2021年1月28日 星期四

The Supremes & Four Tops -River Deep-Mountain High

  前Supremes的團員Mary Wilson 說 : The Supremes合唱團想要再度聯合演唱要看前主唱Diana Ross的意願。

  在一段訪問中Wilson表示 :「真的要看Diana的意願,我不覺得她想出來,那不可能,除非大家高高興興的重聚」。

  她在〈好萊塢報導〉的訪問中說 :「我過我的日子,我的看法是這樣,身為一個七十六歲半的老人,我希望坐在旁邊看事情的發展,我的母親曾說 : 不要為打翻的牛奶哭泣(覆水難收),我現在有一點錢,而且過得很愉快」。

  Wilson 回憶2000年時就想找Diana Ross再度聯合演唱,但沒有實現。

  當年協商時發生了甚麼事 ? 「他們不願意付我身為創團元老團員該有的酬金,所以他們想換人,但我是1970年代The Supremes合唱團的一員,少了我就不是The Supremes合唱團了」。

  The Supremes來自底特律的黑人歌唱大本營Motown唱片公司,團員包括主唱Diana Ross、Mary Wilson、Florence Ballard(1976年因心臟病去世)及Barbra Martin,她們於1962-1969 年共獲得12首Billboard Hot 100 排行榜冠軍,1970-1976年Diana Ross離團單飛後他們繼續以The Supremes之名在歌壇奮鬥,也有4首Top 20的歌進排行榜,其中以1970年獲得過第7名的Stone Love名次最好,但是沒有Diana Ross的Supremes也沒有了冠軍歌曲,二年後就走下坡,不再有進Top 40 的歌。

  介紹一首1970年底The Supremes & Four Tops 合唱,獲得14名的暢銷歌曲River Deep-Mountain High。

      Four Tops也是Motown的要角之一,他們以冠軍曲I Can't Help Myself 成名(1965)。

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb88TkuBODw

 

River Deep-Mountain High

The Supremes & Four Tops

Songwriters: Barry Jeff / Greenwich Ellie

 

When I was a little girl, I had a rag doll

Only doll I've ever owned

Well, I love you just the way I loved that rag doll

Only now my love has grown

And It gets stronger in every way

And it gets deeper, let me say

That it gets higher day by day

Oh, do I love you, my, oh, my

Ooh, baby, river deep, mountain High, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

If I lost you, would I cry

Oh, oh, oh, how I love you, baby, baby, baby

When you were a young girl, did you have a puppy

That always followed you around?

Well, I'm gonna be as faithful as that puppy

No, I'll never let you down

'Cause it goes on and on like the river flows

And it gets deeper, baby, heaven knows

And it gets sweeter, baby, as it goes

Do I love you, my, oh, my

River deep, mountain high (I said so high)

If I lost you, would I cry

Oh, how I love you, baby, baby, baby

I love you, baby, like a flower loves spring

And I love you, baby, like a robin loves to sing

Ooh, ooh, and I love you, baby, like a schoolgirl loves her pie, yeah

And I love you, baby, river deep and mountain high

I love you, baby

A mountain so high

A river deep

Ooh, oh, baby, baby

I love you, baby

I bet you do

Ooh, I love you, baby

Tell me you love me

Yes, I do, oh

Do I love you, my, oh, my (Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me)

River deep, mountain high

Oh, if I lost you, would I cry (Would I cry, baby)

Oh, how I love you, baby, baby, baby

Tell me, do you love me, baby?

I love you, yeah

River so deep, mountain so high

Oh, yeah, baby

Oh-ho, yeah

River deep, mountain high

River so deep, mountain so, so, so, so high

That's how I love you, baby

High, high, high, high, high, high, high, yeah, baby

I love you, baby, yes, yes, yes, I do

Tell me, tell me, tell me one more time

 

2021年1月21日 星期四

Phil Spector 與 The Ronettes-Be My Baby...

