70年代,一個找尋自我的時代,
在西洋歌壇綻放光芒的女歌手,
Helen Reddy應是很受注目的一位。
Helen Reddy於1942年出生在澳州的墨爾本,
生長在一個音樂世家,從小就時常做現場演唱,
後來移居美國,首度進軍美國歌壇,
並躊躇滿志的簽約Capitol唱片展開星途。
1971年首張單曲「I Don’t Know How To Love Him」推出後,
演唱生涯便一帆風順的Helen Reddy
是第一位同年有三首歌得到榜首,
也是第一個榮獲葛萊美獎肯定的澳州歌手。
「I Am Woman」這首婦女運動名曲,
歌詞中不難發現美國70年代日益高漲的女權主義,
也是1972年讓Helen Reddy得到生平第一個Billboard排行冠軍的創作。
無論是主流市場的聽眾,或是喜歡雞蛋裡挑骨頭的樂評,
均給予這首歌相當好的評價。
即便過了幾十個年頭,Helen Reddy的老卡帶,
仍是我視為珍藏的寶貝。
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPDcMyPlFvw&mode=related&search=
I am Woman - Helen Reddy
I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
And I know too much to go back an' pretend
'Cause I've heard it all before
And I've been down there on the floor
No one's ever gonna keep me down again
Oh yes, I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can do anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
You can bend but never break me
'Cause it only serves to make me
More determined to achieve my final goal
And I come back even stronger
Not a novice any longer
'Cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul
I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin' arms across the land
But I'm still an embryo
With a long, long way to go
Until I make my brother understand
Oh, yes, I am wise
But it's wisdom born of pain
Yes, I've paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to
I can face anything
I am strong (strong)
I am invincible (invincible)
I am woman
Oh, I am woman
I am invincible, I am strong
I am woman, I am invincible
I am strong, I am woman
另一首Helen Reddy的成名作「I don't know how to love him」
歌名中的 " 他 " 可不是個平凡男子,而是受到世人景仰膜拜的:耶穌基督。
為何會有這麼一首哀怨動人的情歌,竟然是以耶穌為主角,
話說才華洋溢、眼光獨到的劇作家 –
安德魯洛伊韋伯(Andrew Lloyd Webber)踏進百老匯舞台劇界之後,
在七十年代製作的一齣“Jesus Christ Superstar”( 超級巨星耶穌基督 ),
以搖滾歌舞劇的方式描述耶穌的一生。
在劇中,耶穌就是一位影響力深遠、受到群眾瘋狂崇拜的搖滾巨星,
而這樣的人物身邊,絕對不乏暗戀仰慕他的美麗女子,
這首歌便是由一位長期服侍耶穌,
卻始終無法表達愛意的女子緩緩唱出:I don't know how to love him....
這齣歌舞劇推出不久,被改編成電影,該片在台灣上映時,中文譯名為“萬世巨星”
並邀請當時十分受歡迎的Helen Reddy擔綱演唱。
http://birdbbs.idv.tw/~topmuzik/summer/Helen Reddy - I Don't Know How To Love Him.mp3
I Don’t Know How To Love Him - Helen Reddy
I don't know how to love him
What to do, how to move him
I've been changed, yes really changed
In these past few days
When I've seen myself
I seem like someone else
I don't know how to take this
I don't see why he moved me
He's a man, he just a man
And I've had so many men before in very many ways
He's just one more
Should I bring him down
Should I scream and shout
Should I speak of love
Let my feeling out
I never thought I'd come to this
What's it all about
Don't you think it's rather funny
I should be in this position
I'm the one who's always been so calm so cool
No lover's fool, running every show
He scares me so
Yet if he said he loved me
I'd be lost, I'd be frightened
I couldn't cope, just couldn't cope
I'd turn my head, I'd back away
I wouldn't want to know
He scares me so
I want him so
I love him so
風韻猶存的Helen Reddy