Motown唱片故人凋零

前黑人歌唱界的大本營Motown唱片公司的老闆 Berry Gordy, Jr 的姐姐，也曾一度擔任該公司副總裁與執行長的Esther Gordy Edwards，8月24日在底特律去世（91歲），Esther晚年在該公司原址為Motown博物館的創設工作出力。這個培育出很多黑人歌唱界巨星的Motown唱片公司，已於1988年7月被MCA公司收購，1993年納入「寶麗金唱片」（PolyGram）旗下。


Motown唱片公司旗下的歌手、作曲人與製作人Nick Ashford8月22日在紐約去世（70歲），Nick 1963年與Valerie Simpson在教會認識，曾以Valerie & Nick之名灌唱片，但沒有走紅，後來他們的California Soul讓the 5th Dimension唱紅，另一首Let's Go Get Stoned甚至使Ray Charles在R&B排行榜獲得冠軍，這些成就使他們被吸收進Motown唱片公司，他們帶給Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell的暢銷曲有Ain't No Mountain High Enough、Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing、和You're All I Need To Get By等，甚至傳言Marvin Gaye 的搭擋已故的Tammi Terrell當年得腦瘤在醫療時有些歌是Valerie Simpson代唱的，Nick Ashford與Valerie Simpson這對曲詞搭擋也寫了不少歌給Diana Ross如：Reach Out And Touch、Remember Me與The Boss，還有Chaka Khan的I'm Every Woman，Nick 和Valerie 1973年改名Ashford & Simpson灌唱，曾經有8首歌進流行歌曲榜，35首歌進R&B榜，他們倆並於1874年結婚，1996年他們在紐約開了餐廳，並獲選進作曲家名人堂。

Ashford & Simpson最有名的歌是1985年暢銷曲 Solid，這首歌在流行榜獲得第12名，在 R&B則獲得冠軍。



Solid

Ashford & Simpson



Solid, solid as a rock

That's what this love is

That's what we've got



Solid

Solid as a rock

And nothing's changed it

The thrill is still

Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot



You didn't turn away

When the sky went gray

Somehow we managed

We had to stay together



You didn't bat an eye

When I made you cry

We knew down the line

We could make it better



And for love's sake

Each mistake you forgave

And soon both of us

Learn to trust



Not run away

It was no time to play

We build it up

Build it up

Build it up



And now it's solid

Solid as a rock

That's what this love is

That's what we've got



Solid, solid as a rock

And nothing's changed it

The thrill is still

Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot



Gone with the wind

Another friend got in between

And tried to separate us

Knock knock on wood

You understood

Love was so new

We did what we had to



And with that feeling

We were willing to take a chance

So against all odds

We made a start

We got serious

This wouldn't turn to dust

We build it up

Build it up

Build it up



And now it's solid

Solid as a rock

That's what this love is

That's what we've got



Solid, solid as a rock

And nothing's changed it

The thrill is still

Hot, hot, hot, hot, hot, hot

Solid

作詞人Jerry Leiber於洛杉磯去世

8月22日星期一 ，以貓王Elvis Presley的暢銷曲"Hound Dog" 、"Jailhouse Rock"和 "Kansas City" "Charlie Brown" 與"Love Potion #9"這些歌出名的作詞人Jerry Leiber於洛杉磯去世（78歲），Jerry Leiber出生於巴爾第摩，他與搭擋Mike Stoller儘管是白種猶太人，但都喜歡黑人的R＆B歌曲，他門先後開過Spark Records 與Red Birds Records 二家唱片公司，培養了the Drifters、 Ben E. King 、 Jay & the Americans 與the Shangri-Las 、 Dixie Cups 這些有名的團体，名曲則有"There Goes My Baby"、 "Young Blood"、 "Searchin'"、 "Spanish Harlem"、 "Ruby Baby"、 "Yakety Yak"、 "Black Denim Trousers"、 "Hard Headed Woman" 、"On Broadway"、 "Only In America" 和"Is That All There Is." 等，Jerry Leiber與Mike Stoller 這二位詞曲搭檔在1987年先後被選入作曲家名人堂與搖滾樂名人堂，2009年還出版了他們的自傳。


貓王的Hound Dog這首歌與唱片反面的Don't Be Cruel在1957年曾獲11週冠軍，是滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜第19名的歌，也是搖滾樂紀元的1955年至1959年的1950年代冠軍歌曲。

