第一首
Florence 佛罗伦萨
第一次听到这首歌的前奏,就无法抑止热爱之情。
大提琴何等惊艳,唤醒我的木耳朵。
温暖,柔和,悦耳,精致,迷离……
以下省去数千字。
好音乐面前何必言语。
听就是了。
Not many years their rounds shall roll
Each moment brings it nigh
And all your glories stand revealed
To our admiring eye
You wills of nature speed your course,
You mortal powers decay
Fast as you bring the night of death
You bring eternal day
人在世上的日子何其短暂
分分秒秒都在奔向死亡
在我们欣羡的眼里
你的荣耀却亘古光照
与生俱来的欲望催人老去
肉体的力量转眼消亡
你瞬间带来死亡之夜
转眼又带来永恒白昼
You weary heavy-laden souls
Who are oppressed sore
You travelers through the wilderness
To Canaan's peaceful shore
Through beating winds and chilly rains,
And waters deep and cold
And enemies surrounding you
Have courage and be bold
酸楚压迫之下的人们
疲惫的肩负重轭的灵魂
你们穿越旷野
去往迦南和平之地
大风扑面 寒雨淋漓
河深且冷
众敌环伺
你们应当刚强壮胆
The storms and hurricanes arise
The desert all around
And fiery serpent soft appear
Through the enchanted ground
Dark night and clouds and gloomy fear
And dragons often roar
But when the gospel trump we hear
We'll press for Canaan's shore
暴雨飓风涌起
旷野茫茫
火蛇出没
魔鬼辖制的大地上
黑夜、乌云和绝望一齐降临
恶龙依旧咆哮
但当福音的号筒声传入耳中
我们将义无反顾 奔向迦南
(翻译:waters)
第二首
I Don't Wanna Talk About It
不愿提起伤心事
这首歌已经听过不少版本了,最有感觉的,非Julienne Taylor(茱莉恩·泰勒)的演绎莫属。
歌词并无多少出奇之处,胜在曲调优美,带着淡淡伤感,是个极好的容器,盛得下许多优秀歌者的经历和情感,当然,也有你和我的。
好歌必定像好的小说,轻易借出酒杯,浇君块垒。
I can tell by your eyes that you've prob'bly been cryin' forever,
从你眼中,我知道你哭了很久
and the stars in the sky don't mean nothin' to you, they're a mirror.
天上的星星并不是和你毫不相关,而是一面镜子
I don't want to talk about it, how you broke my heart.
我不想谈论你令我多伤心
If I stay here just a little bit longer,
若我停留久一点
If I stay here, won't you listen to my heart, whoa, heart?
若我在这里,你是否会聆听我的心,我的心。
If I stand all alone, will the shadow hide the color of my heart;
若我孤独驻立,阴影是否会掩盖我内心的颜色
blue for the tears, black for the night's fears.
蓝色的眼泪,黑色的夜晚恐惧
The star in the sky don't mean nothin' to you, they're a mirror.
天上的星星并不是和你毫不相关,而是一面镜子
I don't want to talk about it, how you broke my heart.
我不想谈论你令我多伤心
If I stay here just a little bit longer,
若我停留久一点
if I stay here, won't you listen to my heart, whoa, heart?
