Strawberry Alarm Clock- Incense and Peppermints

 一起組成Strawberry Alarm Clock合唱團的主奏吉它手Ed King，八月22日不幸於故鄉Nashville去世（68歲），Strawberry Alarm Clock這個合唱團於1967年以一首“Incence And Peppermints”獲得排行榜冠軍而成名。

  Ed King出生於美國加州Glendale，2011年時曾經動過心臟移植手術，他是   Lynyrd Skynyrd 的南方搖滾名曲“Sweet Home Alabama” (#8-1974)的作曲人之一，1972 至1975年他也曾經是Lynyrd Skynyrd 的團員，1987年回到該團直到1996年因心臟病退出，2006年Ed King以Lynyrd Skynyrd 的團員身份進入「搖滾樂名人堂」“Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame”。

  Strawberry Alarm Clock合唱團被歸類為「迷幻搖滾樂團」Psychedelic-Rock Band，迷幻搖滾流行於1967-1969年的英美二地，音樂的內涵包括搖滾樂、民歌、爵士樂…，但與迷幻藥，尤其LSD關係密切。

  1985年前後，我曾經在台北的一家Disco酒店遇見過一位Strawberry Alarm Clock的團員，當時我還在電台主持西洋歌曲節目，聊天中他告訴我曾經參加過Strawberry Alarm Clock，我很高興的當場就邀請上節目，但他表示：因為他參加這種與毒品牽扯不清的樂團，家人與朋友都看不起他，他想忘掉這個人生中最感羞恥的一段，不想上媒體再談此事，我也只能尊重他了，也沒留有他的姓名與聯絡資料。

 

  搖滾樂手表面風光，但私下的心情告白與歌迷們相像不一樣，一段往事提供讀者參考。

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RghL1rViX34

Incense and Peppermints

Strawberry Alarm Clock

(Ed King - John Carter)

Good sense, innocence, cripplin' mankind

Dead kings, many things I can't define

Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind

Incense and peppermints, the color of time

  Who cares what games we choose?

  Little to win but nothin' to lose

Incense and peppermints, meaningless nouns

Turn on, tune in, turn your eyes around

  Look at yourself, look at yourself, yeah, yeah

  Look at yourself, look at yourself, yeah, yeah, yeah!

To divide this cockeyed world in two

Throw your pride to one side, it's the least you can do

Beatniks and politics, nothing is new

A yardstick for lunatics, one point of view

  Who cares what games we choose?

  Little to win but nothin' to lose

------ instrumental break ------

Good sense, innocence, cripplin' mankind

Dead kings, many things I can't define

Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind

Incense and peppermints, the color of time

  Who cares what games we choose?

  Little to win but nothin' to lose

Incense and peppermints

Incense and peppermints

Sha la la

Sha la la

Sha la la

Sha la la

Sha la la    [fade]

Jim Henson-RAINBOW CONNECTION

    木偶藝術家James Henson 1936年九月24日出生於美國密西西比州Greenville，1990年五月16日因病毒感染猝逝（53歲）。

  James Henson是美國很受歡迎的兒童節目「芝蔴街 」Seasame Street當中The Muppets劇組的創意人，他們也在電視節目 The Muppet Show與電影The Muppet Movie及The Great Muppet Caper當中演出，James Henson還是木偶Ernie和Kermit的幕後配音者。

  James Henson是一位美藉電影製片及編劇，也是對木偶與卡通富有創意的藝術家，他因創造出了the Muppets而全球知名。

 

  James Henson讀中學的時候就有做木偶的構想，他曾設計出Sam and Friends，進瑪麗蘭大學後，他曾經製作一齣五分鐘喜劇在電視播出，當時他才讀大一，大學畢業他拿到家庭經濟學學位，他拍過咖啡廣告，還拍了幾部實驗性電影，後來他開了Muppets Inc，1958 年改名Jim Henson Company。

  Henson 於1969年開始出名，他加入了兒童教育節目「芝蔴街 」Seasame Street製作團隊，除了節目創意發想外，他也在每週六晚間的現場喜劇單元演出，1976年在替百老匯節目設計一個單元後，他也構想出了The Muppet Show，他因為Kermit the Frog、Rowlf the Dog以及 Ernie等的創意得到了各界的肯定。

  James Henson在「芝蔴街」工作二十幾年，去世前他成立了the Jim Henson Foundation，他並以The Storyteller and The Jim Henson Hour節目，二度獲得電視艾美獎。