Hound Dog這首歌貓王Elvis Presley最早在拉斯維加斯聽Willa "Big Mama" Thornton唱過，後來自己翻唱大受歡迎。



Hound Dog



-Artist: Elvis Presley

-Words and Music by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller



You ain't nothin' but a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit

And you ain't no friend of mine



Well they said you was high-classed

Well, that was just a lie

Yeah they said you was high-classed

Well, that was just a lie

Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit

And you ain't no friend of mine



You ain't nothin' but a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit

And you ain't no friend of mine







Well they said you was high-classed

Well, that was just a lie

Yeah they said you was high-classed

Well, that was just a lie

Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit

And you ain't no friend of mine







Well they said you was high-classed

Well, that was just a lie

Ya know they said you was high-classed

Well, that was just a lie

Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit

And you ain't no friend of mine



You ain't nothin' but a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

You ain't nothin' but a hound dog

Cryin' all the time

Well, you ain't never caught a rabbit

You ain't no friend of mine

David Essex仍活躍於影視圈

David Essex最近辭掉英國肥皂劇Eastenders的演出以重新去搞他喜歡的音樂，他之前五個月都在該劇中出現，預定有他演出的最後播出日將在10月11日。


David Essex 1947年出生於倫敦，本名David Cook，1970年開始就在英國演過很多電影，在流行歌曲排行榜最有名的歌是1973年第5名的Rock On。



Rock On

David Essex



Hey kids rock and roll,

Rock on, ooh my soul

Hey kids boogey too, did ya



Hey shout, summertime blues,

Jump up and down in my blue suede shoes

Hey kids rock and roll, rock on



And where do we go from here?

Which is the way that's clear



Still looking for that blue jean, baby queen

Prettiest girl I've ever seen

See her shake on the movie screen, Jimmy Dean

James Dean, rock on

Kiss吉它手老來得女

Kiss 合唱團的吉它手Paul Stanley老來得女，他太太Erin 8月9日生了他們第三個小孩Emily，Paul Stanley出生於1952年1月20日，現在照中國人的講法已經60歲做祖父的年紀了，不過還是恭喜他啦。
Kiss 合唱團是於紐約組成的重搖滾劇場樂團，除Paul Stanley之外另一位首席吉它手是Ace Frehley，貝斯手Gene Simmons，鼓手Peter Criss，團員們都能唱，他們早年以有點像我們中國人唱平劇般的化妝在劇場表演知名，1983年在團員經過一番更替後才首度以真面目出現在專輯Lick It Up封面上。
Kiss 合唱團是歷年暢銷歌星與合唱團排行榜第 242名的團体，除了1976年獲得第7名的抒情歌Beth之外，他們有另外一首Top10的歌，1990年第8名的Forever。

Forever

I gotta tell you what I'm feelin' inside, I could lie to myself, but it's true
There's no denying when I look in your eyes, girl I'm out of my head over you
I lived so long believin' all love is blind
But everything about you is tellin' me this time

Chorus: It's forever, this time I know and there's no doubt in my mind
Forever, until my life is thru, girl I'll be lovin' you forever

I hear the echo of a promise I made
When you're strong you can stand on your own
But those words grow distant as I look at your face
No, I don't wanna go it alone
I never thought I'd lay my heart on the line
But everything about you is tellin' me this time

chorus - yeah!

I see my future when I look in your eyes
It took your love to make my heart come alive
Cos I lived my life believin' all love is blind
But everything about you is tellin' me this time

chorus repeats 2x

Smokey Robinson獲艾拉獎

黑人靈魂歌后Aretha Franklin 九月12日將在華盛頓甘迺迪中心獲得一項由Thelonius Monk Institute所頒發的爵士樂締造者獎。另外Smokey Robinson則將於九月19日於比佛利山獲得由歌唱家協會所頒發的艾拉獎，這個獎名是紀念已故爵士女歌手Ella Fitzgerald.。


Smokey Robinson 1940年出生於底特律，是著名的歌星與作曲人，學生時代就組了The Miracles（當時叫The Matadors）合唱團，他寫了非常多首歌給黑人靈魂歌曲的大本營Motown唱片公司的歌星們，1985-1988年還當過Motown的副總裁。Smokey Robinson自己的作品也相當多，其中名次最好的是1981年獲5週冠軍的Being With You。

