2019-12-19 18:32:08流浪阿狗
老歌亂談(960)River Deep – Mountain High
應該是在1966的年初左右，算是「鬼才」的唱片製作人Phil Spector在洛杉磯日落大道的一間俱樂部看到Ike & Tina Turner這對夫妻檔的表演後，邀請他們參與現場音樂會影片「The Big T.N.T Show」的演出。Spector對於Tina Turner的歌喉頗為震驚，覺得若與錄音室樂師團隊The Wrecking Crew及他的錄音技術「Wall of Sound」一起配合，應可創造出令人驚豔的效果，故親赴Turner家中洽商，最後老公Ike先收了20,000美元，同意Tina Turner參與《River Deep – Mountain High》專輯和單曲的錄音製作，但仍要求以Ike & Tina Turner的名義發行。
此首《River Deep – Mountain High》是Phil Spector和寫歌搭擋Jeff Barry & Ellie Greenwich ( 倆人曾為夫妻三年，1965離婚後仍一起合作寫歌。) 共同合作，據說是將三首未完成的歌合併在一起。Phil Spector對此曲投注了相當大的心力，共動用了21位錄音室的樂師，且經過多次的預習，使用了兩個錄音檔期，完成了背景音樂帶。然後就輪到Tina Turner上場，但在Spector的完美要求下，Tina唱了n遍還達不到Spector的理想。Tina 事後回憶道：我一定唱了有50萬次，我全身汗濕，必須將襯衫脫掉，只戴著胸罩站在那裡唱。
( 左至右) Spector & Greenwich & Barry.
此曲於1966發行後，在英國排行榜獲得了第3名，也使得Ike & Tina Turner成為當年秋天滾石樂隊 ( The Rolling Stones ) 在英國巡演的開場聚焦點。但在美國告示牌熱門100排行榜，只達到第88名就不再前進 ( 其中也有因為電台DJ討厭此位Spector老兄，刻意不播放他所製作發行的歌曲。)，此讓Spector非常沮喪，之後兩年，幾乎從流行音樂工業退隱。而此曲在「滾石雜誌歷來最佳500歌曲」中，名列第33。1999，此曲也獲選進入葛萊美名人堂。
翻唱此曲的名歌手眾多，包含有Celine Dion、Neil Diamond及Eric Burdon & The Animals等等。以下另貼澳洲樂團The Easybeats的版本 ( 收錄在1967的專輯《Good Friday》中 )，看主唱Stevie Wright和吉他手唱作俱佳的表演，禁不住要來替他們鼓鼓掌。
延伸閱讀：
亂談(412)Friday On My Mind
此為影音上傳者以Tina Turner多場的現場演唱畫面串接而成
澳洲樂團The Easybeats的版本
When I was a little girl
I had a rag doll
Only doll I've ever owned
Now I love you just the way I loved that rag doll
But only now my love has grown
And it gets stronger, in every way
And it gets deeper, let me say
And it gets higher, day by day
And do I love you my oh my
Yeah river deep mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh how I love you baby, baby, baby, baby
When you were a young boy
Did you have a puppy
That always followed you around
Well I'm gonna be as faithful as that puppy
No I'll never let you down
Cause it grows stronger, like a river flows
And it gets bigger baby, and heaven knows
And it gets sweeter baby, as it grows
And do I love you my oh my
Yeah river deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh how I love you baby, baby, baby, baby
I love you baby like a flower loves the spring
And I love you baby just like Robin loves to sing
And I love you baby like a school boy loves his pet
And I love you baby, river deep mountain high
Do I love you my oh my, oh baby
River deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh how I love you baby, baby, baby, baby
I had a rag doll
Only doll I've ever owned
Now I love you just the way I loved that rag doll
But only now my love has grown
And it gets stronger, in every way
And it gets deeper, let me say
And it gets higher, day by day
And do I love you my oh my
Yeah river deep mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh how I love you baby, baby, baby, baby
When you were a young boy
Did you have a puppy
That always followed you around
Well I'm gonna be as faithful as that puppy
No I'll never let you down
Cause it grows stronger, like a river flows
And it gets bigger baby, and heaven knows
And it gets sweeter baby, as it grows
And do I love you my oh my
Yeah river deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh how I love you baby, baby, baby, baby
I love you baby like a flower loves the spring
And I love you baby just like Robin loves to sing
And I love you baby like a school boy loves his pet
And I love you baby, river deep mountain high
Do I love you my oh my, oh baby
River deep, mountain high
If I lost you would I cry
Oh how I love you baby, baby, baby, baby