  著名的唱片製作人Phil Spector因感染新冠肺炎去世 (81歲),Phil因開創一種用大量的樂器配音方式‘Wall of Sound’「錄音牆」(吉他、貝斯、鍵琴與一點弦樂) 而知名,1960年代前期他製作了the Crystals、the Ronettes 及 the Righteous Brothers這些合唱團與二重唱不少暢銷曲,是一位流行歌壇有影響力的大咖。

  2009 年Phil Spector因槍殺Lana Clarkson定讞而入獄服刑,這女子是一個夜店的女侍,2003年Phil在酒後從夜店帶 Lana出場回家後遇害,洛杉磯警方發現她倒在客廳的椅子上,一顆子彈打穿她的頭。

  Phil Spector  1940年出生於紐約Bronx區,後來成了巨星級作曲人、製作人與Philles唱片公司老闆。青少年時期他就組過一個叫the Teddy Bears的Doo Wop合唱團,1958年8月推出動聽歌謠“To Know Him Is to Love Him”獲得3週排行榜冠軍,當年Phil擔任吉他手。

  Phil Spector製作有13 首Top 10的單曲,其中有一些當年很紅的女子合唱團

的作品如“He's a Rebel”、“Uptown”、“Then He Kissed Me” 及 “Da Doo Ron Ron” 是the Crystals的歌,而 “Be My Baby” 及“Walking in the Rain” 則是the Ronettes的暢銷曲。

  他製作的the Righteous Brothers的名曲是“Unchained Melody” 與

“You've  Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”,後者是BMI全美電台最常播出100首名曲榜的冠軍歌曲。

  這位Spector先生以一個可及時識別的聽覺品牌,單槍匹馬的創了唱片製作人的專業形象,有創意的程度甚至超越他的藝人。

  Spector鮮明形象主要來自‘Wall of Sound「錄音牆」,1963年他在洛杉磯Gold Star錄音室和工程師Larry Levine、編曲Jack Nitzsche及鼓手Hal Blaine帶領的the Wrecking Crew與許多藝人參加的合聲團,以「錄音牆」成功的錄了the Ronettes的成名歌曲。「錄音牆」影響了很多製作人和從Beach Boys 到Bruce Springsteen的搖滾樂團及藝人。

  The Crystals 與the Ronettes二個女子合唱團具體實現Phil Spector的Wall of Sound「錄音牆」的構想,Ronettes的Veronica Bennett 還嫁給了Phil Spector(1968-1974) 。

  The Ronettes 1963年獲得Billboar Hot 100排行榜連續2週第2名的成名曲 Be My Baby(錢櫃雜誌#1) 後來還被 Eddie Money的Take Me Home Tonight(1986#4) 選為副歌,是一首難忘的旋律。

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrVbawRPO7I

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aJvIFK9-xk

 

Be My Baby

The Ronettes

Songwriters: Lenny Kravitz / Gerry Deveaux

 

The night we met I knew I needed you so

And if I had the chance I'd never let you go

So won't you say you love me?

I'll make you so proud of me

We'll make 'em turn their heads every place we go

So won't you, please (Be my, be my baby)

Be my little baby (My one and only baby)

Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby)

Be my baby now (My one and only baby)

Oh, oh, oh, oh

I'll make you happy, baby, just wait and see

For every kiss you give me, I'll give you three

Oh, since the day I saw you

I have been waiting for you

You know I will adore you 'til eternity

So won't you, please (Be my, be my baby)

Be my little baby (My one and only baby)

Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby)

Be my baby now (My one and only baby)

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

So come on and be (Be my, be my baby)

Be my little baby (My one and only baby)

Say you'll be my darlin' (Be my, be my baby)

Be my baby now (My one and only baby)

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Be my little baby (My one and only baby)

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh (Be my, be my baby)

Oh, oh, oh, oh (My one and only baby)

Woah, oh, oh, oh, oh (Be my, be my baby)

Oh, oh, oh (My one and only baby)

Oh, oh, oh, oh (Be my, be my baby)

 

