80 年代末期出現一種強調回歸心靈的音樂 "New Age",它不像搖滾歌曲般眾生喧嘩,而是一種略帶"極簡"的風格... 這種音樂曲風式樣眾多,並沒有固定標準,有些強調"非旋律性"的空心樂器(acoustic)手感,有些則搭配不同民族音色或電子音效,它們共同的特色之一是"重複",彷彿某種"修練",給人幽遠寧靜的視野。
Eagles 的鄉村曲風表露無疑,主唱 Don Henley 是個脾氣暴躁的性情中人,他非常厭惡巧奪名目的統治壓迫,曾多次在演唱會中大罵政治(政客)... 這首歌來自 "Hotel California" 專輯,當時巧妙安排在唱片 B 面最後一首,意思是"最不重要的曲子",當然不是主打,也不太有人提及,但我非常喜歡,可以感覺到一種寧靜的抗議,淡淡揭開一種在亮麗外衣下的真實世界...雖然原曲強調的是"宗教"議題,但其實這種統治迫害到處皆是... 這是一個流行音樂人的沉痛反思...
權力是會遺傳的,權力的暴力更會遺傳... 古往今來,事情總是這樣...
歌詞很長,如泣如訴... 每一句都是隱喻或典故... 這是一首仔細聽了會流淚的曲子。
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She came from Providence, 她來自 Providence
the one in Rhode Island 就是那個羅德島州的首府
Where the old world shadows hang 舊世界的陰影在那兒
heavy in the air 沉重地懸吊著
She packed her hopes and dreams 她背負著希望和夢想
like a refugee 像個難民一般
Just as her father came across the sea 只因她的祖先們都是這樣跨海而來
She heard about a place people were simlin' 她聽說那兒的人都會笑
They spoke about the red man's way, 他們訴說著印第安原住民的生活
and how they loved the land 以及他們如何愛這片土地
And they came from everywhere 所以 來自各地的人們
to the Great Divide 為了置之死地的生活
Seeking a place to stand 來到這裡尋找一個安身立命的立椎之地
or a place to hide 或一個藏身之處
Down in the crowded bars, 熱鬧的酒吧裡
out for a good time, 大夥兒都在這享受
Can't wait to tell you all, (我)等不及要告訴你
what it's like up there 這裡的一切情形
And they called it paradise 他們都說這裡是天堂
I don't know why 但我不懂
Somebody laid the mountains low 因為有些人漸漸選擇躲進山裡
while the town got high 當城市越來越發達的時候
Then the chilly winds blew down 冷風接著吹來
Across the desert 橫跨沙漠
through the canyons of the coast 穿過海岸的峽谷
to the Malibu 直達洛杉磯的豪華社區
Where the pretty people play, 有錢的白種人在那兒玩著有錢的遊戲
hungry for power 他們渴望用權力
to light their neon way 去照亮他們的螢光路
and give them things to do 順便給他們一點事做做
Some rich men came and raped the land, 有錢人來囉 他們掠奪這片土地
Nobody caught 'em 沒人能逮到他們
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes, and Jesus, 他們帶來一堆醜陋的盒子 也帶來"耶穌"
people bought them 人們爭相去買那些東西
And they called it paradise 並稱那些為"天堂"
The place to be 意味著"以後要去的地方"
They watched the hazy sun, sinking in the sea 他們看著朦朧的太陽 漸漸沉到海裡
We can leave it all behind 我們可以完全不管這些
and sail to Lahaina 只管著航向夏威夷去渡假
just like the missionaries did, so many years ago 如同那些傳教士曾做過的事
They even brought a neon sign:Jesus is coming 他們帶來霓虹招牌 上面寫:耶穌要來了
Brought the white man's burden down 帶來白種人的教條擔子
Brought the white man's reign 也帶來白種人的統治
Who will provide the grand design? 誰會帶來更好的制度
What is yours and what is mine? 什們叫做"你的" 什麼叫做"我的"
'Cause there is no more new frontier 前面已無路可去
We have got to make it here 我們只好在這裡打拼
We satifsy our endless needs and 但我們卻漸漸滿足於無休止的需求
justify our bloody deeds, 漸漸合理化我們的血腥暴行
in the name of destiny and the name of God 並以"命運"為藉口 以"上帝"為藉口
And you can see them there, 瞧 他們就在那兒
On Sunday morning 每個星期天的早晨
Stand up and sing about 在那兒站著唱歌
What it's like up there 唱著關於"上面"的那些事
They call it paradise 他們稱之為"天堂"
I don't know why 我不了解
You call someplace paradise, 你總是嘴裡說著天堂
kiss it goodbye 但卻又做著背離它的事
儘管我不是很喜歡音樂劇,但我卻很喜歡音樂劇中的音樂... By the way, 音樂會已經有人報名囉,要演奏的是這部歌劇中另一首好聽的曲子,好好加油,我非常期待。
