Muzikland

提到 Disco Music﹐相信無人會忘記 Lipps Inc﹐他們那一首 Funkytown 真的很經典。

Funkytown 的流行﹐已是踏入80年代了﹐Lipps Inc 名不經傳﹐然而當時這首單曲卻非常流行。記得初次聽還是從友人借來唱片錄在卡帶內的﹐心想怎麼這張唱片那麼騙錢﹐整張專輯只得4首歌曲而已﹐雖然每首歌曲都長達5至8分鐘﹐但是真有需要唱得那麼長嗎﹖那時的我還未知道甚麼是12” Single﹐當然不會明白﹐而且只收錄4首的唱片﹐在當時實屬罕見。其後因為家裡 Cassette Deck 的磁頭移了位﹐調教好 Tracking 之後﹐又要把許多歌曲重錄﹐成為一個很慘痛的經歷﹐終於Lipps Inc 騙錢也騙到我身上來了。實在沒辦法﹐因為所有雜錦唱片收錄的Funkytown 都只得3分多鐘﹐實在不夠過癮﹐自己只得買了這張唱片。

其實這張專輯﹐我只聽 Funkytown 而已﹐雖然鄰居買了這原裝卡帶﹐還說某牌子汽水用了另一首歌曲作廣告歌﹐但是我真聽不出來﹐而且感覺其餘3首歌曲都不及 Funkytown 好聽。

Funkytown ﹕原收錄於“Mouth To Mouth”(1980/Casablanca) 專輯中。


Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me
Town to keep me movin' keep me groovin' with some energy

Well, I talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about, Talk about
Talk about movin

Gotta move on
Gotta move on
Gotta move on

Won't you take me to Funkytown
Won't you take me to Funkytown
Won't you take me to Funkytown
Won't you take me to Funkytown

Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me
Town to keep me movin' keep me groovin' with some energy

Well, I talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about it
Talk about, Talk about
Talk about movin

Gotta move on
Gotta move on
Gotta move on

Won't you take me to Funkytown
Won't you take me to Funkytown
Won't you take me to Funkytown
Won't you take me to Funkytown

Funkytown在美國坐穩冠軍位置達4星期﹐而英國方面也得到第2位﹐然而他們在流行榜上還是成為了 One Hit Wonder。相隔7年﹐澳洲樂團Pseudo Echo重唱了 Funkytown (1987/RCA)﹐在美國 Billboard流行榜得到第6位﹐在英國得到第8位﹐同樣難逃一曲歌王的命運。

Funkytown - Pseudo Echo﹕


Lipps Inc只是一個錄音室組合﹐由白人監制Steven Greenberg加上黑人女歌手Cynthia Johnson組成﹐來自Minneapolis。他們憑 Funkytown取得成功後﹐很快便推出了第二張專輯 Pucker Up﹐可是筆者並沒有留意﹐當然也因為不會再買只收錄幾首歌的唱片。誰不知翌年他們又發一首令我愛不釋手的跳舞歌 Designer Music。

Designer Music﹕原收錄於“Designer Music”(1981/Casablanca) 專輯中。
(Steven Greenberg / Sandy Atlas)


Everywhere you go lights flash
All you got to have is the cash

While you think you’re able
It’s got to have a label

Designer music
Designer music

I don’t even know what it means
Stick it on your shoes or your jeans

If Calvin says it’s smashin’
It’s got to be in fashion

Designer music
Designer music

Designer music
Designer music

Following the crowd, It’s their game
Everything depends on which name

It’s got to be designer
There could be no finer

Designer music
Designer music

Wearing your Sassons, Stop the show
Got to be in Vogue with Polo

Stick it on your sweater
It’s got to make it better

Designer music
Designer music

Everywhere you go lights flash
All you got to have is the cash

While you think you’re able
It’s got to have a label

Designer music
Designer music

I don’t even know what it means
Stick it on your shoes or your jeans

If Calvin says it’s smashin’
It’s got to be in fashion

Designer music
Designer music


雖然 Designer Music 很好聽﹐可是英美流行榜卻未見其蹤跡﹐但香港算是很流行的歌曲。隨後於1983年﹐Cynthia Johnson 由 Jesse Johnson 取代﹐Lipps Inc也發行了第4張專輯 Lipps Inc 4。1985年離開了 Casablanca後﹐在 Wide Apple 發行了一張12” ﹐不過也一樣流行不起來。1992年 Polygram以原裝 Casablanca廠牌發行了一張 Lipps Inc精選﹐初次把他們大部份歌曲一網打盡﹐原來當年數張唱片的容量﹐竟然敵不過一張小小的CD。雖然筆者對他們其他歌曲並不太喜歡﹐不過收錄了Full Version的 Funkytown及 Designer Music ﹐已令我感到超值了。


Funyworld – The Best Of Lipps, Inc. (1992/Casablanca) Track List:
01 Funkytown 7:51
02 All Night Dancing 8:10
03 Rock It (Original Flight Label Version) 5:40
04 How Long 5:50
05 Tight Pair 8:33
06 Jazzy 3:57
07 Designer Music 5:40
08 Hold Me Down 5:25
09 Addicted To The Night 6:46
10 Choir Practice 5:58
11 Does Anybody Know Me 3:53
12 Hit The Deck 6:07



Lipps Inc Official Website: http://www.funkytown.com