【The Motown Sound】介绍(3) - 穿过葡萄藤, 我听到（图） EvaLuna2007-08-08 17:36:15
六十年代的黑人音乐主要来自两大城市：底特律和孟菲斯。底特律拥有 Berry Gordy 一手创建的 Motown 音乐王国，而孟菲斯则是闻名暇耳的所谓“Soul City” 。
底特律我没有去过，但孟菲斯却是打过几次照面的。第一次，是在纽约误了飞机，又遇暴风雨，一误再误，至不得不在孟菲斯机场停留过夜。是夜，和朋友四处闲逛，买了件杏黄T 恤衫，上面黑人兄弟微闭双眼，陶醉状吹着萨克斯管。
当时，所有黑人音乐被统称为“SOUL ”，但其实还是有区别的。其中两大主流分别是以Motown Sound 为代表的黑人流行乐，和以Aretha 和James Brown 为代表人物的黑人灵魂音乐。
花开两朵，各表一枝。先加句题外话。以前写过个贴子，关于电影“Dream girls” ，是这部电影让我起了写这个系列的初衷。而其中，Jamie Foxx 扮演的角色苦心经营的那家唱片公司，我以为留有大量Motown 早期的影子。记得影片中，这家公司面向不分种族的广大流行乐听众，推出了首叫做“Cadillac Car” 的歌。是的，这歌名恰恰形象刻画了Motown 音乐给人的大概印象。如果说，Motown 出品的音乐是辆光洁华丽，通行无阻的凯迪拉克车，那么，南部灵魂音乐则仿佛是伤痕累累，负重强硬的顽固大卡车。在争夺市场的硝烟中，南部各大录音公司军阀混战，各立山头，互相攻击。但无论如何，这辆斑驳沉重的卡车，却是在泥泞中奋力前行，涌现出一大批好的歌手和音乐创作。
与此同时，紧跟时代日新月异的前进步伐，Motown Sound 也逐步在情感累积，社会认知，和音乐制作上走向成熟。许多Motown 歌曲开始从浅浮幼稚的罗曼帝克主题，转向面对社会的严肃现实性。Motown 开始清醒意识到，在顺滑闪亮的流行音乐中需要注入黑人灵魂乐强大，震撼人心的表达力度。这与日剧增的自我觉醒和感情浓度，在今天介绍的这首歌中，将得到充份体现。
“ I heard it through the grapevine” 由 Motown 音乐人Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong 创作完成。其后， Motown 推出了几个不同的演绎版本，最著名的是相距一年依次推出，并都登上流行排行榜的Gladys Knight 1967 年的录音和Marvin Gaye 1968 年的录制。在两个歌手对同一首歌截然不同的音乐处理上， Motown 证实了其不断扩大的音乐宽度和加深的情感厚度，有意识地开始针对歌手本身音色和个性来量体裁衣。
Gaye 的演绎，处理上感觉更丰富，更戏剧性，或者说，更有悲剧美，配合了他痛苦渗透的嗓音特色。而在Gladys 的演绎中，大量借用了丰富的教堂钢琴和背景伴唱，衬托出如地狱烈火般的质询和训斥，完美配合了Gladys 福音歌手(Gospel singer) 的出身和强烈专注的演唱风格。这一首请大伙点击播放。
请仔细听几遍这两个不同版本，闭上眼睛体会一下不同演绎带来的不同想象画面。对我而言，听 Marvin Gaye 的歌，听到了他面对爱人不忠，哭泣中的悲哀苦闷；而听Gladys Knight 的歌，则仿佛亲见黑人女歌手用了典型姿态，染了蔻红指甲的手搭住胯部，痛快淋漓地渲泻质问和愤慨。
这首歌一定程度上驳斥了对Motown 如同生产流水线般的音乐制作上的批判。不可否认，由于Gordy 对最后成品的严格控制，Motown 音乐曾一度被打上僵硬死板的风格标签。但今天，我们从郁郁葱葱，迎风呢喃的葡萄藤中，倾听到了Motown 自我清醒的意识和刻苦调整。在其鼎盛期，Motown 确实提供了相对充足的空间，让歌手挖掘其潜质，发挥其特长，并将歌者，歌曲和音乐编排完美结合，在贯穿Motown 音乐宗旨的同时，清晰刻印浓郁的个人风格。
据说，CCR （Creedence Clearwater Revival ）也演绎过这首歌，可惜我没找到。这里谁能贡献一把？不胜感谢！
Marvin Gaye “ I heard it through the grapevine”
Ooh, I bet you're wondering how I knew
About you're plans to make me blue
With some other guy that you knew before.
Between the two of us guys
You know I love you more.
It took me by surprise I must say,
When I found out yesterday.
Don't you know that...
(Chorus:)
I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine.
Oh I heard it through the grapevine,
Oh and I'm just about to lose my mind.
Honey, honey yeah.
I know that a man ain't supposed to cry,
But these tears I can't hold inside.
Losin' you would end my life you see,
Cause you mean that much to me.
You could have told me yourself
That you love someone else.
Instead...
(Chorus)
People say believe half of what you see,
Son, and none of what you hear.
I can't help bein' confused
If it's true please tell me dear?
Do you plan to let me go
For the other guy you loved before?
Don't you know...
(Chorus)
Gladys Knight “I heard it through the Grapevine” (点击播放）
I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Written by Norman Whitfield & Barrett Strong
（Released 9/28/67, made the top 40 on 11/04/67 where it spent 14 weeks.
Highest charted position was #2）
Ooh, I bet you're wond'rin' how I knew
Baby, baby, baby, 'bout your plans to make me blue [how]
With some other girl you knew before
Between the two of us girls ya know I love you more
It took me by surprise I must say
When I found out yesterday.
Don't ya know that I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
Oh, don't ya know that I heard it through the grapevine
And I'm just about, just about, just about, to lose my mind
Oh yes, I am, Oh yes, I am, Oh yes, I am.
Baby won't you listen to me.
Boy take a good look at these tears of mine
Baby, baby these tears I can't hold inside
Losin' you would end my life you see
Because you mean that much to me
You could've told me yourself
That you love some body else.
Instead I heard it through the grapevine
Oh-h, not much longer you be mine
Oh, I heard it, yes, I heard it [heard it through the grapevine]
Oh, just about, just about, just about, to lose my mind
Oh yes, I am, Oh yes, I am, Oh yes, I am
Go-o-o-o-o, go
Go, I gotta go
Go, go
You gotta let me go
Go, go, go
I gotta go whoa, whoa, whoa
Say believe half of what you see
Oh, ho, and none of what you hear
Baby, but I just can't help bein' confused
If it's true please baby, won't ya tell me dear
Oh-h-h, do you plan to let me go
For the other girl you loved before?
Don't ya know that I heard through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
Don't ya know that I heard it, yes I heard it
Fade
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