Smokey Robinson個人於1972年離開The Miracles後在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第189名，但他與The Miracles合作時代的成績更好，是歷年暢銷歌星合唱團排行榜獲得第44名的超級R＆B合唱團，當年的Shop Around、You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me、The Tracks Of Tears、I Second That Emotion與The Tears Of A Clown都是黑人靈魂歌曲歌迷們耳熟能詳的歌。



Being With You



I don't care what they think of me

And I don't care what they say

I don't care what they think if you're leavin'

I'm gonna beg you to stay

I don't care if they start to avoid me

I don't care what they do

I don't care about anything else

But bein' with you

Bein' with you

Honey, don't go

Don't leave this scene

Be out of the picture

And off of the screen

Don't let them say

We told you so

They tell me you love me

And then let me go

I heard the warnin' voice

From friends and my relations

They tell me all about your

Heart-break reputation

But I don't care what they think about me

And I don't care what they say, no

I don't care what they think if you're leavin'

I'm gonna beg you to stay

I don't care if they start to avoid me

I don't care what they do

I don't care about anything else

But bein' with you

Bein' with you

People can change they always do

Haven't they noticed the changes in you

Or can it be that like love I am blind

Do I want it so much

'Til it's all in my mind

One thing I know for sure

It's really, really, real

I never felt before

The way you make me feel

I don't care what they think about me

And I don't care what they say

I don't care what they think if you're leavin'

I'm gonna beg you to stay

I don't care if they start to avoid me

I don't care what they do

I don't care about anything else

But bein' with you

Bein' with you

Bein' with you

Bein' with you

I don't care about anything else

But bein' with you

Bein' with you

Bein' with you

歌迷懷念John Denver

儘管數以千計的民眾簽名請求將科羅拉多州Aspen西部的Sopris山改名為John Denver，但美國主管地名的委員會已表示他們將拒絕此項計畫，John Denver寫過且唱紅Rocky Mountain High這首歌，委員會指出聯邦政策反對在荒野地區的土地重新命名，不過覆核申請書已送交委員會，他們可以花一年的時間決定，當地的民調顯示 74%的居民反對這一構想，目前的Sopris山因紀念某一任丹佛市長而命名，他早年在當地領導過民眾採礦。


John Denver 1943年出生於新墨西哥州，1997年10月12日因駕輕航機失事在加州海岸喪生（53歲），他早年是民謠合唱團Chad Mitchell Trio的一員，後來寫過另一個民謠合唱團Peter Paul And Mary的名曲Leaving On A Jet Plane，1971 年John終於以Take Me Home Country Road成名。

John Denver 1977年與喬治伯恩斯主演過一部叫Oh God的電影，這部片子裡John Denver沒有唱歌，故事是說上帝下凡叫他做一些事…，我是後來買到DVD才看過這部電影。

John Denver作品很多，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第86名，是1970年代影視圈的紅人。

Rocky Mountain High 1972年曾獲第9名。



Rocky Mountain High



He was born in the summer of his 27th year,

coming home to a place he'd never been before.

He left yesterday behind him

you might say he was born again,

might say he found a key for every door.

When he first came to the mountains

His life was far away

on the road and hanging by a song.

But the strings already broken

and he doesn't really care,

it keeps changin' fast, and it don't last for long.

It's a Colorado Rocky Mountain High,

I've seen it raining fire in the sky

The shadows from the starlight are softer than a lullabye.

Rocky Mountain High, ...in Colorado....

Rocky Mountain High.



He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below,

saw everything as far as you can see.

And they say that he got crazy once and that he

tried to touch the sun,

and he lost a friend, but kept the memory.

Now he walks in quiet solitude, the forest and the stream,

seeking grace in every step he takes,

his sight is turned inside himself, to try and

understand, the serenity of a clear blue mountain lake.



And the Colorado Rocky Mountain High,

I've seen it raining fire in the sky

You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply.

Rocky Mountain High, ....in Colorado....

Rocky Mountain High.



Now his life is full of wonder,

but his heart still knows some fear,

of the simple things he can not comprehend.

Why they try to tear the mountains down

to bring in a couple more.

More people, more scars upon the land.



It's the Colorado Rocky Mountain High,

I've seen it raining fire in the sky

I know he'd be a poorer man if he never saw an Eagle fly

Rocky mountain high

It's the Colorado Rocky Mountain High,

I've seen it raining fire in the sky.

Friend around the camp fire and everybody's high....

