Brenda Russell -Piano In The Dark

  今天介紹一首R&B歌曲，Brenda Russell的Piano In The Dark。

  1988年流行歌壇最紅的歌星是已逝的Whitney Houston(1963-2012)與George Michael(1963-2016)，他們都出生於1963年，Whitney Houston是一位R&B歌曲起家的影歌巨星，George Michael則是1988年的冠軍歌星(# 1 Hot 100 Artist of 1988)。他倆加上Rick Astley、Guns N' Roses、Tiffany、Michael Jackson及Gloria Estefan & Msm…，相信老歌迷們腦海裡已經浮現了無數美好的回憶。

  在1988年年終排行榜獲得第81名的Piano in the Dark是R&B女歌手Brenda Russell 一首懷念的旋律，是當年夏天在Billboard Hot 100榜獲得過第6名的一首動聽的情歌。

  Brenda Russell 1949年出生於紐約布魯克林區，但在加拿大多倫多長大，她除了演唱、寫歌外擅長鍵琴樂器。

  Brenda Russell與前夫Brian Russel以Brian and Brenda 之名錄過唱片，她在Billboard R&B 排行榜有幾首Top 40的歌，但是以Piano In The Dark成績最好。

  Brenda Russell還在加拿大電視台助理主持過Music Machine流行音樂節目。

  Piano In The Dark是Brenda Russell與Brooklyn Dreams的Joe Esposito 聯名推出的歌，Joe 擔任和聲。Brooklyn Dreams是因與已故狄斯可歌后Donna Summer合唱Heaven Knows而出名的一個狄斯可三重唱。

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7u5GtSIC5k

 

Piano In The Dark

Songwriters: Brenda Russell / Scott Cutler / Jeff Hull

 

When I find myself watching the time

I never think about all the funny things you said

I feel like it's dead

Where is it leading me now?

I turn around in the still of the room

Knowing this is when I'm gonna make my move

Can't wait any longer

And I'm feeling stronger, but oh

Just as I walk to the door

I can feel your emotion

It's pulling me back

Back to love you

I know, caught up in the middle

I cry just a little

When I think of letting go

Oh no, gave up on the riddle

I cry just a little

When he plays piano in the dark

He holds me close like a thief of the heart

He plays a melody

Born to tear me all apart

The silence is broken

And no words are spoken, but oh

Just as I walk to the door

I can feel your emotion

It's pulling me back

Back to love you

I know, caught up in the middle

I cry just a little

When I think of letting go

Oh no, gave up on the riddle

I cry just a little

When he plays piano in the dark

The silence is broken

And no words are spoken, but oh

Just as I walk to the door

I can feel your emotion

Oh baby, pull me back

Back to love you

I know, I'm caught up in the middle

I cry just a little

When I think of letting go

Oh no, gave up on the riddle

I cry just a little

I cry, I cry

I know, I'm caught up in the middle

I cry just a little

When I think of letting go

Oh no, gave up on the riddle

I cry just a little

When he plays piano in the dark

 

Blondie-Heart of Glass

  談到Post-Punk & New Waves的重要專輯，少不了要介紹Blondie的〈Parallel Lines〉。

  New-wave搖滾樂團Blondie來自紐約布魯克林區，主唱是Debby Harry，她早年參加過民謠搖滾樂團Wind in The Willows，Blondie曾於1982年解散 ，1999年重新復出。

  儘管他們有龐克資歷，Blondie更感興趣的是在一種流派裡玩音樂，而不是被限制在一個剛性的審美觀裡。這意味著他們吸收流行音樂及50、60年代搖滾樂的元素，把這些元素融入龐克狂躁的混音當中。

