17 seconds… 17 minutes… la misura di un’esistenza (Ode a "Faith" e ad altro)

17 secondi… la misura di un’esistenza…: come sussurra Robert Smith nell’omonimo brano dell’80? O 17 minuti: tanto quanto dura l’incredibile versione di “Faith” eseguita e improvvisata nell’umida Arena Civica milanese la sera del lontano 8 giugno 1989? Prendere le misure di una vita non è mai facile. Specialmente se la vita in questione è la propria. Troppe le variabili, troppe le cose da setacciare. Troppo poche quelle da stipare nel cestino da picnic che ci trasciniamo sino allo scadere del fatidico ultimo secondo… o dell’ultimo battito di tamburo. La musica è da sempre colonna sonora del mio cammino. Lo è stata anche quell’8 giugno di quasi venti anni fa. Giorno di celebrazione del compleanno di chi già da tempo non poteva più essere al mio fianco. Un indimenticabile rito laico solcato da sospiri e lacrime pesanti, quella versione-commiato di “Faith”. La stessa che, per puro caso, ho ritrovato fra i miliardi di files che ingrassano la Grande Rete. Quella “Faith” ora sta fluendo come un lento fiume, accompagnando nel recinto di questo post le parole sopravvissute all’autocensura. In fondo anche loro, le parole, sono proprio come le persone: alla fine restano invariabilmente da sole. Con nient’altro che la fede (o l’illusione) che a qualcosa possano essere servite.


FAITH
(Versione dell’8 giugno 1989. Milano, Arena Civica)

Catch me if I fall
I'm losing hold
I can't just carry on this way
And every time
I turn away
Lose another blind game
The idea of perfection holds me
Suddenly I see you change
Everything at once
The same
But the mountain never moves

Rape me like a child
Christened in blood
Painted like an unknown saint
There's nothing left but hope
Your voice is dead
And old
And always empty
Trust in me through closing years
Perfect moments wait
If only we could stay
Please
Say the right words
Or cry like the stone white clown
And stand forever
Lost forever in a happy crowd

No one lifts their hands
No one lifts their eyes
Justified with empty words
The party just gets better and better

I went away alone
With nothing left
But faith...

(Guitar fill)

She said to me
She said is... is anybody listening
Push my face against her eyes she said...
You look and I'll look out
A minute 'til midnight, on the day before Christmas
A minute 'til midnight, on the day before Christmas
Boy smiles, gives me an hour 'til midnight
How someone else who says... says

Push your...
Push your face to me (Whispered)
She pushes her face against mine (Whispered)
She says you don't feel as I do
So I push you away
So once I go should I...
All goes away and I wonder if I'll ever see you again

Picture that self go so too late
He said I didn't mean any of this
I didn't mean any of this
Letting out as the flowers fall down
As the flowers fall down

You wait for me where...
I wait for you where I always wait
Behind the signs that sell the news
I'll watch for you where I'll always watch
Behind the signs that tell me shhhh...
So faaaaaarrrr
So far away
So...

(Guitar fill)

Looks inside and then she... pushes like coals that match
And look into your eyes its like feel how I feel
Do as I do
Just as I hold you up and I look just like ?

What's the colour that you've ever seen?
Holding out, look at these, won't you fight your way clear, oh
And belong to me
And belong to me

Then you smile, the day before Christmas and a minute 'til twelve
You looked down inside of you and see the same stars as you
Live on the same world as you
Be the same place as you
Tonight as you
Say there's nothing left but faith

(Ending lyrics)