最先成名的搖滾樂團Comets

美國流行歌曲排行榜第一首搖滾樂冠軍曲是1955年由Bill Haley And His Comets所唱的rock around the clock。

Comets合唱團原名Saddlemen，它的團員貝司手Marshall Lytle五月25日因肺癌於佛羅里達州故鄉Port Richie去世（80歲） ，Marshall少年時即加入這個團体擔任低音吉它手，他創造的打擊樂器表演方式，讓當年有些合唱團甚至因而不設鼓手，他的詼諧表演-如像騎馬式的彈貝司吉它，有很多同行模彷，其中包括貓王的貝司手Bill Black。

Marshall Lytle與Bill Haley合寫了1953年的暢銷曲"Crazy Man, Crazy" (#12)，這是第一首進入美國流行歌曲排行榜的搖滾樂，而他也參加了"Rock Around The Clock" (#1-1955), "Shake, Rattle & Roll" (#7-1954), "Dim, Dim The Lights" (#11-1955) 與 "Birth Of The Boogie" (#17-1955)這些經典歌曲的演出。

Marshall Lytle 1955年因經濟問題與Bill Haley分手，他籌組了the Jodimars合唱團，但出的唱片成績都不理想，後來只好轉到賭城拉斯維加表演。1960年代初期他改名Tommy Page，轉做房地產和室內裝潢。1987年他參加了Comets的重返歌壇演唱會，此後20年也順勢留下來沒再離開。

Marshall Lytle與Comets合唱團的原始團員於2012年被選入搖滾樂名人堂，彌補了1987年只有Bill Haley個人進搖滾樂名人堂的遺憾。

Bill Haley於1981年因心臟並去世 （55歲）。

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-qjc17KEsc

 

Rock Around The Clock

 

One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock, rock,
Five, six, seven o'clock, eight o'clock, rock,
Nine, ten, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, rock,
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight.

Put your glad rags on and join me, hon,
We'll have some fun when the clock strikes one,
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.

When the clock strikes two, three and four,
If the band slows down we'll yell for more,
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.

(1st guitar solo)

When the chimes ring five, six and seven,
We'll be right in seventh heaven.
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.

When it's eight, nine, ten, eleven too,
I'll be goin' strong and so will you.
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.

(2nd guitar solo)

When the clock strikes twelve, we'll cool off then,
Start a rockin' round the clock again.
We're gonna rock around the clock tonight,
We're gonna rock, rock, rock, 'til broad daylight.
We're gonna rock, gonna rock, around the clock tonight.

70年代歌星Alan O'Day病逝

歌手兼作曲人Alan O'Day五月17日因腦瘤病逝於加州Westwood家中（72歲） ，Alan O'Day於1977年以冠軍曲"Undercover Angel"出名，其實他在排行榜上也只有這首歌在排行榜前十名留下記錄，但是他寫了許多首大家耳熟能詳的歌，如Reddy的 "Angie Baby" (#1-1974), Cher的"Train of Thought" (#27-1974)和the Righteous Brothers的暢銷曲 "Rock And Roll Heaven" (#3-1974)。

南加州長大的Alan O'Day，也說鄉村音樂之都Nashville是他家鄉，他曾經替電視卡通影集"Muppet Babies"寫過超過一百首插曲，也替迪士尼的"The Little Murmaid."「小美人魚」 寫過一首歌。

包括Olivia Newton-John,  the 5th Dimension,  Tom Jones, Tony Orlando ,  Paul Anka 這些來過台北的歌星們，都唱過Alan O'Day寫的歌，他生前最後一項規劃，是準備替獨立製片的一齣新作"You Don't Say"寫主題曲。

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMW5xam4sRo

 

ALAN O'DAY
"Undercover Angel"

Yeah, yeah

Cryin' on my pillow
Lonely in my bed
Then I heard a voice beside me
And she softly said
"Thunder is your night light"
"Magic is your dream"
And as I held her
She said, "See what I mean"

I said "Whaaaat"
She said "Ooo-ooo-ooo-wee"
I said "All right"
She said "Love me, love me, love me"

Undercover angel
Midnight fantasy
I never had a dream
That made sweet love to me
Undercover angel
The answer to my prayer
You made me know
That there's a love for me out there
(Somewhere)
Yeah, somewhere

Heavenly surrender
Sweet afterglow
(Undercover)
Givin' up my heart to you
Now, angel, don't go
She said, "Go find the right one
"Love her and then"
"When you look into her eyes"
"You'll see me again"

I said "Whaaaat"
She said "Ooo-ooo-ooo-wee"
I said "All right"
She said "Love me, love me, love me"

Undercover angel
Midnight fantasy
I never had a dream
That made sweet love to me
Undercover angel
The answer to my prayer
You made me know
That there's a love for me out there
(Somewhere)
Oh, somewhere

Now you know my story
And girl, if it's right
I'm gonna take you in my arms
And love you tonight
Underneath the covers
The answer lies
Lookin' for my angel
In your sweet lovin' eyes

She said, "Whaaat"
I said, "Ooo-oo-oo-wee"
She said, "All right"
I said, "Love me, love me, love me"
She said, "Whaaat"
I said, "Ooo-oo-oo-wee"
She said, "All right"
I said, "Love me, love me, love me"

Undercover angel
Midnight fantasy
I never had a dream
that made sweet love to me
Undercover angel
The answer to my prayer
You made me know
That there's a love for me
Love me, love me, love me

Undercover angel
Midnight fantasy
I never had a dream
That made sweet love to me
Undercover angel
The answer to my prayer
You made me know that
There's a love for me...

