"Love, Reign O'er Me"

["Scott Schrade" <schrade@akrobiz.com>]

> AND LOVE reign o'er me is an absolute 
> masterpiece(see the shea stadium show from oct 13 82 on the 30 yrs of max. 
> r&b video)


Pete's *solo* in that version is a masterpiece but Daltrey's off-key screaming
makes things go a bit pear-shaped, IMO.

I've been thinking (!), I guess LROM *is* a bit sappy for me.  And that's got
nothing to do with any perceived aversion to Pete's "softer side" that some
on this list would like you to believe I have.  I love "And I Moved" & "Hiding
Out," so there!  Pbbbbssstttt!!

So what's my problem with LROM?  Again, I *like* the song.  The lyrics
are great -- "dry & dusty road," "the night is hot & black as ink," etc.

Ok.  Don't the drums sound a bit buried on this track?  And Moon's re-entry
after the solo is a bit weak.  Tap toop toop toop toop toop.  That always
bugs me a bit.  

I guess maybe I got a problem with Moon on this track.  Another thing that
bugs me is the finale.  I like Pete's string screech but that whole "let's set up a
bunch of shit in the studio & let Moon knock it all over" scheme didn't really
work.  Sounds like someone going through some garbage cans.  They faded
it out pretty quickly, too, didn't they?

The slow, plodding, key-descending chorus wears on me, too.  My favorite
part of this song is the middle change ("On a dry & dust road....").  And Pete's
solo is wonderfully sparse & filled with despair.  I dig that..

That's all I can think of....

Oh!  How about that flute at the beginning of the soundtrack version that kinda
scares you the first time you hear it?!  Didn't they use that version on the 30 
YEARS box set?  We're not talking about the soundtrack though.  Parameters,
baby!


- SCHRADE in Akron