 

  Jim Henson於 1990年五月16日疑似中獨猝死，這個意外讓媒體與娛樂圈同感哀悼，幾個禮拜之後，他得到了一些殊榮，好萊塢星光大道有了他一席之地，2011年他獲選為迪士尼傳奇人物之一。

  Jim Henson 於電影版The Muppet Movie中的插曲The Rainbow Connection於1979年曾獲得熱門排行榜第25名。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuRO-ZOq1Ac

RAINBOW CONNECTION

Kermit the Frog（Jim Henson）

Why are there so many

Songs about rainbows

And what's on the other side

Rainbow's are visions

They're only illusions

And rainbows have nothing to hide

So we've been told and some chose to

Believe it

But I know they're wrong wait and see

Someday we'll find it

The Rainbow Connection

The lovers, the dreamers and me

Who said that every wish

Would be heard and answered

When wished on the morning star

Somebody thought of that

And someone believed it

And look what it's done so far

What's so amazing

That keeps us star gazing

What so we think we might see

Someday we'll find it

That Rainbow Connection

The lovers the dreamers and me

Have you been half asleep

And have you heard voices

I've heard them calling my name

Are these the sweet sounds that called

The young sailors

I think they're one and the same

I've heard it too many times to ignore it

There's something that I'm supposed to be

Someday we'll find it

The Rainbow Connection

The lovers, the dreamers and me

Aretha Franklin-I say a little prayer

   同樣在八月16日貓王Elvis Presley去世的日子，音樂界痛失另一位傳奇歌星，在抵抗胰臟癌一段時間後，The Queen of Soul 靈魂歌曲天后Aretha Franklin不幸於底特律家裡去世（76歲）。

  Aretha Franklin的成就影響了跨世代的音樂界各類型藝人，Diana Ross、John Legend、 Idina Menzel、 Lin-Manuel Miranda 與 Andy Cohen這些各界知名人士，在獲知這個不幸的消息之後，立即在推特上表達了他們對Aretha Franklin的敬愛，而Ariana Grande,、Mariah Carey、Tony Bennett等其他藝人也隨即加入致敬的行列。 

  除了網路社群外，Clive Davis、 Quincy Jones、Annie Lennox、Michael McDonald等與Aretha Franklin平輩歌手也表達了她們對Aretha 的誠摯哀悼。

  Aretha Franklin於1942年出生於美國田納西州孟菲斯。父親是底特律New Bethel Baptist Church的一位有名的牧師，她最早即在父親的教堂裡演唱福音歌曲，1956年開始錄聖歌，18歲時開始錄流行歌曲，並與Columbia唱片公司簽約，自此踏入流行音樂界。

  當時他的成名曲原來是Dixie風的"Rock-A-Bye Your Baby " (#37-1961)，1967年她轉去Atlantic唱片公司時，歌路有了革命性的改變，傳奇製作人Jerry Wexler帶她到阿拉巴馬州的Muscle Shoals，製作了"I Never Loved A Man (The Way That I Loved You)" (#9-1967)，他倆發現這首歌的調性很適合Aretha Franklin，接著又錄了Otis Redding寫的"Respect" (#1-1967)，該曲得了冠軍之後，接著暢銷曲不斷，包括"Chain Of Fools" (#2-1968), "Spanish Harlem" (#2-1971), "Until You Come Back to Me" (#3-1974, "Baby I Love You" (#4-1967), "Since You've Been Gone" (#5-1968和 "Day Dreaming" (#5-1972)...，從1974 到 1983年，Aretha Franklin還不斷有歌進排行榜，但沒有top 10的歌。

   1984年他跳槽Arista 唱片公司。唱片銷售成績有了起色，暢銷歌曲有"I Knew You Were Waiting" (#1-1987 with George Michael), "Freeway Of Love" (#3-1985) and "Who's Zoomin' Who" (#7-1985)，1987年他進了搖滾樂名人堂，是第一位女歌星獲得此殊榮，1979年他曾在好萊塢星光大道得到一顆星， 1994年則獲得Grammy終生成就獎，除了類似這些眾多的獎外，Aretha Franklin擁有七千五百萬張唱片的銷售量，得過 18座Grammy獎，底特律有二條街用她名字命名...，他也參加the Blues Brothers Brothers的電影"福祿雙霸天"的演出。

    David Ritz替她寫的自傳"From These Roots"於 1999出版。

    I say a little prayer是Aretha Franklin1968年獲得過第10名的歌。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtBbyglq37E

I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER

Burt Bacharach

The moment I wake up

Before I put on my makeup

I say a little prayer for you

While combing my hair, now,

And wondering what dress to wear, now,

I say a little prayer for you

Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart

and I will love you

Forever, forever, we never will part

Oh, how I'll love you

Together, together, that's how it must be

To live without you

Would only be heartbreak for me.

