0053 - Running On The Spot - Os Paralamas Do Sucesso [2002]

This is my first review written in English. It was done to esteem our international visitors to this blog. I hope not commit big grammatical mistakes though I know it’s almost inevitable (lol)…

The new century started a little bit sad for Brazilian rock scene with the tragic accident that Herbert Vianna, vocalist from Os Paralamas do Sucesso – the most successful Brazilian rock band from the 80’s – suffered, when his small plane fell near to Rio de Janeiro on February 2001. This accident not even took away Hebert’s legs movements but also the love of his life, Lucy Vianna – an English journalist, married with Hebert since 1991. However, this accident hasn’t taken his faith away…

Despite all negative forecasts, Herbert recovered his music skills gradually due to his family and friends. In an impressive effort, Hebert’s band mates João Barone (drummer) and Bi Ribeiro (bassist) started to make his friend remember how to play guitar and his songs as soon as Hebert left the hospital. Although the brain damage and lose of legs movements – he is in a wheel chair and has not yet fully recovered from nerve and brain damage – just after one year and a half from the accident, he was able to sing his songs again and also composing new fresh ones.

From that time to nowadays, Os Paralamas recorded four albums: three of them completely with new songs and one album with their greatest hits. All of them put Paralamas back on the top of Brazilian rock scene again. But, the most important album from this period is Longo Caminho. Release in September 2002, this album was recorded after Hebert’s recovery. Mostly centered on the trio – Hebert, Bi and Barone – Longo Caminho vary with sublime moments of delicacy observed in ballads like Cuide Bem Do Seu Amor (Take Good Care Of Your Love) and Seguindo Estrelas (Following Stars), but also draw the attention to good rock’n’roll tracks like O Calibre (The Caliber), Soldado Da Paz (Soldier From Peace) and Running On The Spot – which is the only track not written by Herbert in the entire record.

Originally Running On The Spot was written by Paul Weller and it's part of The Gift, the last Jam’s record. This song has a young unquietness in its lyrics, along with potent guitar riffs. For me, one of the best Jam’s tunes ever.

Particularly, I think Hebert’s choice to cover this classic from The Jam was not by chance. This Paul Weller’s lyrics express the young tenacity though sometimes it seems that we're running on the spot:

I was hoping we'd make real progress
But it seems we have lost the power
Any tiny step of advancement
Is like a raindrop falling into the ocean...

It’s good to hear new Paralamas’ fresh songs and watch Hebert playing his guitar energetically. I bet this cover made every single Paralamas’ fan happy again.