Billy Paul一曲成名

來自費城，1972年以"Me And Mrs. Jones"成名的靈魂歌手Billy Paul，四月24日於家鄉去世 (81歲)，一週前他才診斷發現罹患胰臟癌，沒想到這麼快即過世。

Billy Paul 本名Paul Williams，他於11歲時即開始了演唱生涯，當時他是在廣播電台唱歌，從西費城音樂學校畢業後，他又去Granoff音樂學院進修，當時很多表演活動已經找他唱開場，而他也改名Billy Paul。

1952年他錄了第一張單曲唱片，但因被徵召入伍，演唱生由因而延後，Billy Paul和貓王Elvis Presley同時在西德當兵，退伍後他錄了一些爵士唱片，成績還差強人意，1968年他遇到製作人Kenny Gamble，並和一家新唱片公司簽約，他和 Kenny Gamble及Leon Huff製作搭檔合作錄唱片，但成績不是很好，直到製作人組了Philadelphia International唱片公司，Billy Paul的"Me And Mrs. Jones"透過CBS發行才獲得排行榜冠軍與金唱片，還得到Grammy最佳R&B男歌星演唱獎。

"Me And Mrs. Jones"是Billy Paul 唯一排行榜前三十名的暢銷曲，接著推出的"Am I Black Enough For You" 與 "Let's Make A Baby"都因內容有爭議名次不好。

Billy Paul在R&B排行榜有 12首暢銷曲, 但是"Thanks For Saving My Life" (#9-1974)是他唯一進前十名的歌。

Billy Paul於1989年宣布退休，但是他持續在演唱會裡演出，2000時還推出過一張現場演唱專輯。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWOTdt9Bovk

Me And Mrs. Jones

Billy Paul

Me and Mrs. Jones

we've got a thing going on.

We both know that it's wrong,

but it's much too strong

to let it go now.

We meet every day

at the same café

6:30 I know - I know she'll be there.

Holding hands, making all kinds of plans

while the jukebox play our favourite song.

(Chorus)

Me and – Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones...

we've got a thing going on.

We both know that it's wrong,

but it's much too strong

to let it go now.

We've gotta be extra careful

That we don't build our hopes up too high.

'Cause she's got her own obligations

and so – and so do I...

(Chorus)

Me and – Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones...

we've got a thing going on.

We both know that it's wrong,

but it's much too strong

to let it go now.

Well it's time for us to be leaving

It hurts so much - it hurts so much inside

Now she'll go her way

And I'll go mine.

Tomorrow we'll meet the same place –

the same time.

(Chorus)

Me and – Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Jones...

we've got a thing going on.

We've gotta be extra careful.

We can't afford to build our hopes up too high.

I wanna meet,

and talk with you,

at the same place,

the same café,

the same time

And we're gonna hold hands like we used to

We're gonna talk it over, talk it over

We know, they know, and you know and I know

that it was wrong

But I'll make it strong...

We've gotta let 'em know now

We've got a thing going on

thing going on...

Prince猝死

在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第17名的紅歌星Prince，四月21日在明尼蘇達州他的Paisley Park住所猝死，57歲的他上周即因流感去伊里諾州Moline就醫。本名Prince Rogers Nelson的他因"When Doves Cry" (1984), "Let's Go Crazy" (1984), "Kiss" (1986), "Batdance" (1989) 及"Cream" (1991)這些冠軍曲為人熟知。

Prince於1957年出生於明尼蘇達州Minneapolis，因父親是the Prince Roger的領隊，所以取名Prince Rogers Nelson，音樂的成就全來自於自學，初中時代他就很有天分的組過Grand Central樂隊，1978年即出了第一張專輯唱片。

Prince曾主演過Purple Rain、Under The Cherry Moon、Sign｀O＇The Times及Graffiti Bridge等幾部電影，自己開了Paisley Park公司，並組了The Revolutio合唱團， 1990年另組The New Power Generation他搭檔。

Prince除了唱歌之外也能玩多種樂器，能作曲並擔任製作人，作品極多，是1984年的冠軍歌星，電影Purple Rain的插曲"When Doves Cry"是他在排行榜上名次最好的歌，獲得過五周排行榜冠軍，也是滾石雜誌五百大歌曲榜第52名的名曲。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYVOrzv61Yg

When Doves Cry Lyrics

Songwriters: NELSON, PRINCE ROGERS

Dig if you will the picture

Of you and I engaged in a kiss

The sweat of your body covers me

Can you my darling

Can you picture this?

