Barbra Streisand將於奧斯卡獎再度演出

今年奧斯卡頒獎典禮將不止當紅的英國女歌星Adele會參加演出，影歌雙棲巨星Barbra Streisand也應邀演出。

這將是Barbra Streisand第二次在奧斯卡頒獎典禮演出，而且距離上一回已經有36年之久，1977年她曾在典禮上演唱自己主演的電影A Star Is Born「星夢淚痕」的主題曲Evergreen，Barbra Streisand與Paul Williams合寫的那首歌後來得到原創歌曲獎。

今年奧斯卡獎將對音樂電影致敬，表演者除了Grammy音樂獎2008年最佳新人Adele之外，還有Ravi Shankar的女兒爵士歌手Norah Jones。

今年奧斯卡頒獎典禮的執行製作人表示：在慶祝電影與音樂的盛會裡沒有Barbra Streisand的演出稱不上完美，他很高興Barbra Streisand答應會有很特別的表演。

Barbra Streisand 1942年出生於紐約布魯克林，1962年即開始在百老匯演出，1964年已經是舞台劇Funny Girl「妙女郎」 的女主角，1968年「妙女郎」推出電影版，她與凱賽琳赫本還競爭最佳女主角，除了主演過A Star Is Born「星夢淚痕」、The Way We Were 「往日情懷」、Hello Dolly 「我愛紅娘」、 Funny Lady等知名的電影外， Barbra Streisand也自導自演Yantl「楊朵」、與Prince of Tides「潮浪王子」。

在歌唱部分， Barbra Streisand也成就非凡，她一共有五首排行榜冠軍曲，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第43名。

 

EVERGREEN (Love Theme from "A Star Is Born")

Barbra Streisand

written by Paul Williams and Barbra Streisand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7AIBlzCluc

Love, soft as an easy chair

Love, fresh as the morning air

One love that is shared by two

I have found with you

Like a rose under the April snow

I was always certain love would grow

Love, ageless and evergreen

Seldom seen by two

You and I will

make each night the first

Everyday a beginning

Spirits rise and their dance is unrehearsed

They warm and excite us

'Cause we have the brightest love

Two lights that shine as one Morning glory and midnight sun

Time, we've learned to sail above

Time, won't change the meaning of one love

Ageless and ever evergreen

 

the Lettermen混聲合唱一曲難忘

1960年代首席混聲合唱團the Lettermen的團員 Bobby Engemann不幸於元月20日於猶他州Provo去世（78歲） ， Bobby Engemann出生於密西根州Highland Park，1959年與Jim Pike 和Tony Butala還在楊百翰大學讀書的時候合組了the Lettermen合唱團，Bobby Engemann早先與弟弟及妹妹有另一個三重唱the Damons。

在Bobby 的哥哥Karl 的幫助之下 （Karl是華納的工程師），他們前去洛杉磯並與華納唱片簽約，但出的二張單曲成績不佳 ，1961年他們從華納唱片轉到Capitol唱片公司後推除第一張單曲The Way You Look Tonight在流行歌曲榜獲得第13名，在抒情歌曲榜則獲得第3名，接著的When I Fall In Love在流行歌曲榜獲得第7名，在抒情歌曲榜則獲得冠軍，終於使他們成名。

雖然the Lettermen後來只有一首排行榜前十名的歌Goin' Out Of My Head/Can't Take My Eyes Off You（流行歌曲榜獲得第7名，抒情歌曲榜則獲得第2名），但他們美妙的混聲合唱歌曲獲得了很多抒情歌迷們的熱愛 ，使他們在往後一共有31首歌進過流行歌曲榜100名，另外有16首歌在抒情歌曲榜獲得過冠軍。

Bobby Engemann於1967年離開the Lettermen，大多時間與家人相處，並在母校做研究員，直到小孩長大後才又開始唱歌灌唱片，1997年因健康狀況走下坡，Bobby Engemann宣告退休。

the Lettermen作品很多，在歷年暢銷歌星與合唱團排行榜排第355名，他們在2001年被選 進流行歌曲合唱團名人堂。

 

When I Fall In Love

words and music by edward heyman and victor young

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXnJLrxTZc8

 

When I fall in love it will be forever
Or I'll never fall in love
In a restless world like this is
Love is ended before it's begun
And too many moonlight kisses
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun

When I give my heart it will be completely
Or I'll never give my heart
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you.

