吳小毛的境象劇場

夏天是個"社會性"的季節，處處充滿"他者"的活動想像，宛如集體儀式... 於是，路邊鳳凰花開得火紅，樹上蟬鳴不斷，連水邊的青蛙都叫得特別大聲，人們爭奇鬥艷，快速從一個地方移動到另一個地方，大家忙著開始與結束，也忙著"看與被看"...

今天推薦德國樂團 Topas：Days of Summer (1980)

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在學校工作久了，突然發現我的"季節感"竟大多來自"學制"。這種以學期(semester)為單位的季節概念也制約了家中有小孩在唸書的家庭，紛紛需要為此安排特別活動... 於是夏天與"暑假"畫上等號，這個合法放假的日子讓夏天的"社會性"更加明顯。

曾為此感到興奮與沮喪，興奮的是發現自己竟然是透過"暑假"來認識夏天，然而沮喪也是如此，因為這種社會性期待總是讓"夏天"的印象被熱鬧的活動所取代，深怕辜負了"假期"... 從來沒想過教育的影響竟然連季節都不放過，如此理所當然且讓人不知不覺。

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Topas (黃玉合唱團)曾在台灣風靡一時，但在當時並非主流曲風，吉普賽風格的吉他編曲讓悶熱的夏天多了一絲涼意...

Days of summer your end is in sight
so herald the birds on the wing.
Look to the heaven and see how they fly
and hear well the song that they sing.

Southwards they're flying, their home left behind
unchained by the nests that they've made.
They're following the sun as they always have done
not waiting, not wanting, not afraid.

Ask now yourself what your goal is in life,
that's holding you tight as a chain.
Prisoned by progress, desire and greed,
have you traded your freedom for gain?

Trained to be tame from the day you were born,
you can still brake away if you try.
So fight against drudgery, you're relly a man,
awaken and look to the sky.