私の美樂地

1983年The Carpenters的主唱Karen Crapenter因長期身心壓力引起的厭食症香消玉殞

那清新甜美而無雜質的音色配上哥哥Richard譜寫出動人美妙的琴音與和諧的合音已成絕響

留給世人無限的不捨與歎息

兄妹兩合作下無數的經典成了五六年級對於那個年代美好的音樂記憶

因為妹妹的離世而遭受打擊的Richard找不到如同妹妹Karen一樣甜淨又有默契的聲音

也曾頹喪好長一段時光

直到1987年他才強打起精神發行了這張"Time"單飛專輯



無疑地

專輯裡盡是對妹妹的思念之情溢於言表

專輯中Richard試著在眾多女聲中尋找和妹妹Karen神似音色又跟他們有著亦敵亦友的角色

Dionne Warwick與Dusty Springfield兩位在The Crapenters剛出道時就不約而同唱了"Close To You"

兩人的友情跨刀也就有著不同的情誼在其中

最受人歡迎的就是這首Dusty Springfield所唱的"Something In Your Eyes"

在白人靈魂女王Dusty Springfield略帶沙啞又充滿深情的嗓音中

依稀聽見Richard對於妹妹日以繼夜的思念

而當年妹妹Karen生前最欣賞的女歌手就是Dusty Springfield


可惜的是這首歌雖然在歐洲大紅

但不受美國市場所青睞

雖然如此

這首歌在臺灣當年卻是紅透半天邊

1987年底憑藉著一個福特天王星(Tale Star)的廣告

印象中帥男開著車載著靚女在藍天海角下配上這首優美的歌曲

就成為80年代許多人回憶的經典情歌


Karen，Dusty相繼離世

Richard也早已不再活躍流行樂壇

而那時聽歌的我們也不再是青澀的慘綠少年

然而這些名字早已在時間的唱盤上

用生命刻上一道又一道鮮明的音軌

永不磨滅






There was a certain face
That filled a thousand nights
With all the sweetest dreams and promises
Of paradise
But that face was gone
When the dawn would come and steal you
Yet I still could feel you
Waiting just a kiss away

I'd surely know your face
When love would cast its spell
I'd recognize each curve and line of you
I knew it well
Now at last you're here and I can tell

Something in your eyes it seems
Is all I've ever wanted
(And) Something in your smile for me
Is calling out my name
Your eyes, it seems,
Are mirrors of my dreams
In ways I can't explain
And my heart will never be the same

We never said a word
As if we'd always known
That through the bittersweet of waiting
We were not alone
Now we're close enough
For the touch of love to find us
Fantasies designed us
But they never really could
Begin to measure you
No pictures ever do
And as I watch you framed in sunlight
And a sky of blue
I know what my life's been leading to

Something in your eyes it seems
Is all I've ever wanted
(And) Something in your smile for me
Is calling out my name
Your eyes, it seems,
Are mirrors of my dreams
In ways I can't explain
And my heart will never be the same