张仪
从小学习语文,老师就教我们要学会归纳文章的主要内容并提炼文章的中心思想。说明文、议论文可能还好说,尤其是一些“形散神不散”的詩歌和散文,要在“下笔千里,不知所云”的散乱行文中找出若隐若现的风骨精神,我们就极有可能跑偏。来,不妨一起尝试归纳一下英国歌手Seal的神作《玫瑰之吻》(Kiss from a Rose)的主要内容和中心思想。
这首歌的单词并不难,但就是这些简单的词汇组成的歌词却并不好懂。初一看,这首歌貌似一首普通情歌。而且听众一听到歌曲中的baby一词,自然也会联想到亲密爱人。同时“You became the light on the dark side of me”“You remain my power, my pleasure, my pain”以及“youre like a growing addiction that I cant deny”等歌词也很像爱情给歌者带来的救赎与重生。
然而,很多人并不认为这首歌有明显的情歌因素。有乐评认为,这首歌是“one of the mysterious songs ever written, there has been much speculation as to the meaning of ‘Kiss from a Rose”。尤其是据传歌手Seal有吸毒史,很多人也认为这首歌和毒品有关。若是如此,歌中出现的“Love remained a drug thats the high and not the pill”以及“You remain my power, my pleasure, my pain”以及“youre like a growing addiction that I cant deny”也能解释得通。
对于歌迷和乐评人的种种揣测和疑问,Seal却一言以蔽之曰:“some kind of relationship that inspired the lyrics”。如此似是而非的回答,让听众更想挖掘他所说的some kind of relationship到底是指什么?是圣洁的爱情,还是卑污的毒品?对于大家的追问,Seal终于做出了比较中肯的回答:“I think its the general vibe of what Im saying that is important and not the exact literal translation … The song is always larger in the listeners mind because with it they attach imagery which is relative to their own personal experience. So it is your perception of what Im saying rather than what I actually say that is the key.”这也符合Seal的一贯矫情之处。他喜欢在一首歌曲中埋藏多元丰富的意义,因此在他看来,一首歌一种含义未免太肤浅了。
Seal在创作这首歌曲时,或许已经有清晰的主题,抑或根本没有想好,或者就是纯粹的意识流,想到哪儿写到哪儿。只是难为了广大歌迷为其操心非要在一片grey和gloom的歌词中找出blooming rose。
虽然歌曲晦涩,但并不影响其热卖。这首歌成为1995年电影《蝙蝠侠》的主题曲,并在1996年格莱梅音乐奖中收获了三项大奖。也正是因为这首歌,Seal成了家喻户晓的名字。
There used to be a greying tower alone on the sea
You became the light on the dark side of me
Love remained a drug thats the high and not the pill
But did you know that when it snows
My eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen?
Baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey
Ooh, the more I get of you, the stranger it feels, yeah
Now that your rose is in bloom
A light hits the gloom on the grey
There is so much a man can tell you, so much he can say
You remain my power, my pleasure, my pain
Baby, to me, youre like a growing addiction that I cant deny
Wont you tell me, is that healthy, baby?
But did you know that when it snows
My eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen?
Baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey
Ooh, the more I get of you, the stranger it feels, yeahendprint
Now that your rose is in bloom
A light hits the gloom on the grey
Ive been kissed by a rose on the grey
Ive been kissed by a rose on the grey
And if I should fall, will it all go away?
Ive been kissed by a rose on the grey
There is so much a man can tell you, so much he can say
You remain my power, my pleasure, my pain
To me, youre like a growing addiction that I cant deny
Wont you tell me, is that healthy, baby?
But did you know that when it snows
My eyes become large, and the light that you shine can be seen?
Baby, I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey
Ooh, the more I get of you, the stranger it feels, yeah
Now that your rose is in bloom
A light hits the gloom on the grey
Yes I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey
Ooh, the more I get of you stranger it feels, yeah
And now that your rose is in bloom
A light hits the gloom on the grey
Now that your rose is in bloom
A light hits the gloom on the greyendprint