若我在这里,你是否会聆听我的心,我的心。
……
(翻译:听歌的)
歌的作者丹尼·惠滕(Danny Whitten),曾是美国疯马乐队(Crazy Horse)的成员,他们因为与尼尔·杨(Neil Young)的合作而知名。这首歌收录于他们1971年的同名专辑,带着惠滕强烈的个人色彩。而真正使它名闻遐迩的却是此后一系列的翻唱,特别是Rod Stewart(洛德·史都华)。他将这首歌收录在其著名的专辑《横渡大西洋》(Atlantic Crossing)中。
第三首
Longer 更
衡量一首歌是否经典,其中一个标准,即看有多少演绎的版本。这首歌有无数个版本,第一印象来自藤田惠美,第一印象很深刻,所谓喧宾夺主。
意象中,作者与歌者为一人,吉他自弹,长发及肩,该是气质美女。实际上也差不多,除了最后一项——七八十年代唱柔情摇滚的文艺男青年一枚。
词是首美好的诗歌,浅白深情,我很喜欢。译成中文,形式美和内蕴都有损伤,又夹带了私货,估计歌者很不喜欢。我对此表示歉意。第一次翻了一段多一点,在工作间隙。主体还剩两句的时候,被勒令休息。收尾于次日候诊时。什么时候翻译一首短歌,也要如此见缝插针?估计难免佛格柏同时代的嘻皮们怜悯了。
算了,听歌吧。
Longer than there've been fishes in the ocean
鱼在海洋畅游之前
Higher than any bird ever flew
鸟儿飞翔的高天之上
Longer than there've been stars up in the Heavens
比星宿点缀苍穹更早
I've been in love with you
我已爱上了你
Stronger than any mountain cathedral
坚固胜过所有山巅的教堂
Truer than any tree ever grew
比一切的树真实
Deeper than any forest primeval
比所有太古的森林更深沉
I am in love with you
我是如此爱你
I'll bring fires in the winters
我要在寒冬燃起篝火
You'll send showers in the springs
你会在春天降下甘霖
We'll fly through the falls and summers
我们要飞越所有秋季和夏季
With love on our wings
凭爱的羽翼
Through the years as the fire starts to mellow
多年后爱情之火渐渐温存
Burning lines in the book of our lives
在生命之书的字里行间若隐若现
Though the binding cracks and the pages start to yellow
裂痕修修补补 纸张开始泛黄
I'll be in love with you, I'll be in love with you
我却爱你 一如既往
Longer than there've been fishes in the ocean
鱼在海洋畅游之前
Higher than any bird ever flew
鸟儿飞翔的高天之上
Longer than there've been stars up in the Heavens
比星宿点缀苍穹更早
I've been in love with you
我已爱上了你
I am in love with you
我是如此爱你
(翻译:waters)
“Longer”是Dan Fogelberg(丹·佛格柏)最著名的歌曲。他歌声轻柔,吉他旋律清澈动人,歌词优美深情,有"民谣诗人"的美称。
佛格柏1951年8月13日生于伊利诺州,十四岁开始学习钢琴, 后又学吉他和作曲。为了歌唱事业,他放弃伊利诺大学艺术系学士学位,移居加州,追随民谣高手 Van Morrison(范· 莫里森) 到各地巡演。1973年佛格柏发行第一张专辑 "Home Free" ,成绩并不理想。1975年第二张专辑"Souvenirs"则叫好又叫座,使佛格柏跻身于美国知名作曲家兼歌手的行列。1980年推出的"Phoenix"是他最为成功的专辑,“Longer”即出自于此。
不幸的是,佛格柏在2004年宣布患上癌症,3年半后,离开了这个世界。
第四首
The Nightingale 夜莺
珍妮佛的嗓音低沉、开阔,有着温暖绵厚的质感,仿佛冬日阳光下,落地窗旁对开的天鹅绒窗帘,拉开就是风景,收起时,忧伤、感怀与念旧,不期而至,令人难舍难分。
某一天晚上失眠,千古难逢,无药可治,不知如何是好。最后的办法是听歌,谁的都不济事,唯有珍妮佛。像陈年老友,带着母亲的口吻,述说久远的事,难忘的遗憾,淡淡的情。既不哀伤,亦无叹息,风轻云淡,抚慰了不安的心。
她的唱法平实而老式,在这个时代罕见地从容,犹如暗香般浮在夜空中。
美好的东西从不标新立异,它习惯于安静守候,喧嚣时隐匿,在中宵的梦里醒来,从不惊扰沉睡的人。
犹如爱情。
Yesterday, I thought that I walked alone
And that love was just a memory
But a nightingale followed me back home
Where my love was waiting there for me
I have lost my faith as lovers often do
When the storm clouds gather overhead
But a nightingale sang a note so true
That I knew I'd lost my fear instead
昨天,我想我是独自走了
爱情已成回忆
但有一只夜莺随我回家
我的爱在那里等我
当暴雨之云在头顶汇聚
我丢失了信仰,如同爱人们惯常的模样
但有一只夜莺真切地歌唱着
