"I'M A BELIEVER"
六十年代, 在各地電台, Jukebox 點唱機, 派對, 歌唱比賽和台上表演, 均可聽到的流行歌曲; 1966年十一月面世祗有兩天, 包括訂購在內已達一百萬張以上的金唱片銷量。此曲由樂隊 "The Monkees" 把它打進 "U.S. Billboard Hot 100" 榜首達七個星期, 1967年一月, 同樣登上英國 "UK Single Chart" 榜首, 同時在 Canada 加拿大, Australia 澳洲, Ireland 愛爾蘭, 亦打進當地流行歌曲榜首位置, 成了1967年最高銷量榜第五位的歌曲。
"The Monkees"
Peter Tork - vocals, keyboards, piano, guitar, banjo, bass guitar
Micky Dolenz - vocals, drums, moog synthesizer, guitar
Davy Jones - vocals, maracas, bass, guitar, drums, tambourine,
Michael Nesmith - guitar, vocals, keyboards
Rear L-R: Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz.
Front L-R: Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith.
"I'm A Believer" - Neil Diamonds原曲是 Neil Diamond 的作品, 正要安排交給鄉謠歌手 Eddy Arnold 作錄音, "Screen Gems TV" 的音樂總監 Don Kirshner 要求先把它交給 "The Monkees" 錄製唱片。1967年一月由 Keith Allison 與及七月 Four Tops 演譯, 至九月才回到 Neil Diamond 的手上給自己錄音。1979年, 他再把這首經典以新編歌詞, 重新收錄在他的個人專輯唱片 "September Morn"。
相信大多數樂迷已聽過 "The Monkees" 或其他歌手演譯的版本。今天, 找到1967年和1979年由 Neil Diamond 親自演譯, 兩個不同年代, 不一樣歌詞的版本, 樂迷除了少有機會聽到由他演譯的原作品 "I'm A Believer" 之外, 亦可把兩個不同節奏, 和1979年改編歌詞的版本作比較。
"I'm A Believer" Neil Diamond (1967 & 1979 Version)
I thought love was only true in fairy tales
Meant for someone else but not for me
Love was out to get me
That's the way it seemed
Disappointment haunted all my dreams
Then I saw her face
Now I'm a believer
Not a trace
Of doubt in your mind
I'm in love
I'm a believer
I couldn't leave her if I tried
Thought that love
Was more or less a givin' thing
Seems the more I gave the less I got
What's the use in trying
All you get is pain
When I needed sunshine
I got rain
Love was out to get me
That's the way it seemed
Disappointment haunted all my dreams
Then I saw her face
I'm a believe
Not a trace of doubt in my mind
I'm in love
I'm a believer
I'm a believer
I'm in love
I'm a believer
I'm in love
Yeah I'm a believer
Written by : Neil Diamond 1979 version
I thought love was only true in fairy tales
Meant for someone else but not for me
Paper houses made to stand with paper nails
All I thought that love could ever be
What's the use in trying
All you get is pain
When I needed sunshine
I got rain
Then I saw her face
Now I'm a believer
Not a trace
Of doubt in your mind
I'm in love
And I'm a believer
I couldn't leave her if I tried
Not if I tried
Thought that love
Was more or less a givin' thing
Seems the more I gave the less I got
Like a flower that grows,
Love's like a living thing
Living things don't like to be forgot
Love was out to get me
That's the way it seemed
Disappointment haunted all my dreams
Then I saw her face
I'm a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind
I'm in love
I'm a believer
I'm in love
I'm a believer
I'm in love
Yeah I'm a believer