2018年4月26日 星期四

Roberta Flack-The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face



  已經81歲高齡的Roberta Flack四月20日獲美國爵士基金會頒發終生成就獎,他最近才因病叫救護車送到紐約阿波羅劇院附近的醫院救治,但是已經出院回家。

  Roberta Flack 1939年出生於美國北卡羅萊納州Black Mountain,但在維吉尼亞州Arlington長大,她自小學彈鋼琴,15歲就得到Howard University霍華大學音樂學位,有一位同學是後來和搭檔過的Donny Hathaway,學校畢業後,Roberta Flack回北卡羅萊納州當音樂老師,後來被爵士樂手Les McCann發掘而踏入歌壇並於1969年與Atlantic唱片公司簽約。

  Roberta Flack1972年以“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”獲得六週排行榜冠軍,這首歌原是她1969年專輯First Take當中的一首歌但是因為克林伊斯威特主演的電影「迷霧追魂」“Play Misty For Me”選作插曲一炮而紅,還獲得Grammy年度歌曲獎。

  「迷霧追魂」講克林伊斯威特演的深夜電臺節目主持人,跟一名崇拜他的女聽眾有了一夜情,不料對方卻自此對他糾纏不休,後來更發展成因妒生恨的兇殺案,是一部當年很叫座的電影

   MistyJohnny Mathis  1959年獲得過熱門排行榜第12名的一首進Grammy名人堂的名曲,每當女聽眾打電話給這位深夜節目DJ Play Misty For Me”時,電影院裡的觀眾都陪著這個倒楣的DJ緊張。

  1960年代美國些有歌迷盲目崇拜大批在美國走紅的英國搖滾樂手,而致變態反常,甚而將這些偶像歌手當成性渴望的對象,流行音樂界將他們稱為“Groupies”,「迷霧追魂」的故事與之類同。

  Roberta Flack 1973年另有一首五週冠軍曲“ Killing Me Softly With His Song”是BMI統計電台最常播出的百首歌曲榜第11名的歌。

  Roberta Flack作品不少,她在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第171名。




The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
Roberta Flack

The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the empty skies, my love,
To the dark and the empty skies.

The first time ever I kissed your mouth
And felt your heart beat close to mine
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was there at my command, my love
That was there at my command.

The first time ever I lay with you
I felt the earth move in my hand
I thought our joy would fill the earth
And last 'till the end of time, my love,
And last 'till the end of time.

2018年4月19日 星期四

The Staple Singers-I'll Take You There


  The Staple Singers合唱團的女中音歌手Yvonne Staples四月10日於芝加哥家中去世80歲 )。

  The Staple Singers的領隊RoebuckPop” Staples出生於密西西比州   Winona,其他成員都是他的家人,包括兒子Pervis,女兒CleothaYvonne與主唱Mevis Staples

    Roebuck青少年時期是一個藍調吉它手,後來加入Golden Trumpets gospel group,那是一個演奏福音歌曲的樂隊,1950年代早期他組了自己的福音歌曲的樂隊,1953年就錄了第一張唱片。

  The Staple Singers最為人熟知的歌是1970年代那些帶有福音歌曲味的暢銷曲如“I’ll Take You There” (#1-1972)“Let’s Do It Again” (#1-1975) “If You’re Ready (Come Go With Me)” (#9-1973) “Respect Yourself” (#12-1971) 、從1971 1975年,The Staple Singers一共有八首歌進排行榜前40名。

    他們於2005 年獲Grammy終身成就獎。

  The Staple Singers作品很多,在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第429名,其中名次最好的歌是1972 年的冠軍歌曲“I’ll Take You There” ,這首歌也獲得滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜第276名。


I'll Take You There
Staple Singers

Oh . . . mmm
I know a place
Ain't nobody cryin'
Ain't nobody worried
Ain't no smilin' faces
Mmm, no no
Lyin' to the races
Help me, come on, come on
Somebody, help me now
(I'll take you there)
Help me, ya'all
(I'll take you there)
Help me now
(I'll take you there)
Oh!
(I'll take you there)
Oh!  Oh!  Mercy!
(I'll take you there)
Oh, let me take you there
(I'll take you there)

