Don Mclean(唐.马克林)于1945年10月2日出生于美国纽约。60年代早期Don在纽约州的俱乐部中以灌制唱片开始了他的演艺生涯,大多数时间里,Don是一名游吟歌手。1970年他曾写了一首纪念梵高的音乐献辞《vincent》。Don的首次亮相专辑TAPESTRY同年出版,但没能卖出去。艺术家联合会第二年和他签约并制作了American Pie的第一个增加版(Mulder注:即Extended Version),这首歌惊人地登上了英国排行榜第二,美国第一的位置。这首歌的同名专辑也获得成功。Don也由此被认为是最有天赋和最有商业价值的新生歌手。尽管开头不错,Don的演艺生涯在70年代中期却陷入了困境,好在他是一名具有强烈自我意识的歌手,1980年他凭借一曲Crying重登排行榜。之后,他的再版旧专辑也引起轰动,他个人也因此而进行大规模巡回演出。80年代以后,Don转向乡村音乐发展,不过仍处于流行音乐的主流。1991年,他那张已有20周岁的专辑 American Pie出乎意料的重返英国排行榜前20位,这无疑又掀起了人们对他早先作品的兴趣。
经典歌曲 1.《American Pie》堪称一首史诗式的作品,纵观全球乐坛,能将一首长达8分34秒的歌曲唱得不仅不让人生厌,还让人们津津乐道并传颂几十年的现象可谓少之又少,而唐·麦克林和他的《American Pie》就做到了,如果作品里没有引人入胜的叙事性、没有内蕴幽远的深刻性,很难相信人们真会傻呆呆地将这么长的时间消耗在一首歌曲里。 《American Pie》是用音乐记录美国六十年代历史的一首史诗,没有春风得意的赞美,也没有针锋相对的批判,有的只是在轻快的民谣节奏中娓娓地道来——那里面有整整一个时代美国人所见、所思、所想,以及所经历的往事,而事实上正是这样不带主观评述的质朴歌声,最终打动了一代又一代的美国人,甚至是美国以外的人。 在《American Pie》里,你不仅可以通过歌词联想到Buddy Holly的《That’ll be the Day》, The Monotones的《The Book of Love》,以及The Byrds的《Eight Miles High》等等这些五六十年代的经典歌曲,你还可以从歌词中重温“在路上”的激情与浪漫,赤着脚在体育馆跳踢踏舞的愉悦,在“芝加哥七人案”的审判席上唱起源于哥萨克民歌的反战歌曲《Where Have All The Flowers Gone》的歌手朱蒂?科林斯,还有“小丑”般的Bob Dylan(鲍比·迪伦),“国王” 样的Elvis Presley(艾尔维斯·普莱斯利),“王后”Connie Francis(康妮·弗朗西丝),更有正熟读马克思经典的 John Lennon(约翰·列侬),因听了《Helter Skelter》而率领信众犯下杀人血案的Charles Manson(查尔斯·曼森),你同样可以跟着唐·麦克林的节奏追忆起1970年10月4日死于海洛因中毒的天才白人布鲁斯女歌手Janis Joplin(詹妮斯·乔普林), 1959年2月3日因飞机失事而不幸英年早逝的摇滚歌手Buddy Holly(巴迪·霍利),1969年在“滚石”的演唱会时被保安活活打死的18岁黑人歌迷。 最后,唐·麦克林唱道:“And the three men I admire most/The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost/They caught the last train for the coast/The day the music died/And they were singing” (我最钦仰的三人——圣父、圣子和圣灵,他们都搭乘末班车奔向了海岸,与他们一起,音乐随之而死,和着他们曾经唱过的……”,这也可以看作是他创作这首作品一个不可忽视的题旨,一种垮掉的信仰,一种无以自拨的绝望,这也正是当时美国一代青年的共性特征,就这样,一首歌很容易就打动了一代人。
歌曲赏析及歌词 A long long time ago I can still remember how that music used to make me smile And I knew if I had my chance That I could make those people dance And maybe they'd be happy for a while. Did you write the Book of Love And do you have faith in God above If the Bible tells you so Do you believe in rock 'n roll Can music save your mortal soul And can you teach me how to dance real slow Well, I know that you're in love with him 'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym You both kicked off your shoes Man, I dig those rhythm and blues I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck With a pink carnation and a pickup truck But I knew I was out of luck The day the music died I started singin' Bye-bye, Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levee But the levee was dry And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die I met a girl who sang the blues And I asked her for some happy news But she just smiled and turned away I went down to the sacred store Where I'd heard the music years before But the man there said the music wouldn't play And in the streets the children screamed The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed But not a word was spoken The church bells all were broken And the three men I admire most The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost They caught the last train for the coast The day the music died And they were singing Bye-bye, Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levee But the levee was dry And them good old boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die They were singing bye-bye, Miss American Pie Drove my chevy to the levee But the levee was dry Them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye Singin' this'll be the day that I die This'll be the day that I die Over...