I run for the bus, dear,

While riding I think of us, dear,

I say a little prayer for you.

At work I just take time

And all through my coffee break-time,

I say a little prayer for you.

Forever, forever, you'll stay in my heart

and I will love you

Forever, forever we never will part

Oh, how I'll love you

Together, together, that's how it must be

To live without you

Would only be heartbreak for me.

My darling believe me,

For me there is no one

But you.

Andy Kim-Rock Me Gently

  Andy Kim將是今年底加拿大多倫多星光大道的十位人選人之一，七月23日公布的提名人選還有已故歌手與作曲人Leonard Cohen，及女演員Andrea Martin。

  Andy Kim本名Androwis Jovakim，1952年12月5日出生於加拿大魁北克的Montreal，雙親都來自黎巴嫩，1980年代曾短期的用Baron Longfellow之名錄唱片。他也與Jeff Barry一同寫過1969年的冠軍曲Sugar Sugar，是一位多才多藝的歌手及作曲人。

  Andy Kim最有名的歌有Rock Me Gently、Baby, I Love You、Be My Baby，其中Rock Me Gently名次最好，於1974年曾獲得單周排行榜冠軍。

  Andy Kim於1968-1971年加入Jeff Barry的Steed公司，有過不少暢銷曲，其中翻唱the Ronette的Baby, I Love You曾獲得第9名，該曲是Jeff Barry與他前妻Ellie Greenwich再加Phil Specter合寫的。

  經過幾首原創的歌如如How’d We Ever Get This Way等成績不是特別好之後，Andy Kim再度翻唱 Barry- Greenwich- Specter合寫的the Ronette的暢銷曲Be My Baby，但只獲得第17名。而他與Jeff Barry一同寫的Sugar Sugar在名聲和財務上卻幫了他大忙。

   Andy Kim經過1971-1974年的幾年沉寂之後，終於在1974年9月底重回排行榜，且以 Rock Me Gently獲得他唯一的一首排行榜冠軍。

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVI02HrZElI

Rock Me Gently

Andy Kim         

Ain't it good

Ain't it right

That you are with me

Here tonight

The music playin'

Our bodies swayin' in time

(In time, in time, in time)

Touching you

So warm and tender

Lord, I feel such a sweet surrender

Beautiful is the dream that makes you mine

Mmm

Rock me gently

Rock me slowly

Take it easy

Don't you know

That I have never been loved like this before

Baby baby!

Rock me gently

Rock me slowly

Take it easy

Don't you know

That I have never been loved like this before

Oh my darlin'

Oh my baby

You got the moves that drive me crazy

And on your face I see a trace of love

(Of love, of love, of love)

Come hold me close

Don't let me go

I need you, honey

I love you so

You were made for me by the stars above

Oooh

Rock me gently

Rock me slowly

Take it easy

Don't you know

That I have never been loved like this before

And baby baby!

Rock me gently

Rock me slowly

Take it easy

Don't you know

That I have never been loved like this before

Rock me gently

Rock me slowly

Take it easy

Don't you know

That I have never been loved like this before

Ain't it good

Ain't it right

That you are with me

Here tonight

Rock me gently

Rock me slowly

Take it easy

Don't you know

That I have never been loved like this before

Baby baby!

