Hugh Masakela-Grazing In The Grass

爵士小喇叭手、歌手、作曲人Hugh Masakela元月23日於他故鄉南非約翰尼斯堡去世(78歲)，歌迷們尊稱“南非爵士樂之父”的他，為攝護腺癌所苦已長達十年。

Hugh Masakela早年因寇克道格拉斯在電影裡演的爵士著名小喇叭手Bix Beiderbecke演唱"Young Man With A Horn"所啟發，而對爵士樂發生興趣，後來他因種族隔離政策離開南非近20年，他在國外朋友的幫助下先前往英國，進入倫敦的Guildhall School of Music音樂學校，之後轉去美國，認識了以"King of Calypso"「加利梭歌曲之父」為人熟知，當年也參加民權運動，來自牙買家的名歌手Harry Belafonte，然後進了紐約的曼哈坦音樂學校，當時是1960年代初期，他學傳統小喇叭，還在 Dizzy Gillespie 與Louis Armstrong二位爵士樂名家指導之下學爵士樂，最後創造出了他自己的樂風。

Hugh Masakela先在1967年的Monterey Pop Festival 「蒙特瑞音樂節」當中演出，一年後他的"Grazing In The Grass"在美國的熱門排行榜獲得了冠軍，R&B榜則得到第4名，這曲子也成了他為人喜愛的經典之作。

Hugh Masakela後來曾在Paul Simon的專輯唱片 Graceland伴奏，並參加the Graceland-tour巡迴演唱。

Hugh Masakela的兒子Selema是個演員，也擔任體育播報員，主持電視節目。

"Grazing In The Grass"這一首歌於1969年由Friends Of Distinction合唱團填上歌詞後推出，獲得熱門排行榜第3名。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxXZF60EPdM

Edwin Hawkins Singers-Oh Happy Day

以"Oh Happy Day"(#4-1969) 成名的Edwin Hawkins Singers合唱團的領隊Edwin Hawkins，元月15日因胰臟癌於加州Pleasanton家中去世(74歲)。

Edwin Hawkins出生於奧克蘭，他於1967年組成一個有46名團員的北加州青少年唱詩班the Northern California State Youth Choir之前，和家族合唱團在教堂唱聖歌，後來他們因替Pavilions唱片公司灌唱片而改名Edwin Hawkins Singers，這一個合唱團的主唱叫Dorothy Morrison，而曾經與Paul Anka搭檔，合唱(You're) Having My Baby 、I Believe There Is Nothing Stronger Than Our Love、I Don't Like To Sleep Alone、One Man Woman / One Woman Man這些名曲的Odia Coates，也是團員之一，他們也曾替Melanie獲得第6名的暢銷曲"Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)擔任和聲。

"Oh Happy Day"是the Northern California State Youth Choir在一所教堂錄的，1969年在熱門與R&B歌曲排行榜都獲得前五名，這一首歌提醒歌迷，黑人靈魂歌曲的根源是gospel福音歌曲，在多元發展的1960年代末期，激情加復古的歌聲，帶來的是情感宣洩與清新的表徵，"Oh Happy Day"在當年Grammy獎獲得最佳靈魂及福音歌曲演唱獎。

福音歌曲Gospel music 是基督教歌曲Christian music的一個分支，Billboard 雜誌目前還有Hot Gospel Songs的 25名排行榜，歌曲源自於黑奴的心聲，唱的是他們的喜、怒、哀、樂，除了"Oh Happy Day"之外，"Amazing Grace"也是大家熟悉的歌。

Edwin Hawkins於2007獲選進基督歌曲名人堂。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzj3pOdCOqU

Oh Happy Day

Edwin Hawkins Singers

Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day)
Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day)
When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed)
Oh, when He washed (When Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed)
He washed my sins away (Oh, happy day)
Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day)

Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day)
Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day)
When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed)
Oh, when He washed (When Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed)
He washed my sins away (Oh, happy day)
Oh, it's a happy day (Oh, happy day)

He taught me how (He taught me how)
To watch and fight and pray
Watch and pray

And live rejoicing every day
Every day

Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day)
Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day)
When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed)
Oh, when He washed (When Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (When Jesus washed)
He washed my sins away (Oh, happy day)
Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day)

