Annette Funicello去世

1950年代後期因參加「米老鼠俱樂部」 電視節目演出而成名的「美國甜心」Annette Funicello，本週一於加州Bakersfield去世（70歲） 。

Annette 1942年出生於紐約州Utica， 她們全家自紐約搬到南加州後，有一次因演出芭蕾舞「天鵝湖」 而被Walt Disney本人發掘，並安排她參加「米老鼠俱樂部」 電視節目演出，雖然Annette 最後才加入24人劇組，但當年只有13歲的她卻受到觀眾們最多的喜愛，一個月可以收到六千封信。

1959年這個節目停播後，Annette持續參家迪士尼電視影集與電影的演出，當時她也開始灌唱片，成績還不錯，如Tall Paul於1959年獲得第7名，O Dio Mio於1960年獲得第10名，Pineapple Princess於1960年獲得第11名，First Name Initial;則於1960年獲得第20名，Annette當時的男朋友是正走紅偶像歌手Paul Anka，多情的Paul 為Annette寫了一首很好聽的情歌Puppy Love。

 Annette 1963年還起拍了不少沙灘、舞會…以青少年話題為對象的電影，而且大部份和青春偶像歌手Frankie Avalon合作，為了對Walt Disney的尊敬，她從不在電影中露臍，儘管有時候她會有穿浴袍的戲。

1987年Annette與老搭擋Frankie Avalon再度合作一部海灘劇情的電影"Back To The Beach"，但1992年時她承認拍片時她已得了重病。

Annette Funicello的自傳"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"於1994年出版，她有一句名言"Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful"並非一定要完美人生才會美好。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk1u-5mNmZQ

 

Tall Paul

Annette with the Afterbeats

Written by Bob Roberts, Richard Sherman, and Robert Sherman

Chalk on the sidewalk

Writin' on the wall

Everybody knows it

I love Paul

        Tall Paul, tall Paul

        Tall Paul, he's-a my all

Chalk on the sidewalk (chalk on the sidewalk)

'nitials on a tree ('nitials on a tree)

Ev'rybody knows it (ev'rybody knows it)

Paul loves me

               (Tall Paul)  With the king-size arms

               (Tall Paul)  With the king-size charms

               (Tall Paul)  With the king-size kiss

               (He's my all) He's my all!!

(Tall Paul is my love, tall Paul is my dream)

(He's the captain of the high school football team)

He's my mountain

He's my tree

We go steady

Paul and me

        Tall Paul (with the great big smile)

        Tall Paul (with the great big eyes)

        Tall Paul, (with the great big kiss)

        He's my all

        Tall Paul, tall Paul

        Tall Paul, he's my all

 

 

Al Green到白宮演出

美國公共電視製作「白宮演唱會」系列節目，這節目邀請歐巴馬總統夫婦一同慶賀傳奇歌手和各種音樂型態。

今年的主題是Memphis Soul「孟婓斯靈魂樂」 ，邀請到的名歌手除了Al Green主要還有Sam Moore與Mavis Staples。

演唱會還邀來Booker T. and MG’s樂團的 Booker T. Jones及Steve Cropper還有孟婓斯靈魂樂界的傳奇歌手Willam Bell、Cyndi Lauper、Justin Timberlake，嘻哈歌者與影星Queen Latifah與藍調電子樂手Charlie Musselwhite。

這場唱會本週二已舉行，而且於網路轉播，月中則由美國公共電視安排播出。

「白宮演唱會」之前已做過Paul McCartney、Stevie Wonder、Motown、The Blues、Broadway、Country Music與「黑人音樂月」 等主題，也是歐巴馬總統夫婦第十次主持這個音樂會。

Al Green是歷年暢銷歌星排行榜第167名的名歌手，能作曲也能演唱，1980年回去唱宗教歌曲，他的Let’s Stay Together於1971年曾獲得排行榜冠軍，也是滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜第60名的歌。

 

 Let's Stay Together by Al Green
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COiIC3A0ROM

 

I'm, I'm so in love with you
Whatever you want to do
Is alright with me
'Cause you make me feel, so brand new
And I want to spend my life with you

Me sayin' since, baby, since we've been together
Ooo, loving you forever
Is what I need
Let me, be the one you come running to
I'll never be untrue
Ooo baby

