THE DAEMON LOVER - 4/2 : "The House Carpenter"

"THE DAEMON LOVER"
在美國, 此曲最先普及是始於東部 "Appalachia 阿帕拉契亞山脈" 和南部的地域, 並改以 "The House Carpenter" 為曲名, 同是唱出丈夫被遺棄的悲情民謠。此曲有異於美國本土的民歌元素, 使當時的民歌樂壇引起一番漣漪。

像大多數民間歌謠, 經坊間不斷傳唱, 歌詞、旋律、音調有所改變和增減, 有文字記載的歌詞不斷修訂和不同名字版本, 如 "Demon Lover", "James Harris", "The Ship Carpenter" 與及美國版的 "The House Carpenter" 同出現; 而歌曲有分男、女或以第三身敘事式的不同歌詞演譯。

1865年英國的民謠歌集中, 此曲特設標題給已婚婦女勸告, 並聲明全是真人真事, 女主人是生於 Plymouth 的 Jane Renalds。之後, 在英國坊間亦有所謠傳, 據稱某些男子殉情後, 會變成厲鬼重返人間, 要找上不忠於他的女子作可怕的報復; 當年為人祖父母輩的, 多把此曲唱得令人心怯。經一番閱覽資料和記錄, 再次聽罷此曲, 卻給了筆者一次歌曲系列命名的靈感, 就把 "English Ballad" 類稱為:【英國南音】好了 !


The House Carpenter - Clarence Ashley (1928)

"The Daemon Lover" 
這類别的民謠, 當然不會被美國民歌手走漏了眼, 當中不乏知名的歌手有翻唱; 最舊有錄音版本是 Clarence Ashley (1895-1967) 在1928年和 "House of The Rising Sun" 同期錄音; 我們最認識的 Pete Seeger 和 Bob Dylan 亦有翻唱此曲, 相信民歌迷早不會放過的, 而「和平使者」Joan Baez 當然亦有演譯 ....

HOUSE CARPENTER - Bob Dylan
This a story about a ghost come back from out of the sea
Come to take his bride away from the house carpenter

[Verse 1]
Well met, well met, my own true love
Well met, well met, cried she
I've just returned from the salt, salt sea
And it's all for the love of thee

[Verse 2]
I could have married a King's daughter there
She would have married me
But I have forsaken my King's daughter there
It's all for the love of thee

[Verse 3]
Well, if you could have married a King's daughter there
I'm sure you're the one to blame
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I'm sure he's a fine young man

[Verse 4]
Forsake, forsake your house carpenter
And come away with me
I'll take you where the green grass grows
On the shores of sunny Italy

[Verse 5]
So up she picked her babies three
And gave them kisses, one, two, three
Saying "take good care of your daddy while I'm gone
And keep him good company."

[Verse 6]
Well, they were sailing about two weeks
I'm sure it was not three
When the younger of the girls, she came on deck
Saying she wants company

[Verse 7]
"Well, are you weeping for your house and home?
Or are you weeping for your babies three?"
"Well, I'm not weeping for my house carpenter
I'm weeping for my babies three."

[Verse 8]
Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as white as snow
Those are the hill of heaven, my love
You and I'll never know

[Verse 9]
Oh what are those hills yonder, my love
They look as dark as night
Those are the hills of hellfire my love
Where you and I will unite

[Verse 10]
Oh twice around went the gallant ship
I'm sure it was not three
When the ship all of a sudden, it sprung a leak
And it drifted to the bottom of the sea

NEXT ... THE HOUSE CARPENTER - Joan Baez