Bruce Springsteen-Born To Run

        以汽車為主題的歌已經存在流行歌壇很多年了，但新冠肺炎流行以來，Car Songs「汽車歌曲」在流行歌曲、音樂影帶及演唱會裡更顯突出。汽車歌曲大多聚焦在道路上，包含卡車音樂，但車後座的那檔事也少不了，與巴士和摩托車相關的也有一點。 

   流行音樂界專業人士最近挑選出歷年最受歡迎的100首汽車歌曲The 100 Greatest Car Songs of All Time，獲得這個排行榜冠軍的是Bruce Springsteen的"Born To Run"。

    這首歌是Bruce Springsteen的專輯〈Born To Run〉的標題歌曲， 1975年在Billboard Hot 100排行榜獲得第23名，但是後來在滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜獲得第21名，足證Springsteen 是一位獲得流行音樂界專業人士肯定的搖滾樂巨星。

          "Born To Run"有4分半鐘長，受到唱片製作人Phil Spector開發的錄音技術Wall of Sound「聲牆」的影響，努力了3個半月才推出，Springsteen 此曲的伴奏用了弦樂、鐵片琴、多個鍵琴和超過一打的吉他的組合，歌詞無情地傾洩而出，敘述一對年輕情侶在新澤西高速公路上的故事。

    Springsteen告訴滾石雜誌的記者:「我一開始不知道伴奏的配置有多重要，這是那配置背後的構想，可以用在新澤西、加州或阿拉斯加。

         Bruce Springsteen  1949年出生於美國新澤西州Freehold，外號The Boss「老闆」，1960年代中期他就在新澤西和紐約著名的Greenwich Village唱歌，1973他年成立E-Street Band。1975年在〈Born To Run〉推出後，法院曾禁止他發行任何新唱片，直到1978年才解禁。

         Bruce Springsteen暢銷曲很多，是歷年暢銷歌星排行榜第120名的知名搖滾樂手，1999年進入搖滾樂名人堂。

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxuThNgl3YA

 

Born To Run

 

In the day we sweat it out on the streets of a runaway American dream

At night we ride through the mansions of glory in suicide machines

Sprung from cages out on highway nine,

Chrome wheeled, fuel injected,and steppin' out over the line

H-Oh, Baby this town rips the bones from your back

It's a death trap, it's a suicide rap

We gotta get out while we're young

`Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run

 

Yes, girl we were

 

Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend

I want to guard your dreams and visions

Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims

And strap your hands 'cross my engines

Together we could break this trap

We'll run till we drop, baby we'll never go back

H-Oh, Will you walk with me out on the wire

`Cause baby I'm just a scared and lonely rider

But I gotta know how it feels

I want to know if love is wild

Babe I want to know if love is real

 

Oh, can you show me

 

Beyond the Palace hemi-powered drones scream down the boulevard

Girls comb their hair in rearview mirrors

And the boys try to look so hard

The amusement park rises bold and stark

Kids are huddled on the beach in a mist

I wanna die with you Wendy on the street tonight

In an everlasting kiss

 

One, two, three, four

 

The highway's jammed with broken heroes on a last chance power drive

Everybody's out on the run tonight

But there's no place left to hide

Together Wendy we can live with the sadness

I'll love you with all the madness in my soul

H-Oh, Someday girl I don't know when

We're gonna get to that place

Where we really wanna go

And we'll walk in the sun

But till then tramps like us

Baby we were born to run

 

Oh honey, tramps like us

Baby we were born to run

 

Come on with me, tramps like us

Baby we were born to run

Babyface & Gwyneth Paltrow -Just My Imagination

    今天要介紹一首名曲，R&B合唱團The Temptations 的 "Just My Imagination"。

          美國影星Gwyneth Paltrow   格温妮絲·帕特羅以1998年的電影〈Shakespeare in Love〉「莎翁情史」獲得金像獎出名，事實上她也有名模、作曲、職業婦女、歌手與作家等多重身分。2000年她曾與   Babyface合唱   "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me "  很得到老歌迷們的喜愛。

