"YELLOW RIBBON 黃 絲 帶"
是來自英國清教徒 Puritan 的傳統標誌之一, 他們是英國國教的改革派, 曾試圖以"純化"天主教徒的宗教儀式和教旨。1642年, 英國內戰開始, 是國會議員和保皇黨之戰; 國會的清教徒 "圓帽軍隊", 上戰場的軍服均戴上橙黃色領巾或腰、肩帶, 以識别敵我之外, 亦可鼓勵軍隊士氣, 更藉此提醒為人妻子, 要忠於在戰場的丈夫, 耐心等候他回家。
YELLOW RIBBON
有文字記載, 美國軍隊裝甲部隊的官方顏色, 亦有選用黄色徽章和服飾。荷里活電影, 騎在馬背上藍色軍服的北軍騎兵, 頸項均圍上黃色的領巾。查究有關十九世紀末, 美國軍方在軍隊制服的規則條款, 並沒有指定任何颜色的領巾為軍人服飾, 祇不過軍隊在行軍遇上風沙暴時, 以領巾圍封口臉作防護之用。我們從蓬車征西、荒漠開墾年代的牛仔電影所見他們的領巾, 在荒郊山野是多用途的必需裝備, 由防風沙、清洗和裹傷包紥, 甚至火車大盗在犯事前後, 亦以之遮蔽口鼻, 不致被認出其真面目。
現今, 英、美兩國的海軍陸戰隊, 一支同稱 "Leatherneck" 的部隊, 這别號是源自十八世紀, 美國第一位海軍陸戰隊將領 Charles Rumsey Broom, 為了對付海盗橫行海上, 軍人在殲盗時, 被免給海盗的利刀割喉致死, 特意准許軍人以黑色硬皮革做衣領作保護, 這可比防風沙暴的領巾是同出一轍。
1917年, George A. Norton 首個有版權記錄的作品 "Round Her Neck She Wears a Yeller (yellow) Ribbon" (For Her Lover Who Is Fur (far), Fur (far) Away)。歌曲內容是描繪一位女子 Susie Simpkins 與軍人摯愛 Silas Hubbard 的故事, 一個富戲劇性的歌曲版本。
"Round her Neck She Wears a Yeller Ribbon" - George A. Norton 1917
Susie Simpkins in the village papers
Read about these soldiers manly capers
And made up her mind
That a soldier's bonnie bride she'd be
Volunteers were called a little later
Big Si Hubbard stopped a-hoeing 'taters
Fell right into line
And mustered with a company
She cried and kissed him when he marched away
And she vowed to keep him in her mind each day
'Round her neck she wears a yeller ribbon
She wears it in the Winter and the Summer so they say
If you ask her, "Why the decoration?"
She'll say, "It's fur my lover who is fur, fur away"
Fur away (fur away) fur away (fur away)
If she is milkin' cows or mowin' hay
'Round her neck she wears a yeller ribbon
She wears it fur her lover who is fur, fur away
'Round her neck she wears a yeller ribbon
She wears it in the winter and the summer so they say
If you ask her, "Why the decoration?"
She'll say, "It's fur my lover who is fur, fur away"
Fur away (fur away) fur away (fur away)
If she is milkin' cows or mowin' hay
'Round her neck she wears a yeller ribbon
She wears it fur her lover who is fur, fur away
Months rolled by and patiently she waited
Read the war news, greatly agitated
No word from her boy
Till a letter from his Captain said
"Your beau, Silas, he went out a-gunnin'
Soon he had the enemy a-runnin'"
Susie wept for joy
Though further on the letter read
"The enemy can run some, you can bet
But they couldn't capture Si, he's runnin' yet" (Runnin' yet)
'Round her neck she wears a yeller ribbon
She wears it in the Winter and the Summer so they say
If you ask her, "Why the decoration?"
She'll say, "It's fur my lover who is fur, fur away"
Fur away (fur away) fur away (fur away)
If she is milkin' cows or mowin' hay
'Round her neck she wears a yeller ribbon
She wears it fur her lover who is fur, fur away
"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon"
現今, 美國軍隊步操歌曲之一, 亦取用 "Round her Neck She Wears a Yeller Ribbon" 的版本, 祇是同曲譜而歌詞有别之外, 名字改以 "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon", 是曲詞作家 Leroy Parker 和 M. Ottner 兩人1949年的作品, 首唱錄音由 Andrew Sisters with Russ Morgan Orchestra, 亦是同年上映, 一齣同歌曲名字的西部電影挿曲, 主演是牛仔明星 John Wayne 尊榮。
Andrew Sisters & Russ Morgan Orchestra
Round her neck she wore a yellow ribbon
She wore it in the winter
And the merry month of May
When I asked her: Why the yellow ribbon?
She said: It's for my lover who is far far away
Far away, far away, far away, far away
She said: It's for my lover who is far far away
Far away, far away, far away, far away
She said: It's for my lover who is far far away
When, at first, she met a winsome Johnny
He wasn't sure her heart was pure
Her eyes were far too bold
So, round her neck
He tied a yellow ribbon
He tied a yellow ribbon
'Cause it matched her hair of gold
Hair of gold, hair of gold
He tied a yellow ribbon
'Cause it matched her hair of gold
Hair of gold, hair of gold
He tied a yellow ribbon
For her eyes were far too bold
If, perchance, you spy a lovely maiden
And by her side, there walks with pride
A Johnny strong and gay
And round her neck there is a yellow ribbon
No matter how you love her
Please stay far far away
Far away, far away, far away, far away
No matter how you love her
Please stay far far away
Far away, far away, far away, far away
Her love is for another
So stay far far away
Far far away
Round her neck she wore a yellow ribbon
She wore it in the winter
And the merry month of May
When I asked her: Why the yellow ribbon?
She said: It's for my lover who is far far away
Far away, far away
She said: It's for my lover who is far far away
Far away, far away
She said: It's for my lover who is far far away
Far far away
For her lover who is far far away
"She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" -1949年同名電影
港譯:「民族英雄」
歌曲截錄自 Youtube: 音樂無界