PHIL OCHS
在他的職業生涯當中, 參加過六十年代大小的政治活動, 包括反越戰、民權運動、學生運動與及有組織的爭取勞工權益活動。在政治上, 他自認是 "左派社會民主人士"; 1968年, 在芝加哥的民主黨全國代表大會, 由一場抗爭活動引發起對抗警察的暴動之後, 成為 "早期革命者", 這對他的政治心態影響更為深遠。
他的歌曲作品用在不同文化和媒體, 與及不同歌手的翻唱版本, 難以盡錄, 當中有 Joan Baez, Ani DiFranco, Bastro, Cher, Judy Collins, Gordon Lightfoot, Pete Seeger, Peter Yarrow, Dave Van Ronk。最為樂壇注目的歌曲作品, 由1964年的第一首 "I Ain't Marching Anymore", "Changes", "Love Me, I'm Liberal", "Power and The Glory", "Talking Vietnam Blues", "The War is Over", "There But For Fortune", "Crucifixion"....
1966 - Phil Ochs "CRUCIFIXION"
一個英雄的興衰, 是由人們創造、毀滅和神化的角色。
第一節: 描述了發生在宇宙的巨變: 一顆流星出現, 令致 "宇宙爆炸", "行星停頓", "地動山搖"。
(1) And the night comes again to the circle studded sky
The stars settle slowly, in lonliness they lie
'Till the universe expodes as a falling star is raised
Planets are paralyzed, mountains are amazed
But they all glow brighter from the briliance of the blaze
With the speed of insanity, then he dies.
第二節: 一個嬰兒的誕生, 被選中要面對絕望和艱難的挑戰, 來救贖這個世界。
(2) In the green fields a turnin', a baby is born
His cries crease the wind and mingle with the morn
An assault upon the order, the changing of the guard
Chosen for a challenge that is hopelessly hard
And the only single sound is the sighing of the stars
But to the silence and distance they are sworn
CHROUS:
So dance dance dance
Teach us to be true
Come dance dance dance
'Cause we love you
第三和第四節: 這個英雄的成長, 他洞察到博愛之下, 還有一股仇恨的風暴;
然而, 面對世俗, 儘管困難重重, 還是被迫去傳播救贖的訊息。
(3) Images of innocence charge him go on
But the decadence of destiny is looking for a pawn
To a nightmare of knowledge he opens up the gate
And a blinding revelation is laid upon his plate
That beneath the greatest love is a hurricane of hate
And God help the critic of the dawn.
(4) So he stands on the sea and shouts to the shore,
But the louder that he screams the longer he's ignored
For the wine of oblivion is drunk to the dregs
And the merchants of the masses almost have to be begged
'Till the giant is aware, someone's pulling at his leg,
And someone is tapping at the door.
CHROUS
第五和第六節: 人們接受英雄的警告訊息:"成功是當今失敗者的敵人",
崇拜英雄的人, 對他鼓掌之餘, 亦樂見他的毀滅。
(5) Then his message gathers meaning and it spreads across the land
The rewarding of his pain is the following of the man
But ignorance is everywhere and people have their way
Success is an enemy to the losers of the day
In the shadows of the churches, who knows what they pray
For blood is the language of the band.
(6) The Spanish bulls are beaten; the crowd is soon beguiled,
The matador is beautiful, a symphony of style
Excitement is estatic, passion places bets
Gracefully he bows to ovations that he gets
But the hands that are applauding are slippery with sweat
And saliva is falling from their smiles
CHROUS
第七節: 當溫純的靈魂被撕碎並扔進火焰中, 英雄倒下來。
(7) Then this overflow of life is crushed into a liar
The gentle soul is ripped apart and tossed into the fire.
First a smile of rejection at the nearness of the night
Truth becomes a tragedy limping from the light
All the heavens are horrified, they stagger from the sight
As the cross is trembling with desire.
第八節: 人們對英雄被毀滅的反應:
"誰會想過要傷害這樣的英雄?", "我知道他必會摔倒!", "怎會這樣呢?", "詳盡地告訴我吧!"。
(8) They say they can't believe it, it's a sacreligious shame
Now, who would want to hurt such a hero of the game?
But you know I predicted it; I knew he had to fall
How did it happen? I hope his suffering was small.
Tell me every detail, for I've got to know it all,
And do you have a picture of the pain?
CHROUS
第九和第十節: 英雄的神話隨著人們對事件的淡化, 訊息被毁滅, 巡環週期已結束。
(9) Time takes her toll and the memory fades
but his glory is broken, in the magic that he made.
Reality is ruined; it's the freeing from the fear
The drama is distorted, to what they want to hear
Swimming in their sorrow, in the twisting of a tear
As they wait for the new thrill parade.
(10) Yes, the eyes of the rebel have been branded by the blind
To the safety of sterility, the threat has been refined
The child was created to the slaughterhouse he's led
So good to be alive when the eulogy is read
The climax of emotion, the worship of the dead
And the cycle of sacrifice unwinds.
CHROUS
REPEAT: 歌曲以重複第一節作完結, 暗示了宇宙循環, 另一個英雄的來臨。
(1) And the night comes again to the circle studded sky
The stars settle slowly, in lonliness they lie
'Till the universe expodes as a falling star is raised
Planets are paralyzed, mountains are amazed
But they all glow brighter from the briliance of the blazE
With the speed of insanity, then he died.
"CRUCIFIXION"《釘 十 字 架》
歌曲常被解讀為一則寓言, 更認為它代入了美國總統 J.F. Kennedy 約翰·甘迺迪被暗殺的一生, 以耶穌被釘十字架的比喻。甘迺迪遇弒, 在某種程度上是摧毀了人們美好的願景; 一個為人所擁護的改革者, 亦被視為激進分子, 但人們又想看到他有完結的一天。這是人類心理的一部分, 和陰暗的一面。
儘管 Phil Ochs 故意選擇不直接將歌曲名字, 與耶穌被釘十字架聯上一起, 但聽眾可理解, 這樣悲劇性的犧牲, 同樣曾發生在歴史中。
Phil Ochs - 1973
Phil Ochs - Crucifixion (First Ever Recording: 1965)