  經由他們同名的首張專輯及接著的〈Plastic Letters〉專輯的磨練後，Blondie在〈Parallel Lines〉「平行線」這張專輯中表現出色。這張專輯一發行就大獲成功，在Billboard專輯排行榜獲得第6名，在英國的專輯排行榜則獲得冠軍，讓Blondie真正登上了流行音樂版圖，並且催生了幾首著名的單曲(如Heart of Glass、One Way or Another、Picture This、Hanging on the Telephones、Sunday Girl)，其中Heart of Glass於1979年2月17日推出，後來獲得Billboard Hot 100排行榜冠軍，在滾石雜誌500大歌曲榜獲得第259名。

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGU_4-5RaxU

 

Heart of Glass

Songwriters: Chris Stein / Deborah Harry

 

Once I had a love and it was a gas

Soon turned out had a heart of glass

Seemed like the real thing, only to find

Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind

Once I had a love and it was divine

Soon found out I was losing my mind

It seemed like the real thing but I was so blind

Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind

In between

What I find is pleasing and I'm feeling fine

Love is so confusing, there's no peace of mind

If I fear I'm losing you it's just no good

You teasing like you do

Once I had a love and it was a gas

Soon turned out had a heart of glass

Seemed like the real thing, only to find

Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind

Lost inside

Adorable illusion and I cannot hide

I'm the one you're using, please don't push me aside

We coulda made it cruising, yeah

La, da, da, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, da, da, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, da, da, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Yeah, riding high on love's true bluish light

Ooh, oh, ooh, oh

Ooh, oh, ooh, oh

Once I had a love and it was a gas

Soon turned out to be a pain in the ass

Seemed like the real thing only to find

Mucho mistrust, love's gone behind

Ooh, oh, ooh, oh

Ooh, oh, ooh, oh

Duran Duran-A View to a Kill

   Duran Duran準備在2021年 Billboard音樂獎演出

  這個表演也正好慶祝他們踏入歌壇40周年。

  Duran Duran是〈the 2021 Billboard Music Awards〉 BBMAs第一個加入表演的英國退休樂團，他們將從倫敦演唱一首新歌傳送到頒獎典禮現場，並邀請搖滾樂團Blur的吉他手Graham Coxon.加入。

  Duran Duran 1981年以“Planet Earth”/“Girls on Film”這張雙面二首歌的暢銷曲進入Billboard the Dance Club Songs熱門舞曲排行榜。

  Duran Duran 有二首Billboard Hot 100排行榜冠軍曲 :“The Reflex”及“A View to a Kill”，後者也是007系列電影第一手獲得冠軍的主題曲。Duran Duran在Billboard 200專輯排行榜有6張專輯進入 Top 10，時空橫跨30年。

  Duran Duran是一個電音流行舞曲樂團，來自英格蘭伯明翰，主唱是Somon LeBon，他們的成名歸功於在MTV 播出music video音樂影帶的極大協助。

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z6ThbWGUj0

 

 

A View to a Kill

Duran Duran

Songwriters: John Barry / John Taylor / Simon Le Bon / Nick Rhodes / Andy Taylor / Roger Taylor

 

Meeting you with a view to a kill
Face to faces, secret places, feel the chill

Night fall covers me
But you know the plans I'm making
Still overseas,
Could it be the whole lot opening wide
A sacred why
A mystery gaping inside
A week is why

Until we dance into the fire
That fatal kiss is all we need
Dance into the fire
To fatal sounds of broken dreams
Dance into the fire
That fatal kiss is all we need
Dance into the fire

The choice for you is the view to a kill
Between the shades assassination standing still

First crystal tears,
Fallen of snowflakes on your body
First time in years
To drench you skin of lover's rosy stain
A chance to find the phoenix for the flame
A chance to die

But can we dance into the fire
That fatal kiss is all we need
Dance into the fire
To fatal sounds of broken dreams
Dance into the fire
That fatal kiss is all we need
Dance into the fire

When all we see is the view to a kill

 

 

The Human League-Don't You Want Me

    在後龐克與新浪潮post-punk / new wave的音樂世界裡，The Human League是一個知名的合唱團，樂評人將他們定位為Electro-pop電音流行樂團。