He taught me how (He taught me how)
To watch and fight and pray
Watch and pray

And live rejoicing every day (Good god)
Every day

Oh, happy day (Oh, happy day)
Oh, it's a happy day (Oh, happy day)
Oh, lord (Oh, happy day)
Mmm, good God (Oh, happy day)
Oh yeah (Oh, happy day)
Mmm, oh (Oh, happy day)

Elton John-Someone Saved My Life Tonight

   從2014年12月13日開始，Billboard雜誌專輯排行榜更改統計方式，改以傳統專輯唱片＋TEA (track equivalent album)＋SEA (streaming equivalent album)的三合一專輯數量Album-equivalent unit計算，1張傳統專輯唱片=10首歌曲下載=100首歌曲串流，這個標準也獲得「美國錄音工業協會｣RIAA的認可，但Billboard雜誌也持續用原有統計方式維持Top Album Sales專輯排行榜。

根據新的方式，Taylor Swift 於2014年10月27日發行的專輯" 1989 "是第一張獲得冠軍的專輯唱片，在339,000張銷售量中有281,000張是傳統專輯唱片。另於2015年2月8日，"Now That's What I Call Music! 53"則是在Top Album Sales排行榜獲得冠軍，但卻是沒能在 Billboard 200專輯排行榜得冠軍的第一張專輯。

配合網路時代來臨，唱片排行統計方式更新是無可避免的事，因為在網路購買唱片比去唱片行買方便太多，不將TEA 、SEA列入的統計是失真的，而Eminem連續8張專輯推出即獲排行榜冠軍，連二個超級合唱團The Beatles及The Rolling Stones的紀錄都被他比下去，證明透過網路聽音樂已成主流，也證明Eminem的「痞子｣曲風大受現代年輕人歡迎。

其實Elton John的1975年專輯唱片"Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy"，是Billboard雜誌專輯排行榜第一張推出當週就獲得冠軍的唱片，這一張專輯是Elton John (Captain Fantastic) 與 Bernie Taupin (the Brown Dirt Cowboy)早年音樂生涯的自傳式寫照，推出4天就賣了140萬張，且連續七周停留在冠軍位子上。在滾石雜誌的500大專輯榜上"Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy"獲得158名，Elton John在滾石雜誌的500大專輯與單曲榜都有5張唱片進榜。

"Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy"當中的單曲"Someone Saved My Life Tonight"於1975年7月5日推出，最高獲得熱門排行榜第4名。

Elton John 1947年出生於英國，是歷年暢銷歌星排行榜第3名的超級巨星，1994年即獲選進入搖滾樂名人堂。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sw2Lptf7K0E

Someone Saved My Life Tonight

Elton John

When I think of those East End lights

Muggy nights

The curtains drawn in the little room downstairs

Prima Donna lord you really should have been there

Sitting like a princess perched in her electric chair

And it's one more beer

And I don't hear you anymore

We've all gone crazy lately

My friends out there rolling round the basement floor

And someone saved my life tonight sugar bear

You almost had your hooks in me didn't you dear

You nearly had me roped and tied

Altar-bound, hypnotized

Sweet freedom whispered in my ear

You're a butterfly

And butterflies are free to fly

Fly away, high away bye bye

I never realised the passing hours

Of evening showers

A slip noose hanging in my darkest dreams

I'm strangled by your haunted social scene

Just a pawn out-played by a dominating queen

It's four o'clock in the morning

Damn it listen to me good

I'm sleeping with myself tonight

Saved in time, thank God my music's still alive

And I would have walked head on into the deep end the river

Clinging to your stocks and bonds

Paying your H.P. demands forever

They're coming in the morning with a truck to take me home

Someone saved my life tonight, someone saved my life tonight

Someone saved my life tonight, someone saved my life tonight

Someone saved my life tonight

So save your strength and run the field you play alone

Eminem-"Stan (feat. Dido)"