        Babyface本名Kenneth Edmonds 1959年出生於美國印地安那州Indianapolis，他是1990年代很受歡迎的R&B歌手，曾經寫過Boys II Men的冠軍曲   " I'll Make Love To You"，1987-2000年他曾經自己個人和與他人合寫45首top10的歌，他是一位R&B歌手也是製作人、擅長多種樂器演奏，與朋友一起開LaFace唱片公司，太太Tracey則是Yab Yum唱片公司的總裁。

       Babyface 暢銷曲很多，名次最好的歌是1994年獲得第4名的"When Can I See You "，他在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜第280名。

    The Temptations 是歷年暢銷歌星排行榜第23名的大牌合唱團，喜歡1960年代黑人靈魂歌曲的歌迷都不會忘掉他們令人懷念的歌聲，"Just My Imagination" 這一首歌是他們1971年的二周冠軍曲，在滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜獲得399名，朋友們可以比較一下兩代黑人紅歌星不同的演唱風格，當然還有格温妮絲•帕特羅合唱的歌聲。  

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEYtf3zmemc

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5Z9-QCmZyw

 

Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)

Songwriters: Barrett Strong / Norman Whitfield / Norman J. Whitfield

 

Each day through my window I watch her as she passes by
I say to myself you're such a lucky guy
To have a girl like her is truly a dream come true
Out of all the fellows in the world she belongs to me
But it was just my imagination
Runnin' away with me
It was just my imagination runnin' away with me

Soon we'll be married and raise a family (oh yeah)
A cozy little home out in the country with two children maybe three
I tell you I can visualize it all
This couldn't be a dream for too real it all seems
But it was just my imagination once again runnin' way with me
Tell you it was just my imagination runnin' away with me

Every night on my knees I pray, dear Lord, hear my plea
Don't ever let another take her love from me or I would surely die
Her love is heavenly, when her arms enfold me
I hear a tender rhapsody, but in reality she doesn't even know me

Just my imagination once again runnin' way with me
Tell you it was just my imagination runnin' away with me
No, no, I can't forget her
Just my imagination once again runnin' way with me
Just my imagination runnin' away with me

 

UB40-Red Red Wine

      談起Reggae雷鬼音樂，除了Bob Marley之外，UB40是在排行榜上成績最好的團體，UB40組成於英國伯明翰，主唱Ali Campbell與吉他手Robin Campbell是一對兄弟檔，他們與另一位主唱Terence ‘Astro’Wilson、打擊樂手Norman Hassan 、鍵琴手Michael Virtue、薩克斯風Brian Travers、貝斯手Earl Falconer及鼓手James Brown組成了這個樂團。

  樂評人將他們定位為Interracial raggage band  "跨種族雷鬼樂團"，1984年他們推出Neil Diamond所寫的雷鬼版Red Red Wine 在英國排行榜獲得第3名 (美國#34)，4年後的1988年，他們把Red Red Wine 加入饒舌歌手Astro的口白再度推出，使這首歌變成了饒舌版雷鬼歌曲而一舉成名，在Billboard Hot 100 排行榜獲得冠軍。

  UB40後來推出不少暢銷曲，其中翻唱貓王Elvis Prasley的老 歌被選為沙朗史東主演的電影”Sliver”〈銀色獵物〉的插曲 Can't Help Falling In love，1993年更連續7周獲得排行榜冠軍，使他們進入大牌合唱團圈內，在歷年暢銷歌星合唱團排行榜獲得第496名。

  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2QRpvhoUk8

 

Red Red Wine

Songwriters: Neil Diamond

Red, red wine goes to my head
Makes me forget that I still need her so

Red, red wine, it's up to you
All I can do I've done
Memories won't go, memories won't go

I'd have sworn that with time
Thoughts of you leave my head
I was wrong, now I find
Just one thing makes me forget

Red, red wine, stay close to me
Don't let me be alone
It's tearing apart my blue heart

