28 years is a real eternity in terms of rock band activity time.
And when it comes to a band that started out in the guitar districts and slowly shaped into a poppy act for everything, it's an almost inconceivable activity time.
It's pretty amazing to think that Maroon 5, which will appear tomorrow (Monday) and the day after tomorrow (Tuesday) in the Yarkon Park in Tel Aviv, has been with us for three decades (or at least two - since it managed to break out, because its first ten years do not exactly meet the definition of "success"). .
It is a musical chameleon of the most developed variety, which has known to change with the spirit of the times and adapt its work to changing genres, styles and types of sound, and still appeals to young and old alike even today.
For quite a few years now, this band has signed on to a variety of wide-ranging hits and radio, and on the occasion of its arrival in Israel for the first time - we have collected five songs that prove it.
This Love "
(2004)"
"Songs about Jane", Maroon 5's debut album (under this name, as the band previously operated under the less catchy name Kara's Flowers) was released in 2002, but the band released its breakthrough single almost two years later, in the form of "This Love , Which almost immediately became a radio hit.
Adam Levin said in interviews that this is a farewell song written during one of the most difficult periods in his life, and described his words as "very erotic", no less.
"I was in a relationship that ended then," Levin said, "but on the other hand I was really excited because the band was about to record the album and I couldn't wait to get into the studio. The song, so I was in an emotional state and lived when I wrote it. "
It is a reminder of the days when Maroon 5 was still a young band that was just starting to make its steps in the world of music, playing R&B and soul and being influenced by Stevie Wonder and Prince.
Wake Up Call "(2007)"
Another song from the band's Stevie Wonder-Wanabi era, which led to their second and successful album "It Won't Be Soon Before Long".
The lyrics describe a man returning home only to find his partner having sex with another man, and from there a quarrel develops between the two that ends when the betrayed man shoots and kills the stranger who is in his bed.
This is exactly what happens in the clip that accompanies the song, and later Levin is seen in it dragging the body in order to hide it, then planning how to whitewash the murder.
As we will learn later, a man has a great fondness for combining sex and blood in his clips, which is almost in contrast to the sweet content he will present later in his career.
Moves like Jagger "(2011)"
Producing a hit is not a trivial matter, any musician will tell you, but to give birth to a coin - it no longer has a written formula.
It is not clear whether when Levin & Co. wrote and recorded "Jagger's Steps" (or "Dancing Like Jagger", both translations are correct in this case) they imagined that the name of the song would become an expression over a period of time.
But that's exactly what happened with this single, which is considered one of the band's most beloved and certainly a record moment in any of its performances.
Just as his lyrics imply, this is not too deep a textual piece, but more one that aims at the legs and also hits them most of the time - just as Christina Aguilera hits the high notes as she joins the ensemble and contributes her voice to this song.
Mick Jagger, lead singer of The Rolling Stones, said in an interview that he found the song "very flattering", probably after Adam Levin said that "there is something about the way Mick moves that is completely unique to him and difficult to emulate, but also very accessible, silly and fun. Herself too seriously. "
Lovers of satire among us will probably also remember "Move Like Comfort", the parody of the people of "Great Land" on the song, and its adaptation to Jagger's Israeli counterpart - Ethnics band member, Zeev Nehama.
Girls Like You "(2018)"
The great power of a pop artist lies in his ability to produce huge hits even after many years of activity, which is exactly what Levin and his ever-changing lineup did with "Girls Like You", a lovable, catchy and addictive song from the 2017 album "Red Pill Blues".
But it's hard to separate this really successful song from the great clip that accompanied it, which was directed by David Dubkin, and includes guest appearances by girls like Cardi B (who also sang in another version of the song), Jennifer Lopez, Ashley Graham, Sarah Silverman, Millie Bobby Brown , Alan DeGeneres, Marie J. Blige, Elizabeth Banks and of course Gal Gadot.
Israeli pride.
By the way, popular as he was, US music critics were not really enthusiastic about it when it came out. Some even described it as "boring", "unusually superficial" and even "more of a headache than a hit".
Memories "(2019)"
But not just songs about ending loves, killing adulterers and running towards sunset with women like Gal Gadot are a part of Maron 5. Not long before the damn plague came into our lives, the band released "Memories", a beautiful and even moving ballad, some would argue.
This is a rather minor and sad song from their latest album "Jordi", dedicated to Jordan Feldstein, Levin's friend and director of the band, who passed away in December 2017 as a result of pulmonary embolism.
"I needed this song," Levin said in an interview on Howard Stern's radio show.
"In a chaotic, crazy and angry world, instead of arguing over things, it's nice to have a common denominator and each of us experiences grief. This song is about loss and it also celebrates those who have been lost, which I think is important."
As is the band's way, she wrapped the lyrics of the mourning song in a sweet melody and a somewhat Caribbean arrangement, but make no mistake: this is a rare show of pain, for a bunch of musicians who usually want to see you dance.
At least like Jagger.
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