于是我明白丢下恐惧是最好的选择
(翻译 waters)
Jennifer Warnes,美国一代歌者,Leonard Cohen的长期伴唱兼好友。科恩当年在美国半红不黑,Warnes将他的老歌集结成致敬专辑《著名的蓝雨衣》(Famous Blue Raincoat),一举唱红,将科恩的歌重新推到流行的前台。充分证明他的歌不仅适合别人唱,更适合女人唱。也算是一段乐坛佳话了。
第五首
Windflowers 风飞花
鄙人的“CD随身听时代”,一盘齐豫英文精选集,最爱无非All Souls Night,此外唯有Windflowers。
尽管如此,齐豫替代不了罗琳娜(Loreena McKennitt),亦不能与Seals and Crofts相提并论。原本两个世界的人,唱的不是一个梦。齐豫和齐秦合作的版本,应了Windflowers 的字面,似无根的花,风中飞舞,美而凄绝。纯净如蒸馏水,清澈透明,缺少血肉的质感。
原唱则充满了张力,七情上脸,给你讲述一个烟火人间的故事:父亲劝诫儿子远离象征爱情的银莲花(Windflowers ),因为自己已吃够了它的苦。
Windflowers
风飞花
My father told me not to go near them
父亲告诫我不要靠近它
He feared them always
他一直畏惧这些
Said they carried him away
曾令他魂不守舍的花儿
Windflowers
风飞花
I couldn't wait to touch them
我禁不住要触碰它
To smell them I held them closely
将它揽入怀里 嗅它的气息
Now, I cannot break away
如今,我已无法自拔
Their sweet bouquet disappears
它们甜美的身姿已然消失
Like a vapor in the desert
犹如荒漠中的雾气
Take a warning, son
醒醒吧,孩子
Windflowers
风飞花
Their beauty captures every young dreamer
它的美貌攫住了每一个年少的梦游人
Who lingers near them
他们在花畔流连不去
Ancient windflowers, I love you
古老的风飞花,我爱你
(翻译:waters)
希腊神话中,爱神维纳斯爱极了少年阿多尼斯,劝诫他不要冒险狩猎,少年没有听从,最终死于野兽獠牙之下,他的鲜血化为飞花,飘散于风中,Windflower由此得名。
第六首
House By The River
河畔的房子
Allan Taylor(亚伦·泰勒)是英国杰出的民谣诗人,技艺精湛,演艺生涯超过45年,杰作无数。
他的歌写就于酒吧里,旅店中,火车上,是生活栩栩如生的反映,就如酒吧里的一席谈话,一个故事。他在歌中为迷失者、孤独者、无名的英雄,以及许多被边缘化的人造像。这些作品有个特质,就是歌里的角色你似曾相识,歌中的地方你如此熟悉,仿佛曾经去过。
源自生活,平易近人,记录和反映一个时代的情绪、声音、影像、事件,糅合一己的经历和情感,以简洁真挚的音乐形式将它们淋漓尽致地表达,这就是民谣。
You traded all your lovers
for a house by the river
And all those sweet deceptions
and one more broken vow
And the dark-eyed poets
who promised you forever
Tell me,where are they now
Where are they now
你出卖了所有爱过的人
去换一幢河畔的房子
所有这些甜蜜的欺骗
和又一个破灭的誓言
黑瞳孔的诗人们
向你应许了永恒
告诉我,如今他们在哪里
如今他们在哪里
You were always running
just one more step ahead
And just like all the others
I was following somehow
Was it something I wasn't saying
something I should have said
Tell me,where am I now
Where am I now
你永远在奔跑
离我只有一步之遥
就像所有那些
我曾经竭力追随的人
这是当时我不曾说的话
也是当时我应当说的话
告诉我,如今我在哪里
如今我在哪里
Now sweet solitude surrounds you
like a blanket of white heather
You are one with the land
and the sky somehow
And the seasons sway in sympathy
as you dance in time together
Tell me,where are you now
Where are you now
如今甜蜜的孤独缠绕你
像一条白色的石楠花毯
你是个坐拥土地的人
或许还占有天空
但当你与时光共舞
你的日子却在同情中摇摆不定
告诉我,如今你在哪里
如今你在哪里
I will write a song for you
and try to fill this space
And I'll take the time in passing
to wonder from afar
Maybe I'll try to find you
though you never left a trace
And maybe then I will know
who you are
Maybe then I will know
who you are
我要为你写一支歌
试着填满这空虚
我会从容路过
在远处琢磨
也许我会试图找到你
虽然你从不留痕迹
也许那时我才明白
