Muzikland

這是一張1959年發行的唱片﹐由Connie Francis主唱的“Christmas in My Heart ” 專輯﹐其後易名為“Connie’s Christmas ”。

Connie早在1941年3歲的時候已唱歌表演﹐1955年簽約MGM唱片﹐但是灌錄數張單曲仍成續平平﹐直到1957年約滿前作最後一次錄音時﹐錄下一首1923年的老調“Who’s Sorry Now ”﹐ 歌曲被American Bandstand的節目主持人Dick Clark介紹﹐瞬間被800萬人觀看過﹐而且歌曲直指向流行榜冠軍位置。節目於1982年慶祝播出30年時﹐更特邀 Connie Francis再度現場獻唱。

Connie Francis最紅的時間在於50年代末﹑60年代初﹐一位樣子漂亮﹑聲線甜美的意大利裔美國女生﹐擅於演唱不同的曲風﹐包括Big Band ﹑Pop ﹑Rock N Roll ﹑Country等﹐而且更能以多國語言演唱其名曲 ﹐直到1967年﹐它的唱片世界銷售量竟達3500萬張﹐成為史上最暢銷的女歌手﹐等到80年代Madonna的出現﹐才把此紀錄打破。至今老一輩的樂迷談起她的Where The Boys Are仍會眉飛色舞﹐而Who’s Sorry Now及 Al Di La就是筆者的至愛。

筆者購買此張唱片將於80年代初﹐60年代末MGM唱片被Polydor收購﹐到現在已被納入環球唱片旗下﹐唱片業歷史就是一直的演變。

01 White Christmas
02 Winter Wonderland
03 The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
04 I’ll Be Home For Christmas
05 The Twelve Days Of Christmas
06 Have Youself A Merry Little Christmas
07 Adeste Dideles
08 The Lord’s Prayer
09 Silent Night Holy Night
10 O Little Town Of Bethlehem
11 The First Noel
12 Ave Maria

Winter Wonderland : 歌曲首次發表於1934年﹐其後被Andrews Sister 與 Perry Como 唱紅﹐此後一直成為耶誕歌曲的經典。
(Felix Bernard / Richard B. Smith)

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening,
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight,
We're happy tonight.
Walking in a winter wonderland.

Gone away is the bluebird,
Here to stay is a new bird
He sings a love song,
As we go along,
Walking in a winter wonderland.

In the meadow we can build a snowman,
Then pretend that he is Parson Brown

He'll say: Are you married?
We'll say: No man,
But you can do the job
When you're in town.

Later on, we'll conspire,
As we dream by the fire
To face unafraid,
The plans that we've made,
Walking in a winter wonderland.

In the meadow we can build a snowman,
And pretend that he's a circus clown
We'll have lots of fun with mister snowman,
Until the other kids knock him down.

When it snows, ain't it thrilling,
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play, the Eskimo way,
Walking in a winter wonderland.

**********

The Twelve Days of Christmas: 此曲首次發表於1780年﹐12日代表著12種宗教的象徽﹐分別是 True Love 代表獨一真神﹔Turtle Doves代表新舊約聖經﹔French Hens代表信﹑望﹑愛﹔Calling Birds代表四福音的作者﹔Golden Rings代表摩西五經﹔Geese A-laying代表神以6日創造世界﹔Swans A-swimming 代表聖靈所給與的七個恩賜﹔Maids A-milking代表 8福﹔Ladies Dancing代表聖靈九果子﹔Lords A-leaping代表十戒﹔Pipers Piping代表11位門徒﹔Drummers Drumming就代表使徒信經。
(Traditional)

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!

**********

The Lord’s Prayer
(Traditional)

Our father who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come
Thy will be done
On earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive our sins
As we forgive each one of those
Who sins against us
And lead us not to the time of trial
But deliver us from evil
For thine is the kingdom
The power and the glory
Let all the people say amenIn every tribe and tongue
Let every heart's desire be joined
To see the kingdom come
Let every hope and every dream
Be born in love again
Let all the world sing with one voice
Let the people say amen

**********

Ave Maria ﹕即是舒伯特 (1797-1828) Ellens Gesang III, Op.52 No.4 D.839 ﹐作於1825年﹐當時他28歲﹐原詩為蘇格蘭大文豪Walter Scott作於1810年的長詩Lady of the Lake ﹐由Adam Storck翻譯為德文歌詞。這是一首純潔少女為了代父贖罪﹐向馬利亞祈禱的歌曲﹐舒伯特稱之為Ellens dritter Gesang (Ellen's third song) 。至於何時由何人改為拉丁文歌詞﹐就無從稽考。
(Franz Peter Schubert)

Ave Maria
Gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Maria, gratia plena
Ave, ave dominus
Dominus tecum
Benedicta tu in mulieribus
Et benedictus
Et benedictus fructus ventris
Ventris tui, Jesus
Ave Maria, gratia plena



約瑟也從加利利的拿撒勒城上猶太去﹑到了大衛的城﹑名叫伯利恆﹑因他本是大衛一族一家的人。要和他所聘之妻馬利亞﹑一同報名上冊。那時馬利亞的身孕已經重了。他們在那裡的時候﹑馬利亞的產期到了。 -- 聖經



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