時代的印記

Sign Of The Times，一齣新的音樂舞台劇，其中包括Petula Clark，Glenn Yarbrough，Dusty Springfield,，Tyrone Davis，Nancy Sinatra，the Vogues，Fontella Bass等知名歌星及合唱團懷念的旋律，將於七月29日在康乃狄克州Chester 的Norma Terris劇院首映，這一齣歌唱劇將一直演到九月四日，原作是喜劇作家Bruce Villanch的作品。

劇中領銜的Petula Clark是1960年代很紅的英籍女歌星，1944-1957年還跨界演出二十多部英國電影，他的成名曲是1964年的二周冠軍曲Downtown，後來被收進Grammy搖滾樂名人堂。

Petula Clark作品很多，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第185名。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_m4Qb0iW-o

Downtown

Songwriters

 TONY HATCH

When you're alone, and life is making you lonely

 You can always go

 Downtown

 When you've got worries, all the noise and the hurry

 Seems to help, I know

 Downtown

 Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city

 Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty

 How can you lose?

The lights are much brighter there

 You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

 So go downtown, things'll be great when you're

 Downtown, no finer place for sure

 Downtown everything's waiting for you

Downtown

Don't hang around and let your problems surround you

 There are movie shows

 Downtown

 Maybe you know some little places to go to

 Where they never close

 Downtown

 Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle bossa nova

 You'll be dancing with him too before the night is over

 Happy again

The lights are much brighter there

 You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

 So go downtown, where all the lights are bright

 Downtown, waiting for you tonight

 Downtown, you're gonna be alright now

Downtown, downtown

 Downtown

 Downtown

 And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you

 Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to

 Guide them along

So maybe I'll see you there

 We can forget all our troubles, forget all our cares

 So go downtown, things'll be great when you're

 Downtown, don't wait a minute for

 Downtown, everything's waiting for you

Downtown, downtown, downtown, downtown

 Downtown, downtown, downtown, downtown, downtown, downtown

令人難忘的情歌

美國喬治亞州稅務局人員六月21日兵分三路搜查位於亞特蘭大的三家Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles Restaurants連鎖餐廳，目的是找Gladys Knight的兒子Shanga Hankerson挪用百萬美元營業費的證據。

Gladys Knight不是這家連鎖餐廳的老闆，她只是讓她兒子借她的知名度去努力工作，Gladys Knight在一項聲明中表示:她確定兒子和他的事業夥伴將要調整這種不法的狀況，但有七項證據顯示Shanga Hankerson犯非法盜用罪。

Gladys Knight &The Pips是來自亞特蘭大的著名R&B合唱團，在歷年暢銷歌星與合唱團排行榜獲得第47名，1996年即獲選進搖滾樂名人堂。Gladys Knight歌喉極佳，演唱的情歌更是令人難忘，曾參加電視影集Charlie & Co的演出，是美國演藝界名流之一。

Gladys Knight &The Pips演唱的Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)於1973年獲得二周排行榜亞軍，並因而獲得當年Grammy最佳合唱團獎。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSw7vulUfME

Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)

Composed by Jim Weatherly

It's sad to think we're not gonna make it

 And it's gotten to the point where we just can't fake it

 For some ungodly reason we just won't let it die

 I guess neither one of us wants to be the first to say goodbye

 I keep wondering, what I'm gonna do without you

 And I guess you must be wondering that same thing too

 So we go on, go on together living a lie

 Because neither one of us wants to be the first to say goodbye

 Everytime I find the nerve

 Everytime I find the nerve to say I'm leaving

 Memories, those old memories get in my way

 Lord knows, it's only me

 Oh, he knows it's me that I'm deceiving

 When it comes to saying goodbye

 That's a simple word that I just cannot say

 There can be no way, there can be no way

 This can have a happy ending, no, no

 So we just go on hurting and pretending

 And convincing ourselves to give it just one more try

 Because neither one of us wants to be the first to say

 Neither one of us wants to be the first to say

 Neither one of us wants to be the first to say

 Farewell my love, goodbye

Goodbye

Stairway To Heaven與Taurus

已故搖滾樂團Spirit的吉它手Randy California基金會，最近和搖滾樂名團Led Zeppelin的Jimmy Page 與Robert Plant打官司，他們聲稱Led Zeppelin 1970年的名曲Stairway To Heaven抄襲Randy 1967的作品"Taurus"，Randy California基金會要求四千萬美元的損失賠償。