你是谁
也许那时我才明白
你是谁
(翻译:waters)
第七首
Souvenirs 纪念物
John Prine,两次格莱美奖获得者,被称为“写歌者的写歌者”,写出许多了鲍勃·迪伦称之为“美丽”的歌曲。他的歌直面平常人的平常生活,带着朴素的真挚之情,轻易将歌唱进人们的心里。
积雪已融化成水
圣诞节来了又走了
破碎的玩具和褪去的色彩
是流连忘返的一切
我痛恨坟墓和老当铺
它们总是让我流泪
不能原谅它们就这样夺走
我童年的纪念物
回忆不能用钱买来
也不能在嘉年华上白白赢得
没错我花了不少年
才集齐这些纪念品
可它们怎样溜走 我并不明白
破碎的心和肮脏的窗户
令生命难以看得清楚
这就是昨晚和今晨
对我来说都差不多的原因
我痛恨阅读旧情书
它们总让我流泪
不能原谅它们就这样夺走
爱人留下的纪念物
(翻译:waters)
All the snow has turned to water
Christmas days have come and gone
Broken toys and faded colors
Are all that's left to linger on
I hate graveyards and old pawn shops
For they always bring me tears
I can't forgive the way they rob me
Of my childhood souvenirs
Memories they can't be boughten
They can't be won at carnivals for free
Well it took me years
To get those souvenirs
And I don't know how they slipped away from me
Broken hearts and dirty windows
Make life difficult to see
That's why last night and this mornin'
Always look the same to me
I hate reading old love letters
For they always bring me tears
I can't forgive the way they rob me
Of my sweetheart's souvenirs
(翻译:waters)
第八首
Perhaps Love 也许爱
想起约翰·丹佛,就像见到阳光,干净、明朗并且单纯。也许他看起来很幼稚,有点傻乎乎,这个世界对他来说似乎始终很危险——但亲爱的,他所有的,正是我们缺少的。
Perhaps love is like a resting place
也许爱就像一个栖息的地方
A shelter from the storm
一个暴风雨中的避难所
It exists to give you comfort
它带给你舒适
It is there to keep you warm
使你免受风寒
And in those times of trouble
当你身陷困境
When you are most alone
几乎孤立无援
The memory of love will bring you home
爱的记忆 就会带你回家
Perhaps love is like a window
也许爱就像一扇窗
Perhaps an open door
也许是打开的门
It invites you to come closer
它邀请你走近一些
It wants to show you more
它要给你看新的世界
And even if you lose yourself
即使你迷失了自己
And don't know what to do
不知道要做什么
The memory of love will see you through
爱的记忆 会让你看得通透
Oh, Love to some is like a cloud
哦 对有些人来说 爱像一片云彩
To some as strong as steel
在某些人那里却硬如铁块
For some a way of living
对有些人而言是一种生活方式
For some a way to feel
或是有的人体察生命的道路
And some say love is holding on
有人说爱永不止息
And some say letting go
有人说顺其自然
And some say love is everything
又有人说爱是一切
And some say they don't know
还有的人懵懵懂懂
Perhaps love is like the ocean
也许爱就像海洋
Full of conflict, full of pain
充满了冲突 充满了苦痛
Like a fire when it's cold outside
像数九寒天里的一盆炭火
Thunder when it rains
又像大雨之中的惊雷
If I should live forever
假如我有永恒的生命
And all my dreams come true
并且心想事成
My memories of love will be of you
我希望爱的记忆 全部都是你
(翻译:waters)
第九首
All the way to New York City
和你去纽约
Rosie Thomas这首歌,歌词比任何简介更有力、更精彩。
I wish I could take you with me
我希望能带你
All the way to New York City
一路去纽约
We could get an apartment there
我们在那租个公寓
Be closer to our families.