饒舌歌手Eminem 去年底推出的新專輯“Revival’s”，推出後立即獲得Billboard專輯排行榜冠軍，這是他連續8張專輯推出即獲排行榜冠軍，在排行榜的歷史中，另有三個歌手與合唱團有8張專輯獲得排行榜冠軍的紀錄，他們是目前當紅的女歌星Beyonce 的先生-唱片界大亨、NBA籃網隊股東、饒舌歌手與作曲人JAY-Z，The Beatles披頭合唱團及The Rolling Stones滾石合唱團，但是他們的專輯並沒有連續得冠軍，而且沒有在推出當週即得到冠軍。

白人饒舌歌手Eminem本名Marshall Mathers III，1972年10月17日出生於米蘇里州堪薩斯市，但是在靈魂歌曲大本營密西根州底特律長大，饒舌歌手、唱片製作人、娛樂界大亨 Dr.Dre 對他提攜甚多，Dr.Dre曾經製作不少hip hop嘻哈音樂唱片，Snoop Dogg、Black Street及Eminem都是他的門生。

在滾石雜誌由專業人士評選出的歷年500大專輯唱片排行榜中，Eminem有二張專輯進榜，即1999年的The Slim Shady LP（275名）與2000年的The Marshall Mather LP（244名），而The Marshall Mather LP當中的單曲"Stan (feat. Dido)"是Eminem唯一進滾石雜誌歷年500大單曲唱片排行榜的歌（296名）。

"Stan (feat. Dido)"在美國的排行榜上只獲得第51名，但是在英國、德國、義大利、澳洲等11國都獲得冠軍，是一首流行歌曲的經典之作，也是Eminem的招牌歌曲。

"Stan (feat. Dido)"的故事說一個叫Stanley "Stan" Mitchell的男子聲稱他是Slim的頭號歌迷，他寫了很多信給Slim，但都沒有收到回信，"Stan"開始躁鬱不安，他錄了一捲卡帶，裡面說是錄給Slim聽的...， 然後帶著車上的女朋友衝過路邊欄杆掉進河裡淹死。

"Stan (feat. Dido)"這一首歌引來很多討論，MV裡也有些髒話遭消音，但樂評人Stephen Thomas Erlewine、娛樂週刊、洛杉磯時報、CD Universe、NME雜誌、Slant雜誌...都給予正面的評價，且也多誇讚Dido的"Thank You"幫了大忙，英國衛報的作家及評論人Giles Foden 甚至把Eminem 比做十九世紀名詩人Robert Browning。

在2001年 Grammy獎頒獎典禮中，Eminem面對GLAAD｢同性戀反歧視組織｣的批判，他和出櫃的同性戀巨星Elton John合唱Dido版的"Thank You"回應，當然歌詞改用一些profanities，英雄不改本色。

"Thank You"是一首由英籍女歌手Dido黛朵所寫的歌，1998年首度出現於電影Sliding Doors插曲專輯中，1999在他個人的專輯No Angel中推出時就是一首很受歡迎的歌，"Stan (feat. Dido)"於2000年11月4日推出後，Dido於美國也推出此曲，獲得熱門排行榜第三名，但在抒情榜則得到冠軍。

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOMhN-hfMtY

Stan

Eminem

My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all

The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can't see at all

And even if I could it'll all be gray, but your picture on my wall

It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad

[x2]

Dear Slim, I wrote you, but you still ain't callin'

I left my cell, my pager and my home phone at the bottom

I sent two letters back in autumn

You must not've got 'em

There probably was a problem at the post office or somethin'

Sometimes I scribble addresses too sloppy when I jot 'em

But anyways, fuck it, what's been up, man?

How's your daughter?

My girlfriend's pregnant too, I'm 'bout to be a father

If I have a daughter, guess what I'ma call her?

I'ma name her Bonnie

I read about your Uncle Ronnie too, I'm sorry

I had a friend kill himself over some bitch who didn't want him

I know you probably hear this every day

But I'm your biggest fan

I even got the underground shit that you did with Skam

I got a room full of your posters and your pictures, man

I like the shit you did with Rawkus too, that shit was phat

Anyways, I hope you get this, man, hit me back

Just to chat, truly yours, your biggest fan, this is Stan

My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all

The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can't see at all

And even if I could it'll all be gray, but your picture on my wall

It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad

Dear Slim, you still ain't called or wrote

I hope you have a chance

I ain't mad, I just think it's fucked up you don't answer fans

If you didn't want to talk to me outside the concert

You didn't have to

But you could've signed an autograph for Matthew

That's my little brother, man, he's only six years old

We waited in the blisterin' cold for you

For four hours, and you just said no

That's pretty shitty, man, you're like his fucking idol

He wants to be just like you, man, he likes you more than I do

I ain't that mad though, I just don't like being lied to

Remember when we met in Denver?