And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too
Is when I fall in love with you.

 

Chevy Van演唱人Sammy Johns去世

 

以1975年一首排行榜第5名暢銷曲Chevy Van成名的男歌星Sammy Johns，元月4日不幸於北卡羅來納州因病去世（66歲）。

Sammy Johns出生於北卡羅來納州Charlotte，高中時代即擁有自己的合唱團the Devilles，學校畢業後他轉往亞特蘭大和一家叫GRC的唱片公司合作，他第一張單曲Early Morning Love於1974年曾獲得第68名，之後推出的Chevy Van讓Sammy Johns一夕成名，這首歌於1973年即已錄製。

Chevy Van歌詞裡的一段歌詞…making love in my Chevy van…讓買唱片的歌迷們有點尷尬，但Sammy Johns解釋歌詞純屬虛構，只是講一個搭便車的美女的故事而已，雖然他這麼解釋，但 Sammy Johns於1988年重灌這首歌，還又進入鄉村歌曲排行榜獲得第80名。

Chevy Van成名後接著推出的Rag Doll 僅得到第52名，1975年Sammy Johns因老東家GRC唱片公司財務出狀況而轉往Warner/Curb唱片，接著而來的酗酒、毒品和離婚等問題，讓他成績一直不佳，雖然他持續寫歌，包括知名鄉村歌星Waylon Jennings的America與John Conlee的Common Man等，但僅此而已。

 

Chevy Van
(sammy johns)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiEIToOWr64

I gave a girl a ride in my wagon
Now she crawled in and took control
She was tired as her mind was draggin'
And i said get some sleep--we'll get on down the road

Like a picture she was laying there
And moonlight dancing off her hair
She woke up and took me by the hand
She's gonna love me in my chevy van
And that's all right with me

Her young face was like that of an angel
And her long legs were tanned and brown
Better keep your eyes on the road son
Better slow this vehicle down 'cause

'cause like a picture she was laying there
And moonlight dancing off her hair
She woke up and took me by the hand
She's gonna love me in my chevy van
And that's all right with me

I put her out in a town that was so small
You could throw a rock from end to end
A dirt road main street, she walked off in her barefeet
And it's a shame i won't be passin' through again

Like a picture she was laying there
And moonlight dancing off her hair
She woke up and took me by the hand
We made love me in my chevy van
And that's all right with me

Yeah like a picture she was laying there
And moonlight dancing off her hair
She woke up and took me by the hand
We made love me in my chevy van
And that's all right with me

All right with me

 

Every Which Way But Loose的故事

西洋流行歌曲有時候在很特別的狀況下寫出來，有些甚至在電話裡完成，作曲人Steve Dorff替Eddie Rabbitt所寫的1979年克林伊斯威特電影Every Which Way But Looes「永不低頭」同名插曲就是一個例子。Dorff回憶他打電話給作詞者Milton Brown， Milton當時在阿拉巴馬州 Mobile ，Dorff只告訴他有一部克林伊斯威特的電影，因為還沒看到劇本所以只知道克林伊斯威特開卡車到處跑，車上還帶一隻大猩猩，還告訴他Jerry Lee Lewis可能會唱這片子的主題曲，要他寫歌詞的時候記得此人。

Milton過了半小時就回電話，而且電話裡就完成了這首歌的歌詞。

後來詞曲作者碰面對歌的時候有人建議由Eddie Rabbitt唱這首歌，克林伊斯威特也同意這個想法，製作人Snuff Garrett於是寄了試錄帶到納許維爾給Rabbitt，Rabbitt飛到洛杉磯錄製了這首歌

Every Which Way But Loose在1978年底推出，在鄉村歌曲排行榜曾得到第3名，那是Eddie Rabbitt第13首鄉村歌曲排行榜暢銷曲，這首歌同時在流行歌曲排行榜獲得第30名。

Eddie 1941年出生於紐約布魯克林區，本名Edward Thomas Rabbitt，1998年因癌症去世（53歲），1968年他前往鄉村音樂之都納許維爾發展，1970年因貓王Elvis Presleyl錄了他的作品Kentucky Rain而使Eddie Rabbitt漸漸出名，1974-1991年，他一共有43首流行歌曲排行榜暢銷曲，包括冠軍曲I Love A Rainy Night。

 