2021年1月13日 星期三

Hamilton,Joe Frank&Reynolds-Fallin' in Love

  Hamilton,Joe Frank&Reynolds是一個流行歌曲三重唱,原來是The T-Bones樂團的成員,1971年以Don't Pull Your Love獲得Cashbox錢櫃雜誌排行榜冠軍而一曲成名(Billboard雜誌#4) ,1975年他們的Falling in Love 是一首動聽的情歌,在Billboard雜誌流行歌曲和抒情歌曲排行榜都獲得冠軍。

    Falling in Love這首歌在1996年曾經由Lane McCray 和Malanie Thomton組合的黑人男女二重唱La Bouche改編推出,在Billboard Hot 100榜獲得過35名。不幸的是2001年Thomton因飛機失事喪生。

     La Bouche是法語「嘴」的意思。La Bouche的成名曲Be My Lover於1995年底推出,曾經獲得第6名。

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbwxBsRy1SA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu3T6q68A2k

 

Fallin' in Love

Songwriters: Danny Robert Hamilton / Ann Marie Hamilton

 

Baby, baby, fallin' in love

I'm fallin' in love again

Baby, baby, fallin' in love

I'm fallin' in love again

I could never see what fate had meant for me

And then you came and made my dreams match reality

Maybe you can see all the things you've meant to me

And my simple fate is at the gate and, girl, you've got the key

Baby, baby, fallin' in love

I'm fallin' in love again

Baby, baby, fallin' in love

I'm fallin' in love again

It seems like yesterday you and I first loved this way

But now I know how love can grow with each and every day

As we lay at midnight's hour and feel love's hidden power

So strong and bold as life unfolds its mystery to me

Baby, baby, fallin' in love

I'm fallin' in love again

Baby, baby, fallin' in love

I'm fallin' in love again

You and me for eternity in love will always be

Young and free and that should be the way it's gotta be

Baby, baby, fallin' in love

I'm fallin' in love again

Baby, baby, fallin' in love

I'm fallin' in love again

2021年1月7日 星期四

Ricky Martin-Livin' La Vida Loca

  在50首最受歡迎的拉丁歌曲中,還有一首你絕對不能錯過的歌。

  大聲吹奏的喇叭聲、誘人的貝斯間奏、放蕩的歌詞,Ricky Martin扭著他的屁股…,誰能抗拒90年代末由 Robi Draco Rosa 與 Desmond Child所寫的這首拉丁語經典流行舞曲"Livin' la Vida Loca",他們沒有在千禧一代拉丁流行歌曲名人榜的行列,但是在網路上被尊稱為"King of Latin Pop"「拉丁流行歌王」,歌迷就愛隨著他的歌起舞。

  Ricky Martin本名Enrique Martín Morales,1971年出生於波多黎各聖胡安,他有歌手、作曲人、演員、作者、唱片製作人等多重身分,12歲就加入Menudo兒童合唱團,五年後的90年代,他推出過不少西班牙語專輯,他的個人全球唱片銷售量已經有七千萬張,成為最有影響力的拉丁歌星和歷年最佳MV「音樂影帶」代表性藝人之一。

  "Livin' la Vida Loca"這首歌1999年4月17日推出,後來獲得Billboard Hot 100排行榜連續五週冠軍,帶動拉丁語歌曲的流行,使拉丁語歌曲更容易打進英語流行歌曲市場。

  Ricky Martin 2017年與Jwan Yosef 結婚,他是一位來自瑞典的出櫃造型藝術家。

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p47fEXGabaY

 

Livin' La Vida Loca

Writer(s): Child Desmond, Rosa Robi

 

She's into superstitions black cats and voodoo dolls

I feel a premonition that girl's gonna make me fall

 

She's into new sensations new kicks in the candle light

She's got a new addiction for every day and night

 

She'll make you take your clothes off and go dancing in the rain

She'll make you live her crazy life but she'll take away your pain

Like a bullet to your brain

Come on!