  來自英國約克夏Sheffield的這個團體，主唱是Phil Oakey，他與女主唱Joanne Catherall和Susanne Sulley一同撐起The Human League在流行歌壇的一片天。

  The Human League的代表性專輯是1981年10月推出的〈Dare〉，當時前團員Martyn Ware與Ian Craig Marsh 離開了Human League另組Heaven 17，Phil Oakey帶領這個團朝更易於親近的方向前進，〈Dare〉這張專輯在全球造成轟動，這是一張充滿了令人難忘歌曲的專輯，在1981年Synth-pop「合成流行音樂」革命的邊緣完美地展現出他們的英姿。

  〈Dare〉在英國的專輯排行榜獲得冠軍，在美國的Billboard 專輯排行榜則獲得第3名，其中的單曲“ Don’t You Want Me”、“Open Your Heart”、“Love Action”以及“Sound of The Crowd”都很受歡迎，“ Don’t You Want Me”在Billboard Hot 100 單曲排行榜則獲得冠軍。

  Post-punk /new wave音樂與Rock的不同之處在於電子合成樂器的強化，而Rock是以電吉他為主帶動氣氛。

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPudE8nDog0

 

Don't You Want Me

Songwriters: Wright / Oakley / CallisYou were working as a waitress in a cocktail bar

 

When I met you

I picked you out, I shook you up

And turned you around

Turned you into someone new

Now five years later on you've got the world at your feet

Success has been so easy for you

But don't forget it's me who put you where you are now

And I can put you back down too.

Don't. Don't you want me?

You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me

Don't. Don't you want me?

You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me

It's much too late to find

When you think you've changed your mind

You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry

Don't you want me, baby?

Don't you want me? Oh!

Don't you want me, baby?

Don't you want me? Oh!

I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar

That much is true

But even then I knew I'd find a much better place

Either with or without you

The five years we have had have been such good at times

I still love you

But now I think it's time I lived my life on my own

I guess it's just what I must do

Don't. Don't you want me?

You know I can't believe it when I hear that you won't see me

Don't. Don't you want me?

You know I don't believe you when you say that you don't need me

It's much too late find

When you think you've changed your mind

You'd better change it back or we will both be sorry

Don't you want me, baby?

Don't you want me? Oh!

Don't you want me, baby?

Don't you want me? Oh!

Don't you want me, baby?

Don't you want me? Oh!

Don't you want me, baby?

Don't you want me? Oh!

Don't you want me, baby?

Don't you want me? Oh!

Don't you want me, baby?

Don't you want me? Oh

Don't you want me, baby?

Don't you want me? Oh!

Don't you want me, baby?

Don't you want me? Oh!

 

A Flock Of Seagulls-I Ran(So Far Away)

 今天介紹一首New wave「新浪潮」歌曲A Flock Of Seagulls的I Ran(So Far Away) 。

  Punk龐克音樂成為流行音樂主流之後在二年之內搞砸了，它表面上的成功其實基礎是很脆弱的。Sex Pistols「性手槍」樂團的主唱Johnny ‘Rotten’ Lydon持續在Sex Pistols「性手槍」、Public Image Ltd「公共形象有限公司」或者PiL「菲爾」這些樂團，以一種身段柔軟，立場強硬的方式去定義post-punk 「後龐克」及new-wave「新浪潮」運動。

 轟隆隆的鼓聲、大而空蕩的歌聲、幾乎不掩飾怨恨，那是沒有搖滾的龐克，音樂不再有入門指導，也沒有一點點可確定的歷史性參考資料。Post-punk 是一個很棒的名字，儘管punk已不再是引用參考重點，他一度想越過punk，但因為需要punk以便在歌壇出頭，最後還是用了。

