老歌亂談(985)Gloria
此首《Gloria》原為義大利歌手Umberto Tozzi與人所合寫,並在1979由自己錄唱發行,成績相當不錯,不僅在義大利排行榜獲得第2名,在其他幾個歐洲國家也都打進前10名。之後有英國歌手 ( 後也兼為製作人 ) Jonathan King將歌詞改寫為英文翻唱,成績普普,1979在英國排行榜只達到第65名。1982,美國女歌手Laura Branigan翻唱英文版,成績可大大的不一樣,在告示牌排行榜停留了36週,更衝上了亞軍的位置,單是在美國,唱片就銷出了百萬張以上,當然也成為了國際暢銷曲。甚至因為此曲,Laura Branigan當年被提名葛萊美「最佳女歌手」,可惜未獲獎。
此曲原義大利的歌詞,講的是這位Gloria是男主角心目中的女神,雖然白天的日子不好過,但晚上想一想她,心情就獲得了解放。其實這位Gloria只是男主角設定的目標型人物,希望某一天能找到,並承諾會好好的愛她 ( 這其實是有點虛幻不切實際 )。而英文版的歌詞大意則是這位Gloria雖年華已逝,仍認為自己是個「萬人迷」,而在行為上讓旁人有些看不下去。一個人倘若無「自知之明」,也是滿可悲的。
Laura Branigan在之前,曾擔任過加拿大歌手Leonard Cohen赴歐洲巡演時的合音歌手,聽她唱歌,歌喉及技巧絕無問題,雖然也有其他幾首像是《Self Control》、《Ti Amo》等受歌友喜歡的歌曲,但此首《Gloria》毫無疑問是她的招牌歌。Laura Branigan於1978結婚,但先生於1996因癌症身故(59歲),Laura自己則在2004因腦動脈瘤於睡夢中辭世,享年52歲。
Gloria, you're always on the run now
Running after somebody, you gotta get him somehow
I think you've got to slow down before you start to blow it
I think you're headed for a breakdown, so be careful not to show it
You really don't remember, was it something that he said?
Are the voices in your head calling, Gloria?
Gloria, don't you think you're fallin'?
If everybody wants you, why isn't anybody callin'?
You don't have to answer
Leave them hangin' on the line, oh-oh-oh, calling Gloria
Gloria (Gloria), I think they got your number (Gloria)
I think they got the alias (Gloria) that you've been living under (Gloria)
But you really don't remember, was it something that they said?
Are the voices in your head calling, Gloria?
A-ha-ha, a-ha-ha, Gloria, how's it gonna go down?
Will you meet him on the main line, or will you catch him on the rebound?
Will you marry for the money, take a lover in the afternoon?
Feel your innocence slipping away, don't believe it's comin' back soon
And you really don't remember, was it something that he said?
Are the voices in your head calling, Gloria?
Gloria, don't you think you're fallin'?
If everybody wants you, why isn't anybody callin'?
You don't have to answer
Leave them hangin' on the line, oh-oh-oh, calling Gloria
Gloria (Gloria), I think they got your number (Gloria)
I think they got the alias (Gloria) that you've been living under (Gloria)
But you really don't remember, was it something that they said?
Are the voices in your head calling, Gloria?
(Gloria, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria)
(Gloria, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria) ... [fade out]