Dream if you can a courtyard

An ocean of violets in bloom

Animals strike curious poses

They feel the heat

The heat between me and you

How can you just leave me standing?

Alone in a world that's so cold? (So cold)

Maybe I'm just too demanding

Maybe I'm just like my father too bold

Maybe you're just like my mother

She's never satisfied (She's never satisfied)

Why do we scream at each other

This is what it sounds like

When doves cry

Touch if you will my stomach

Feel how it trembles inside

You've got the butterflies all tied up

Don't make me chase you

Even doves have pride

How can you just leave me standing?

Alone in a world so cold? (World so cold)

Maybe I'm just too demanding

Maybe I'm just like my father too bold

Maybe you're just like my mother

She's never satisfied (She's never satisfied)

Why do we scream at each other

This is what it sounds like

When doves cry

How can you just leave me standing?

Alone in a world that's so cold? (A world that's so cold)

Maybe I'm just too demanding (Maybe, maybe I'm like my father)

Maybe I'm just like my father too bold (Ya know he's too bold)

Maybe you're just like my mother (Maybe you're just like my mother)

She's never satisfied (She's never, never satisfied)

Why do we scream at each other (Why do we scream, why)

This is what it sounds like

When doves cry

When doves cry (Doves cry, doves cry)

When doves cry (Doves cry, doves cry)

Don't cry (Don't Cry)

When doves cry

When doves cry

When doves cry

When doves cry (Doves cry, doves cry, doves cry

Don't cry

Darling don't cry

Don't cry

Don't cry

Don't don't cry

一曲合唱團The Tempos

老牌合唱團The Tempos的主唱歌手Mike Lazo四月12日去世 (83歲)。

來自賓州匹茲堡的這一個混聲合唱團只有一首暢銷曲，即1959年得到第23名的"See You In September"，這一首歌唱過的人很多，其中Happenings所唱的成績最好，曾獲得第三名。

在星際大戰大導演喬治·盧卡斯導演的1973年電影《美國風情畫》（American Graffiti）當中曾選入這一首歌。

《美國風情畫》在AFI百年百大電影排行榜獲得第62名，此部電影是美國青少年「校園電影」類型第一部，片中有很多當年的暢銷曲，歌迷們不可不看。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRGLjzFHa40

See You In September

I'll be alone each and every night

While you're away, don't forget to write

Bye-bye, so long, farewell

Bye-bye, so long

See you in September

See you when the summer's through

Here we are (bye, baby, goodbye)

Saying goodbye at the station (bye, baby, goodbye)

Summer vacation (bye, baby bye, baby)

Is taking you away (bye, baby, goodbye)

Have a good time but remember

There is danger in the summer moon above

Will I see you in September

Or lose you to a summer love

(counting the days 'til I'll be with you)

(counting the hours and the minutes, too)

Bye, baby, goodbye

Bye, baby, goodbye

Bye, baby, goodbye (bye-bye, so long, farewell)

Bye, baby, goodbye (bye-bye, so long)

Have a good time but remember

There is danger in the summer moon above

Will I see you in September

Or lose you to a summer love

(I'll be alone each and every night)

(While you're away, don't forget to write)

See you (bye-bye, so long, farewell)

In September (bye-bye, so long, farewell)

I'm hopin' I'll

See you (bye-bye, so long, farewell)

In September (bye-bye, so long, farewell)

Well, maybe I'll

See you (bye-bye, so long, farewell)

In September (bye-bye, so long, farewell)

Tom Jones 的老婆去世

Tom Jones 的老婆Melinda Rose ("Linda")四月10日因癌症在洛杉磯去世 (75歲)，Tom已經取消亞洲巡迴演唱。Tom Jones夫妻兩16歲的時候在威爾斯結婚，婚姻持續59年，他們的兒子現在擔任Tom的經紀人。

Tom Jones本名Thomas Jones Wooward，1940年出生於南威爾斯Pontypidd，在老家俱樂部演唱時叫Tommy Scott，1963年組成The Senators合唱團，1964年開始個人的演藝生涯。1969-1971年有了自己主持的綜藝節目。

Tom Jones有很多暢銷曲，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第109名，其中名次最好的是1971年的She's lady，獲得過排行榜第2名。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvmyTZEqlo8