Let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad

Oooo oooo ooo ooo, yeah
Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad

Why somebody, why people break up
Oh, and turn around and make up
I just can't seeeeeeeee
You'd never do that to me
(Would you baby)
'Cause being around you is all I see
It's why I want us to

Let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether
Times are good or bad, happy or sad

Let's, let's stay together
Loving you whether, whether

偶像歌手Bobby Rydell心臟手術

1960年代的青春偶像歌手Bobby Rydell最近在臉書上告訴歌迷：他在費城Thomas Jefferson醫院做了心血管繞道手術，他表示回家休養幾天後，就會回來繼續他的演唱事業。

Bobby Rydell 1942年出生於費城，最早在電視節目演出，1956年加入Roco＆His Aaints合唱團當鼓手，同團的小喇叭手是後來很紅的另一位偶像歌手Frankie Avalon，1957年開始成為唱片歌手，並且參加一些電影的演出，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第124名的佳績。

在流行歌唱界Teen idol青春偶像歌手即以青少年為對象的歌手，很多人從小就踏入演藝圈，而即使不是十來歲，但至少很年輕，他們透過雜誌（16 Magzine、Tiger Beat…） 與電視節目（The Ed Sullivan Show、Soul Train…）加上演電影， 吸引青少年歌迷，有些甚至還能吸引有懷舊情懷的老歌迷。

Bobby Rydel與Fabin、Frankie Avalon及Chubby Checker是來自費城的三位著名的青春偶像歌手，在歌壇類似的例子極多，且成為一種操作公式，像近年走紅的Justin Bieber小賈斯丁與Jonas Brothers強納斯兄弟合唱團也都屬於青春偶像歌手。

Bobby Rydell作品很多，其中名次最好的是1960年曾得到第2名的Wild One。

 

Wild One

Bobby Rydell

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8wsgN0oKfQ

Oh wild one I'm-a gonna tame you down (tame you down)Ah, wild one I'll get you yet (yeah yeah) you bet (yeah yeah)You little doll all you do is play, you've got a new baby ev'ry dayBut some day it's gonna be me, me and only me.
Oh oh oh oh wild one I'll make you settle down (settle down)Ah wild one I'll clippa your wings (yeah yeah) and them things (yeah yeah)You got the lips that I'm mad aboutI got the lips that'll knock you outC'mon wild one be wild about me.
Whoa, yeah, baby
(whoa whoa whoa)(yeah yeah)(wah wah wah wah)
]You little doll all you do is play, you've got a new baby ev'ry dayBut some day it's gonna be me, me and only me.
Oh oh oh oh wild one I'll make you settle down (settle down)Ah wild one I'll clippa your wings (yeah yeah) and things (yeah yeah)You got the lips that I'm mad aboutI got the lips that'll knock you outC'mon wild one be wild about me.
Whoa, yeah (wah wah wah wah)C'mon wild one be wild about me.
--ONE MORE ONCE--(wah wah wah wah)
Ah, c'mon wild one be wild about me.Be wild about me.

Read more

 

鄉村歌星 Claude King去世

跨界鄉村歌星 Claude King本月七日病逝於老家路易斯安那州的Shreveport，高齡90歲，他以1962年的一首暢銷曲"Wolverton Mountain"為老歌迷們熟識，和圈內好友Jim Reeves一樣，Claude King  在踏入歌壇之前的1950年代，曾在"Louisiana Hayride"廣播電台和電視台主持節目，還曾經創設一個棒球獎學金。

1961年他被哥倫比亞唱片公司挖角簽了唱片約，"Big River, Big Man"這首獲得鄉村曲排行榜第7名的歌，開啟了他從1961-1977年一共三十首暢銷曲的演唱生涯。

1962年曾獲熱門歌曲榜第6名的"Wolverton Mountain"是Claude King唯一的一首熱門歌曲榜前十名的歌，也是一首有趣的故事歌曲，由Claude King與Merle Kilgore一同創作，歌名是一個真實的地名，位於阿肯色州的Conway郡，而歌詞中的主角Clifton Clowers則是Merle Kilgore的叔叔，Clifton Clowers 一輩子住在那兒， 1994年去世後也葬在那兒，他活了102歲。

Claude King一直唱鄉村歌曲到1977年才退休，他也演過幾部電影和電視劇。

 

Wolverton Mountain

Merle Kilgore and Claude King, 1962

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpmztcX_BtI

They say don't go on Wolverton Mountain, 

if you're looking for a wife. 

'Cause Clifton Clowers has a pretty 

young daughter, 

he's mighty handy with a gun and a knife.

   Her tender lips are sweeter than honey 

   And Wolverton Mountain protects her there.

   The bears and birds tell Clifton Clowers

   If a stranger should wander there.

All of my dreams  are on Wolverton Mountain.

I want his daughter for my wife.

I'll take my chances and climb that mountain

Though Clilfton Clowers, he may take my life

   Her tender lips ....

I'm going up on Wolverton Mountain,

It's too lonely downhere below.

It's just not right to hide his dayghter

From the one who loves her so.

   Her tender lips ...

But I don't care about Clifton Clowers,

I'm gonna climb up on his mountain,

I'm gonna take the girl I love.

I don't care about Clifton Clowers,

I'm gonna climb up on his mountain,

I'm gonna take the girl I love.

(repeat to fade)

 

Tina Turner 上雜誌封面

R＆B搖滾女歌星Tina Turner登上了四月號德國版Vogue雜誌的封面，已經七十多歲的Tina Turner從未上過雜誌封面，她這次創了最老封面模特兒的紀錄。

Tina Turner 1938年出生於田納西州Brownsville，與前夫Ike Turner曾以Ike＆Tina Turner之名闖盪歌壇成績還不錯，1976年離婚後至1984年重出江湖，以一首What’s Love Got To Do With It獲得三周排行榜冠軍，並且獲得Grammy年度歌曲獎，當年她已46歲，被視為東山再起的歌壇奇蹟 。

Tina Turner還曾參予Tommy「衝破黑暗谷」與Mad Max-Beyond Thunderdome「衝蜂飛車隊3」 二部電影的演出，他的自傳What’s Love Got To Do With It於1993年並改拍成電影。

Tina Turner於1991年獲選入搖滾樂名人堂，他在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜也獲得第194名佳績，這首What’s Love Got To Do With It在滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜也獲得第309名。

 

What's Love Got to Do With It

Tina Turner

(Terry Britten / Graham Lyle)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smGG7L_JjSM

YOU MUST UNDERSTAND

THAT THE TOUCH OF YOUR HAND

MAKES MY PULSE REACT

THAT IT`S ONLY THAT THRILL

OF BOY MEETING GIRL

OPPOSITES ATTRACT

IT`S PHYSICAL

ONLY LOGICAL

YOU MUST TRY TO IGNORE

THAT IT MEANS MORE THAN THAT

(CHORUS)

OH WHATS LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT

WHAT`S LOVE BUT A SECOND HAND EMOTION

WHAT`S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT

WHO NEEDS A HEART

WHEN A HEART CAN BE BROKEN

IT MAY SEEM TO YOU

THAT I`M ACTING CONFUSED

WHEN YOU`RE CLOSE TO ME

IF I TEND TO LOOK DAZED

I`VE READ IT SOMEPLACE

I`VE GOT CAUSE TO BE

THERE`S A NAME FOR IT

THERE`S A PHRASE FOR IT

BUT WHATEVER THE REASON

YOU DO IT FOR ME

(CHORUS)

I`VE BEEN THINKING OF A NEW DIRECTION

BUT I HAVE TO SAY

I`VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT MY OWN PROTECTION

IT SCARES ME TO FEEL THAT WAY

WHAT`S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT

WHAT`S LOVE BUT A SWEET OLD FASHIONED NOTION

WHAT`S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT

WHO NEEDS A HEART WHEN A HEART CAN BE BROKEN

 

The Birds and the Bees原唱人去世

以"The Birds And The Bees"這首1965年第3名暢銷曲成名的R＆B老歌星Jewel Akens  3月1日不幸於洛杉磯去世（80歲）， Jewel Akens 1933年出生於休士頓，後來搬到洛杉磯，1959年曾組過一個合唱團叫the Four Dots，後來在Era唱片公司的時候，他本來是the Turnarounds合唱團的的團員，但公司決定要他獨唱"The Birds And The Bees"那首歌，沒想到一曲成名。