You said if I'd write you, you would write back

See, I'm just like you in a way; I never knew my father neither

He used to always cheat on my mom and beat her

I can relate to what you're saying in your songs

So when I have a shitty day, I drift away and put 'em on

‘Cause I don't really got shit else

So that shit helps when I'm depressed

I even got a tattoo of your name across the chest

Sometimes I even cut myself to see how much it bleeds

It's like adrenaline, the pain is such a sudden rush for me

See everything you say is real

And I respect you ‘cause you tell it

My girlfriend's jealous ‘cause I talk about you 24/7

But she don't know you like I know you, Slim, no one does

She don't know what it was like for people like us growin' up

You gotta call me, man

I'll be the biggest fan you'll ever lose, sincerely yours, Stan

P.S. We should be together too

My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all

The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can't see at all

And even if I could it'll all be gray, but your picture on my wall

It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad

Dear Mr. I'm-Too-Good-to-Call-or-Write-My-Fans

This'll be the last package I ever send your ass

It's been six months and still no word – I don't deserve it?

I know you got my last two letters

I wrote the addresses on 'em perfect

So this is my cassette I'm sending you, I hope you hear it

I'm in the car right now, I'm doing 90 on the freeway

Hey, Slim, I drank a fifth of vodka, you dare me to drive?

You know the song by Phil Collins

"In the Air of the Night" about that guy who could've saved that other guy from drownin'

But didn't, then Phil saw it all, then at a show he found him?

That's kinda how this is

You could've rescued me from drowning

Now it's too late, I'm on a thousand downers now, I'm drowsy

And all I wanted was a lousy letter or a call

I hope you know I ripped all of your pictures off the wall

I loved you, Slim, we could've been together – think about it!

You ruined it now, I hope you can't sleep

And you dream about it

And when you dream

I hope you can't sleep and you scream about it

I hope your conscience eats at you

And you can't breathe without me

See, Slim--shut up, bitch! I'm tryin' to talk

Hey, Slim, that's my girlfriend screamin' in the trunk

But I didn't slit her throat, I just tied her up, see, I ain't like you

‘Cause if she suffocates she'll suffer more

And then she'll die too

Well, gotta go, I'm almost at the bridge now

Oh shit, I forgot, how am I supposed to send this shit out?

My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why I got out of bed at all

The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can't see at all

And even if I could it'll all be gray, but your picture on my wall

It reminds me that it's not so bad, it's not so bad

Dear, Stan, I meant to write you sooner, but I just been busy

You said your girlfriend's pregnant now. How far along is she?

Look, I'm really flattered you would call your daughter that

And here's an autograph for your brother

I wrote it on a Starter cap

I'm sorry I didn't see you at the show, I must've missed you

Don't think I did that shit intentionally just to diss you

But what's this shit you said about you like to cut your wrists too? I say that shit just clowning, dawg

Come on, how fucked up is you?

You got some issues, Stan, I think you need some counselin'

To help your ass from bouncin' off the walls

When you get down some

And what's this shit about us meant to be together?

That type of shit'll make me not want us to meet each other

I really think you and your girlfriend need each other

Or maybe you just need to treat her better

I hope you get to read this letter

I just hope it reaches you in time

Before you hurt yourself, I think that you'll be doing just fine

If you relax a little, I'm glad I inspire you

But Stan, why are you so mad?

Try to understand that I do want you as a fan

I just don't want you to do some crazy shit; I seen this one shit on the news a couple weeks ago that made me sick

Some dude was drunk and drove his car over a bridge

And had his girlfriend in the trunk

And she was pregnant with his kid

And in the car they found a tape

But they didn't say who it was to

Come to think about it, his name was... it was you, damn

Songwriters: Paul Herman / Dido Armstrong / Marshall Mathers