今天推薦音樂劇歌劇魅影插曲:Music of the Night (1986)
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這部歌劇是 Andrew Webber 的曠世鉅作之一,描寫一個劇場"鬼魅"愛上女主角,用音樂征服世人的故事。整齣戲的音樂、場景及舞台製作龐大,堪稱經典,歌曲尤其動人...這首歌有許多版本,包括華語男歌手費翔的演唱,但我還是最喜歡這位演唱者 Michael Crawford,他嗓音沙啞厚度十足,配上這樣的歌詞,令人不陶醉也難。
Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation 夜晚時分 感覺特別敏銳
Darkness wakes and stirs imagination 黑暗覺醒 擾動著想像的思緒
Silently the senses abandon their defenses 悄悄地 感官逃出了邊界
Helpless to resist the notes I write 也無法阻擋我的音符
For I compose the music of the night 因為我寫了一首夜晚的音樂
Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendour 慢慢地 夜晚溫柔綻放光輝
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender 抓住它 感受這顫抖的溫柔
Hearing is believing 聽到才會相信
Music is deceiving 音樂正在蒙蔽
Hard as lightning, soft as candle light 堅實如電光 柔軟如火燭
Dare you trust the music of the night 妳敢信任這首夜晚的音樂嗎
Close your eyes for your eyes will only tell the truth 閉上眼 因為妳的眼神不會說謊
And the truth isn't what you want to see 而真相並非妳所樂見
In the dark it is easy to pretend.. 黑暗中我們可以偽裝
That the truth is what it ought to be... 但事實終將呈現
Softly, deftly, music shall caress you 音樂響起 慢慢且熟練地擁抱在妳週圍
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you 鈴聽的感受將神祕吞噬妳的靈魂
Open up your mind, let your fantasies unwind 打開妳的束縛 放肆狂想
In this darkness which you know you cannot fight 在黑暗中妳將無力反抗
The darkness of the music of the night 這夜晚深邃的旋律
Close your eyes start a journey through a strange, new world 閉上眼展開一段新的旅程
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before 拋開一切舊有的思想
Close your eyes and let music set you free 閉上眼讓音樂將妳解放
Only then can you belong to me 如此妳才屬於我
Floating, falling, sweet intoxication 漂浮 沉淪 如此美妙的狂醉
Touch me, trust me, savour each sensation 撫摸我 相信我 品嚐每一種感受
Let the dream begin, let your darker side give in 讓夢境展開 讓妳的黑暗臣服於
To the power of the music that I write 我所寫的音樂的魔力
The power of the music of the night 這夜晚旋律的魔力
You alone can make my song take flight 只有妳能讓我的音樂起飛
Help me make the music of the night 幫我完成這屬於夜晚的旋律
昨晚看了一部電影"燕麥餅乾店",感觸良多... 許多人選擇輕鬆面對生命,他們不喜歡冒險,也許害怕失敗,更不願給自己找挑戰。他們相信多一事不如少一事,或隨便做做"現在"的事,為了"以後"要做更大的事... 聽起來好像有理,但我卻想到這句台詞:There is no "job" in the world. Everything you do is your "life." 在此,"job" 並不只是"工作"的意思,而是一種態度。
When I find myself in times of trouble 當我發現自己身陷麻煩
Mother Mary comes to me 聖母瑪利亞出現在我心中
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. 說著智慧之語 隨它去吧
And in my hour of darkness 當我眼前一片漆黑
She is standing right in front of me 她就站在我面前
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. 說著智慧名言 隨它去吧
Let it be, let it be.Let it be, let it be
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be
And when the broken hearted people 當心碎的人們 同住在世上
Living in the world agree, 他們共同體認
There will be an answer, let it be. 一個答案 隨它去吧
For though they may be parted there is 雖然天下散的宴席
Still a chance that they will see 但仍看到希望
There will be an answer, let it be. 隨它去吧
Let it be, let it be. let it be Yeah let it be
There will be an answer, let it be.
