I just finished listening to Deep Purple’s Child in Time, from the Deep Purple I Rock album, o Youtube. The stong still blows me away.
John Lord opens with a tranquil, soothing melody on a Hammond, driven through a Marshal Stack. Ian Gillan joins with a voice so delicate, it almost hides the underlying darkness embedded in the lyrics. The vocals then change into Gillan’s note-perfect screams that make you wonder if his vocal chords bionic, Surely. A man just can’t hit so many octaves.
Backto the keyboard, which provides a perfect intro to Ritvhie Blackmore, who starts easy, with smooth, long notes, lulling you into comfort, then blasting you with his frantic, yet amazing guitar work. You start head banging, and playing air drums, no matter who is watching.
Ian Pace’s drums work is perfect. The base of Roger Glover maintains rythim and stability. Your eyes are closed, and you are completely committed to, and immersed in the music. And it stops, for maybe two seconds, silence. Lord’s keyboard re-creates the opening tranquility, with Gillan again performing his amazing vocals. The song ends with the keyboard creating a sense of tension, urgency. Run. So,mething is going to happen. Gillan screams again, a couple of times. And then, one powerful, single chord, booms, and completes the song.
This song actually put a lump in my throat, It’s that good. There is only one other band that can affect me like that, Yes. Listen to Roundabout sometime. I mean, really listen t it. Hear the impeccable guitar of Steve How, the bass guitar of Chris Squire, the man who defined bass guitar, John Anderson’s etherial vocals, the incomparable Rick Wakeman at the keyboard, keyboard, and Bill Bruford’s jazz flavored drums. Then, listen to how each part every one of them a masterpiece, join together to dazzle your music senses. IMHO, it’s the best prog rock song ever created, and that’s saying a lot.
Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
