For the love of rock
Vol IV, Issue 2 – Holiday (15 Jan 2019)
www.intheloveofrock.com
Name of song– Holiday
Band – Scorpions
Writer– Klaus Meine
Album- Lovedrive
Release year– 1979
Holiday
Reviewers- Bikash Shrestha/Nirab Kayastha
“Scorpions” are one of the most popular hard rock/heavy metal bands from the late sixties and going on strong till present. Formed in 1965 by Rudolf Schenker in Germany, they were able to establish themselves as hard rock band from the early days. However, with addition of Rudolf’s brother Michael Schenker as guitarist and Klaus Meine as vocalists, the band skyrocketed from Germany into the entire world. Various line-up changes followed during their career. The addition of Matthias Jabs as lead guitarist in 1978 shifted the band into more heavy metal sound along with prototype hard rock ballads. Endowed with total 18 studio albums till date, they have had numerous accolades and loyal fan following all over the world. They have been considered as “The Heroes of Heavy Metal” by The Rolling Stones and “Ambassadors of Rock” by MTV and were ranked 46th on VH1’s Greatest Artists of hard Rock.
“Lovedrive” was their sixth album released in 1979. Many critics consider the album to be their pinnacle and consolidated their formula of mixture of perfect hard rock songs with melodic ballads. It had one of their best line up with Michael Schenker and Matthias Jabs as twin attacking rhythm and lead guitars, along with Klaus Meine with lead vocals. The album proved to be break-through in UK and also gained highest Billboard chart ranking amongst their past albums.
“Holiday” is one of the songs by Scorpions, which has an exquisite mixture of soothingly melodious harmony with thundering heavy rock sound. Many fans consider it to their one of their best ballads. A simple lyrics of going out on a holiday with one’s lover, this song does prove how smooth melody and thunderous guitar can go together in a hard rock ballad.
The song begins with meticulously executed acoustic guitar plucking by Schenker brothers. To begin with, it sounds like just another rock ballad. But with short and slightly repetitive lyrics we come to know this is not just another simple rock ballad. The chorus is repeated twice, along with the same acoustic guitar plucking, giving it a haunting feeling. Klaus Meine has perfectly executed his talent with low pitch melodious vocals and getting high slowly in between. The first half of the song does not have any drums. After the repeat chorus, Klaus begins to take us high slowly, and then, suddenly with thunderous guitar and drums sounds, Klaus changes the note. It is not the formula which they generally use for their ballads, but it really is impressive and leaves the mark upon the listener. At last, the heavy sound disappears and the song sails back again to the smooth acoustic plucking, along with Matthias Jabs’s nice lead solo which slowly fades the song away.
“Holiday” might not be considered as Scorpion’s most well known ballad, but it is the ballad which makes the fans fall in love with their sound. Absolutely a different hard rock ballad, it is indeed a fantasy to listen to “Holiday” while on a holiday, or on any rat-race weekday…
Happy listening!!
Resources– Wikipedia.org, Allmusic.com, genius.com
Holiday
Let me take you far away
You’d like a holiday
Let me take you far away
You’d like a holiday
Exchange the cold days for the sun
A good time and fun
Let me take you far away
You’d like a holiday
Let me take you far away
You’d like a holiday
Let me take you far away
You’d like a holiday
Exchange your troubles for some love
Wherever you are
Let me take you far away
You’d like a holiday
Ooh, hooh, ahaha, aah, haah, aaha, haah
Aahha, haa, haaah, haa, haa, aaha
Longing for the sun here we come
To the island without name
Longing for the sun here we come
On the island many miles away from home
Here we come on the island without name
Longing for the sun here we come
To the island many miles away from home
Away from home
Away from home
Away from home
Away from home
Lyrics link- https://genius.com/Scorpions-holiday-lyrics
Video link – https://youtu.be/me1vHpoiObo