演奏曲成名的Booker T. & the MG’s

R&B樂團Booker T. & the MG’s的原始團員貝斯手Lewie Steinberg七月21日去世(82歲)，他已經有好一段時間為癌症所苦。

Booker T. & the MG’s是一個黑白混和的R&B演奏樂團，MG意思是Memphis Group，他們早年因為在Memphis的錄音室替Stax唱片公司的藝人伴奏而組團，主要團員有主鍵琴手Booker T.Jones，吉他手Steve Cropper，貝斯手Donald “Duck”Dunn及鼓手Al Jackson，Lewie Steinberg是於1965年被Donald “Duck”Dunn所取代，但是1992年他還是與其他隊友一起被選進搖滾樂名人堂。

Booker T.Jones是Earth，Wind，&Fire的主唱Maurice White的同學，他倆曾一起組過樂隊，Booker T.Jones有印第安納大學音樂學位，他也是Rita Coolidge的姊夫，所以幫Rita製作過唱片，也幫Bill Withers、Willie Nelson製作唱片。

Booker T. & the MG’s於1971年解散，他們在歷年暢銷歌星與合唱團排行榜獲得第447名，2007年獲得Grammy 終身成就獎，Booker T. & the MG’s在排行榜上名次最好的演奏曲是1962年獲得過第三名的成名曲Green Onions，此曲在滾石雜誌五百大歌曲榜獲得第181名。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bpS-cOBK6Q

歌壇的Alley Oop

籃球轉播常聽到 "Alley Oop” 這個名詞，球迷都知道意思是空中接吊球第一時間投籃，其實在熱門歌壇”Alley Oop”是曾得過排行榜冠軍的暢銷曲。

本名Larry Wayne Stevens的 Gary S. Paxton 七月16日病逝 (77歲)，他1990年開始即為C型肝炎所苦，Gary S. Paxton其實是 "Alley Oop”這一首歌的單人演唱者和共同製作人，後來他用Hollywood Argyles合唱團的名字，這首歌讓他成名。之前他是Skip and Flip二重唱的一員，曾經有暢銷曲"It Was I" (#11-1959) 及 "Cherry Pie" (#11-1960)。

Gary S. Paxton出生於肯薩斯州Coffeyville，在亞利桑那州長大，14歲時就組過一個樂隊，後來乾脆輟學去當歌手，他在鳳凰城加入Clyde "Skip" Battin沒多久又搬到好萊塢，他製作了 Bobby "Boris" Pickett的"The Monster Mash" ，the Association的"Along Comes Mary" 及"Cherish" 還有Tommy Roe的"Sweet Pea" 及 "Hooray For Hazel" 這些知名的暢銷曲。

Gary S. Paxton後來又搬到加州Bakersfield去搞鄉村歌曲，他被一位他曾協助製作歌曲的藝人所雇的槍手槍擊三次，有二次差一點在手術台死去。他因而離開音樂圈，近八年後，才回頭製作與演唱福音歌曲。

Gary S. Paxton 以1975年的一張專輯獲得Grammy最佳福音歌曲演唱獎，1999年他獲選進入鄉村鄉村福音歌曲名人堂。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz6IpmmYSXA

THE HOLLYWOOD ARGYLES

 "Alley-Oop"

(Dallas Frazier)

[The Hollywood Argyles is really just Gary Paxton]

[Lyrics in (parentheses) sung by backup group only]

(Oop-oop, oop, oop-oop)

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

There's a man in the funny papers we all know

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

He lives 'way back a long time ago

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

He don't eat nothin' but a bear cat stew

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Well, this cat's name is-a Alley-Oop

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

He got a chauffeur that's a genuwine dinosawruh

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

And he can knuckle your head before you count to fawruh

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

He got a big ugly club and a head fulla hairuh

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Like great big lions and grizzly bearuhs

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

(Alley-Oop) He's the toughest man there is alive

(Alley-Oop) Wearin' clothes from a wildcat's hide

(Alley-Oop) He's the king of the jungle jive

(Look at that cave man go!!) (SCREAM)

He rides thru the jungle tearin' limbs offa trees

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Knockin' great big monstahs dead on their knees

