The Association-Cherish

永遠的冠軍曲： The Association’s ‘Cherish’

這首歌是該樂團二首冠軍曲之一，也是唯一由已故的 Terry Kirkman 創作的歌，其中有一股黑暗的暗流。在婚禮上演奏前請三思。

The Association 的“Cherish”是 20 世紀 60 年代最美麗的流行歌曲之一，是一首流行合唱經典歌曲，長期以來一直是婚宴上的主要歌曲。它讓你從開頭的音符中驚呆了。但這首歌並不像乍看那麼簡單。仔細聽，你會發現這是一個關於單相思的浪漫痴迷的故事，主角最終脫口而出「你快把我逼瘋了」。
在某些方面，“Cherish”相當於20 世紀60 年代 The Police 合唱團的“Every Breath You Take”，有些人乍聽到的是一首永恆奉獻的歌曲，其實它也是一首關於不健康、跟蹤狂般的迷戀的歌曲。 歌曲可能比表面上看起來更複雜。

The Association 於 1965 年在洛杉磯成立，前身是由 13 人組成的民謠/搖滾樂隊 The Men，該樂隊曾短暫是著名吟遊詩人俱樂部的室內樂隊。但很快就轉向精緻的主流流行音樂——其音樂通常被稱為“陽光流行音樂”。

“Cherish”是The Association 團員 Terry Kirkman 所寫的歌，Kirkman 還在這首熱門歌曲中擔任主唱，這是樂團突破性熱門歌曲“Along Comes Mary”之後的暢銷曲。1966 年 7 月，這首歌在 Billboard Hot 100 排行榜進入前10名。Russ Giguere 在“Cherish”中唱和聲。專業錄音室的樂手們被請來擔任伴奏。他們包括吉他手 Mike Deasy、貝斯手 Jerry Scheff 和鼓手 Jim Troxel。 Curt Boettcher 製作了這首單曲，並在 Valiant 「勇士」唱片公司發行。

Terry Kirkman 是一位歌手、作曲人，也是the Association 合唱團的共同創辦人，該團在20 世紀60 年代以“Windy”、“Cherish”及“Along Comes Mary”、“ Never My Love”和“Everything That Touches You.”受到歌迷們熱烈的歡迎。
the Association 以其敏銳的風格感和流暢的和聲而聞名，於1967年舉辦的蒙特利流行音樂節被認為是美國第一個商業搖滾音樂節，其中包括 Jimi Hendrix 、the Who、Janis Joplin、 Jefferson Airplane,、the Grateful Dead、the Byrds、 Canned Heat 這些後來歌壇名人。當時的旁觀者指出， the Association 在搖滾傳奇中佔有一席之地。歌曲獲得了巨大成功。

Terry Kirkman 於週六（2023 年9 月23 日）在他的家中去世（83歲）。

(15) The Association - Cherish (1966)(Stereo) – YouTube

這首歌於1971年由David Cassidy翻唱獲得第9名，David Cassidy因電視影集The Partridge Family走紅，但晚景淒涼，有段時間常進派出所。

(15) The Association "Never My Love" on The Ed Sullivan Show – YouTube

THE 5TH DIMENSION〈五度空間〉合唱團於1971年翻唱這首歌得過11名。The Ed Sullivan Show 〔蘇利文劇場〕是台灣只有一家無線台時星期日晚間很受歡迎節目，歐美剛出道的名歌星、合唱團都上過這歌節目，含The Beatles、貓王在內。

Cherish

Lyrics：Terry Kirkman

Cherish is the word I use to describe
All the feeling that I have hiding here for you inside
You don't know how many times I've wished that I had told you
You don't know how many times I've wished that I could hold you
You don't know how many times I've wished that I could
Mold you into someone who could
Cherish me as much as I cherish you

Perish is the word that more than applies
To the hope in my heart each time I realize
That I am not gonna be the one to share your dreams
That I am not gonna be the one to share your schemes
That I am not gonna be the one to share
What seems to be the life that you could
Cherish as much as I do yours

Oh, I'm beginning to think that man has never found
The words that could make you want me
That have the right amount of letters, just the right sound
That could make you hear, make you see
That you are drivin' me out of my mind

Oh, I could say I need you but then you'd realize
That I want you just like a thousand other guys
Who'd say they loved you With all the rest of their lies
When all they wanted was to touch your face, your hands
And gaze into your eyes

Cherish is the word I use to describe
All the feeling that I have hiding here for you inside
You don't know how many times I've wished that I had told you
You don't know how many times I've wished that I could hold you
You don't know how many times I've wished that I could
Mold you into someone who could
Cherish me as much as I cherish you

And I do cherish you
And I do cherish you
Cherish is the word