Rock me gently

Rock me slowly

Take it easy

Don't you know

That I have never been loved like this before

Mariah Carey-I'll Be There

 Hot 100排行榜六十歲了，從「批頭合唱團」The Beatles 到 Rihanna和其它很多的歌手的單曲都獲得過冠軍，其中The Beatles成績最好，有20首歌獲得過排行榜冠軍。

在排行榜60年的歷史中一共有27,000首以上的歌進入排行榜，其中有1,077首得到過冠軍，占百分之3.8。

   獲得10次以上冠軍的歌手或合唱團有九個，其中個人有七位，合唱團有二個，不意外的，「批頭合唱團」The Beatles以20首冠軍曲獨占鰲頭，他們的冠軍曲都在1964 到 1970年間獲得。

  The Beatles合唱團有34首歌進入top 10，僅次於Madonna的38首歌，其中有百分之五十以上top 10的歌後來得到冠軍。

   

  沒有在這個「十首冠軍曲俱樂部」出現的巨星則有「貓王」Elvis Presley，他在Hot 100的統計年份有七首冠軍曲，因為Elvis Presley的走紅早於1958年八月4日--- Hot 100開始的日子，意思是「貓王」的經典之作"Don't Be Cruel," "Hound Dog" 及 "Jailhouse Rock,"不列入本統計中，然而他在Hot 100   六十年的歷史中仍有"A Big Hunk O' Love," "Stuck on You," "It's Now or Never," "Are You Lonesome Tonight," "Surrender," "Good Luck Charm " and "Suspicious Minds."七首冠軍曲。

Mariah Carey僅次於The Beatles 有18 首No. 1的歌，其中"I'll Be There," 於 1992年六月20日起獲得二周冠軍，是Mariah Carey與Trey Lorenz一起翻唱The Jackson 5 1970年的五周冠軍曲，Michael Jackson個人則因有13首冠軍曲而進入「十首冠軍曲俱樂部」，"I'll Be There,"不算在內。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIt3dx4an9c

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-apaIOOoAo

I'll Be There                          

Mariah Carey

You and I must make a pact

We must bring salvation back

Where there is love

I'll be there

I'll reach out my hand to you

I have faith in all you do

Just call my name

And I'll be there

Trey : I'll be there to comfort you

       I'll build my world of dreams around you

       I'm so glad I found you yeah

       I'll be there with a love so strong

       I'll be your strength

       You know I'll keep holding on

Let me fill your heart with joy and laughter

Togetherness well it's so long after

Just call my name

And I'll be there

I'll be there to protect you

With an unselfish love that respect you

Just call my name

And I'll be there

Trey : I'll be there to comfort you

       I'll build my world of dreams around you

       I'm so glad I found you yeah

       I'll be there with a love so strong

       I'll be your strength

       You know I'll keep holding on

Baby yet you ever find someone new

I know she better be good to you

'Cause if she doesn't

Then I'll be there

Don't you know baby yeah yeah

I'be there, I'll be there

Just call my name

And I'll be there

I'll be there baby

You know I'll be there

Just call my name

Then I'll be there

Just look over your shoulder

Just call my name

And I'll be there

Michael Nesmith-Joanne

 替Michael Nesmith祈禱吧，從六月21日原定於費城舉行的一場演唱會之前病發以來，他已經做了心血管繞道手術，Michael Nesmith之前曾在加州Monterey住家附近醫院診療心臟衰竭的毛病。

  Michael Nesmith是前The Monkees合唱團團員之一，1942年出生於德州休士頓，是一位搖滾樂歌手、作曲和吉他手，在加入The Monkees之前，他就是錄音室的音樂工作者，曾經替Stax/Volt唱片公司工作過。

  Michael Nesmith替Linda Ronstdat寫的"Different Drum"，1967年曾經獲得第13名，是Linda Ronstdat的成名曲，但他個人以Michael Nesmith & The First National Band之名推出的幾首單曲，名次最高的是1970年的"Joanne"，在排行榜上得到過第21名。

  Michael Nesmith 1977年成立了Pacific Arts製片公司，拍過Elephant Parts，Repo Man 等一些電視電影。 

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5CiOTrRJBw

Joanne

Michael Nesmith

Her name was Joanne

and she lived in a meadow by a pond

and she touched me for a moment

with a look that spoke to me of her sweet love

then the woman that she was

drove around with desparation

and I saw as she went

a most hopeless situation

for Joanne and the man and the time

that made them both run

She was only a girl

I know that well but still I couldnt see

that the hold that she had

was much stronger than the love she felt for me

but staying with her and my little bit of wisdom

broke down her desires like a light thru a prism

into yellows and blues and a tune

that I could not have sung

tho the essence is gone

I have no tears to cry for her

and my only thoughts of her are kind

Her name was Joanne

and she lived in a meadow by a pond

and she touched me for a moment

with a look that spoke to me of her sweet love

then the woman that she was

drove around with desparation

and I saw as she went

a most hopeless situation

for joann and the man and the time

that made them both run