這段充滿回憶的旋律,
不太適合日夜溫習.
是在周華健第四張英文專輯「Songs of Birds」第一次聽到這首歌的,
前奏裡淙淙泉湧的吉他聲馬上抓緊了聽者的耳朵,
輕快奔放的旋律溪澗般地沖刷著聽神經裡的每條神經纖維.
翻出歌詞來看,
原來是首對父親的思念/紀念/感念之歌.
對網路熟悉了之後,
才知道原唱是Dan Fogelberg,
收錄在1981年發行的The Innocent Age專輯中.
忙亂的求學入伍與就業,
在高雄與花蓮之間反覆地遷徙,
當年那捲錄音帶失蹤許久,
已經有好長一段時間沒有再聽見它了;
直到最近,
Dan Fogelberg於12月16日病逝的消息傳出後,
這首歌又開始不斷地在眾多個人網站中被提起.
"Dan Fogelberg - Leader of the band"
An only child, alone and wild
A cabinet maker's son
His hands were meant for different work
And his heart was known to none
He left his home
And went his lone and solitary way
And he gave to me a gift
I know I never can repay
A quiet man of music
Denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once
But his music wouldn't wait
He earned his love through discipline
A thundering, velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Took me years to understand
The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band
My brothers' lives were different
For they heard another call
One went to Chicago
And the other to St. Paul
And I'm in Colorado
When I'm not in some hotel
Living out this life I've chose
And come to know so well
I thank you for the music
And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
When it came my time to go
I thank you for the kindness
The times when you got tough
And papa, I don't think I said,
"I love you" near enough
拜現代科技與網路之賜,
再古老的畫面都有人能夠傳到youtube裡,
就和各位分享一下這兩段影片:
