Betty Wright-Clean Up Woman

   黑人靈魂歌曲及R&B節奏與藍調歌曲的看板人物Betty Wright去世

  傳奇黑人靈魂歌曲及R&B 歌手Betty Wright，以"Tonight Is the Night"、“No Pain, (No Gain)" 及"Clean Up Woman"幾首歌曲知名，享年66歲。

  Wright因癌症於她邁阿密家鄉去世，五月初好友Chaka Khan在推特貼文 "現在需要大家的禱告"。

  本名Bessie Regina Norris 的Betty Wright 於1953年出生，三歲時從Echoes of Joy 合唱團開始唱歌，那是她家族1956年成立於邁阿密的福音歌曲合唱團。

  1968年Betty Wright推出第一張專輯My First Time Around，當時她15歲，其中的歌"Girls Can't Do What the Guys Do"進入 Billboard Hot 100排行榜前40名，1972年的"Clean Up Woman"成績更好，最高得到第6名，和 Mary J. Blige、Afrika Bambaataa 及Sublime是當年的年輕樣板歌手。1970年代中期Betty Wright推出"Tonight Is the Night" 及 "Where Is the Love,"二首在R&B歌曲排行榜top 20的歌，後者獲得1975年Grammy最佳R&B歌曲獎。

  1980年代她開了自己的唱片公司Ms. B Records，出版Mother Wit專輯，其中的單曲"No Pain (No Gain)" 1988年再度發行曾獲得R&B歌曲排行榜第14名。

  2003年她和Joss Stone合作製作 The Soul Sessions專輯，其中包括1960與1970年代的經典歌曲，在英國獲得Mercury Prize.獎。

  2006她上一個Making the Band電視節目，由 Sean “P Diddy” Combs介紹給年輕歌迷。

  2011年她加入The Roots的Betty Wright: The Movie專輯錄音，其中還邀請有Lil Wayne、Snoop Dogg 及Stone。

  "Betty Wright是S-Curve's creative family創意家族的基本咖" Curve Records唱片的老闆Steve Greenberg 告訴記者，"她和我合作很多案子，從Joss Stone 到Tom Jones 、O’Jays與她自己的專輯，範圍很廣，Betty Wright 及 the Roots.的組合看出她是有三方面才華的藝人，身為藝人、作曲及製作人，她經常有工作之外的表現，她很少讓錄音影響生活，她讓每個工作人員有信心去創造一個不一樣的東西"。

  Betty Wright在Billboard Hot 100排行榜成績最好的歌就是1972年得到第6名的"Clean Up Woman"，而此曲在R&B歌曲排行榜則獲得連續8週第2名。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKBwpxAuc3o

Clean up Woman

Betty Wright

Songwriters: Clarence Henry Reid / Willie James Clarke

A clean up woman is a woman who

Gets all the love we girls leave behind

The reason I know so much about her

Is because she picked up a man of mine

Jumpin' slick was my ruin

'Cause I found out all I was doin'

Was makin' it easy for the clean up woman

To get my man's love, aww, yeah

Just makin' it easy for the clean up woman

To get my baby's love, huh huh

I took this man's love and put it on a shelf

And, like a fool, I thought I had him all to myself

When he needed love, I was out havin' fun

But I found out that all I had done

Was made it easy for the clean up woman

To get my man's love, huh huh

Yeah, that's what I did

I made it easy for the clean up woman

To steal my baby's love, aw, yeah

The clean up woman will wipe his blues away

She'll give him plenty lovin', twenty four hours a day

The clean up woman, she'll sweep him off his feet

She's the one who'll take him in when you dump him in the street

So take a tip, you better get hip

To the clean up woman, 'cause she's tough

I mean, she really cleans up

Cher-Chiquitita

  Cher的 Here We Go Again Tour巡迴演唱本來在三月初開唱，但這位73歲的歌壇大姐大卻因新冠肺炎災情逐步升溫而有不祥之感，"我從報上的報導知道COVID-19這個傳染病來了"，她說5月2日時她在加州Malibu別墅和記者通電話，"這個傳染病好像鯊魚，就像吃人機器，我比大多數美國人了解，因為我有朋友在義大利做秀場工作，每個人都想逃走，我很幸運沒有和他們一起工作，因為舞者和我貼身表演，口對口的傳染危險很難避開"。

  NBA猶他爵士隊檢查出有球員確診，Cher原先於3月12日在Oklahoma市的賽前表演之約取消，Cher也回家自我隔離，但她的意志力與人不同，她很快地跑到錄音室去錄她55年歌唱生涯第一首西班牙語歌，"我了解我想做點事"，她表示"我其實去年開始學習和排練這首歌，但沒有錄下來，因為很難。

  Cher的努力有了結果: 1979年 ABBA 的名曲"Chiquitita"西班牙語版(1979 ﹟29)，將於五月8日推出，接著這首歌的video將在聯合國兒童基金會UNICEF的活動COVID-19 Virtual Special播放，Cher將捐出所得。她在家裡錄好她的表演部分，然後UNICEF將全世界找來的兒童表演部分合成完成帶寄給她，"這是個美好、樂觀開朗的經驗，我們生活在混亂的當下，能用樂觀態度看每件事，真是太好了"。

  Cher的故事還沒完，這位Grammy獎得主也和哥倫比亞大學傳染病學專家與兒童健康基金會共同創辦人Dr. Irwin Redlener一同成立CherCares Pandemic Resource and Response Initiative基金會(CCPRRI)，這個基金會準備先在這個傳染病期間捐出一百萬美元給"長期被忽視和遺忘的人們，因為在鄉下的拉丁、有色人種與 印地安人沒人照顧"。

  用西班牙語唱"Chiquitita"是Cher很大的挑戰，但她走過來了，而且覺得發音還挺標準，因為40年前他學過一點。

  1998年替"Believe"和Cher其它Warner Bros唱片公司經典作品擔任執行製作的Orlando Puerta上個月因新冠肺炎去世，Cher感覺失去了一位好友，她在非洲曾一起工作的夥伴Peter Hotez讓她相信要找一個與基金會相關的人才能成事，另一個朋友介紹他認識了Irwin博士，她於是開始投入與新冠肺炎之戰了。

    

  Cher 1946年出生於加州 El Centro，影歌雙棲的她在排行榜上最後一首冠軍曲是1998年底的四週冠軍曲Believe，此曲亦獲得Grammy最佳舞曲唱片獎，Cher暢銷曲很多，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜上獲得64名，在流行歌唱界是一位巨星，但她在影壇的成就也不遑多讓。

  Cher 1987年她曾經以電影Moonstruck《發暈》獲得奧斯卡最佳女主角獎，此外她主演的「絲克伍事件」、「面具、」「紫屋魔戀」、「嫌疑犯」等片叫好又叫座，是1980年代歌迷們最佳的回憶。

     "Chiquitita"是Cher 翻唱ABBA合唱團名曲的新專輯 'Dancing Queen'當中的歌。

 

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4QqMKe3rwY

Chiquitita

Songwriters: Benny Goran Bror Andersson / Ingrid Bjornov / Niklas Stromstedt / Bjoern K. Ulvaeus

Chiquitita, tell me what's wrong
You're enchained by your own sorrow
In your eyes there is no hope for tomorrow
How I hate to see you like this
There is no way you can deny it
I can see that you're oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, tell me the truth
I'm a shoulder you can cry on
Your best friend, I'm the one you must rely on
You were always sure of yourself
Now I see you've broken a feather
I hope we can patch it up together

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

So the walls came tumbling down
And your love's a blown out candle
All is gone and it seems too hard to handle
Chiquitita, tell me the truth
There is no way you can deny it
I see that you're oh so sad, so quiet

Chiquitita, you and I know
How the heartaches come and they go and the scars they're leaving
You'll be dancing once again and the pain will end
You will have no time for grieving
Chiquitita, you and I cry
But the sun is still in the sky and shining above you
Let me hear you sing once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita
Try once more like you did before
Sing a new song, Chiquitita

Bill Withers-Lean on Me

    以"Lean On Me"、 "Ain't No Sunshine" 等歌成名的Bill Withers，3月30日已經以八十一歲高齡去世了，Withers是因心臟病於洛杉磯不治。

  他的家屬表示"我們因失去最愛的先生與父親震驚，他這樣一個小人物，卻懷有一顆雄心用詩與歌去連結世界，他對歌迷講實話，與每一位歌迷交流 "。

   "私下的他，親切的與親朋好友相處，他的音樂永久屬於全世界。在這個艱困時刻，我們祈禱他的音樂可以像對歌迷們一樣帶來愉悅給所有人"。

  音樂界一些名人透過網路社群向Withers表達哀悼的意思。

  Chance the Rapper在推特推文：" Bill Withers是很偉大的的，"Grandma's Hands"、 "Ain't No Sunshine"、"Lean On Me"、 "Use Me Up"、"Just The Two Of Us及" "Lovely Day"是他最好的歌，他的離去讓我很受傷" 。

  Lenny Kravitz 推文："Bill Withers雖已逝仍有影響力，你的歌喉、歌曲與完美的表達，給我愛、希望和力量，我的心裡擁有且經常存在你的音樂，你的謙遜表現及深度力量帶領我們去更美好的地方，Bill永遠是Bill"。

  Bill Withers 1938年出生於美國西維吉尼亞洲Slab Fork，R&B歌手、作曲、吉它手，2015年進入搖滾樂名人堂，他在排行榜上名次最好的歌是1972年獲得3周排行榜冠軍的"Lean On Me"，這首歌在滾石雜誌歷年500大歌曲榜獲得第208名。

  來自加州Sacramento 的舞曲樂團Club Nouveau，1987年重新翻唱"Lean On Me"曾再度獲得二周排行榜冠軍。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOZ-MySzAac

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

Lean on Me

Bill Withers

Songwriters: Bill Withers

Sometimes in our lives we all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tomorrow

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you won't let show

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'll understand
We all need somebody to lean on

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'll understand
We all need somebody to lean on

If there is a load you have to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load

