Brothers Johnson缺一

The Brothers Johnson這一個R＆B-funk二重唱的團員、貝斯手Louis Johnson五月21日不幸過世（60歲），他倆除了排行榜前十名暢銷曲 "I'll Be Good To You" (#3-1976)，"Strawberry Letter 23" (#5-1977) 與"Stomp!" (#7-1980)之外，Louis曾在Michael Jackson的 "Thriller" 及 "Off The Wall" 專輯，Herb Alpert的 "Rise" 與George Benson的"Give Me The Night"這些名曲錄製時擔任低音吉他伴奏。

Louis Johnson起初和兄弟George、Tommy 及表哥Alex Weir在洛杉磯組了 the Johnson Three Plus，George 與 Louis之後在Billy Preston的樂班工作過，後來二人組二重唱直到1984年分手。

1980年第七名的 Stomp!是一首動聽的舞曲。

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

Stomp!

The Brothers Johnson

Words & Music: Johnson - Temperton

Steppin' out the weekends open wide

Fill it up let's blast the jams and ride

While we're cruisin' around in the street

Listen up for the party in feet

Slap me five that's the place we've arrived it's alive

Ev'rybody take it to the top we're gonna

Stomp all night wanna party

Till morning light

Runnin' runnin' runnin'

The set is hot there's people wall to wall

Old gones young things short ones standing tall

Grab the one with the smile on her face

And hit the floor and stay right on the case

The heat is on and the funk just won't leave us alone

Ev'rybody take it to the top we're gonna

Stomp all night in the neighbourhood

Don't it feel all right gonna

Stomp all night wanna party

Till morning light

Stomp step down in it put your foot

Where you feel the fit

Stomp you don't want to quit

Put your heels where you're feeling it

Stomp all night in the neighbourhood

Don't it feel all right gonna

Stomp all night wanna party

Till morning light

藍調歌王B. B. King去世

藍調歌手Riley "B.B." King五月14日在拉斯維加斯家中去世了（89歲），二週前他因心臟不適送醫，後來返家休養直到病故。

"B.B." King 1925年出生於密西西比州Itta Bena，1946年搬到孟非斯，在當地他有個外號"Beale Street Blues Boy"，最後就被朋友暱稱B.B.，1949年他在全部黑人歌手的WDIA電台主持節目，因而開始錄唱片，"3 O'Clock Blues,"是他第一首R&B排行榜的冠軍曲，那是他76首R&B排行榜暢銷曲的開始，其中有24首獲得冠軍。

1957年開始，"B.B." King的歌也跨界進入流行歌曲排行榜，一共有47首歌進榜，其中："The Thrill Is Gone" (#15 Pop, #3 R&B-1970), "I Like To Live The Love" (#28 Pop, #6 R&B-1974) 及 "Rock Me Baby" (#34 Pop, #12 R&B-1964)是成績最好的。

"B.B." King因擁有很多吉他出名，其中一把"Lucille"有個故事：在阿肯色州Twist的俱樂部裡，二個男子為一個叫Lucille女子打架而引發火災，當時在那兒表演的"B.B." King曾衝進火場搶救他那一把珍貴的吉他，因此他叫那吉他"Lucille"。

"B.B." King結過三次婚，其中二次是和同一女人，他有一回不小心告訴別人，他是15個小孩的爸爸，是和15個不同女人生的。

"B.B." King於1990年獲國家藝術獎章，2006年獲得總統自由獎章，1980即進藍調音樂名人堂，1987年又進入搖滾樂名人堂，他還獲得耶魯及布朗二所大學的榮譽學位，ABBA經紀人創辦的Polar Prize則於2004年頒給他流行音樂獎。

