In 1985, I received a really cool Christmas present… the Scorpions “World Wide Live” double LP. That is what I am talking about when memorable Christmas gifts come to mind. My Mom, she certainly knew the bands I liked back then. I could always feel confident she would have a decent Heavy Metal album on her Christmas shopping list, just for me. My Mom would wrap and hide the album she bought each Christmas, making certain it was secured from my finding it. Not a chance. Each year, I would find that album, heck, I would actually smell where that album was hidden, like a Heavy Metal bloodhound. In 1985, “World Wide Live” was wrapped and supposedly hidden, until I unwrapped it and gazed away at the album cover – front to back. I was in Metal glee, knowing that on Christmas morning I would be able to crank up the Scorpions “World Wide Live”, a double live album no less. Each year, my Mom always knew I would find and unwrap the album she had bought for me, it was a cool and funny joke that I always was able to share with my Mom.
It is experiences like this, while growing up, where you actually bond with your music and albums, due to the personal stories that are attached to them. My Mom is now in Heaven, thus these memories mean all the more to me now than ever before. It is the memories that are the most valuable of course, not the actual albums. As for the Scorpions and “World Wide Live” – powerful, live, Heavy Metal to the max. This is one unbelievable live album, based on the overall sound quality, song selection, production and of course… the Heavy Metal Music. Vintage, live Scorpions this “World Wide Live” is. Hearing the fans screaming for the Scorpions throughout this album makes it real, with a live album it is always a key ingredient to capture the atmosphere of the concert crowd. My original album of “World Wide Live”, well, I either sold it or gave it away years ago. The kicker is… I found this double live beauty at a thrift store this past Winter… for fifty cents. Each time I find one of my favorite albums from the past, in second hand shops like this, I feel the vindication and relief of being able to replenish my Heavy Metal collection… to where it once was. Why I sold or gave away so many Heavy Metal albums long ago is still an uncanny period of my life. Regardless, I have what I consider, a perfect album specimen of “World Wide Live” now, safely tucked away into my Heavy Metal collection.
My favorite song from this album is “Big City Nights”. The in your face power of this song has always grabbed me with a psyched out feeling. “Countdown”, the instrumental and intro to this double live, Scorpions feast of Heavy Metal, never ceases to rev me up, it sets the table for “Coming Home”. “The Zoo” and “No One Like You” are just as great as their studio counterparts, the live versions only add more intensity to the music. The live version of “Rock You Like A Hurricane” with it’s commercial breakthrough from the “Love At First Sting” album, makes me forget that it was overplayed on FM radio and MTV during it’s chart existence. Klaus Meine joined the pack of Heavy Metal ballad crooners, with his praise worthy vocal accomplishment – “Still Loving You”. I will take the live version of this song over the studio cut, (it’s a personal preference). If there ever was any tweaking or over dubbing during the mixing of this album, frankly I could care in the least. The end result for me has always been, “World Wide Live” is a must live Heavy Metal album to own and a Scorpions achievement.
*”World Wide Live” was released on June 20, 1985. The Scorpions, as they appeared on “World Wide Live”: Klaus Meine on lead vocals, Matthias Jabs on lead guitar & backing vocals, Rudolf Schenker on rhythm guitar & backing vocals, Francis Buchholz on bass guitar & backing vocals and Herman Rarebell on drums, percussion & backing vocals.
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