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

The cats don't bug him cuz they know bettah

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Cuz he's a mean motah scootah and a bad go-gettah

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

(Alley-Oop) He's the toughest man there is alive

(Alley-Oop) Wears clothes from a wildcat's hide

(Alley-Oop) He's the king of the jungle jive

(Look at that cave man go!!) (SCREAM)

Thair he goes,

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Look at that cave man go

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

He sure is hip ain't he

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Like what's happening

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

He's too much

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Ride, Daddy, ride

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Hi-yo dinosawruh

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Ride, Daddy, ride

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Get 'em, man

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Like--hipsville

(Alley-Oop, oop, oop, oop-oop)

Sukiyaki作詞者去世

 曾經風靡全球的流行歌曲"Sukiyaki"的作詞者Rokusuke Ei永六輔(作曲Hachidai Nakamura)，七月七日病逝 (83歲)。

Kyu Sakamoto演唱的"Sukiyaki"於1961年推出，1963年獲得美國流行歌曲排行榜三週冠軍，在70多個國家賣了上千萬張唱片。

多才多藝的Rokusuke Ei永六輔本名Takao Ei，曾製作並主持廣播及電視節目，也寫過書。

1967年他在TBS Radio 主持廣播節目“Dokoka Toku e”｢遙遠的地方｣，後來改名“Ei Rokusuke no Dareka to Dokoka de”｢別的地方之別人｣。

1991年之後的二十四年半，他在同一電台主持“Doyo Wide Radio TOKYO Ei Rokusuke Sono Shinsekai”｢永六輔周末新世界｣

Rokusuke Ei與 Hachidai Nakamura詞曲搭檔，於1963年曾寫過另一首“Konnichiwa Akachan” (Hello baby)。

“Sukiyaki”與“Hello baby”最早都在(NHK)的“Yume de Aimasho” (Let’s meet in a dream)節目中首播。

Rokusuke Ei永六輔同時也是成功的作家，他1994年的“Daiojo” (Die peacefully)探討病與死，是一本暢銷書。

唱紅"Sukiyaki" 的Kyu Sakamoto則於1985年因飛機失事墜毀而命喪日本(43歲)。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zpOc9n7dlI

Sukiyaki

Ue o muite arukou

 Namida ga koborenai you ni

 Omoidasu haru no hi

 Hitoribotchi no yoru

 Ue o muite arukou

 Nijinda hoshi o kazoete

 Omoidasu natsu no hi

 Hitoribotchi no yoru

 Shiawase wa kumo no ue ni

 Shiawase wa sora no ue ni

 Ue o muite arukou

 Namida ga koborenai you ni

 Nakinagara aruku

 Hitoribotchi no yoru

 [Whistling]

 Omoidasu aki no hi

 Hitoribotchi no yoru

 Kanashimi wa hoshi no kage ni

 Kanashimi wa tsuki no kage ni

 Ue o muite arukou

 Namida ga koborenai you ni

 Nakinagara aruku

 Hitoribotchi no yoru

 Hitoribochi no yoru

Smokey Robinson 獲獎

R&B歌手Smokey Robinson七月五日獲得美國眾議院Gershwin流行音樂獎，頒獎典禮十一月將於華盛頓特區舉行。

Smokey Robinson 1940年出生於底特律，1955年組成The Miracles合唱團，當年他只是個中學生，1972年離開The Miracles單飛，他曾替The Miracles及Motown唱片的其它藝人寫過非常多歌曲，1985-1988年還當過這家唱片公司的副總裁。

多產作曲人Smokey Robinso自然也有很多暢銷曲，The Miracles在歷年暢銷歌星與合唱團排行榜獲得第44名，而他個人則獲得第189名。

Smokey Robinson於1987年獲選入搖滾樂名人堂，1999年獲得Grammy終生成就獎。

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles在排行榜上名次最好的歌是1972年獲得二周排行榜冠軍的The Tears of A Clown。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2E_RSJAhYU