 

Upside, inside out she's living la vida loca

She'll push and pull you down, living la vida loca

Her lips are devil-red and her skin's the color mocha

She will wear you out living la vida loca

Come on!

Living la vida loca

Come on!

She's living la vida loca

 

Woke up in New York City in a funky cheap hotel

She took my heart and she took my money

She must've slipped me a sleeping pill

 

She never drinks the water

Makes you order French Champagne

Once you've had a taste of her

You'll never be the same

Yeah, she'll make you go insane

Alright

 

Upside, inside out she's living la vida loca

She'll push and pull you down, living la vida loca

Her lips are devil-red and her skin's the color mocha

She will wear you out living la vida loca

Alright!

Living la vida loca

She's living la vida loca

 

She'll make you take your clothes off and go dancing in the rain

She'll make you live her crazy life

But she'll take away your pain

Like a bullet to your brain

Come on!

 

Upside, inside out she's living la vida loca

She'll push and pull you down, living la vida loca

Her lips are devil-red and her skin's the color mocha

She will wear you out living la vida loca

Come on!

 

Upside, inside out she's living la vida loca

She'll push and pull you down, living la vida loca

Her lips are devil-red and her skin's the color mocha

She will wear you out living la vida loca

Come on!

Living la vida loca

Come on!

She's living la vida loca

 

Come on!

La vida loca

La vida loca

 

 

 

2020年12月31日 星期四

Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine-Conga

  Billboard雜誌九月初(2020年)挑選出50首橫跨時空,最受歡迎的拉丁歌曲,從阿根廷到西班牙,從1920年代到 2018年,其中有墨西哥歌謠、古巴之聲、哥倫比亞莎莎舞曲到現代的巴洽塔舞曲,選曲以歷史性的知名歌曲為主,這些歌一直到現在都吸引歌迷們跟唱並隨之起舞。

  在"Besame Mucho"、" Guantanamera "之後,介紹另一首排行榜上名次不錯的歌"Conga",這一首英語版的嘉年華歌曲,是80年代因美國電台對古巴宣傳需要而生,"Conga"的作曲人是Miami Sound Machine的鼓手Enrique Garcia,此曲成功地在世紀之交點燃對拉丁音樂的喜愛,更重要的是它證明原即來自古巴的拉丁歌后與Miami Sound Machine 合唱團不需去改變就進入了美國流行音樂界主流。

  Gloria Estefan本名Gloria Fajordo , 1957年出生於古巴哈瓦那,在美國佛羅里達州長大,她和先生Emillio Estefan組成Miami Sound Machine合唱團,1990年3月20日夫妻倆曾因發生嚴重車禍受傷,但後來幸運痊癒。

 Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine暢銷曲很多,在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜獲得第75名,"Conga"於1985年10月推出,最高獲得第10名。

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54ItEmCnP80

 

Conga

 

Come on, shake your body baby,

Do the conga

I know you can't control yourself any longer

Come on, shake your body baby,

Do the conga

I know you can't control yourself any longer.

 

Come on, shake your body baby,

Do the conga

I know you can't control yourself any longer

Feel the rhythm of the music getting stronger

Don't you fight it till you've tried it

Do the conga beat

 

Everybody gather 'round now

Let your body feel the heat.

Don't you worry if you can't dance

Let the music move your feet.

It's the rhythm of the island

And like sugarcane, so sweet.

If you want to do the conga

You've got to listen to the beat.

 

Come on, shake your body baby,

Do the conga

I know you can't control yourself any longer

Feel the rhythm of the music getting stronger

Don't you fight it till you've tried it

Do the conga beat

 

Feel the fire of desire

As you dance the night away.

'Cos tonight we're gonna party

Till we see the break of day.

Better get yourself together

And hold on to what you got.

Once the music hit your system

There's no way you're gonna stop.