Every Which Way But Loose
Recorded by Eddie Rabbitt
Written by Snuff Garrett, Stephen Dorff, Milton Brown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MhJxx6A7dE

I’ve always been the kind of man
   
Who doesn't believe in strings

Long term obligations
        
Are just unnecessary things
                 
But girl you’ve got me thinking
        
While I’m drinking one more beer
      
If I’m headed for a heartache
           
Then why the hell am I still here

I’m testing my resistance
        
And it’s wearing mighty thin

I’ve got the feeling I should leave
 
Before the roof caves i

My mind tells me to move along
        

But my body begs me stay
            

And now I feel the need to hold you close
         

And love the night away

     
While you’re turning me

Every which way but loose you turn me

Every which way but loose
                                
Inside the fire is burning me in my mind
                      
You just keep turning me

Every which way but loose
                     
Baby there’s no excuse to turn me

Every which way but loose

            
When the sun comes up in the morning
         
It should find us someplace new
   
But right this minute all I want
     
Is to lay here next to you
                   
Those memories still keep calling me
               
From somewhere in my past
     
Better hurry if they want me
                   
Cause I can feel me fading fast
            
Repeat #3

抒情歌后Patti Page去世

2013年開始的第一天，一位在搖滾樂流行之前就已走紅的抒情歌后Patti Page在加州Encitas的療養院中不幸去世（85歲），Patti Page出生於奧克拉荷馬州的Muskogee，本名Clara Ann Fowler，她家一共有11小孩 。

Patti Page起初以Ann  Fowler之名和Al Clauser＆His Oklahomans樂團一同在電台演唱，後來因為一家叫Page的牛奶公司廣告贊助這個廣播節目，因此改名Patti Page，1947年她與Mercury唱片公司簽約，從1948年至1968年Patti Page驚人的唱出82首暢銷曲，其中包括四、五年級歌迷們孰悉的冠軍曲All My Love、The Tennessee Waltz、I Went To Your Wedding與The Doggie In The Window等。

搖滾樂流行之後，Patti Page仍然有暢銷曲進排行榜，如1956年的Alleghney Moon得到第2名，1957年的Old Cape Cod得到第3名，1965年貝蒂戴維斯主演的電影同名插曲Hush， Hush， Sweet Charlotte則得到第8名。Patti Page在美國三大電視網擁有過個人的節目，也曾於畢蘭卡斯特與珍西蒙斯主演的電影Elmer Gantry中演出 。

作品極多的Patti Page，在搖滾樂流行的1950年代中期之後所做歷年暢銷歌星排行榜統計，仍獲得第98名，他的自傳This Is My Song在2009年出版。

猶記得民國60年代後期Patti Page曾應邀來台在北市國父紀念館演出，不少銀髮夫婦前去聆賞這位抒情歌后的歌聲，那是外籍歌星來台演唱會少見的場面，可見當年Patti Page的抒情歌受到不同年齡層歌迷的喜愛。

 

The Tennessee Waltz

Patti Page

Written：Redd Stewart/Pee Wee King

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44B6B1OycgI

 

I was dancin' with my darlin' to the Tennessee Waltz
When an old friend I happened to see
I introduced her to my loved one
And while they were dancin'
My friend stole my sweetheart from me

I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Now I know just how much I have lost
Yes, I lost my little darlin' the night they were playing
The beautiful Tennessee Waltz

 

 

靈魂歌手Fontella Bass 去世

1965年以熱門排行榜第4名暢銷曲Rescue Me成名的黑人靈魂女歌手Fontella Bass12月26日不幸因心臟病去世（72歲），Fontella 12月2日就在聖路易心臟病發。

Fontella Bass 童年時就跟母親一同在Clara Ward聖歌合唱團演唱，少女時代他因在俱樂部演出而獲經紀人Oliver Sain 青睞，並邀他去幫藍調歌手Little Milton伴唱，後來她抓住機會從代班歌手變成成了正牌歌手。

1965年Fontella Bass前去芝加哥，經過Chess唱片公司的測試，他開始與Bobby McClure搭檔出唱片，他們的Don't Mess Up A Good Thing得到熱門排行榜第33名，在靈魂歌曲排行榜則得到第5名，她在這家公司一共出了八張唱片，後六首歌都是他個人的作品，但因 Rescue Me這首歌版稅的問題，Fontella對唱片事業一度很失望，他與先生喇叭手Lester Bowie搬到巴黎，在那兒還出了二張專輯，1972 年開始半退休。