The father of blues

RIP BB King

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXsusJ787sU

The Thrill Is Gone

B. B. King

Lead

1. The thrill is gone, the thrill is gone away,

The thrill is gone, the thrill is gone away,

You know you done me wrong,

And you're gonna be sorry some day,

2. The thrill is gone, it's gone away from me,

The thrill is gone, it's gone away from me,

I know I'll still go on,

Some way,

Lead

3. The thrill is gone, the thrill is gone for good,

The thrill is gone, the thrill is gone for good,

And someday I'll be over you,

Just like a good man should,

4. I'm free, free, free, I'm free from your spell,

I'm free, free, free, I'm free from your spell,

And now that it's all over, baby,

All I can do is wish you well,

Lead & out

The thrill is gone

Something的故事

已故The Beatles批頭合唱團團員George Harrison的前妻Pattie "Layla" Boyd，四月29日在倫敦第三次結婚，73歲的她年輕時是一位模特兒，1966年與George Harrison結婚，1977年離婚，1979年再婚嫁給吉它之神傳奇搖滾樂手Eric Clapton，此次則嫁給1980年代即認識的一位資產開發商。

一直有人說Pattie Boyd是George的 "Something" 與Eric的"Layla" 及'Wonderful Tonight,"這三首歌的創作泉源，但George Harrison後來解釋：他最早寫的情歌是The Beatles的White Album當中的Long Long Long，寫的就是神與一個女人，1969年他告訴朋友"Something"這一首歌是講印度女神Krishna，1976年他接受滾石雜誌訪問時又解釋：愛是宇宙大愛中的一小塊，當你愛一個女人，只是神上其身而已。

1996年George Harrison正式否認"Something"是為Pattie Boyd寫的，他說當年為了披頭專輯唱片的促銷，說他為Pattie Boyd寫"Something"，只是塑造一個披頭團員都愛老婆的假象而已。

"Something"這一首歌於1969年與Come Together以雙單曲推出，獲得二週第三名，滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜獲得第273名，BMI全美最常播出歌曲榜則獲得第17名，是一首非常動聽的情歌，開頭的歌詞Something in the Way She Moves則取材自當年披頭的Apple唱片公司旗下名歌星James Taylor的一首歌。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-Q0LmXe9Ek

Something

The Beatles

Harrison

Something in the way she moves

Attracts me like no other lover

Something in the way she woos me

I don't want to leave her now

You know I believe and how

Somewhere in her smile she knows

That I don't need no other lover

Something in her style that shows me

I don't want to leave her now

You know I believe and how

You're asking me will my love grow

I don't know, I don't know

You stick around and it may show

I don't know, I don't know

Something in the way she knows

And all I have to do is think of her

Something in the things she shows me

I don't want to leave her now

You know I believe and how

Ben E. King 去世

前Drifters團員R&B歌手Ben E. King，四月30日去世（76歲）。

Ben E. King出生於北卡羅萊那州Henderson，九歲時搬到紐約哈林區，讀中學時就和the Moonglows合唱團一起演出了，1957年加入了 the Five Crowns，1958年，已經成名的Drifters合唱團的經紀人因合約爭議，開除了所有團員，the Five Crowns包括Ben就補了空出來的位子。

Ben E. King合作寫了新the Crown/Drifters的第一首暢銷曲"There Goes My Baby" (#2-1959) )，他還是主唱，後來又擔任主唱錄了"Save The Last Dance For Me" (#1-1960), "I Count The Tears" (#17-1961) 與"This Magic Moment" (#16-1960)。

1960年，Ben E. King在Drifters錄了13首歌之後，決定離團而去從事個人的歌唱事業。

Ben E. King先推出"Spanish Harlem" (#10-1961) 與 "Stand By Me" (#4-1961) ，後者在1986年因同名電影『站在我這邊』重新發行，又得到第九名，Ben個人的暢銷曲還有"Amor" (#18-1961), "Don't Play That Song" (#11-1962) 及 "I (Who Have Nothing" (#29-1963)。

1960年代後期Ben E. King的音樂事業開始走下坡，直到1975年"Supernatural Thing" (#5)才讓他[風光重回排行榜。

The Drifters合唱團在歷年暢銷歌星合唱團排行榜獲得第104名，Ben E. King個人則獲得第323名，2009年Ben E. King並獲選進入北卡羅萊那州音樂名人堂。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHa4pvspCqc