The Tears Of A Clown

Songwriters

 HENRY COSBY, SMOKEY ROBINSON, STEVIE WONDER

Oh yeah yeah yeah

 Now if there's a smile on my face

 It's only there trying to fool the public

 But when it comes down to fooling you

 Now honey that's quite a different subject

But don't let my glad expression

 Give you the wrong impression

 Really I'm sad, oh I'm sadder than sad

 You're gone and I'm hurting so bad

 Like a clown I appear to be glad (sad, sad, sad, sad)

Now they're some sad things known to man

 But ain't too much sadder than

 The tears of a clown when there's no one around, uh

 Oh yeah, baby

Now if I appear to be carefree

 It's only to camouflage my sadness

 And honey to shield my pride I try

 To cover this hurt with a show of gladness

 But don't let my show convince you

 That I've been happy since you

 'Cause I had to go (why did you go), oh I need you so (I need you so)

 Look I'm hurt and I want you to know (want you to know)

 For others I put on a show (it's just a show)

時代的印記

Sign Of The Times，一齣新的音樂舞台劇，其中包括Petula Clark，Glenn Yarbrough，Dusty Springfield,，Tyrone Davis，Nancy Sinatra，the Vogues，Fontella Bass等知名歌星及合唱團懷念的旋律，將於七月29日在康乃狄克州Chester 的Norma Terris劇院首映，這一齣歌唱劇將一直演到九月四日，原作是喜劇作家Bruce Villanch的作品。

劇中領銜的Petula Clark是1960年代很紅的英籍女歌星，1944-1957年還跨界演出二十多部英國電影，他的成名曲是1964年的二周冠軍曲Downtown，後來被收進Grammy搖滾樂名人堂。

Petula Clark作品很多，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第185名。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_m4Qb0iW-o

Downtown

Songwriters

 TONY HATCH

When you're alone, and life is making you lonely

 You can always go

 Downtown

 When you've got worries, all the noise and the hurry

 Seems to help, I know

 Downtown

 Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city

 Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty

 How can you lose?

The lights are much brighter there

 You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

 So go downtown, things'll be great when you're

 Downtown, no finer place for sure

 Downtown everything's waiting for you

Downtown

Don't hang around and let your problems surround you

 There are movie shows

 Downtown

 Maybe you know some little places to go to

 Where they never close

 Downtown

 Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle bossa nova

 You'll be dancing with him too before the night is over

 Happy again

The lights are much brighter there

 You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares

 So go downtown, where all the lights are bright

 Downtown, waiting for you tonight

 Downtown, you're gonna be alright now

Downtown, downtown

 Downtown

 Downtown

 And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you

 Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to

 Guide them along

So maybe I'll see you there

 We can forget all our troubles, forget all our cares

 So go downtown, things'll be great when you're

 Downtown, don't wait a minute for

 Downtown, everything's waiting for you

Downtown, downtown, downtown, downtown

 Downtown, downtown, downtown, downtown, downtown, downtown

令人難忘的情歌

美國喬治亞州稅務局人員六月21日兵分三路搜查位於亞特蘭大的三家Gladys Knight's Chicken and Waffles Restaurants連鎖餐廳，目的是找Gladys Knight的兒子Shanga Hankerson挪用百萬美元營業費的證據。

Gladys Knight不是這家連鎖餐廳的老闆，她只是讓她兒子借她的知名度去努力工作，Gladys Knight在一項聲明中表示:她確定兒子和他的事業夥伴將要調整這種不法的狀況，但有七項證據顯示Shanga Hankerson犯非法盜用罪。

Gladys Knight &The Pips是來自亞特蘭大的著名R&B合唱團，在歷年暢銷歌星與合唱團排行榜獲得第47名，1996年即獲選進搖滾樂名人堂。Gladys Knight歌喉極佳，演唱的情歌更是令人難忘，曾參加電視影集Charlie & Co的演出，是美國演藝界名流之一。

Gladys Knight &The Pips演唱的Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)於1973年獲得二周排行榜亞軍，並因而獲得當年Grammy最佳合唱團獎。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSw7vulUfME

Neither One Of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)

