Here's one from the underrated Beach Boys album SURF'S UP, from 1971. The song is called LONG PROMISED ROAD and was Carl Wilson's first major composition for the group. Released twice as a single, the song still only barely managed to scrape into the charts, peaking at #89 in the US and not making any European charts at all. The group at this time were trapped into the unenviable position of having become 'uncool' and having that image cemented by an enormous string of surf/car/girl/beach type hits. However, even in their earliest days there was a deeper, introspective side to the band that had come to full fruition by thie time this album was issued. Aside from this single, other excellent tracks from the album include TIL I DIE, FEEL FLOWS and the magnificent SURF'S UP. They were also among the earliest rock bands to publicly express environmental concerns, as demonstrated here by the opening track DON'T GO NEAR THE WATER. (I mean, seriously, the freakin' BEACH BOYS telling you to stay away from the water??)
Anyway, this one is about continuing on in the face of adversity, and I kind of suspect it might well have been a significant hit if it had come from an unknown group at the time. Here's LONG PROMISED ROAD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmAqpRFGzRQLONG PROMISED ROAD
So hard to answer future's riddle
When ahead is seeming so far behind
So hard to laugh a child-like giggle
When the tears start to torture my mind
So hard to shed the life of before
To let my soul automatically soar
But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Sew up the wounds of evolution
And the now starts to get in my way
So what if life's a revelation
If the mind speaks of only today
So real, the pain growing in my soul
Of climbing up to reality's goal
But I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Long promised road
Trail starts at dawn
Carries on to the season's ending
Long promised road
Flows to the source, gentle force, never ending, never ending
So hard to lift the jeweled sceptre
When the weight turns a smile to a frown
So hard to drink of passion nectar
When the taste of life's holding me down
So hard to plant the seed of reform
To set my sights on defeating the storm
So I hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Oh, yeah----
Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
Oh, yeah----
Hit hard at the battle that's confronting me, yeah
Knock down all the roadblocks stumbling me
Throw off all the shackles that are binding me down
I'd love to see you
I'd love to see you
[repeat to fade]
Hope you like it!
-JM