STAND BY ME

(Ben E. King/Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)

When the night has come

And the land is dark

And the moon is the only light we'll see

No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid

Just as long as you stand, stand by me

  And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh now now stand by me

  Stand by me, stand by me

If the sky that we look upon

Should tumble and fall

And the mountains should crumble to the sea

I won't cry, I won't cry, no I won't shed a tear

Just as long as you stand, stand by me

  And darlin', darlin', stand by me, oh stand by me

  Stand by me, stand by me, stand by me-e, yeah

  Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand by me, oh now now stand by me

  Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me

  Darlin', darlin', stand by me-e, stand by me

  Oh stand by me, stand by me, stand by me

流行樂界悲喜交集

流行音樂作曲人Sid Tepper，四月24日在佛羅里達州Miami Beach附近家中去世，高齡96歲，他最有名的作品是the Ames Brothers 所唱的"The Naughty Lady Of Shady Lane" (#3-1954 )，Georgia Gibbs所唱的"Kiss Of Fire" (#1-1952 )及Vic Dana所唱的"Red Roses For A Blue Lady" (#10-1965 )。

Sid Tepper是紐約的Brooklyn人，經常與Roy Bennett合作寫歌，他曾經替貓王寫過45首歌，包括"G.I. Blues" ，"Puppet On A String" 與 "The Lady Loves Me。

搖滾樂團Heart的女主唱Ann Wilson，四月25日在經紀人位於加州Topanga的莊園後院結婚，新郎和她1980年代就認識，倆人都64歲，Ann還有二個和前夫生的小孩。

在電視影集"Partridge Family"「歡樂滿人間」當中飾演小女兒的演員Suzanne Crough，四月27 日在內華達州家中猝逝（52歲），當年她因為年紀還小並沒有在the Partridge Family樂團中表演，成年後的她後來還是放棄了演藝工作在一家供應商當經理。

Partridge Family劇集中的David Cassidy與Susan Dey這一對俊男美女，後來在娛樂界都很受歡迎，紅過一段時間，但近年David Cassidy數度酒駕出事，對他形象很傷。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3nPARJa3Aw

I'll Meet You Halfway

The Partridge Family

Will there come a day, when you and I can say

We can fin'lly see each other?

Well there come a time, when we can find the time

To reach out for one another?

We've been trav'lin in circles such a long, long time

Try'n to say hello, oh

And we can just let it ride, but you're someone that I'd

Like to get to know.

I'll meet you halfway, that's better than no way

There must be some way to get it together

And if there's some way, I know that some day

We just might work it out forever.

Will there come a day, when you and I can say

We can fin'lly see each other?

Well there come a time, when we can find the time

To reach out for one another?

We've been trav'lin in circles such a long, long time

Try'n to say hello, oh

And we can just let it ride, but you're someone that I'd

Like to get to know.

I'll meet you halfway, that's better than no way

There must be some way to get it together

And if there's some way, I know that some day

We just might work it out forever.

I'll meet you halfway, that's better than no way.

I'll meet you halfway, that's better than no way.

I'll meet you halfway, that's better than no way.

Billy Joel又要當爸爸了

已65歲高齡的Billy Joel又要當爸爸了，Billy和他33歲的女友希望生個女兒，Billy 和1980年代的超級名模及女星前妻Christie Brinkley已經有個29歲的女兒。

Billy Joel出生於紐約Bronx，1950年代是the Hassles合唱團的團員，作品很多，於歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第34名，1991年獲得Grammy傳奇歌星獎，1994年入選Billboard雜誌世紀歌星，1999年進入搖滾樂名人堂。

Billy Joel曾跨界獲得舞台劇最佳音樂東尼獎，因為他所寫反映中下階層生活的歌-1977 專輯唱片The Stranger中的 Movin' Out (Anthony's Song）替同名百老匯舞台劇增色不少，這首歌於1978年曾獲熱門排行榜第17名。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjYKqrf8fuI

Movin Out  

written by Joel, Billy.