If you just call me (call me)
If you need a friend (call me) call me uh huh (call me) if you need a friend (call me)
If you ever need a friend (call me)
Call me (call me) call me (call me) call me
(Call me) call me (call me) if you need a friend
(Call me) call me (call me) call me (call me) call me (call me) call me (call me)

Green Day-Boulevard of Broken Dreams

  搖滾女將Joan Jett，Green Day 的主唱 Billie Joe Armstrong和很多藝人向龐克形象設計師Jimmy Webb致敬，他於4/21週二去世。

  Webb以龐克名店Trash & Vaudeville的經理人和買家知名，並擁有搖滾服飾店I Need More。

  幾位搖滾樂界名流在社群媒体上對他的去世致意，他們是Blondie的Debbie Harry 與 Chris Stein，Guns N' Roses'的Slash與 Duff McKagan，E Street Band 的 Max Weinberg 與Steven Van Zandt，Alice Cooper及 Sebastian Bach。

  Joan Jett表示" St. Marks St 的傳奇人物，龐克的造型師，不論有不有名，他走了。我很難過，我們都會想念她的精力充沛、溫暖的精神，這個城市沒有你後將不同於以往"。

Armstrong說"他的死讓人心碎，Jimmy你是紐約的寶，一直是正向的能量。

  Bach推文" Jimmy Webb是我好友，我買他設計的每雙高跟男靴，1987 – 2011年我都在龐克搖滾的招牌店Trash & Vaudeville寫歌，一路好走兄弟，我們都將懷念你，你來自真正的搖滾樂時代"。

  龐克搖滾三人樂團Green Day於加州Rodeo組成，1994年以When I Come Around得到Billboard Hot 100排行榜第6名而開始走紅，2004年底推出的Boulevard Of Broken Dreams 獲得五週排行第2名 且獲得當年Grammy年度唱片獎，是他們成績最好的歌，Green Day暢銷曲很多，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得221名，並於2015年獲選進入搖滾樂名人堂，對一個1990年代中期才踏入歌壇的團體而言，已可算是成績斐然了。

(此Jimmy Webb與 美國另一位詞、曲作者與歌手 Jimmy Webb非同一人)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soa3gO7tL-c

Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Green Day

Songwriters: Michael Pritchard / Frank E. / Iii Wright / Billie Joe Armstrong

I walk a lonely road
The only one that I have ever known
Don't know where it goes
But it's only me, and I walk alone

I walk this empty street
On the boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one, and I walk alone

I walk alone, I walk alone
I walk alone and I walk a

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
Till then I walk alone

Ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah ah ah

I'm walking down the line
That divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line of the edge
And where I walk alone

Read between the lines
What's fucked up and every thing's all right
Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive
And I walk alone

I walk alone, I walk alone
I walk alone and I walk a

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
Till then I walk alone

Ah ah ah ah ah
Ah ah ah ah ah

I walk alone, I walk a

I walk this empty street
On the boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one, and I walk alone

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me
My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating
Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me
Till then I walk alone

Carole King-So Far Away

   搖滾樂名人堂歌星Carole King最近在臉書公開了他改寫部分歌詞的經典歌曲"So Far Away"。

  在這個video裡，King將第一行歌詞"So far away/Doesn't anybody stay in one place any more?"改為"So far away/everyone has to stay in one place"，來述說一些人在這段時間只能停留在一個地點。

  這一首歌的其它部分歌詞沒有改，改寫過的這首歌很確切且適合描述全世界那些被隔離和經驗焦慮時刻那些人的心情。

  "Long ago I reached for you and there you stood/Holding you again could only do me good/Oh how I wish I could but you're so far away"，Carole King低聲吟唱這首帶一點憂鬱的歌。

  此外為撫慰歌迷，她也希望大家都平安，也能少出門，而且盡一己之力幫這個傳染病帶來的危機早日離去，越快越好。

  Carole King 1942 年出生於紐約布魯克林區，Neil Sedaka 的名曲"Oh Carol"就是為她所寫，1958年她嫁給作曲人Gerry Goffin，夫妻倆寫了 "Will You Love Me Tomorrow"、"Go Away Little Girl"、"Take Good Care Of My Baby"、"The Loco Motion"這幾有名的冠軍曲，1972年她以專輯Tapestry及其中的"It's Too Late"、"You've Got A Friend"獲得四座Grammy獎，並且於2013年獲得終身成就獎，Carole King是搖滾樂史上最成功的女作曲家。

 

  "So Far Away"是Carole King 1972年獲得第14名的暢銷曲。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_gX9M_uP6U&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UofYl3dataU

So Far Away

Words and Music by Carole King

So far away

Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore

It would be so fine to see your face at my door

Doesn't help to know you're just time away

Long ago I reached for you and there you stood

Holding you again could only do me good

How I wish I could

But you're so far away

One more song about moving along the highway

Can't say much of anything that's new

If I could only work this life out my way

I'd rather spend it being close to you

But you're so far away

Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore

It would be so fine to see your face at my door

Doesn't help to know you're so far away

Traveling around sure gets me down and lonely

Nothing else to do but close my mind

I sure hope the road don't come to own me

There's so many dreams I've yet to find

But you're so far away

Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore

It would be so fine to see your face at my door

Doesn't help to know you're so far away