"He may be cantankerous and opinionated but through all this he remains a highly intelligent poet and a hopeless romantic blessed with a remarkable voice. Mostly, his entire recorded output is hugely underrated."
Lots have been said about Roy Harper - his prowess with the verses, his vehement self-indulgence, his lack of commercial success at a time when new arts and music movements were taking shape in a rampant manner, his stubbornness and uncomprising attitude when it comes toning down his opinions and according to me, mostly his opinions itself...But few and far between have stood the test of time as singer/songwriters who carved their own place in history by virtue of their poetical words alone. And Roy Harper tops my personal list of such people.
It's ironical that much of his popularity came thanks to the tribute paid by Led Zeppelin in their track, "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper". According to the band's axe man, Jimmy Page, who had collaborated with Harper on a few occasions, he was known best for his unflinching revert in the face of heavy pressure for being a sell out and a sucker for commercial success. A man who refused to tone down his views came to known more this act of his, rather than the views itself. In fact this part of his persona seemed to befit the message behind Pink Floyd's hit, "Have a Cigar", a song for which he lent his vocals.
While his biggest hit till date remains to be "When a Cricketer Leaves the Crease",a song where a cricketer retiring from the game is used a metaphor for life itself, the song which defines him and his music to me has been the track " I hate the white man", from his album "Flat Berserk and Baroque". This album was his first with his long lasting record label, Harvest Records, which led to him to Peter Jenner, the guy behind Pink Floyd's records, who would eventually start producing Harper's music too.
The track starts off with a monologue about the difference between the rich people and poor people with the background of their distinction being seemingly brought out by music.Harper maintains a very serene tone throughout the message while the undercurrent of the speech, the message itself, is anything but subtle. Here is the song which follows the speech. The man, when he opines, makes sure he leaves us gulping and how! Like any song with a strong message, this one is long. But the part that I always tend to concentrate its sheer poetic brilliance and the melody it has been constructed on. Boy! If I had a nickel for everytime I can come up with something like...."where the barefoot dream of life Can laugh and cry its fill ", "teargas happiness", "plastic excuse", "And sits to warm his toes around A fire made up of useless thoughts"!!
