2022-04-19 17:04:18流浪阿狗

老歌亂談(1102)Long Dark Road

英國合唱團The Hollies成軍於1962,但直至1966才以一首《Bus Stop》打進美國告示牌排行榜前10名( #5),也算是成為國際級樂團的成名曲。1969,推出的《He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother》( 他不重,他是我兄弟 ),當年曾在台灣大大的流行,也是首經典的西洋歌曲。

1971,The Hollies推出了一張專輯《Distant Light》,成績還算不錯,在美國專輯排行榜拿下第21名,其中一首由主唱Allan Clarke與人所合寫的《Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress》,更是勇奪美國排行榜的第2名,而問題是Clarke之前才離團單飛,雖然有找到了替代團員,但也無法唱出這首歷來成績最佳歌曲的味道,這對樂團的巡演是個大問題,也因此Clarke在1973年中又重回到了The Hollies。


Allan Clarke

說到這裡,來穿插一段八卦。Clarke之所以想離團單飛,是受到The Hollies另位創始團員Graham Nash的影響,Nash於1968離團與David Crosby ( 原The Byrds團員 )、Stephen Stills ( 原Buffalo Springfield團員 ) 共組Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN)樂團 ( Neil Young 在之後加入,成為CSNY ),成績相當不錯,但由於Stills、Nash和女歌手Rita Coolidge間的三角感情問題,造成了CSN於1970的分裂,一般認為是Coolidge搞垮了一個樂團,Coolidge自己當然不承認,認為他們之間早有問題,她只是恰好身處其中,但Crosby卻斬釘截鐵的認為就是Coolidge惹的禍。Coolidge的父母均為印地安人 ( 母親有英國血統 ),此混血的外型,對某些男性有「致命的吸引力」吧!1973,Coolidge嫁給了音樂人Kris Kristofferson。

左至右:Young、Crosby、Stills & Nash

Rita Coolidge & Kris Kristofferson

回到前述專輯,專輯中的另一首單曲,即為此首《Long Dark Road》,由吉他手Tony Hicks與人合寫,仍維持The Hollies一貫三部合音的風格,在美國排行榜拿下第26名,也是該樂團非常受歌迷喜愛的一首歌。

延伸閱讀:
亂談(281) Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress
https://mypaper.pchome.com.tw/tabidog01/post/1328524717


影音中的女生是Jayne Mansfield ( 珍‧曼絲菲 ),當年被稱為是「金髮尤物」,也是「肉彈級」的性感象徵。1967因車禍過世,僅享年34歲。

It's over, well over
In my mind and in my heart
It's over, well over
But then again, it didn't have a good start
You'd tell me, try to sell me
It could have been all I asked
It's over, well over
It's there and flows away a distant past
Now it's a long, dark road
Yes, a long, dark road
And you know I loved you
Yes, you know I loved you
Now it's a long, dark road
Yes, a long, dark road
And you know I loved you
Yes, you know I loved you
It's over, well over
And we can't revive what's past
It's gone now, moved on now
But then again it didn't have a chance to last
No, no, no, a chance to last
Now it's a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Yes, a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
And you know I loved you
Yes, you know I loved you
Now it's a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Yes, a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Now it's a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Yes, a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Now it's a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road) (Baby, I need you, I need you)
Yes, a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Now it's a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)
Yes, a long, dark road (It's a long, very long, road)