wanted to give the world a listen to. A tribute in the form of the previous track probably would have not reached the audience in the same way.

I tend to know a bit what John meant to George and how their relation was in 1980, knowing about them meeting in September 1980, and I believe George has expressed his feelings for John to him in many other ways too, privately.

Baltimore Oriole

One of my favorites of the album.

I have an old version by Hoagy and it is amazing what George made of it. Absolutely great how he turned this 1942 written song to what it became, with these fantastic guitars striking beautiful chords.

Ofcourse Tom Scott's sax represents in this case also the music of Hoagy Carmichael.

Even though it is a 1980 song, it does have an atmosphere which brings you back in those Carmicheal days.

Teardrops

Simon Leng calls this an Elton John-ish song and yeah I can see Elton doing this after "Saturday Night's Alright.."

Not my favorite of the album, even though the lyrics are like one can say after filling a bucket.

"Feels like I've taken over from the rain" [img]graemlins/smile1.gif[/img] fantastic poetic.

I love the bottleneck slide guitar in this.

That Which I Have Lost

Plenty of them guitars again, a song which I can easily place on Gone Troppo.

I'd love to hear an early demo of this, because it may come close to his acoustics like Apple Scruffs and Miss O'Dell.

Those high-octave guitars are beautiful and uplifting, cheerful.

The bit country-ish guitar solo and also the parts in the end where Legs refers to, makes me think of Pete Drake.

Writings On The Wall

A beauty.

Is this to do with John? ... Sister.... Yoko (Sisters Oh Sisters)..'shot away' Don't think so about the 'sister', also because George refers to brother.. sister.. mister..mothers.

Indeed musically a highlight... a spiritual total with Alla Rahka there.

The synthesizer (Gary Brooker) adds some great parts.

In the background there is a guitar which playes a part which is a bit like Life Itself, the finger picking style, fantastic.

Hong Kong Blues

Another introduction to Hoagy.

Also this original I have and that again is so so far from what we have here.

Could have been in Shanghai Surprise with a bit of polishing to the Shganghai sound?

This was the opening track of the original album and the Warners will have been surprised [img]graemlins/smile1.gif[/img] coming just of Double Fantasy and Yoko's last two songs.

But I like it, it takes time to get used to though.

Save The World

Okay world, wake up !!!

A Bit Monty Python kinda song with a touch of "Hana".

Gary Brooker's synthesizer comes directly from the "Writing's On The Wall"

It did it's work for Greenpeace.

Legs - the lyrics, it's 1980 here and I remember all the pollution from bursted oil pipes which took away so much land.

I prefer the acoustic version, which is a bit maybe Donovan?, especially the way George sings it.

To me, the albums would have been great as it was presented in the first place.

Thanks to the world of Bootlegs we know how to compare.

[size="1"][ Apr 02, 2004, 02:41 AM: Message Edited By: FPSHOT ][/size]

Originally Posted By FPSHOT:
Writings On The Wall

A beauty.

Is this to do with John? ... Sister.... Yoko (Sisters Oh Sisters)..'shot away' Don't think so about the 'sister', also because George refers to brother.. sister.. mister..mothers.

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">I love this song....I remember George said in an interview he had written the song before JOhn's passing. So, maybe it deals with Mal Evan's? I know George was so affected by Mal's passing. Mal was such a big, gentle guy.

I can see how you mean about Warner's. I remember the story about George pulling up in his flash car and parking in the reserved spot (for the pres of Warner Bros) who comes in, "Who's taken my spot??" And the response was, "George Harrison, sir." And the Pres instantly dropped his complaining! [img]graemlins/laugh5.gif[/img] Yeah George! [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

I was just listning to this album yesterday. For me it is similar to what FPSHOT said. Whenever I want to listen to a George album, this is usually one I am least inclined to pick, yet when I do listen to it I find it very enjoyable. I love the two Hoagy covers, and songs like Writing's on the Wall and Life Itself are beautiful. And I do quite like Blood From A Clone [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] Â*. There is too much synth on the album in general, but considering the time period it was made in I tend to let that go. It doesn't bother me too much.

As for the lyrics... isn't it so, that many would have 'discoteque periods', like go in at night, all night, whether or not joined by joint or something similar, get out in the early morning, sleep it off and then at night start the circle all over? I believe George, the nature man, refers to that.

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">Everyone had those days, with our own music we liked at that time, altho I never joined a joint.I think that George forgot he had these kind of days also, back in Hamburg.

I know what you mean about trying to find the beauty in every song, but what is it that you want to hear from George? To me it's ofcourse his guitar work and his lyrics are nearly almost special, but on two songs from this album it's hard for me to find these.
"Unconsciousness Rules" and "Save the World". I understand George's concerns, but I just don't care about the way George presents it. The Russians could have had the biggest share, but why single one nation out, and don't mention others.

But as for the album itself, I see the beauty of it. I can apreaciate the humour of having Blood From A Clone on the album. Many songs of George put a smile on my face, this is one of them. The beauty and serenity of Life Itself. Baltimore Oriole has got to be my favourite cover George has done.Some Beatle like backing vocals.Wonderfull piano parts woven throughout the song, jumpy Beatle like chords, especialy at the end, probably done on synths and ofcourse the saxaphone parts.Then there is teardropsFPSHOT pointed out a really beautiful line "Feels like I've taken over from the rain". Another one that puts a smile on my face. And two other favourites That Which I Have Lost and Writing's On The Wall. Then there is ofcourse All Those Years Ago. So it's hard to dismiss the album.

[size="1"][ Apr 04, 2004, 10:33 AM: Message Edited By: Legs ][/size]

Btw, what's up with all these question marks in my first post??? My first post I said.

question marks???????????? I don't see question marks? I see squares or boxes.

?????

Originally Posted By Legs:
?????

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">no seriously, I am not crazy. for all the places there should be ' or " I see squares. even my daughter sees them and many smilies are being followed with weird symbols too.

Yes I did the reviews first in word, but when I first posted it there were no question marks or squares in place of a ' or ".

I noticed it with the smilies to Shelly.

[size="1"][ Apr 04, 2004, 01:34 PM: Message Edited By: Legs ][/size]

Any idea why you guys are getting ? and I am getting squares? I wonder if any one else is seeing squares?

Maybe it is the computer trying to tell me something [img]graemlins/laugh4.gif[/img]

Originally Posted By Legs:
Yes I did the reviews first in word, but when I first posted it there were no question marks or squares in place of a ' or ".

<font size="2" face="Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif">I had that too Legs...

There is more going out there than we know.

Maybe it's a woman and man thing, where woman see squares, and men question marks. Which isn't so strange as men see question marks all the time since they just don't understand. [img]graemlins/laugh2.gif[/img]

and so many women act like squares when they really aren't [img]graemlins/laugh5.gif[/img]

Your first post? Man that is so long ago ..April 2001

But I looked at the one up here and I have seen the same with a review I wrote.

You probably typed it as a Word document first, then the " or ' becomes a ?.

Oops I get too technical again [img]graemlins/sssh.gif[/img] Â