Muzikland

大約是1979年﹐哥哥有別於過去買唱片的習慣﹐買了兩盒卡帶回來。

我形容有別於他的習慣﹐是因為他平時只買唱片﹐從不買卡帶﹐他雖然也聽流行歌曲﹐但較多買古典音樂﹐但這兩盒卡帶卻是 Disco Hits﹐後來我禁不住好奇心的驅使﹐終於開口詢問為何他會有這奇怪事情發生﹐原來他是為了替公司的 Christmas Party找跳舞歌而買的。這批新歌中﹐有一盒名為 Disco Disc Vol.1 (1979/Wea)﹐當中我最喜歡的是 Chic的 Le Freak。

Le Freak - Chic
(B. Edwards / N. Rodgers)


Aaahh Freak out!
Le Freak, C'est Chic
Freak out!
Aaahh Freak out!
Le Freak, C'est Chic
Freak out!

Have you heard about the new dance craze?
Listen to us, I'm sure you'll be amazed
Big fun to be had by everyone
It's up to you, It surely can be done
Young and old are doing it, I'm told
Just one try, and you too will be sold
It's called Le Freak! They're doing it night and day
Allow us, we'll show you the way

Aaahh Freak out!
Le Freak, C'est Chic
Freak out!

All that pressure got you down
Has your head spinning all around
Feel the rhythm, check the ride
Come on along and have a real good time
Like the days of stopping at the Savoy
Now we freak, oh what a joy
Just come on down, two fifty four
Find a spot out on the floor

Aaahh Freak out!
Le Freak, C'est Chic
Freak out!
Now Freak!
I said Freak!
Now Freak!

All that pressure got you down
Has your head spinning all around
Feel the rhythm, check the ride
Come on along and have a real good time
Like the days of stopping at the Savoy
Now we freak, oh what a joy
Just come on down, two fifty four
Find a spot out on the floor

Aaahh Freak out!
Le Freak, C'est Chic
Freak out!
Aaahh Freak out!
Le Freak, C'est Chic
Freak out!


Chic 來自紐約﹐最初由 Nile Rodgers (結他)﹑Bernard Edwards (貝斯)﹑Tony Thompson (鼓)﹑ 並加上主音Norma Jean Wright 及Luci Martin 組成﹐不過 Norman Jean Wright很快因個人單飛合約問題而被迫離團﹐於是由 Alfa Anderson代替。首張單曲 Dance Dance Dance (Yowsah Yowsah Yowsah) 已在取得不錯成績﹐得到 Billboard 流行榜第6位﹐其後 Everybody Dance 成績稍遜﹐不過這兩曲有一位合音其後成為樂壇重要名字﹐他就是 Luther Vandross。第3張單曲 Le Freak 為 Chic 帶來最光輝的戰跡﹐它得到 Billboard 冠軍達6星期﹐而且在 R&B 榜也坐冠5星期﹐單在美國也賣了600萬張。其後在1979年還有兩張單曲 I Want Your Love 及 Good Times 分別得到 Billboard 第7位及冠軍。

Chic 的單曲不算多﹐但是對美國流行音樂影響深遠﹐經Edwards Bernard或Nile Rodgers監制過的歌星﹐就包括 Sister Sledge﹑Norman Jean﹑Grace Jones﹑Diana Ross﹑Robert Plamer﹑The Power Station﹑Duran Duran﹑Wet Wet Wet 等﹐還有日本的 SMAP。Nile Rodgers 更是把 Madonna 以 Like A Virgin 捧上一線巨星位置﹐另外也以 Let’s Dance 把 David Bowie推向主流。Tony Thompson則於1985年與 Robert Plamer﹑John & Andy Tayor組成即興組合 The Power Station﹐Bernard Edwards更為他們擔任唱片監制一職。

大約於1984年﹐Bernard與Nile 因意見合歧而拆夥﹐往後兩人繼續為不少名歌星監制唱片。1992年因為一個生日派對﹐令兩人重聚﹐並且重組﹐可惜1996年Bernard 在日本一次 Chic的演出後﹐意外死於肺炎﹐而Tony Thompson則於2003年死於癌症。



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