1990年Fontella Bass又告American Express未經同意在電視廣告用了Rescue Me，要求五萬美元的賠償。

Rescue Me這首歌在靈魂歌曲排行榜得過4週冠軍，也是電影「修女也瘋狂」的插曲之一，歌迷們應該還有印象。

 

Rescue Me

Fontenella Bass

(C. Smith - R. Miner)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwt3kr0_l6I

Verse 1:

Rescue me

Take me in your arms

Rescue me

I want your tender charm

'Cause I'm lonely

And I'm blue

I need you

And your love too

Come on and rescue me

Chorus 1:

Come on, baby, and rescue me

Come on, baby, and rescue me

'Cause I need you by my side

Can't you see that I'm lonely

Verse 2:

Rescue me

Come on and take my heart

Take your love and conquer every part

'Cause I'm lonely

And I'm blue

I need you

And your love too

Come on and rescue me

[repeat chorus 1]

[repeat intro]

[repeat verse 1]

Chorus 2:

(Come on baby)

Take me baby (take me baby)

Hold me baby (hold me baby)

Love me baby (love me baby)

Can't you see I need you baby

Can't you see that I'm lonely

Chorus 3:

Rescue me

Come on and take my hand

C'mon, baby and be my man

'Cause I love you

'Cause I want you

Can't you see that I'm lonely

Chorus 4:

Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)

Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)

Take me baby (take me baby)

Love me baby (love me baby)

Need me baby (need me baby)

Mmm-hmm (mmm-hmm)

Can't you see that I'm lonely

 

鄉村歌唱界的盲歌星Ronnie Milsap

很多暢銷歌曲的創作構想與啟發來自教堂，作曲人Archie Jordan替Ronnie Milsap所寫的1978年冠軍曲What A Difference You've Made In My Life就是一個例子。

Archie表示：在一次聖經研討課結束後，一位學員站起來做見證，那人說他感覺上帝如陽光般日夜照亮他，給了他很不平凡的生命…，這個想法刺激Archie想去探討有多少人有相同的看法。

Archie覺得其實不需要直接談上帝，談談夫妻與小孩也不錯，而且這個構想到第二天早上起床時還在他腦海中，於是他決定開始寫這首歌。

當Ronnie Milsap開始錄這首歌之前，他只要Archie Jordan改了一點歌詞，為了求好，Ronnie與Archie 還有志一同的在錄音的時候擔任鍵琴伴奏。

Ronnie Milsap於1977年11月19日推出What A Difference You've Made In My Life，二個月後在鄉村歌曲排行榜獲得冠軍，那是他第九首鄉村歌曲排行榜冠軍曲。

Ronnie Milsap1943年出生於北卡羅萊納州Robbinsville，天生即雙眼失明，但極具音樂天份的他12歲即能玩多種樂器 ，自1973至2000年，Ronnie Milsap在鄉村歌曲排行榜一共有63首暢銷曲，其中有35首獲得過冠軍。

Ronnie Milsap在鄉村歌唱界的成績，就如同流行歌唱界的黑人盲歌星Stevie Wonder一般受歡迎。

 

What A Difference You've Made In My Life

Ronnie Milsap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSVy5HrFGbs

What a difference you've made in my life,
What a difference you've made in my life
You're my sunshine day and night.
Oh, what a difference you've made
In my life.

[Orchestral Interlude]

What a change you have made in my heart,
What a change you have made in my heart,
You've replaced all the broken parts.
Oh, what a change you have made...

In my heart.

Love to me was just a word in a song
That had been way over-used.
But now I've joined in the singing
Cause you've showed me love's true meanin'
That's why I want to spread the news.

What a difference you've made in my life,
What a difference you've made in my life,
You're my sunshine day and night
Oh, what a difference you've made...

In my life.

[Orchestral Interlude]

What a difference you've made in my life
)Listen to me)
What a differencer you've made in my life,
You're my sunshine day and night
Oh, what a difference you've made
Yeah.

What a difference you've made in my life,
What a difference you've made in my life
You're my sunshine day and night...
Oh, what a difference you've made....

Yeah.... yeah,
Yeah, yeah -h - h

What a difference you've made in my life
What a differnce you've made in my - y - y life
You're my sunshine day and night
Oh, what a difference you've made
Oh what a difference you've made

In my life - e - e