2.另一经典之作,纪念梵高和他的精神。 Vincent文森特 stary night 歌曲:starry night 歌手:don mclean starry, starry night paint your palette blue and gray look out on a summer's day with eyes that know the darkness in my soul shadows on the hills sketch the trees and the daffodils catch the breeze and the winter chills in colors on the snowy linen land now i understand what you tried to say to me and how you suffered for your sanity and how you tried to set them free they would not listen; they did not know how perhaps they'll listen now starry, starry night flaming flowers that brightly blaze swirling clouds in violet haze reflect in vincent's eyes of china blue colors changing hue morning fields of amber grain weathered faces lined in pain are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand now i understand what you tried to say to me and how you suffered for your sanity and how you tried to set them free they would not listen; they did not know how perhaps they'll listen now for they could not love you but still, your love was true and when no hope was left inside on that starry, starry night you took your life as lovers often do but i could've told you, vincent this world was never meant for one as beautiful as you starry, starry night portraits hung in empty halls frameless heads on nameless walls with eyes that watch the world and can't forget like the strangers that you've met the ragged men in ragged clothes the silver thorn, a bloody rose lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow now i understand what you tried to say to me and how you suffered for your sanity and how you tried to set them free they would not listen; they did not know how perhaps they'll listen now
《American Pie》(美国派) 破碎的梦 A long long time ago I can still remember how that music used to make me smile And I knew if I had my chance That I could make those people dance And maybe they'd be happy for a while. 记忆中,很久以前 那音乐曾让我那么快乐 要是我也有机会,我一定会使人们舞动起来 或许他们也能体会那份愉悦吧 时光回到1959年,作者Don McLean还只是一个15岁的小孩。早期的Rock and Roll音乐令Don无限痴迷,而其代表人物Buddy Holly(Crickets乐队的主力),在Don的心中则是如神般的存在。此时,他的梦想,便是有一天用自己的Rock Music为人们带来欢乐,而Holly不仅是榜样,更是精神的源泉。 作者此段的演绎尽显惆怅,令听者仿佛已经触摸到了逼近的阴郁。 But February made me shiver With every paper I'd deliver Bad news on the doorstep I couldn't take one more step 二月,我打着寒颤 送着手里的报纸 噩耗,出现在眼前 空气凝固了,我动弹不得 少年的Don,还只是纽约近郊的一个小送报员。1959年2月4日,他在自己亲手递送的报纸上,读到了这则令他心碎的噩耗。Buddy Holly,以及同行的另两位摇滚巨星Ritchie Valens和J. P. Richardson (Big Bopper)所搭乘的航班在衣阿华州(Iowa)的Mason市郊外坠毁。 I can't remember if I cried When I read about his widowed bride But something touched me deep inside The day the music died 我已不记得 当读及那已然是寡妇的新娘时 我或曾掉泪? 但我清楚地记得内心深处的震颤 那天,那音乐死去 空难发生时,Buddy Holly刚结婚6个月,且妻子Maria Elena Holly已身怀六甲。更有悲剧色彩的是,Maria闻及噩耗后悲伤过度,导致孩子流产了。Don的对Rock and Roll的美好理想,这时可以说被击了个粉碎。灾难当天,在10年后被Don定义为音乐死去的一天。 那美好的旧时 Did you write the Book of Love And do you have faith in God above If the Bible tells you so Do you believe in rock 'n roll Can music save your mortal soul And can you teach me how to dance real slow 是你写了爱之书么? 你还相信上帝 相信圣经里的每句话么? 还是你更相信摇滚 音乐可以挽救你的灵魂 教我轻舞飞扬 作者不禁回忆起美好的往昔。以及都是50年代的经典曲目。跳慢舞,在当时是一次浪漫约会的重要部分,也代表了Don对当年幸福的理解。那个年代,摇滚乐时常被宗教领袖们抨击为不敬神的(ungodly)。Don在引用歌名的同时,也有意识地为摇滚乐表达了些许的委屈、愤懑。 Well, I know that you're in love with him 'Cause I saw you dancin' in the gym You both kicked off your shoes Man, I dig those rhythm and blues 我知道你爱上了他 我目睹了你们在场上舞蹈 你们的鞋扔在一旁 呵,我太喜欢那段R&B了。 与慢舞一样,高中里的Sock Hop也是那个纯真年代的一个代表性的活动。Sock Hop通常在学校的体育馆中举行,学生们男女配对,翩翩起舞。之所以叫Sock Hop,是由于出于保护地板的考虑,学生们会脱下鞋,穿着袜子舞蹈。诗句中的“你”,我相信是Don青涩年华时的梦中情人。10年后,那个她在此处,以及在歌曲的一些别的地方被蜻蜓点水般地提及。 R&B音乐对摇滚乐的发展施加了决定性的影响,Don在此处以欢快的高音唱出词句,显然是对当年R&B的衷心赞美。 I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck With a pink carnation and a pickup truck But I knew I was out of luck The day the music died 我当时像是一匹年轻的野马 粉色康乃馨,一辆小货车 终于,我的好运有到头的一天 那天,那音乐死去了 一段快乐的青春,作者总结了当时自己的生活状态,桀骜不驯,心中有梦。又是两处歌名的引用:和。这种小货车(pickup truck)由于其实用性,在当时的德州非常流行。Don借此两句,以及前文,强调了自己是他那一代年轻人的典型,也流露了无尽的回味和眷念。