 

Paul McCartney支持保護動物活動

 

前批頭合唱團團員Paul McCartney持續支持Cruelty Free International這個反動物實驗測試，保護動物權益組織所辦的活動，他們也將於世界各地宣導反對以動物測試化粧品的議題。今年三月歐盟在BUAV（British Union For The Abolition Of Vivisection）這個廢除活体解剖組織的推動下，舉辦了類似活動，而且獲得成效。BUAV也是Cruelty Free International的創始者。

Paul McCartney在一項聲明中表示：他近年來一直支持這個組織為反對以動物測試化粧品所舉辦的活動，他也很高興能參與這個團体，並恭賀Cruelty Free International的主張，已經在歐盟國家獲得認同。

Paul McCartney說：雖然他們的努力已獲得極大成果，但動物依然遭受到苦難，因為全世界還有百分之八十的地區允許以動物測試化粧品，他們繼續努力是希望全世界都禁止以動物測試化粧品，他們希望自己的美勿建於動物的苦難之上。

允許以動物測試化粧品的國家還有美國、中國、澳洲、日本、印度與韓國。在中國和有些國家，化粧品上市之前必需通過動物測試這一關。

Cruelty Free International的執行長Michelle Thew表示：他們很感謝這些年來Paul McCartney給他們在歐盟國家辦活動時的協助，更高興他繼續支持該組織在全世界推動勿以動物測試化粧品。

其他支持這個議題的名流還有歌手Joss Stone，演員Peter Dinklage與諧星Ricky Gervais。

前批頭合唱團四名團員目前僅存Paul McCartney與鼓手Ringo Starr，1942年出生於英國利物浦的Paul McCartney，雖然已年過七十，但似無退休跡象，歌迷們仍可在世界各地演唱會裡欣賞到他的精彩演出。

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwO3YElKk9Y

天主教團体譴責David Bowie的新MV

David Bowie的新專輯The Next Day當中的主打歌影帶已招致美國天主教團体的憤慨。

這個很天主教導向的音樂影帶才推出不久，天主教聯盟的主席Bill Donohue就在官網上發文譴責David Bowie與這個音樂影帶。

Donohue於文中表示：David Bowie又來了，但希望別來太久，這個從倫敦來的双性戀又重出江湖了，他化妝成像耶穌般的角色，在夜店裡與神父、牧師、主教等瞎混，還有半裸的女子在裡面。

Donohue經一翻憤怒的表白後，結論說這個藝人只能以一團糟來形容，他覺得David Bowie對宗教的觀念錯誤，他說2003年David Bowie在一次訪問中曾談到藏傳佛教，David引用尼采、撒旦等的內容，顯示他的無知，但David Bowie又說他不是無神論者，表示他還有救。

David Bowie 1947年出生於倫敦，是歷年暢銷歌星排行榜第140名的巨星，1973年他以Space Oddity在美國走紅，1970年代亦曾演過幾齣電影，他在排行榜名次最好的歌是1975年二週冠軍的Fame。

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wL9NUZRZ4I&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7wL9NUZRZ4I&has_verified=1

鄉村歌星George Jones去世

鄉村歌唱界傳奇歌星George Jones四月26日於田納西州納許維爾去世，之前他已告訴歌迷他患重病且血壓不正常。

81歲的George Jones有166首歌進過鄉村歌曲排行榜，其中有十首冠軍曲，另外也有6首歌進入過流行歌曲排行榜，其中最為歌迷熟知的是1980年獲得Grammy鄉村男歌星獎，後來在滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜獲得第336名的"He Stopped Loving Her Today"。

George Jones留給人的印象還有他和鄉村歌后Tammy Wynette的一段1969 至 1975年不穩定的婚姻（Tammy Wynette綽號The First Lady Of Country Music，暢銷曲很多，已於1998年去世）。另外George Jones的酗酒導致錯失很多場演唱會，讓他被人取了綽號  "No Show Jones"。而歌迷們亦珍藏他早年以Hank Smith 和Thumper Jones之名所錄的唱片。

George Jones與Tammy Wynette離婚後深受打擊，一直到1980年因為"He Stopped Loving Her Today"這首歌的成功才重新振作起來，1983年他和Nancy  Sepulvado再婚，讓他終於與酗酒和嗑藥說再見，George Jones於1990年與MCA唱片公司簽約，並持續有新作推出，1992年獲選進入鄉村歌曲名人堂。

去年（2012）底 George Jones宣佈了他的告別演唱會計劃，他預訂於今年11月22日於納許維爾的Bridgestone Arena辦一場包括Kenny Rogers、Charlie Daniels、Randy Travis等鄉村巨星參與的超級演唱會，可惜他無法參加了。

George Jones與太太Nancy相知相愛三十年，在George Jones離去之時和親友陪伴左右。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYQViYm92hg

 

He Stopped Loving Her Today  

George Jones

Written by R. V. Braddock and C. Putman, Jr.

He said I'll love you 'til I die
She told him you'll forget in time
As the years went slowly by
She still preyed upon his mind

He kept her picture on his wall
Went half crazy now and then
He still loved her through it all
Hoping she'd come back again

Kept some letters by his bed
Dated 1962
He had underlined in red
Every single I love you

I went to see him just today
Oh but I didn't see no tears
All dressed up to go away
First time I'd seen him smile in years

(Chorus)
He stopped loving her today
They placed a wreath upon his door
And soon they'll carry him away
He stopped loving her today

(Spoken)
You know she came to see him one last time
Oh and we all wondered if she would
And it kept running through my mind
This time he's over her for good

(Repeat Chorus)