從台灣聽世界

Don Mclean - Chain Lightning

唐‧麥克林詞曲(收錄於連環閃電同名專輯)

1982年時因等待當兵，我和死黨們在一家書局打工，居然在倉庫書堆

裏尋獲一捲二氧化鉻錄音帶，裡面都是一些轉錄自黑膠唱片的民謠搖

滾經典，這是我第一次聽到這首連環閃電(Chain Lightning)。吉他刷弦

行進，背景和聲與弦樂層疊堆砌，體驗唐‧麥克林對愛的迸裂吶喊與

震撼詮釋。

在時隔26年的陰霾午後完成這首歌詞的中譯，一探當年未深究的歌詞意境。  

Chain Lightning 連環閃電

Sometimes when I'm thinkin that love's not around 有時當我思索若愛已遠逸
My heart begins sinkin, I don't hear a sound 我心情低盪，萬籟俱寂
And the world is in blackness, no light shines on me 大地一片漆黑，了無光暈
I suffer no blindness, no one can I see 我並非盲目，卻四顧無人
Then a flash from the heavens, like loud jagged wire 天降閃光，如鋸齒般崩裂
And the silence is broken, and the night is on fire. 打破沉寂，燃燒火熱的夜
(Chorus)
It's like chain lightning, this love that I feel 我感受的愛戀，就像連環閃電
Who knows where it strikes 誰知道它會擊向何處
Or when it will hit 或何時它將閃擊
How long it will last, or when it will quit 它將持續多久，或何時它要停息
In the forest I'm burning, struck down by the blast 因爆炸的波及，我在森林裡燃燒
The fever is churning, and the heat rises fast 熱氣翻騰，溫度快速攀高
And those standing nearest can show their concern 週遭的人們可以表達關心
But swear if they touch me, that they too will burn 但若他們碰觸到我，必將焚身
They fear for their lives, for death will soon dwell 他們害怕沒命，因為死亡即將來到
In the warmth of your love is the fire of hell. 在妳愛的溫存裏地獄之火焚燒。
(Chorus)
It's like chain lightning, this love that I feel 我感受的愛戀，就像連環閃電
Who knows where it strikes 誰知道它會擊向何處
Or when it will hit 或何時它將閃擊
How long it will last, or when it will quit 它將持續多久，或何時它要停息
And soon the sparks scatter and the wind whips the flame 瞬間火花四射風勢助長火焰
And love will soon shatter what it cannot tame 愛將軟化所有無法馴服的雜念
And the cycle continues from life into dust 生命化為塵土如此循環不輟
For I am now in you, with the fire of lust 因我伴著你，點燃愛慾之火
I hear the explosion, and the thunder and rain 我聽到爆炸聲、雷聲和雨聲
The water is falling, and the ashes remain. 雨水落下，餘燼仍存
(Chorus)
It's like chain lightning, this love that I feel 我感受的愛戀，就像連環閃電
Who knows where it strikes 誰知道它會擊向何處
Or when it will hit 或何時它將閃擊
How long it will last, or when it will quit 它將持續多久，或何時它要停息
The Indians tell us that the phoenix can rise 印地安人告訴我們鳳凰會高昇
From the smoldering ashes that once were my eyes 從那曾是我雙眼的餘燼
And watch beautiful colors from black and from grey 從黑與灰色中瞧見美麗的色彩
Be formed into wings and then take me away 化為羽翼帶我離開
Where evil is darkness and goodness is light 邪惡就是黑暗而善念正是光明
And love is the lightning that cuts through the night 愛是閃電劃破夜空
And strikes only once in a dark place in time 在黑暗之處適時就此一擊
And forms a fold stairway that all of us climb. 構成階梯起伏讓眾生攀登拾級。

django譯於2008年2月2日

唐‧麥克林(Don McLean)在1971年發行美國派(American Pie)專輯暴紅

後，仍秉持其不向商業妥協的風格持續創作發片並巡迴各地演唱，但

卻曲高和寡。直到1978年他來到美國鄉村音樂之都納許維爾(Nashville)

，和曾擔任貓王艾維斯‧普里斯萊伴唱的專業和聲團體「約旦人」

(The Jordanaires)以及艾維斯的樂手班底合作，完成了連環閃電(Chain

Lightning)這張專輯，才再創事業高峰。這張專輯一直等到1980年才

發行，並於1981年入選告示牌(Billboard)年度百大專輯。專輯收錄多

首鄉村名曲，如洛伊‧歐比森(Roy Orbison)的經典失戀情歌哭泣

(Crying)，漢克‧威廉斯(Hank Williams)的你欺騙的心(Your Cheating

 Heart)。

參與連環閃電(Chain Lightning)專輯的樂手如下：

Don McLean - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar

James D. Capps, Ray Edenton - Acoustic Guitar

Tommy D. Alsup, Billy R. Sanford - Electric Guitar

Pete Drake - Pedal Steel Guitar

Hargus "Pig" Robbins, Chuck Cochran - Piano

Bobby R. Woods - Electric Piano

Bob "King" Moore - Bass

Jerry K. Carrigan - Drums, Percussion

Joseph E. Chrisman, Eddy Anderson - Drums

The Jordanaires - Background Vocals

The Nashville Strings

相關連結：

Chain Lightning 影片

don mclean - chain lightning chords 吉他和絃 (guitar chord)
About Don McLean 唐麥克林官方網站