Rocky Mountain High, Rocky Mountain High,

Rocky Mountain High,

Rocky Mountain High.

Bobby Goldsboro開畫展

Bobby Goldsboro的畫展這個月在佛羅里達州Ft. Meyers展出，Bobby於8月5日舉辦了開幕典禮，而次日他拍賣一幅畫捐做公益。


Bobby Goldsboro 1941年出生於佛羅里達州Marianna，1962-1964年曾與著名的歌手Roy Orbison一同巡迴演出，1972-1975年他有自己的電視節目The Bobby Goldsboro Show。
Bobby Goldsboro有不少抒情歌曲相當動聽，如：See The Funny Little Clown、Blue Autumn、Autumn Of My Life、The Straight Life、I’m A Driffter與Watching Scotty Grow等，1968年的5週冠軍曲Honey是他名次最好的歌。

Bobby Goldsboro在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第195名。



Honey

(Bobby Russel)

See the tree, how big it's grown

But friend it hasn't been too long

It wasn't big

I laughed at her and she got mad

The first day that she planted it, was just a twig

Then the first snow came

And she ran out to brush the snow away

So it wouldn't die

Came runnin' in all excited

Slipped and almost hurt herself

And I laughed till I cried

She was always young at heart

Kinda dumb and kinda smart and I loved her so

And I surprised her with a puppy

Kept me up all Christmas Eve two years ago

And it would sure embarrass her

When I came in from workin' late

'Cause I would know

That she'd been sittin' there and cryin'

Over some sad and silly late, late show

And honey, I miss you

And I'm bein' good

And I'd love to be with you

If only I could

She wrecked the car and she was sad

And so afraid that I'd be mad

But what the heck

Though I pretended hard to be

Guess you could say she saw through me

And hugged my neck

I came home unexpectedly

And caught her cryin' needlessly

In the middle of the day

And it was in the early Spring

When flowers bloom and robins sing

She went away

And honey, I miss you

And I'm bein' good

And I'd love to be with you

If only I could

One day while I was not at home

While she was there and all alone

The angels came

Now all I have is memories of Honey

And I wake up nights and call her name

Now my life's an empty stage

Where Honey lived and Honey played

And love grew up

And a small cloud passes overhead

And cries down on the flower bed

That Honey loved

And see the tree how big it's grown

But friend it hasn't been too long

It wasn't big

And I laughed at her and she got mad

The first day that she planted it, was just a twig

Olivia Newton-John為環保抗爭

Olivia Newton-John 7月31日發表一封公開信給媒体，譴責煤氣的開採，她呼籲澳大利亞政府禁止煤氣的勘探和開採，直到健康、社會和環境風險充分探討過，Olivia在澳洲北海岸擁有二處房地產，其中之一是一個豪華的健身渡假中心。


Olivia Newton-John出生於英國劍橋，在澳洲墨爾本長大，祖父是德國諾貝爾獎得主物理學家Max Born，她16歲時因才藝比賽得冠軍得到機會去英國旅行而踏入歌壇，1970年代初期開始的二十年間有不少暢銷曲，還與John Travolta合作過Grease「火爆浪子」、Xanadu「仙納杜的狂熱」等出名的電影，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜上是第33名的巨星。

Olivia Newton-John在自己演的電影裡唱了不少插曲，其中與John Travolta合唱的You’re The One That I Want於1978年曾獲排行榜冠軍。



You're The One That I Want

I got chills.

They're multiplyin'.

And I'm losin' control.

'Cause the power

you're suplyin',

it's electrifyin'!

You better shape up,

'cause I need a man

and my heart is set on you.

You better shape up;

you better understand

to my heart I must be true.

Nothin' left, nothin' left for me to do.

You're the one that I want.

(you are the one i want), o,o, oo, honey.

The one that I want.

(you are the one i want), o,o,oo, honey.

The one that I want

You, o,o, oo

are what I need.

Oh, yes indeed.

If you're filled

with affection

you're to shy to convey,

meditate in my direction.

Feel your way.

I better shape up,

'cause you need a man

i need a man

who can keep me satisfied.

I better shape up

if I'm gonna prove

oh you better prove

that my faith is justified.

Are you sure? Yes, I'm sure down deep inside.

You're the one that I want.

You, o,o, oo, honey.

The one that I want.

You, o,o,oo, honey.

The one that I want

You, oo, oo

are what I need.

Oh, yes indeed.