 She's A Lady   Tom Jones

Well, she's all you'd ever want

 She's the kind I like to flaunt and take to dinner

 But she always knows her place

 She's got style, she's got grace--she's a winner

 She's a lady

 Oh, whoa, whoa, she's a lady

 Talkin' about that little lady

 And the lady is mine

 Well, she's never in the way

 Always something nice to say, and what a blessin'

 I can leave her on her own

 Knowin' she's OK alone and there's no messin'

 She's a lady

 Oh, whoa, whoa, she's a lady

 Talkin' about that little lady

 And the lady is mine

 Well, she never asks very much

 And I don't refuse her

 Always treat her with respect

 I never would abuse her

 What she's got is hard to find

 And I don't want to lose her

 Help me build a mountain

 From a little pile of clay, hey hey hey

 Well, she knows what I'm about

 She can take what I dish out, and that's not easy

 But she knows me through and through

 And she knows just what to do and how to please me

 She's a lady

 Oh, whoa, whoa, she's a lady

 Talkin' about that little lady

 And the lady is mine

 Yeah, yeah, yeah, she's a lady

 Oh, whoa, whoa, she's a lady

 Talkin' about that little lady

 And the lady is mine

 (fade out)

Billy別當英雄

12月17日曾在本專欄介紹﹔｢鄉村歌星Merle Haggard 12月2 日因肺炎住院，他取消了四個城市的巡迴演唱，但是希望下週能恢復巡迴演出｣。但四個月後，Merle Haggard終於不敵病魔於四月六日去世(79歲)，一位令人懷念的鄉村歌手。

Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods的主唱與小喇叭手Mike Gibbons四月二日去世，1965年當他們還是高中生的時候，就組成了這個合唱團，1970年代初期他們曾替the Osmonds唱開場，讓他們有了比較正式的開始。

雖然1972年他們曾用"The Heywoods"的團名在故鄉辛辛那提的Family Productions公司灌過一張單曲"Special Someone"，但只獲得過64名，後來和ABC唱片公司簽約後，公司決定將主鍵琴手Robert "Bo" Donaldson的名字放在團名前，沒想到從此改運。

1974年Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods翻唱了Paper Lace的 "Billy, Don't Be A Hero"，獲得了二周排行榜冠軍，接推出的"Who Do You Think You Are (#15-1974) 及"The Heartbreak Kid" (#39-1974)成績都還可以，但"Our Last Song Together" (#95-1975)就很慘了，而且就像歌名講的，他們真的分手了，之後改名the Bo Donaldson Band之後他們不再有歌進入排行榜，即使再改名River Bend去鄉村歌唱界發展，也喚不回往日的榮光了。

Bo Donaldson & the Heywoods於1980年代解散，1996年團員們曾復合一同唱老歌。

"Billy, Don't Be A Hero"是一首有趣的歌，南北戰爭期間Billy在街頭加入行軍隊伍去從軍，雖然未婚妻叫他別走，別相當英雄...，最後她收到一封信，Billy戰死了，他是英雄，她應該以Billy為榮。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnCFfnLmB94

Billy, Don't Be A Hero

Songwriters

 CALLANDER, PETER / MURRAY, MITCH

The marchin' band came down along Maine Street

 The soldier blues fell in behind

 I looked across and there I saw Billy

 Waiting to go and join the line

And with her head upon his shoulder

 His young and lovely fiance

 From where I stood I saw she was cryin'

 And through her tears I heard her say

Billy, don't be a hero, don't be a fool with your life

 Billy, don't be a hero, come back and make me your wife

 And as Billy started to go she said keep your pretty head low

 Billy, don't be a hero, come back to me

The soldier blues were trapped on a hillside

 The battle raging all around

 The sergeant cried, we've got to hang on, boys

 We've gotta hold this piece of ground

I need a volunteer to ride out

 And bring us back some extra men

 And Billy's hand was up in a moment

 Forgettin' all the words she said, she said

Billy, don't be a hero, don't be a fool with your life

 Billy, don't be a hero, come back and make me your wife

 And as Billy started to go she said, keep your pretty head low

 Billy, don't be a hero, come back to me

I heard his fiance got a letter

 That told how Billy died that day

 The letter said that he was a hero

 She should be proud he died that way

 I heard she threw the letter away