Oh-oh!  Let me take you there!
(I'll take you there)

Play your, play your piano now
All right
Ah . . . do it . . . do it
Come on now
Play on it, play on it
Daddy daddy daddy
Ooh, Lord
All right now
Baby, easy now
Now, come on, little lady
All right
Dum-dum-dum-dum
Sock it, sock it

Ah, oh, oh!
I know a place, ya'all
(I'll take you there)
Ain't nobody cryin'
(I'll take you there)
Ain't nobody worried
(I'll take you there)
No smilin' faces
(I'll take you there)
Uh-uh
(Lyin' to the races)
(I'll take you there)
Oh, no
Oh!
(I'll take you there)
Oh oh oh!
(I'll take you there)
Mercy now!
(I'll take you there)
I'm callin' callin' callin' mercy
(I'll take you there)
Mercy mercy!
(I'll take you there)
Let me
(I'll take you there)
Oh oh!
I'll take you there
(I'll take you there)
Oh oh oh oh
Wanna take you there!
(I'll take you there)
Just take me by the hand
Let me
(I'll take you there)
Let me, let me, let me lead the way
Oh!
(I'll take you there)
Let me take you there
(I'll take you there)
Let me take you there!
(I'll take you there)
Ain't no smilin' faces
(I'll take you there)
Up in here, lyin' to the races
(I'll take you there)
You oughta, you gotta gotta come let me, let me
(I'll take you there)
Take you, take you, take you over there
(I'll take you there)
Ooh!
Oh!  Oh!
All right
(I'll take you there)
Oh-oh!  All right!
(I'll take you there)
Oh!  Oh!
(I'll take you there)
Mmmm . . . ah
Oh!  Yeah!
(I'll take you there)
Whoa!
(I'll take you there)
Let me lead the way
(I'll take you there)

2018年4月12日 星期四

Crowded House-Don't Dream It's Over


 隨著Fleetwood Mac的要角Lindsey Buckingham突然宣布不願參加今秋的巡迴演唱,該團除了祝福他之外只得趕緊找Tom Petty and The HeartbreakersMike Campbell Crowded HouseNeil Finn來頂替吉它手的位置,而 Neil Finn也很興奮的在Twitter證實此事。

  Neil Finn因為在紐西蘭合唱團Split Enz與澳洲搖滾樂團Crowded House的好表現而為歌迷們熟知。

  Lindsey Buckingham1975年和當年他的女友Stevie Nicks一起加入Fleetwood Mac,他曾於1987年離團而去,1997年才回來,他迄今並沒有說明他這一回為何離開的原因, Fleetwood Mac合唱團除了祝福他之外,只好緊急處理2018年巡迴演唱這件大事。

  Neil Finn 1958年出生於紐西蘭,是一位歌手與作曲人,他在一個演出後加入由他哥哥Tim Finn 和朋友一起創立的Split Enz合唱團,他成了該團的主唱,而目前是澳洲合唱團Crowded House的主唱。

  Neil Finn錄過幾張成功的個人專輯,還邀請很多藝人參與 7 Worlds Collide演唱會去做慈善事業,捐贈人Ed O'Brien是另類搖滾樂團Radiohead的吉它手,他誇讚Neil Finn是流行音樂界寫了不少好歌的多產作曲人。.

