2019-05-06 16:20:35流浪阿狗

老歌亂談(917)Run Rudolph Run



此曲算是一首耶誕歌曲,首由美國黑人歌手Chuck Berry於1958錄唱發行,獲得告示牌流行榜第45名。

先來說說歌名中的Rudolph ( 魯道夫 ),其實是一頭馴鹿的名字,首出現在1939由一位Robert L. May老兄為4歲女兒所寫,後來公開出版的故事繪本《Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer》。Rudolph是聖誕老人9頭馴鹿中的一頭,由於長了個和其他鹿不一樣的紅鼻頭,受到其他鹿的嘲笑和疏離,牠因而感到自卑。有一年的聖誕夜起了大霧,聰明的聖誕老人靈機一動,說何不讓Rudolph來擔任領頭鹿?牠的紅鼻子可以照亮前方,果然Rudolph的鼻子幫了大家的忙,自此Rudolph成了聖誕老人的領頭鹿,且受到大家的認同和喜愛了。1949,Robert L. May的妹夫Johnny Marks將此故事寫成同名歌曲,歌手Gene Autry的版本獲得了排行榜的冠軍。



此曲的作者掛名為Johnny Marks和Marvin Brodie,但很明顯的,無論是歌曲的旋律或是歌詞,一聽即是Chuck Berry的作品 ( 與其同時期的歌曲《Johnny B. Goode》《Little Queenie》均十分相似 ),而Johnny Marks為了「Rudolph」的版權掛名尚可理解,但Marvin Brodie又是何方神聖?至今仍為迷團,應該也是版權「受益人」的一個代表名字吧!歌詞中問小男孩希望得到什麼樣的耶誕禮物?答案竟然是一把電吉他 ( 這實在是有點誇張,應該是Chuck Berry自幼的願望吧!),小女孩的願望則還好,是想得到個會哭、睡、喝等動作的洋娃娃。

翻唱此曲的歌手也不少,唯都將歌名改為《Run Run Rudolph》。知名的有Sheryl Crow、Bryan Adams、Dave Edmunds、Keith Richards……等等,其中美國女歌手Whitney Wolanin的版本,2013在告示牌的「Adult Contemporary」排行榜拿下了第2名。




Johnny Marks的歌曲,聽聽看旋律是否有些熟悉?



Out of all the reindeers you know you're the mastermind
Run, run Rudolph, Randalph ain't too far behind
Run, run Rudolph, Santa's got to make it to town
Santa make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph 'cause I'm reelin' like a merry-go-round
Said Santa to a boy child what have you been longing for?
All I want for Christmas is a rock and roll electric guitar
And then away went Rudolph a whizzing like a shooting star
Run, run Rudolph, Santa's got to make it to town
Santa make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph, reeling like a merry-go-round
Run, run Rudolph, Santa's got to make it to town
Santa make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph, reeling like a merry-go-round
Said Santa to a girl child what would please you most to get?
A little baby doll that can cry, sleep, drink and wet
And then away went Rudolph a whizzing like a Saber jet
Run, run Rudolph, Santa's got to make it to town
Santa make him hurry, tell him he can take the freeway down
Run, run Rudolph 'cause I'm reelin' like a merry-go-round