Jewel Akens後來還有一首"Georgie Porgie"得過第65名，雖然之後在排行榜上不再有好成績，但他始終努力於演唱工作。

"The Birds And The Bees"這首歌在民國五十年代後期曾由香港歌星詹小屏Judi Jim 翻唱，常在剛開播的中視音樂節目播出，與另一首Colors of The Rainbow都很受台灣歌友的歡迎。

 

The Birds and the Bees

- Words and Music by Herb Newman

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umyl-wWRkJ4

Let me tell ya 'bout the birds and the bees

And the flowers and the trees

And the moon up above

And a thing called "Love"

Let me tell ya 'bout the stars in the sky

And a girl and a guy

And the way they could kiss

On a night like this

When I look into your big brown eyes

It's so very plain to see

That it's time you learned about the facts of life

Starting from A to Z

Let me tell ya 'bout the birds and the bees

And the flowers and the trees

And the moon up above

And a thing called "Love" (Yeah!)

When I look into your big brown eyes

It's so very plain to see

That it's time you learned about the facts of life

Starting from A to Z

Let me tell ya 'bout the birds and the bees

And the flowers and the trees

And the moon up above

And a thing called "Love"

Let me tell ya 'bout the birds and the bees

And the flowers and the trees

And the birds and the bees

And the flowers and the trees

'bout the birds

FADE

and the bees

 

Temptations 合唱團二團員去世

1971 -1975年曾在Temptations 合唱團的待過的Damon Harris二月18日不幸因攝護腺癌去世（61歲），Damon 20歲時因Eddie Kendricks離團單飛而加入這個合唱團，之後曾另組Impact 與 The Young Temps (Young Vandals)。

而更早於1971年中因Paul Williams離團而參加過Temptations 合唱團的Richard Street，二月27日亦因肺病去世（70歲），他與 Damon Harris都參加過"Superstar" (#18-1971), "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" (#1-1972) and "Masterpiece" (#7-1973)這幾首Temptations 合唱團的名曲的錄製工作，Richard Street早年是Motown唱片派給the Temps with Otis Williams 與 Melvin Franklin的音樂監督，後來加入the Monitors曾有一首進榜歌曲"Greetings (This is Uncle Sam)" (#100-1966)。Richard Street曾因Paul Williams臨時生病幫Paul唱完演唱會而出名，1993年傳言因腎臟病離開the Monitors，他曾與Velvelettes的主唱Carolyn "Cal" Gill結 過婚（1969 - 1983 ） 。

The Temptations是歷年暢銷歌星與合唱團排行榜第21名的超級R＆B合唱團，1965年以My Girl成名後團員異動甚多 ，他們是黑人節奏與藍調音樂的最重要團體之一。

Papa Was a Rolling Stone

The Temptations

-        written by Norman WHitfield and Barrett Strong

-         

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s3SNHIH0bs

It was the third of September

That day I'll always remember

'Cause that was the day my daddy died

I never got a chance to see him

Never heard nothin' but bad things about him

Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the tuth

And Mama just hung her head and said, Son

Chorus:

  Papa was a rolling stone

  Wherever he laid his hat was his home

  And when he died

  All he left us was alone

  Papa was a rolling stone

  Wherever he laid his hat was his home

  And when he died

  All he left us was alone

Hey, Mama, is it true what they say

That Papa never worked a day in his life?

And Mama, some bad talk goin' around goin' around town

Sayin' that Papa had three outside children and another wife 

And that ain't right

Hey, talk about Papa doing some storefront preaching

Talking about saving your soul

And all the time leaching

Dealing in debt and stealing in the name of the Lord

Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth

And Mama hung her head and said

  Papa was a rolling stone

  Wherever he laid his hat was his home

  And when he died

  All he left us was alone

  Papa was a rolling stone

  Wherever he laid his hat was his home

  And when he died

  All he left us was alone

Hey Mama I heard Papa called himself a jack of all trades

Tell me is that what sent Papa to an early grave?

Folks say Papa would beg, borrow, steal to pay his bills

Folks say Papa wasn't much on thinkin'

Spent most of his life chasin' women and drinking

Mama, I'm depending on you to tell me the truth

And Mama looked up with a tear in her eye and said, Son

  Papa was a rolling stone

  Wherever he laid his hat was his home

  And when he died

  All he left us was alone

  Papa was a rolling stone

  Wherever he laid his hat was his home

  And when he died

  All he left us was alone