 

Come on, shake your body baby,

Do the conga

I know you can't control yourself any longer

Feel the rhythm of the music getting stronger

Don't you fight it till you've tried it

Do the conga beat

 

Come on, shake your body baby,

Do the conga

I know you can't control yourself any longer

Feel the rhythm of the music getting stronger

Don't you fight it till you've tried it,

Do the conga

Come on, shake your body baby,

Do the conga

I know you can't control yourself any longer

Feel the rhythm of the music getting stronger

Don't you fight it till you've tried it

Do the conga beat

Come on, shake your body baby,

Do the conga

2020年12月24日 星期四

K.T. Oslin-80's Ladies

    鄉村歌手、作曲人與80年代後期90年代早期的暢銷歌星K.T. Oslin,已經去世,並且經過鄉村音樂協會CMA的證實,上週才有報導說他得了帕金森氏病病並且患新冠肺炎,沒想到就走了,K.T. Oslin享年78歲。

  Oslin  1942年出生於美國阿肯薩斯州Crossett,本名Kay Toinette Oslin,60年代她演唱民歌,70年代在劇場擔綱演出,直到40多歲時她才以鄉村歌手身分走紅,納許維爾製作人Harold Shedd在80年代發現她是可造之才。

  和RCA唱片簽約後她改名"K.T.,1987年 Oslin推出她第一張專輯〈80's Ladies〉,其中懷舊風的標題歌謠“80's Ladies”一曲成名,雖然在Billboard鄉村歌曲排行榜只獲得第7名,但獲得CMA鄉村音樂協會年度歌曲獎,她也是1988年Grammy 最佳鄉村歌曲演唱獎得主。

  CMA 的CEO執行長Sarah Trahern說 : Oslin " 在鄉村歌唱界有他獨有的深情嗓音,她“80's Ladies”的歌詞內容深深影響女歌迷…"。

  “80's Ladies”這首歌的MV拍得很傳神,把歌中的主角-三個50年代小女生從小交代到大,她們經歷過荒唐歲月,後來受教、覺悟、成長成為80年代的成熟女性,嫁人後要陪先生去賣蘋果、黃豆及汽車..,很值得一聽。

     K. T. Oslin把歌詞寫得像電影劇本,故事能反映女性社會問題,並引起探討,是她能得Grammy獎並走紅的主要原因。

     推薦給你這一首形成過話題的鄉村歌曲 !

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWqNzbPsD2o

 

80's Ladies

Songwriters: K. T. Oslin

 

We were three little girls from school.

One was pretty, one was smart

And one was a borderline fool.

Well she's still good lookin'

That woman hadn't slipped a bit.

The smart one used her head

She made her fortune.

And me, I cross the border every chance I get.

We were the girls of the 50's.

Stoned rock and rollers in the 60's.

And more than our names got changed

As the 70's slipped on by.

Now we're 80's ladies.

There ain't been much these ladies ain't tried.

We've been educated.

We got liberated.

And had complicating matters with men.

Oh, we've said "I do"

And we've signed "I don't"

And we've sworn we'd never do that again.

Oh, we burned our bras,

And we burned our dinners

And we burned our candles at both ends.

And we've had some children

Who look just like the way we did back then.

Oh, but we're all grown up now.

All grown up,

But none of us could tell you quite how.

We were the girls of the 50's.

Stoned rock and rollers in the 60's.

Hunny, more than our names got changed,

As the 70's slipped on by.

Now we're 80's ladies.

There ain't been much these ladies ain't tried.

A- my name is Alice.

I'm gonna marry Artie.

We're gonna sell apples

And live in Arkansas.

B- my name is Betty.

I'm gonna marry Bobby.

We're gonna sell beans

And live in Brazil.

C- my name is Connie.

I'm gonna marry Charlie.

We're gonna sell cars

And live in California.

 

George Michael With Elton John-Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

      George Michael 於1991年開啟了他的“翻唱”巡演。儘管他演唱了自己的一些熱門歌曲,例如〈Careless Whisper〉和〈Faith〉,以及達比的〈Sign Your Name〉。在一部紀錄片中,喬治談到了他為何喜歡演唱別人的熱門歌曲:「演唱別人...