BOB DYLAN
1961年, 在紐約市 Greenwich Village, Gerde's Folk City 認識吊兒郎當的 Bob Dylan, 當時的 Joan Baez 在樂壇已漸露頭角, 首張專輯亦已面世, 更被稱以 "Queen of Folk Music"。這個來自 Minnesota 明尼蘇達州中西部, 看似 "鄉巴佬" 的 Bob Dylan, 對 Joan 來說是不為所動, 衹是賞識他出道時的第一首歌曲作品 "Song To Woody", 並有意把它演譯過來, 收錄在自己的專輯當中。
兩人認識後不久, 原來 Bob 是有意在 Joan 的妹妹 Mimi, 她亦是個歌手, 當年是個打扮前衛的少女, 亦是個積極份子。至1963年 Joan Baez 在 Newport folk Festival 演唱會, 她把 Bob Dylan 帶到台上介紹給觀眾認識和合唱一曲 "Blowing In The Wind"; 之後, 兩人更經常一起参予遊行示威、集會歌唱等活動, 看來他們有共同的理念和政治取向, 互相賞識對方的才華, 愛情火花亦很快燃點起來, 而報刊雜誌關注的, 是圍繞着兩人有否進一步的發展, 更成了樂迷公眾和樂壇的話題。
L-R: Mimi, mother, Joan & Bob Dylan
可惜, 在兩人的歌唱事業日見繁忙, 作曲撰詞、錄音工作和四出演唱之時。1965年, Bob Dylan 在樂壇已冒起, 要前往英國作巡廻演唱, 但是他並沒有邀請 Joan 同行。過去的浪漫情懷, 因忙於工作而漸見疏遠, 這兩年多的短暫愛情, 亦告無疾而終。
Joan Baez 所撰寫的歌曲甚多, 當中有一首寫給初戀的男友 Michael New, 三首給前夫 David Harris, 而特别是寫給 Bob Dylan 有1972年的 "To Bobby", 此曲是直言的懇求 Bob 重返社會活動行列, 為公義和弱勢發聲, 携手向前。1975年的歌曲 "Wind Of The Old Days" 是两人在一起 苦樂参半日子的回憶; 同年, 另一首頗傷感的 "Diamonds and Rust", Joan Baez 把一段藕斷絲連的情感, 直率地在此曲的歌詞中表達出來; 但是, 從眾多這樣的歌曲中, 多以隱喻的寫法, 是樂迷很難明白其箇中的意思, 相信只有 Joan 和他們三人才知道了。
"TO BOBBY" Joan Baez 1972
I'll put flowers at your feet and I will sing to you so sweet
And hope my words will carry home to your heart
You left us marching on the road and said how heavy was the load
The years were young, the struggle barely had it's start
Do you hear the voices in the night, Bobby?
They're crying for you
See the children in the morning light, Bobby
They're dying
No one could say it like you said it, we'd only try and just forget it
You stood alone upon the mountain till it was sinking
And in a frenzy we tried to reach you
With looks and letters we would beseech you
Never knowing what, where or how you were thinking
Do you hear the voices in the night, Bobby?
They're crying for you
See the children in the morning light, Bobby
They're dying
Perhaps the pictures in the Times could no longer be put in rhymes
When all the eyes of starving children are wide open
You cast aside the cursed crown and put your magic into a sound
That made me think your heart was aching or even broken
But if God hears my complaint He will forgive you
And so will I, with all respect, I'll just relive you
And likewise, you must understand these things we give you
Like these flowers at your door and scribbled notes about the war
We're only saying the time is short and there is work to do
And we're still marching in the streets with little victories and big defeats
But there is joy and there is hope and there's a place for you
And you have heard the voices in the night, Bobby
They're crying for you
See the children in the morning light, Bobby
They're dying
1975至76年, Joan Baez 参予 Bob Dylan 主辦的 "Rolling Thunder Revue" 巡迴演唱會; 與及在科羅拉多州 Colorado 的電視台特輯 "Hard Rain" 两人同演出一小時節目。
1978年, Joan Baez 以主角演出由 Bob Dylan 自導、自演的電影 "Renaldo and Clara" (中文名字不詳), 這是一齣以 Bob Dylan 自己的歌曲和他個人生活題材, 用戲劇型式拍攝, 劇中的 "Clara" 就是由前妻 Sara Lownds 飾演, 合演的歌手有四十多位, 長達四小時近乎歌唱、戲劇化的記錄電影, 最後因票房不佳至草草收場。1984年, Baez, Dylan 兩人再次同埸出現於 Carlos Santana 的演唱會。
"RENALDO & CLARA" - Joan Baez & Bob Dylan 1978
NEXT .... David Harris