August 7, 2012

The Heart of Rock n'Roll

Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart have been around quite a few years. How long? According to their Wikipedia page, forty years.

Forty years is a damn long time for a rock musician, especially a woman in rock's inherently sexist culture, but Ann and Nancy are still hanging in there.

This is one of my favorite Heart songs, "Allies." It's a lesser-known song, I think, because it came out on Passionworks, the album released prior to Heart's resurgence in the mid-80's. But it's a pounding piano ballad, and the video features Ann and Nancy as instrumentalists (flute and piano respectively) instead of cute chick singers. (Ann, as a formidable-looking brunette, has thankfully never qualified as "cute.")


I'm not sure what the "B" storyline to this is, other than a vague postapocalyptic setting. Actually, to me, the lyrics sound almost Olympian.


We search our hearts
To justify the reason
And draw the line
To meet somewhere halfway
If faith is blind
Through darkness it will guide us
Cause the spirit still remains
With the keepers of the flame

Allies with our backs against the wall
I will answer when you call
And take on the odds
For what we believe is true
Allies in a world of too much choice
I only need your voice
Tell me you care
I'll be anywhere for you, allies

Ann's voice is just great on this. She's one of the best female singers in rock, anyway.

I've heard Ann and Nancy's memoir is coming out soon. That should make for some interesting reading.



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