  Neil Finn加入Split Enz合唱團後在 1970年代後期日漸走紅,但Split Enz1984年解散,他與鼓手 Paul Hester1985年另組Crowded House1987年,他們以Neil Finn所寫的"Don't Dream It's Over"獲得熱門排行榜第2名。

  1996Neil FinnCrowded House解散,而去從事他個人的歌唱事業,2006年在老搭檔Paul Hester自殺後一年重組Crowded House,除了出專輯之外,也全球巡迴演唱,直到今年Fleetwood Mac開除Lindsey Buckingham後,他應邀加入這個大牌搖滾樂團。


Don't dream its over
Crowded House

Dadd2              Bm                        G
There is freedom within, there is freedom without
       F
Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup
D                 Bm                     G
There's a battle ahead, many battles are lost                  

But you'll never see the end of the road
      F
while you're travelling with me

G        A
Hey now, hey now
      D          Bm
Don't dream it's over
G        A
Hey now, hey now
  D           Bm
When the world comes in
G          A
They come, they come
D                 Bm
To build a wall between us
G                        A
We know they won't win

Now I'm towing my car, there's a hole in the roof
My possessions are causing me suspicion but there's no proof
In the paper today tales of war and of waste
But you turn right over to the T.V. page

Hey now, hey now - don't dream it's over..

Now I'm walking again to the beat of a drum
And I'm counting the steps to the door of your heart
Only the shadows ahead barely clearing the roof
Get to know the feeling of liberation and relief

Hey now, hey now, don't dream it's over...


2018年4月5日 星期四

Mac Davis-Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me



      很多暢銷曲的創意來自不尋常的狀況,但是按照Mac Davis的說法,他第一張金唱片的構想僅是來自唱片製作人Rick Hall的建議。

   Mac我當年在阿拉巴馬州Muscle Shoals錄音,當我們錄了一些還不錯的歌之後,Rick Hall要我寫一段“hook song”,意思是要有很動聽旋律或節奏感的音樂去搭配那些剛才錄的歌。

    他想“hook song”就是重複去唱一句即興式的歌詞,於是就抱起了吉他,隨口唱了“Baby, Baby, Don’t Get Hooked On Me”,  Mac當開玩笑,但是Rick聽了卻不這麼想,他覺得那是寶,他告訴Rick那只是開玩笑,而且還沒寫下來,Rick說那不是玩笑而會紅,回家去寫下來,而且第二天就去錄。  Mac因此寫了,而且他們也錄了,那是一首後來非常受歡迎的歌。

   Mac DavisColumbia唱片推出的單曲“Baby Don’t Get Hooked On Me 1972年八月26日進入鄉村歌曲排行榜就獲得第26名,而當年九月23日在熱門排行榜獲得三週排行榜冠軍。
   
  Mac Davis 1942年出生於德州Lubbock,他是一位鄉村/流行歌手、作曲及演員,曾經做過Vee-JayLiberty唱片的地區代表,他寫的“In The Ghetto ”、 Memories”、“Don’t Cry Daddy”是貓王Elvis Presley的暢銷曲,他還寫過“I Believe In Music”、“Watching Scotty Grow”等膾炙人口的歌。

  Mac Davis主持過電視節目,也在幾部電影中演出,他在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第443名。


Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me
-Words and Music by Mac Davis

Girl, you're gettin' that look in your eyes
And it's startin' to worry me
I ain't ready for no family ties
Nobody's gonna hurry me
Just keep it friendly, girl, 'cause I don't wanna leave
Don't start clingin' to me, girl, 'cause I can't breathe

CHORUS
Baby, baby, don't get hooked on me
Baby, baby, don't get hooked on me
'cause I'll just use you then I'll set you free
Baby, baby, don't get hooked on me

Girl, you're a hot-blooded woman-child
And it's warm where you're touchin' me
But I can tell by your tremblin' smile
You're seein' way too much in me
Girl, don't let your life get tangled up with mine
'cause I'll just leave you, I can't take no clingin' vine

CHORUS
CHORUS FADES

Climie Fisher - Love Changes (Everything)

    今天要介紹的 One hit wonder 是1988年獲得過23名的一首動聽的歌曲 Love Changes (Everything) 。    來自英國倫敦的流行搖滾二人組 Climie Fisher 是 Simon Climie(主唱;1960 年 4 ...