  New wave「新浪潮」是一個完全不一樣的東西，new wave的樂手就像Claire Morales克萊爾莫洛斯的專輯〈Amaranthine 〉「深紫紅的」裡唱的“ Serious Young Things”「嚴肅的年輕人」一樣，毫無疑問他們有時尚品味和大學文憑，他們打細領帶，穿尖頭鞋、墊肩、百褶庫，他們的頭髮刺蝟似的尖而長。

  試驗性的音樂、悅耳易記朗朗上口、旋律優美的、 令人激動、喜怒無常，new wave 「新浪潮」以他們的主鍵琴與新的編曲，接管了全世界的排行榜。 

  吉它不全包含在內的new wave音樂是一種風格，包含大力的打鼓、撥弄和弦，變成一種機敏風趣的、抒情的、快節奏的流行音樂，也變成吸引排行榜的誘餌。創作這種音樂的團體有: Elvis Costello & the Attractions「艾維士與誘惑力」、XTC及「金髮女郎」樂團。

   Post-punk「後龐克」和new wave「新浪潮」一起永遠改變了音樂，儘管80年代開風氣之先風光的早期採用者，洗刷了過於真誠的意圖，龐克那個年代的遺產已經有深遠的意義，這個流派引發、催生了它。來自英國利物浦的A Flock Of Seagulls即是這股新浪潮當中的一個亮點。

      I Ran(So Far Away)於1982年曾於Billboard Hot 100榜獲得過第9名。

 

◎我在本期《WAVES生活潮藝文誌》季刊有一篇「龐克與後龐克Punk&Post Punk」的詳細介紹，有興趣的朋友可以去書店看看。

 

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

 

I Ran

A Flock Of Seagulls

Songwriters: F. Maudsley / M. Score / P. Reynolds / A. Score

 

I walked along the avenue

I never thought I'd meet a girl like you

Meet a girl like you

With auburn hair and tawny eyes

The kind of eyes that hypnotize me through

Hypnotize me through

And I ran, I ran so far away

I just ran, I ran all night and day

I couldn't get away

A cloud appears above your head

A beam of light comes shining down on you

Shining down on you

The cloud is moving nearer still

Aurora borealis comes in view

Aurora comes in view

And I ran, I ran so far away

I just ran, I ran all night and day

I couldn't get away

Reached out a hand to touch your face

You're slowly disappearing from my view

'Pearing from my view

Reached out a hand to try again

I'm floating in a beam of light with you

A beam of light with you

And I ran, I ran so far away

I just ran, I ran all night and day

And I ran, I ran so far away

I just ran, I couldn't get away

  

  

Van Halen-When It's Love

    上週介紹在The Top 100 Alternative Rock Artist 「百大另類搖滾藝人排行榜」獲得冠軍的合唱團Foo Fighters，他們在The Top 100 Mainstream Rock Artist 「百大主流搖滾藝人排行榜」則獲得第12名，那麼正統的主流搖滾冠軍是何許人呢?

  是Van Halen。

  去年(2020)10月初 Van Halen的主唱吉他手Edward Van Halen 去世時曾經在本部落格介紹過Van Halen這個重搖滾樂團Hard-rock band。

  Edward Lodewijk Van Halen 1955年出生於荷蘭，他是Van Halen的主唱吉他手，1972年與哥哥(鼓手)Alex Van Halen，貝斯手Mark Stone，主唱David Lee Roth一同創立這個樂團，在搖滾樂界Edward Van Halen被認定為最棒的吉他手之一 。

    Alex 與 Eddie兄弟 1964年組了一個叫Broken Combs的樂團，經過一段時間的變遷才改名Van Halen，Van Halen樂團 1978年推出第一張同名專輯後開始走紅。

  Van Halen作品很多，是歷年暢銷歌星及樂團排行榜第176名的重搖滾樂團，他們在Billboard Hot 100排行榜名次最好的歌是1984年連續五周獲得冠軍的 "Jump"。而在Billboard Mainstream Rock「主流搖滾排行榜」Van Halen有一首1988年七月初推出的 "When It’s Love" 獲得過冠軍(Hot 100榜第5名)。

