夏禮章西洋歌曲選粹／Conway Twitty獲故鄉褒揚
文／夏禮章
◄圖／翻攝自網路已故鄉村歌星Conway Twitty最近獲得美國密西西比州一項殊榮，該州爲表彰出生於密西西比於鄉村歌唱界有成就的鄉親們，特別規劃了Mississippi Country Music Trail「密西西比鄉村音樂路徑」，他們在特定的公路定點豎立歌星立牌，在牌上描述該歌星對鄉村歌唱界的貢獻，密西西比州以鄉村歌曲的發源地爲榮，它也是Jimmie Rodgers，Tammy Wynette，Conway Twitty 與貓王 Elvis Presley這些名歌星的故鄉。Conway Twitty的立牌 5月31日於他的出生地Friars Point揭幕。Conway Twitty出生於1933年，本名Harold Lloyd Jenkins，1993年因血管疾病過世（59歲），Conway 10歲時就組了自己的合唱團the Phillips Country Ramblers，高中畢業時他曾經被費城人隊相中，差點當了職棒球員，但因被徵召去當兵而沒去成。Conway Twitty一生從搖滾樂偶像歌星轉型成爲鄉村歌曲巨星，自1968-1986年在鄉村歌曲排行榜一共唱出了40首排行榜冠軍曲，這個記錄直到2006年才被George Strait打破，1971-1976年Conway Twitty與「礦工的女兒」Loretta Lynn的搭擋二重唱曾經替他們贏得許多獎。Conway Twitty佳作極多，在歷年暢銷歌星排行榜中獲得第325名，他1975年與女兒Joni Lee合唱的Don’t Cry Joni是一首很可愛的情歌。
DON'T CRY JONI
Woman- Jimmy please say you'll wait for meI'll grow up someday you'll see Saving all my kisses just for you Signed with love forever true.
Man - Joni was the girl who lived next doorI've known her I guess ten years or more.Joni wrote me a note one day.And this is what she had to say.
Woman-Jimmy please say you'll wait for meI'll grow up someday you'll seeSaving all my kisses just for youSigned with love forever true.
Man- Slowly I read her note once moreThen I went over to the house next doorHer tear-drops fell like rain that dayWhen I told Joni what I had to say.
Man- Joni, Joni please don't cryYou'll forget me by and byYou're just fifteen and I'm twenty two,and Joni I just can’t wait for you.
Man - Soon I left our little home town,Got me a job and tried to settle downBut these words kept haunting my memory,the words that Joni said to me.
Woman- Jimmy please say you'll wait for meI'll grow up some day you'll seeSaving all my kisses just for you Signed with love forever true.
Man - I packed my clothes and I caught a planeand I had to see Joni. I had to explain,how my heart was filled with her memoryand ask my Joni if she'd marry me
I ran all the way to the house next doorbut things weren't like they were beforeMy tear-drops fell like rain that dayWhen I heard what Joni had to say.
Woman- Jimmy, Jimmy please don't cryYou'll forget me by and by.It's been five years since you've been goneJimmy, I - (married) - your best friend John.