I'd have sworn that with time
Thoughts of you leave my head
I was wrong, now I find
Just one thing makes me forget

Red, red wine, stay close to me
Don't let me be alone
It's tearing apart my blue heart

Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
You keep me rockin' all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so grand
I feel a million dollar when you're just in my hand
Red red wine, you make me feel so sad
Any time I see you go, it make me feel bad
Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
Monkey pack him Rizla pon the sweet Dep line

Red red wine, weh give me whole heap of zing
Whole heap of zing, make me do my own thing
Red red wine, you really know how fi love
Your kind of lovin' like a blessing from above
Red red wine, I loved you right from the start
Right from the start, and with all of my heart
Red red wine inna eighties style
Red red wine inna modern beat style
Yeah

Give me a likkle time, let me clear up mi mind
Give me a likkle time, let me clear up mi mind
Give me red wine, the kind make me feel fine
You make me feel fine all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
Monkey pack him Rizla pon the sweet Dep line
The line broke, the money get choked
Bun bad ganja pon him likkle rowing boat
Red red wine, I'm gonna hold on to you
Hold on to you 'cause I know yuh love truth
Red red wine, I'm gonna love you til' I die
Love you 'til I die, and that's no lie
Red red wine, can't get you out mi mind
Wherever you may be, I'll surely find
I'll surely find, make no fuss, just leave us

Give me a little time, let me clear out my mind
Give me a little time, let me clear out my mind
Give me red wine, the kind make me feel fine
You make me feel fine all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
Monkey back and ease up on the sweet deadline
The line broke, the money get choked
Bun bad ganja pon him likkle rowing boat

Red red wine, you really know how fi love
Your kind of lovin' like a blessing from above
Red red wine, I loved you right from the start
Right from the start, and with all of my heart
Red red wine, weh give me whole heap of zing
Whole heap of zing, make me do my own thing
Red red wine inna eighties style
Red red wine inna modern beat style
Yeah

Red red wine, you make me feel so fine
You keep me rockin' all of the time
Red red wine, you make me feel so grand
I feel a million dollar when you're just in my hand
Red red wine, you make me feel so sad
Any time I see you go, it make me feel bad

 

 

 

Bob Marley-No Woman No Cry

    Reggae雷鬼音樂是源自西印度群島的一種舞曲，以來自牙買加的最出名，在流行歌壇有Jimmy Cliff、Peter Tosh 這二個歌手與來自英國伯明翰的跨種族雷鬼樂團 UB40較有知名度，其中UB40以雷鬼調所唱的Red Red Wine(UK1)及 I Can't Help Falling in Love(UK2) ，在Billboard Hot 100排行榜都獲得冠軍。

  談起雷鬼音樂不得不提起Bob Marley這位傳奇雷鬼歌手，Bob Marley 1945年出生於牙買加Rhoden Hall，1981年因癌症去世，他是一位雷鬼歌手、作曲人與吉他手，他以Bob Marley And The Wailers之名闖蕩歌壇，Peter Tosh即The Wailers團員之一，Bob 的兒子 Damian 與 Ziggy Marley也分別組成Damian Marley" Jr. Gong "及Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers雷鬼樂團。

  Bob Marley在排行榜上有幾首暢銷曲，但名次都不高，可是在滾石雜誌的500首最受歡迎歌曲榜有4首作品列名，證明他的歌受到專業評審的青睞，其中名次最高的是的第37名的"No Woman, No Cry"(1975年現場錄製)。

  50年代後期Bob Marley住在牙買加的"Government Yard in Trench Town"那是一個公辦住宅，Bob Marley在 "No Woman, No Cry"這首歌裡提及他這個老家，他也把這首歌的創作與兒時的朋友Vincent"Tata"Ford共享，這也等於幫Vincent開的金士頓湯餐廳因而能繼續運轉。

