all the rage
2021/12/07 04:13:02 網誌分類: 生活
Two members, John Lennon and George Harrison, are now dead but the Beatles remains the most influential band of all time. Lennon was shot dead in 1980 by a fan outside his luxury apartment, the Dakota. It’s across from Central Park in New York City’s Upper West Side. His killer, Mark Chapman, said he killed Lennon because he wanted to be famous too. I live in the Upper West Side and can walk to the Dakota in 20 minutes. I’ve walked there several times to see the spot where Lennon was killed, aged 40. To me, he is the world’s most gifted modern musician and songwriter.
Tomorrow, December 8, will be the 41st anniversary of Lennon’s murder. A part of Central Park across from the Dakota is Strawberry Fields, named after a Lennon song. There is a mosaic on the ground with the word Imagine, also a Lennon song. I have been to Strawberry Fields and the Imagine mosaic many times. A mosaic is a pattern or picture with small different-coloured pieces of stone or glass. To me, Imagine has Lennon’s best lyrics. My favourite line is “Imagine all the people living life in peace.” History has shown Lennon’s hope of a peaceful world is dead on arrival, which means it’s dead before it can start. Many people go to the Dakota and Strawberry Fields every December 8 to place flowers. I will go tomorrow.
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韓國流行音樂K-pop現正火紅（all the rage）。彭博將韓國女子流行音樂組合BLACKPINK奉為現時全球最頂尖的樂隊。習語“all the rage”是指風靡一時、在某一特定時期內極受歡迎。然而，要說全球頂尖樂隊與全球史上（of all time）頂尖樂隊，兩者還是有很大的差別。若一隊樂隊是the top band of all time，意即它是有史以來最優秀的樂隊。音樂業界內差不多人人都認同，全球史上（of all time）頂級樂隊是英國搖滾樂隊披頭四。它於一九六○年組成，一九七○年解散。
樂隊的兩名成員，約翰連儂與佐治夏里遜已不在人世，但披頭四仍然是有史以來（of all time）最具影響力的樂隊。連儂於一九八○年於其豪華住宅達科他公寓外遭一名樂迷槍殺。那幢公寓就在紐約市上西城中央公園的對面。行兇者馬克．查普曼說，他殺害連儂是因為他也想聞名於世。我住在上西城，走路過去達科他公寓也不過二十分鐘路程。我也有好幾次徒步去看看事發地點，就是連儂於四十歲時遇刺身亡的地方。在我而言，他是世上最具天賦的現代音樂人與作曲家。
明天，十二月八日，便是連儂遇害的四十一周年。中央公園向着達科他公寓的部份範圍，是以連儂的歌曲命名的「草莓園」。那兒的地面上有個馬賽克（mosaic）的鋪飾，中央寫着Imagine（想像），亦是連儂一首歌曲的名稱。我到訪過草莓園與「想像」馬賽克（mosaic）許多遍。A mosaic就是以不同顏色的石塊或玻璃交織鑲嵌而成的圖案或圖畫。對我來說，《想像》一曲有着連儂最好的歌詞，我最喜歡的一句是「想像世上所有人都和平安穩地生活」。歷史告訴我們，連儂對太平盛世的冀望是dead on arrival——意即它還未開始已告終，出師未捷身先死。每年的十二月八日，都會有許多人去達科他公寓與草莓園獻花悼念，我明天也會去。
mickchug@gmail.com 中譯：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚簡寧
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