离家人近些
We could take my station wagon
开上我的旅行车
And fill it to the brim
把它塞得满满的
And wave goodbye to all our lovely friends
向所有亲爱的朋友挥手道别
Never to return again
再也不回来
You could write for picture shows
你可以给电影写写剧本
And I could get a job waiting tables
我应该能在名人爱去的那个餐馆
At a restaurant where famous people like to go
找份工作
We could buy old overcoats and walk through the snow
我们可以买些旧的大衣,沿着环绕中央公园的路
All the way around central park
走过雪地
Our cheeks as pink as wild roses
脸颊红得像野蔷薇
We could take the subway home
我们可以坐上地铁回家
And stare at our reflections in the window panes of the train
然后凝视车窗里两人的倒影
And see how much New York has changed us
看看纽约如何改变了我们
(翻译:waters)
第十首
Vincent 文森特
《Vincent》的作者和歌者均为Don Mclean (唐•麦克林)。此歌取材于梵高的名画《The Starry Night》(星夜),借助对美好画卷的描绘,向梵高这位早逝的天才表达惺惺相惜之情和敬意。Don Mclean 早年也是怀才不遇,后来借助《美国派》一曲红遍70年代的美国。这首Vincent后来成为荷兰梵高艺术博物馆的背景音乐,循环播放至今。
Starry, starry night
繁星点点的夜晚
Paint your palette blue and gray
为你的调色盘涂上灰与蓝
Look out on the summer’s day
你在那夏日向外远眺
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul
用你那双能洞悉我灵魂的双眼
Shadows on the hills
山丘上的阴影
Sketch the trees and the daffodils
描绘出树木与水仙的轮廓
Catch the breeze and the winter chills
捕捉微风与冬日的冷洌
In colors on the snowy linen land
以色彩呈现在雪白的画布上
Now I understand what you tried to say to me
如今我才明白你想对我说的是什么
How you suffered for your sanity
为你自己的清醒承受了多少的痛苦
How you tried to set them free
你多么努力的想让它们得到解脱
They would not listen
但是人们却拒绝理会
They did not know how
那时他们不知道该如何倾听
Perhaps they’ll listen now
或许他们现在会愿意听
……
For they could not love you
因为他们当时无法爱你
But still your love was true
可是你的爱却依然真实
And when no hope was left in sight
而当你眼中见不到任何的希望
On that starry, starry night
在那个繁星点点的夜晚
You took your life as lovers often do
你像许多绝望的恋人般结束了自己的生命
But I could have told you, Vincent
我多么希望能有机会告诉你,文森特
This world was never meant for one
这个世界根本配不上
As beautiful as you
像你如此美好的一个人
(翻译:来自网络)
第十一首
Time In A Bottle
瓶中的时光
歌者吉姆·克罗齐(Jim Groce),美国民谣歌手。当过广告推销员、电焊工、建筑工人、木匠、卡车司机。他为人乐天,颇有人缘。创作的歌曲简单朴素,感情单纯自然,毫无做作,被称为“蓝领工人的詹姆斯·泰勒”。不幸的是,他死于飞机失事,除了两张专辑,没有留下更多的作品。
If I could save time in a bottle
如果我能将时光藏于瓶间
The first thing that I'd like to do
第一件要做的事
Is to save every day
就是存储每一天
Til' eternity passes away
直到永恒流逝
Just to spend them with you
只为与你共度
If I could make days last forever
如果我能让日子万古长存
If words could make wishes come true
如果咒语能让愿望成真
I'd save every day like a treasure and then
我将收藏每一天犹如收藏珍宝 最后
Again, I would spend them with you
再次与你共度
But there never seems to be enough time
但时间似乎永远不足以
To do the things you want to do
让你去做那些你想要做的
Once you find them
终于笃定无疑的事情
I've looked around enough to know
我寻寻觅觅才总算明白
That you're the one I want to go
你就是我要投奔的那个
Through time with
共度今生的人
If I had a box just for wishes
如果我有一只盒子 专门存放
And dreams that had never come true
那些从未实现的愿望和梦想
The box would be empty
这盒子一定空空荡荡
Except for the memory
只留下一些痕迹
Of how they were answered by you
证明所有愿望和梦想都已被你召唤而去
But there never seems to be enough time
但时间似乎永远不足以
To do the things you want to do
让你去做那些你想要做的
Once you find them
终于笃定无疑的事情
I've looked around enough to know
我寻寻觅觅才总算明白
That you're the one I want to go
你就是我要投奔的那个
Through time with
共度今生的人
(翻译:waters)
民谣河畔
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