*Let it be, let it be.let it be.let it be
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be*
And when the night is cloudy, 當夜晚烏雲密佈
There is still a light that shines on me, 一到光線照亮我
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be. 直到天明 隨它去吧
I wake up to the sound of music 音樂伴隨我的甦醒
Mother Mary comes to me 聖母瑪利亞前來
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. 告訴我智慧名言 隨它去吧
Let it be, let it be.let it be.let it be
There will be an answer, let it be.
這首探戈舞曲的極品是 1935 年阿根廷作曲家 Carlos Gardel 的作品(Por una Cabeza),曾多次被用在電影中,包括"女人香(Scent of a Woman)"及"辛德勒名單"。在"女人香"中,艾爾帕西諾(Al Pacino)飾演一名脾氣暴躁又盲眼的退休上校,看破人生醜態,原本計畫在一次假期中舉槍自盡,卻遇到善良又不願出賣朋友的男孩... 這是一部關於"勇氣"的電影...
學了多年英文,對 be 動詞的使用及變化大致了解,但對 be 動詞的"意義"卻不曾深思,也許因為考試通常不會考意義,只會考記憶...前幾年讀到一本書《"是"的哲學研究》,主要探討"是"這個概念,非常有趣,也好像為我找到某種驗證,對於我所關心的創造議題...
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基本上,be 動詞具有一種(狀態)連結或投射的作用,好像一個概念中的等號 "=",串連起兩個抽像世界。中文裡的 be 動詞包括"是、乃、即、為...",如 I "am" a teacher(我是一個老師),或 He "is" not hungry(他不餓)... 中文的否定詞放在 be 動詞前面("不"是),英文的否定詞放在後面(is "not"),這可看出民族思維的不同,因為他們把"not hungry"當成一件事(一個存在狀態),所以從文字的解讀應為"他(是)不餓的"。對西方老外來說,任何東西都"是",就算連"不是",也是一種肯定的"非"。
Who is the girl with the crying face looking at millions of signs? She knows that life is a running race, Her face shouldn't show any line.
*Melody Fair won't you comb your hair? You can be beautiful too. Melody Fair , remember you're only a woman . Melody Fair, remember you're only a girl. Ah...
Who is the girl at the window pane, watching the rain falling down? Melody, life isn't like the rain ; its just like a merry go round.
Morning has broken, like the first morning,
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird.
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning,
Praise for the springing fresh from the world.
Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning,
Born of the one light, Eden saw play.
Praise with elation, praise every morning,
God's recreation of the new day.
在生命面前,Forever Young 是需要勇氣的,這種勇氣不是跟隨潮流"假裝"自己還年輕,也不是憤世忌俗大嘆時不我予,更無需為了討好別人急著把自己交換出去,或努力把自己變成一塵不染的"樣品"讓後人懷念,而是在享受孤獨中,誠實面對生命的極限與替換,在倒數日之前,如修行者般"攪和"在人間,直到"無路可出(No Exit)"的"出口"為我開啟...
也許這是一種有"智慧"的勇氣,如歌詞所言:Hoping for the best by expecting the worst (用最壞的狀況去期待一個最好的希望)... 祝福大家。
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Let's dance in style Let's dance for a while Heaven can wait We're only watching the skies Hoping for the best by expecting the worst Are you going to drop the bomb or not?
Let us die young or let us live forever We don't have the power But we never say never Sitting in a sandpit Life is a short trip The music's for the sad men
Can you imagine when this race is won? Turn our golden faces into the sun Praising our leaders We're getting in tune The music's played by the madmen
*Forever young, I want to be forever young Do you really want to live forever Forever -- and ever
Some are like water Some are like the heat Some are a melody and some are the beat Sooner or later, they all will be gone Why don't they stay young?
It's so hard to get old without a cause I don't want to perish like a fading horse Youth's like diamonds in the sun And diamonds are forever
So many adventures couldn't happen today So many songs we forgot to play So many dreams swinging out of the blue We'll let them come true