Composed by Jim Weatherly

It's sad to think we're not gonna make it

 And it's gotten to the point where we just can't fake it

 For some ungodly reason we just won't let it die

 I guess neither one of us wants to be the first to say goodbye

 I keep wondering, what I'm gonna do without you

 And I guess you must be wondering that same thing too

 So we go on, go on together living a lie

 Because neither one of us wants to be the first to say goodbye

 Everytime I find the nerve

 Everytime I find the nerve to say I'm leaving

 Memories, those old memories get in my way

 Lord knows, it's only me

 Oh, he knows it's me that I'm deceiving

 When it comes to saying goodbye

 That's a simple word that I just cannot say

 There can be no way, there can be no way

 This can have a happy ending, no, no

 So we just go on hurting and pretending

 And convincing ourselves to give it just one more try

 Because neither one of us wants to be the first to say

 Neither one of us wants to be the first to say

 Neither one of us wants to be the first to say

 Farewell my love, goodbye

Goodbye

Stairway To Heaven與Taurus

已故搖滾樂團Spirit的吉它手Randy California基金會，最近和搖滾樂名團Led Zeppelin的Jimmy Page 與Robert Plant打官司，他們聲稱Led Zeppelin 1970年的名曲Stairway To Heaven抄襲Randy 1967的作品"Taurus"，Randy California基金會要求四千萬美元的損失賠償。

Randy California本名Randy Craig Wolfe，是一位搖滾樂歌手、吉它手與作曲人，也是1967年組成的Spirit樂團原始團員。Randy於1951年出生於加州，1997年元月二日因救12歲的兒子在夏威夷Molokai海岸邊溺斃(45歲)，他兒子則無恙。

Randy California去世後親友成立了The Randy Craig Wolfe Trust基金會，他們用版稅辦一些活動，用收入推廣青少年音樂教育。

Led Zeppelin 1970年的名曲Stairway To Heaven 是一首非常有名，點播數超過一億以上的歌，在滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜獲得第31名，先後被收入Grammy及搖滾樂名人堂，但從未發行過單曲。

"Taurus"則是搖滾樂團Spirit的第一張專輯當中的一首演奏曲，Jimmy Page疑似擷取"Taurus"的吉它演奏片段改寫給自己的Stairway To Heaven用。

1969年Jimmy Page寫"Stairway to Heaven"時，Led Zeppelin與Spirit剛好同時在美國參加二場音樂節，1996年當Spirit的首張專輯再度發行時，Randy California曾說:很多人常問我為何'Stairway to Heaven'聽來很像'Taurus'，其實'Taurus'比'Stairway to Heaven'早二年寫好。當年Led Zeppelin曾幫Spirit唱開場，在現場演出時也表演過'Fresh Garbage'，事實上那首歌和 'Taurus'就在同一張專輯裡，依常理判斷Led Zeppelin一定知道'Taurus'這首曲子。

2014年Led Zeppelin的Led Zeppelin IV(Stairway to Heaven在裡面)專輯再度發行時，雙方就曾打過侵權和禁制官司，法官當時就說過:Randy California的確給了Stairway to Heaven創意。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd8AVbwB_6E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9TGj2jrJk8

"Stairway To Heaven"

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold

 And she's buying a stairway to heaven.

 When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed

 With a word she can get what she came for.

 Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.

 There's a sign on the wall but she wants to be sure

 'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.

 In a tree by the brook, there's a songbird who sings,

 Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.

 Ooh, it makes me wonder,

 Ooh, it makes me wonder.

 There's a feeling I get when I look to the west,

 And my spirit is crying for leaving.

 In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees,

 And the voices of those who stand looking.

 Ooh, it makes me wonder,

 Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

 And it's whispered that soon, if we all call the tune,

 Then the piper will lead us to reason.

 And a new day will dawn for those who stand long,

 And the forests will echo with laughter.

 If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now,

 It's just a spring clean for the May queen.

 Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run

 There's still time to change the road you're on.

 And it makes me wonder.

 Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,

 The piper's calling you to join him,

 Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know

 Your stairway lies on the whispering wind?

 And as we wind on down the road

 Our shadows taller than our soul.

 There walks a lady we all know

 Who shines white light and wants to show

 How everything still turns to gold.

 And if you listen very hard

 The tune will come to you at last.

 When all are one and one is all

 To be a rock and not to roll.

 And she's buying a stairway to heaven.