歧 視
Nat King Cole 完成錄音之後, 當時美國社會對膚色問題仍然存在, 樂壇以白人音樂為主流的 "美國音樂家聯合會(AFM)" 下禁令要阻止發行這一曲亦不足為奇, 經 Capitol 唱片公司爭取, 延至1948年三月, 即電影 "The Boy With Green Hair" 公映完畢後五個月才面世, 由於銷量驚人, 再將此曲收錄在 "The Nat King Cole Story" 專輯唱片内。之後 ....
指 控
... 這一曲在流行樂壇更被注目, 令致一位集歌手、作曲家、詩人和劇作家於一身, 在 Belarus 白俄羅斯出生的猶太裔美國人 Herman Yablokoff 關注, 並對 edeb Ahbez 作出指控, 由於 "Nature Boy" 涉嫌有抄襲他1935年一首 Yiddish 意第緒語歌曲作品 ｢שװײג מײן האַרץ｣ "Shvayg mayn harts", 意譯 "Be calm my heart"。
經交涉後, eden ahbez 終以二萬五千元給予 Herman Yablokoff 作庭外和解。五十年後的1999年, eden ahbez 榮登 "Grammy Hall of Fame Award 格蘭美名人殿堂"。2004年, "Nature Boy" 獲得 "American Film Institute (AFI) 美國電影學會" 提名列入百年來美國一百首最佳電影歌曲, 可惜他不能一享這两項殊榮, 因他早於1995年三月四日在車禍中去世, 享年八十六歲。之後, 一張紀念專輯 "Echoes from Nature Boy" 面世; 妻子 Anna 因白血病, 於1963年去世, 終年四十七歲; 1971年, 兒子 Zoma 遇溺身亡, 年僅二十二歲。母子倆不能同享丈夫與及父親在樂壇的最高榮譽。
｢שװײג מײן האַרץ｣ "SCHWEIG MEIN HARTZ"
"Be calm my heart" by Herman Yablokoff 1935
Herman Yablokoff, Yiddish 意第緒語舞臺劇演員, 第一次大戰後, 開始活躍於 Lithuania 立陶宛和 Poland 波蘭兩國之間。1924年, 移居 Canada 加拿大, 在 Toronto 多倫多, Montreal 蒙特里爾和美國 Los Angeles 洛杉磯的劇院演出, 最後, 留在紐約市定居。1931年, 加入 "Hebrew Actors Union 希伯來演員聯盟", 在該組織任多屆主席。在三十至四十年代的美國, 正是 Yiddish 意第緒語戲劇的鼎盛時期, Herman Yablokoff 在紐約市 Second Avenue 第二大道的戲劇界, 是最具影響力的人物之一。英 文 意 譯
I knew somebody, a small boy, he lived alone in Russia.
He slaved away, he wandered, he rushed around, he exhausted himself, lonely as a stone.
He was condemned, his life poisoned, he was persecuted with mockery and fury
He always stayed silent, he didn't show his pain, his heart turned to stone.
The years passed, he went to America, he married, had a home,
His child was his soul, his solace. He felt peaceful and comfortable.
Fate demolishes him, he's destined to have no happiness, he can't find any peace
His striving's in vain, what good is life to him? He's out of his mind.
In cold, in rain, just as before. In the street, in the park, his voice is heard.
Though his heart is torn, nobody can know his sorrow.
He always murmurs tearfully to himself:
Hush, my heart, though my life is so black
Your suffering must be concealed, swallow the pain,
Don't show my great suffering to the world.
Nobody would understand your crying anyway,
Freeze the tears and the sorrow, hide them, fool.
As soon as you cry people will think you're looking for pity and sympathy,
and where can those be found?
Hush, my heart, though my life is so black.
Hush! Don't show my suffering to the world!