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZGXRCI-JzQ

 

When It's Love

Songwriters: Alex Van Halen / Edward Van Halen / Sammy Hagar / Michael

 

AnthonyEverybody's lookin' for somethin'

Somethin' to fill in the holes

We think a lot but don't talk much about it

'Til things get out of control

Oh, how do I know when it's love

I can't tell you but it lasts forever

How does it feel when it's love

It's just something you feel together

When it's love

You look at every face in a crowd

Some shine and some keep you guessin'

Waiting for someone to come into focus

Teach you your final love lesson

How do I know when it's love

I can't tell you but it lasts forever

How does it feel when it's love

It's just something you feel together

Oh oh oh oh

Oh when it's love

Oh oh oh oh

You can feel it yeah

Oh oh oh oh

Nothing's missing, yeah

Oh oh oh oh

Yeah, you can feel it

Oh oh oh oh

Oh when it's love

Oh oh oh oh

Nothing's missing

How do I know when it's love

I can't tell you but it lasts forever

Uh, how does it feel when it's love

It's just something you feel together

Hey, how do I know when it's love

I can't tell you but it lasts forever

When it's love

Uh, when it's love

Hey it lasts forever

(Na, na, na, na, na) when it's love

(Na, na, na, na, na)

(Na, na, na, na, na)

(Na, na, na, na, na) give it up

We're gonna feel this thing together (na, na, na, na, na)

When it's love, oh (na, na, na, na, na)

When it's love, baby (na, na, na, na, na)

(Na, na, na, na, na)

You can feel it, yeah

(Na, na, na, na, na)

(Na, na, na, na, na)

We'll make it last forever

(Na, na, na, na, na)

(Na, na, na, na, na)

Oh, it's love

 

Foo Fighters-Big Me

    Billboard雜誌在搖滾樂部分有主流搖滾 Mainstream Rock Tracks (1981年開始) ，與另類搖滾Alternative (Modern)Rock Tracks(Modern  Rock Tracks 1988年開始，2009年改名Alternative Rock Tracks)二種搖滾樂排行榜，專業人士根據藝人的排行榜成績(例如第一周冠軍給60點，第二周冠軍加5點..)做出各項排行榜統計。其中The Top 100 Alternative Rock Artist 在「百大另類搖滾藝人排行榜」獲得冠軍的合唱團是Foo Fighters。

  另類搖滾源自1970年代非主流獨立唱片公司出版的所謂地下搖滾underground，1990年代起這個搖滾樂的分支已經是多年的媳婦熬成婆廣受歡迎。

  另類搖滾樂團Foo Fighters組成於美國華盛頓州西雅圖，主唱Dave Grohl曾經是另類搖滾或垃圾搖滾三人合唱團Nirvana的鼓手，Nirvana的主唱Kurt Cobain 1994年自殺身亡，Dave Grohl於1995年另組Foo Fighters。

  Foo Fighters 1995年以This Is A Call進入歌壇，作品很多，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜已經獲得第493名。

  1996年獲得第13 名的Big Me是Foo Fighters在Billboard Hot 100單曲榜成績最好的歌。這首歌在Alternative Rock Tracks另類搖滾排行榜則獲得5周第3 名。

 

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

 

 

Big Me

Foo Fighters

Songwriters: David Grohl

 

When I talk about it

Carries on

Reasons only knew

When I talk about it

Aries or treasons all renew

Big me to talk about it

I could stand to prove

If we can get around it

I know that it's true

Well, I talked about it

Carried on

Reasons only knew

But it's you I fell into

When I talked about it

Carries on

Reasons only knew

When I talk about it

Aries or treasons all renew

Big me to talk about it

I could stand to prove

If we can get around it

I know that it's true

Well, I talked about it

Put it on

Never was it true

But it's you I fell into

Well, I talked about it

Put it on

Never was it true

But it's you I fell into

I fell into

I fell into