Randy California本名Randy Craig Wolfe，是一位搖滾樂歌手、吉它手與作曲人，也是1967年組成的Spirit樂團原始團員。Randy於1951年出生於加州，1997年元月二日因救12歲的兒子在夏威夷Molokai海岸邊溺斃(45歲)，他兒子則無恙。

Randy California去世後親友成立了The Randy Craig Wolfe Trust基金會，他們用版稅辦一些活動，用收入推廣青少年音樂教育。

Led Zeppelin 1970年的名曲Stairway To Heaven 是一首非常有名，點播數超過一億以上的歌，在滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜獲得第31名，先後被收入Grammy及搖滾樂名人堂，但從未發行過單曲。

"Taurus"則是搖滾樂團Spirit的第一張專輯當中的一首演奏曲，Jimmy Page疑似擷取"Taurus"的吉它演奏片段改寫給自己的Stairway To Heaven用。

1969年Jimmy Page寫"Stairway to Heaven"時，Led Zeppelin與Spirit剛好同時在美國參加二場音樂節，1996年當Spirit的首張專輯再度發行時，Randy California曾說:很多人常問我為何'Stairway to Heaven'聽來很像'Taurus'，其實'Taurus'比'Stairway to Heaven'早二年寫好。當年Led Zeppelin曾幫Spirit唱開場，在現場演出時也表演過'Fresh Garbage'，事實上那首歌和 'Taurus'就在同一張專輯裡，依常理判斷Led Zeppelin一定知道'Taurus'這首曲子。

2014年Led Zeppelin的Led Zeppelin IV(Stairway to Heaven在裡面)專輯再度發行時，雙方就曾打過侵權和禁制官司，法官當時就說過:Randy California的確給了Stairway to Heaven創意。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd8AVbwB_6E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9TGj2jrJk8

"Stairway To Heaven"

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold

 And she's buying a stairway to heaven.

 When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed

 With a word she can get what she came for.

 Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.

 There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure

 'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.

 In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,

 Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.

 Ooh, it makes me wonder,

 Ooh, it makes me wonder.

 There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,

 And my spirit is crying for leaving.

 In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,

 And the voices of those who stand looking.

 Ooh, it makes me wonder,

 Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

 And it's whispered that soon, if we all call the tune,

 Then the piper will lead us to reason.

 And a new day will dawn for those who stand long,

 And the forests will echo with laughter.

 If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,

 It's just a spring clean for the May queen.

 Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run

 There's still time to change the road you're on.

 And it makes me wonder.

 Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,

 The piper's calling you to join him,

 Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know

 Your stairway lies on the whispering wind?

 And as we wind on down the road

 Our shadows taller than our soul.

 There walks a lady we all know

 Who shines white light and wants to show

 How everything still turns to gold.

 And if you listen very hard

 The tune will come to you at last.

 When all are one and one is all

 To be a rock and not to roll.

 And she's buying a stairway to heaven.

Paul Simon新專輯受歡迎

Paul Simon的Stranger to Stranger在英國獲得26年來第一張專輯排行榜冠軍。

Paul Simon去年四月曾以精選輯The Ultimate Collection獲得專輯排行榜冠軍，但是Stranger to Stranger這一張專輯，是1990年秋天Paul Simon以The Rhythm Of The Saints獲得二週排行榜冠軍以來，他的另一張錄音室新作。

Paul Simon 1941年出生於紐澤西州Newark，是一位出色的作曲人、吉他手及歌手，與Art Garfunkel自1965-1971年以Simon&Garfunkel二重唱之名，在流行歌壇留下不少民謠搖滾的佳作(如:The Sound of Silence、Mr.,Robinson、Bridge Over Troubled Water等)，1990年進入搖滾樂名人堂，2003年並獲Grammy終生成就獎。

