今日の「聴き比べ」は『The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys』です。またしてもトラフィック(Traffic)です。トラフィックには目がありません。
この曲はトラフィックの通算６枚目のアルバム『The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys』のタイトル曲です。曲はスティーヴ・ウィンウッド(Steve Winwood)とジム・キャパルディ(Jim Capaldi)です。
このアルバムは前作のライブ・アルバムからデイヴ・メイソン(Dave Mason)が抜け、この時に参加していたブラインド・フェイス(Blind Faith)とジンジャー・ベイカー・エア・フォース(Ginger Baker's Air Force)でスティーヴと一緒だったリック・グレッチ(Rick Grech,b)とデレク＆ドミノス(Derek & The Dominos)のジム・ゴードン(Jim Gordon,ds)、さらにリーバップ( "Rebop" Kwaku Baah,perc)が正式メンバーとなり再出発を図ったアルバムです。サウンドは一気にジャズ寄りになりました。この曲も１１分を超える大作でした。
The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys
by Steve Winwood & Jim Capaldi
If you see something that looks like a star
And it's shooting up out of the ground
And your head is spinning from a loud guitar
And you just can't escape from the sound
Don't worry too much, it'll happen to you
We were children once, playing with toys
And the thing that you're hearing is only the sound
Of the low spark of high-heeled boys
The percentage you're paying is too high priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams
But today you just read that the man was shot dead
By a gun that didn't make any noise
But it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest
Was the low spark of high-heeled boys
If you had just a minute to breathe
And they granted you one final wish
Would you ask for something like another chance?
Or something similar as this?
Don't worry too much it'll happen to you
As sure as your sorrows are joys
And the thing that disturbs you is only the sound
Of the low spark of high-heeled boys
The percentage you're paying is too high priced
While you're living beyond all your means
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
From the profit he's made on your dreams
But today you just read that the man was shot dead
By a gun that didn't make any noise
But it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest
Was the low spark of high-heeled boys, high-heeled boys
If I gave you everything that I owned
And asked for nothing in return
Would you do the same for me as I would for you?
Or take me for a ride
And strip me of everything including my pride
But spirit is something that no one destroys
And the sound that I'm hearing is only the sound
Of the low spark of high-heeled boys, heeled boys
TRAFFIC - THE LOW SPARK OF HIGH-HEELED BOYS - The Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys (1971) :: SOTW #22
この曲を以前紹介したリッキー・リー・ジョーンズ(Rickie Lee Jones)が２０００年のアルバム『It's Like This』でカバーしました。彼女独特の怪しげな歌い方でカバーしています。
それでは今日はこの辺で。