  Bob Marley 1984年出版的專輯〈Legent〉，在滾石雜誌邀請300位音樂界專業人士票選出的專輯行榜中獲得46名，是歌迷們不會錯過的經典唱片。

  推薦你這一首越聽越好聽的雷鬼音樂"No Woman, No Cry"。

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzkG6Xu6lUE

 

No Woman No Cry

Songwriters: Jimmy Cliff / Klaus Biedermann / Paul Pfab / Helmet Wolfgrueber / Arnold Jarvis / Melissa Bell / Papa LinleyOh-oh-oh-ohhhh

 

No woman, no cry

No woman, no cry

No woman, no cry

No woman, no cry

Say, Say,

Say, I remember when we used to sit

In a government yard in Trenchtown

Ob-ob-Observing the hypocrites

As they would mingle with the good people we meet

Good friends we have

Oh, good friends we have lost

Along the way

In this great future,

You can't forget your past

So dry your tears, I say

No woman no cry

No woman no cry

Little darling, don't shed no tears

No woman no cry

Said I remember when we use to sit

In the government yard in Trenchtown

And then Georgie would make the fire lights

while the log wood burnin through the night

Then we would cook cornmeal porridge

Of which I'll share with you

My feet is my only carriage

And so I've got to push on through,

Oh, while I'm gone

Everything 's gonna be all right

Everything 's gonna be all right

No woman no cry

No woman no cry

Woman and sister

Don't shed no tears

No woman no cry

 

 

B.J. Thomas-Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head

  演唱"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"的歌星B.J. Thomas，78歲高齡去世

  五屆Grammy獎得主，以"Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head"成名的B.J. Thomas，是因肺癌去世。

     出生於奧克拉荷馬州而於德州成長的Thomas 第一首暢銷曲是1966年翻唱Hank Williams的"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"(#8)，1968年他有一首top five hit排行榜前五名暢銷曲"Hooked on a Feeling"(#5)，1970年他以"Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head"登上排行榜冠軍寶座。因為著名的詞曲搭檔Burt Bacharach 與 Hal David的青睞，這首他們替電影Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid「虎豹小霸王」所寫的主題曲，也贏得the Oscar for Best Original Song.奧斯卡原創電影插曲金像獎。

    Thomas在他的歌唱生涯中賣了七千萬張唱片，其中有25首top 10 singles排行榜前10名單曲，包括"I Just Can't Help Believing"(#9)、"(Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song"(#1)與"Rock and Roll Lullaby"(AC#1)

    80年代早期Thomas去鄉村歌唱界發展，唱了一些受歡迎的鄉村歌曲如: "New Looks from an Old Lover"(CW#1) 及 "Whatever Happened to Old Fashioned Love"(CW#1)，而他唱的福音歌曲也受到歡迎，如1976年的專輯〈Home Where I Belong〉曾經暢銷百萬張獲得金唱片。

   Thomas替電視劇Growing Pains唱的主題曲"As Long as We've Got Each Other"是一首令人懷念的歌 。 他於2014年獲選進入Grammy獎名人堂。

  Thomas和妻子Gloria在一起53年，有三個女兒，四個孫兒。

     "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head"這首歌於1969年底推出，後來獲得連續四週排行榜冠軍，由保羅紐曼和羅伯瑞福二位巨星所主演的電影「虎豹小霸王」是那個年代的經典之作，令人永難忘懷。

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VyA2f6hGW4

 Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head

Songwriters: Burt Bacharach / Hal David / Burt F. Bacharach

 

Raindrops are falling on my head

And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed

Nothing seems to fit

Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling

So I just did me some talking to the sun

And I said I didn't like the way he got things done

Sleeping on the job

Those raindrops are falling on my head, they keep falling

But there's one thing I know

The blues they send to meet me

Won't defeat me, it won't be long

Till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head

But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red

Crying's not for me

'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining

Because I'm free

Nothing's worrying me

It won't be long till happiness steps up to greet me

Raindrops keep falling on my head

But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turning red

Crying's not for me

'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complaining

Because I'm free

Nothing's worrying me