Paul Simon1963-1964年曾前往倫登發展，回美國後才與Art Garfunkel錄第一張專輯，因此在英國頗受歡迎，1971年他開始唱Solo，在歌壇一直很受歡迎，他曾與星際大戰的女主角Carrie Fisher結婚，離婚後再娶女歌手Edie Brickell。

Paul Simon於2001年進搖滾樂名人堂，個人在排行榜上成績最好的歌是1975年的三週冠軍曲50 Ways To Leave Your Lover，選自他的專輯唱片Still Crazy After All These Years。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTiyLuZOs1A

50 Ways To Leave Your Lover

Songwriters  SIMON, PAUL

"The problem is all inside your head" she said to me

 "The answer is easy if you take it logically

 I'd like to help you in your struggle to be free

 There must be fifty ways to leave your lover"

She said "It's really not my habit to intrude

 Furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued

 But I'll repeat myself at the risk of being crude

 There must be fifty ways to leave your lover

 Fifty ways to leave your lover"

You just slip out the back, Jack

 Make a new plan, Stan

 You don't need to be Coy, Roy

 Just get yourself free

 Hop on the bus, Gus

 You don't need to discuss much

 Just drop off the key, Lee

 And get yourself free

Ooo slip out the back, Jack

 Make a new plan, Stan

 You don't need to be Coy, Roy

 Just listen to me

 Hop on the bus, Gus

 You don't need to discuss much

 Just drop off the key, Lee

 And get yourself free

She said "It grieves me so to see you in such pain

 I wish there was something I could do to make you smile again"

 I said "I appreciate that and would you please explain

 About the fifty ways"

She said "Why don't we both just sleep on it tonight

 And I believe in the morning you'll begin to see the light"

 And then she kissed me and I realized she probably was right

 There must be fifty ways to leave your lover

 Fifty ways to leave your lover

You just slip out the back, Jack

 Make a new plan, Stan

 You don't need to be Coy, roy

 Just get yourself free

 Hop on the bus, Gus

 You don't need to discuss much

 Just drop off the key, Lee

 And get yourself free

Slip out the back, Jack

 Make a new plan, Stan

 You don't need to be Coy, Roy

 Just listen to me

 Hop on the bus, Gus

 You don't need to discuss much

 Just drop off the key, Lee

 And get yourself free

前衛搖滾Pink Floyd

英國皇家郵局七月七日將替前衛搖滾樂團Pink Floyd發行一系列的紀念郵票，其中五張郵票是Pink Floyd的招牌專輯封面，另外四張是他們演唱會的主題，而發行的日子正是Pink Floyd前主唱與吉他手Syd Barrett去世十 週年忌日。

前衛搖滾Progressive rock是英美二地1960年代中期至晚期發展出的搖滾樂一個支流，他們揚棄單曲的表現方式，而注重樂器的編排與作曲技巧，並輔以爵士及古典音樂的內涵，目的是希望提升搖滾樂的音樂水平，希望搖滾樂在輿論界受到更多的尊敬。

Pink Floyd團名來自喬治亞州兩位藍調歌手Pink Anderson 與Floyd Council，原先由主唱與吉他手David Gilmour、主唱與貝斯手Roger Waters、鍵琴手Rick Write、鼓手Nick Mason組成，Syd Barrett於1968年取代David Gilmour。

1973-1995年他們有五張專輯獲得排行榜冠軍，其中The Dark Side of The Moon停留在排行榜超過1600 週，是搖滾樂史上一個很特別的紀錄。

The Dark Side of The Moon於1973年推出，歌詞全部由Roger Waters所寫，其中的單曲Money曾獲得熱門排行榜第13名，並獲選入搖滾樂名人堂。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0kcet4aPpQ

Money    Pink Floyd

Money, get away

Get a good job with more pay and you're okay

Money, it's a gas

Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash

New car, caviar, four star daydream

Think I'll buy me a football team

Money, get back

I'm all right Jack keep your hands off of my stack

Money, it's a hit

Don't give me that do goody good bullshit

I'm in the high-fidelity first class traveling set

And I think I need a Lear jet

Money, it's a crime

Share it fairly but don't take a slice of my pie

Money, so they say

Is the root of all evil today

But if you ask for payrise it's no surprise

That they're giving none away

Away, away, way

Away, away, away