老歌亂談(165)Yellow River
人生的際遇實在難料，有時好運已上門了，卻還被自己硬推出去。對英國合唱團The Tremeloes來說，這首《Yellow River》肯定是會讓他們「懊惱不已」。
本來，The Tremeloes已錄好了這首《Yellow River》，並欲在1970年初作單曲發行，而卻因為之前他們的單曲《Call Me Number One》才推出大紅，並覺得以他們樂團的曲風特色走向，這首歌又太「熱門」了一些，最後還是決定繼續推出他們自己的作品《By the Way》← 結果也才進入排行榜前40名而已。
《Yellow River》的製作人Mike Smith無奈之下，就將錄音中的聲音部份去除，改由歌曲的原譜寫人Jeff Christie ( Christie 樂團的團長 ) 重新來錄唱，並於1970推出，除了獲得英國單曲排行榜的冠軍，也成為風靡國際的熱門歌曲。
歌曲描述的是年輕的士兵，退伍要返回家鄉Yellow River的愉悅心情，但從未有人能指出這Yellow River是在何處 ( 而肯定與中國的黃河是毫無關係 )。Christie合唱團錄這首歌時是在英國的泰晤士河上。
記得多年前曾在某網站有談起這首歌，說以前自己也常彈唱。結果有位吉他手網友吐槽問說：歌曲的結尾部份是如何彈的？ ( 他認為是套義甲並使用鄉村民謠指法，而非直接用匹克。 ) 我回說：用「混」的。彈不出來當然也只能用混的了。哈哈哈！
So long boy you can take my place, got my papers I've got my pay
So pack my bags and I'll be on my way to yellow river
Put my guns down the war is won
Fill my glass high the time has come
I'm going back to the place that I love yellow river
Yellow river yellow river is in my mind and in my eyes
Yellow river yellow river is in my blood it's the place I love
Got no time for explanation got no time to lose
Tomorrow night you'll find me
Sleeping underneath the moon at yellow river
Cannon fire lingers in my mind I'm so glad that I'm still alive
And I've been gone for such a long time from yellow river
I remember the nights were cool I can still see the water pool
And I remember the girl that I knew from yellow river
Yellow river yellow river is in my mind and in my eyes
Yellow river yellow river is in my blood it's the place I love
Got no time for explanation got no time to lose
Tomorrow night you'll find me
Sleeping underneath the moon at yellow river
Yellow river yellow river is in my mind and in my eyes
Yellow river yellow river is in my blood it's the place I love