Anthony works in the grocery store

Savin' his pennies for some day

Mama Leone left a note on the door

She said "Sonny move out to the country"

Ah but working too hard can give you

A heart attack, ack, ack, ack, ack, ack

You ought-a know by now

Who needs a house out in Hackensack?

Is that all you get for your money?

And it seems such a waste of time

If that's what it's all about

Mama if that's movin' up then I'm movin' out

Mm I' movin' out, mm oo oo uh huh mm hm

Sergeant O'Leary is walkin the beat

At night he becomes a bartender

He works at Mister Cacciatores

Down on Sullivan Street

Across from the medical center

And he's tradin' in his Chevy for

A Cadillac ack ack ack ack ack

You ought-a know by now

If he can't drive with a broken back

At least he can polish the fenders

And it seems such a waste of time

If that's what it's all about

Mama if that's movin' up then I'm movin' out

Mm I' movin' out, mm oo oo uh huh mm hm

You should never argue with a crazy mi mi mi mi mi mind

You ought-a know by now

You can pay Uncle Sam with the overtime

Is that all you get for your money

And if that's what you have in mind

Then that's what you're all about

Good luck movin' up cause I'm movin' out

Mm I'm movin out Mm oo oo uh huh mm hm

Percy Sledge去世

以一首膾炙人口的情歌"When A Man Loves A Woman" (#1 Pop, #1 R&B-1966)成名的黑人男歌星Percy Sledge，四月14日於路易斯安那州Baton Rouge去世（73歲），除了這首冠軍歌曲之外，Percy Sledge還有13首歌在九年內進入流行歌曲排行榜。

Percy Sledge出生於阿拉巴馬州Leighton，起初在家鄉參加Esquires Combo樂團在醫院演唱，當時Percy 和另二位團員寫了 "When A Man Loves A Woman"，但他不居功而把成就歸於他人，他們在阿拉巴馬州的 Muscle Shoals錄音室錄好這首歌，而被Atlantic唱片公司挑選上，也使Percy Sledge成了獨唱歌手。

Percy Sledge後來錄的"Take Time To Know Her" (#11 Pop, #6 R&B-1968), "Warm And Tender Love" (#17 Pop, #5 R&B-1966) 及"It Tears Me Up" (#20 Pop #7 R&B-1966)都有不錯的成績，1990年Michael Bolton 重唱"When A Man Loves A Woman"還在次年再獲排行榜冠軍。

Percy Sledge 2005年被選入搖滾樂名人堂，而1989年時他即獲頒節奏與藍調音樂先鋒獎，他也獲選進入阿拉巴馬州、卡洛萊那州及路易斯安那州的榮譽音樂廳。

"When A Man Loves A Woman"這首歌在滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜獲得第54名，在BMI全美百名最常播出歌曲榜則獲得第14名，可見此曲受歡迎的程度。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lp7FtJXp7k

When a Man Loves a Woman

Percy Sledge

When a man loves a woman

Can't keep his mind on nothing else

He'll trade the world

For the good thing he's found

If she's bad he can't see it

She can do no wrong

Turn his back on his best friend

If he put her down

When a man loves a woman

Spend his very last dime

Tryin' to hold on to what he needs

He'd give up all his comfort

Sleep out in the rain

If she said that's the way it ought to be

Well, this man loves a woman

I gave you everything I had

Tryin' to hold on to your precious love

Baby, please don't treat me bad

When a man loves a woman

Down deep in his soul

She can bring him such misery

If she plays him for a fool

He's the last one to know

Lovin' eyes can't ever see

When a man loves a woman

He can do no wrong

He can never own some other girl

Yes when a man loves a woman

I know exactly how he feels

'Cause baby, baby, baby, you're my world

When a man loves a woman.....