PHIL SPECTOR - 8/1 : "To Know Him is To Love Him"

 

"TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM"

Phil Spector 時年十七歲的第一首歌曲作品, 創作靈感是來自父親的墓碑一張舊相片, 墓碑上銘刻着母親給父親的墓誌銘 "TO KNOW ME IS TO LOVE ME", 因而啓發他譜出一首懷念父親的歌曲; 至今, 已成為普世的愛情頌歌。

Phil Spector (1939-2021)
1939年十二月生於 New York City 紐約市, Bronx 小區, 祖父來自 Ukraine 烏克蘭, 猶太裔歸化為美國公民。父親 Benjamin 任鐵匠工作, 艱勞苦幹, 因陷入債務財困, 自殺身亡。Phil 九歲喪父, 四年後, 與妹妹跟母親遷居西岸 Los Angeles 洛杉磯。 少年時期, 孤獨的性格, 面對同輩社群常感苦窘, 常逃避社交群體活動, 要經一番掙扎才能融入。

入讀高校初期, 性格孤僻, 衹埋首於結他、鋼琴、管樂、打鼓和歌曲創作。兩年後, 才能夠融入校園生活, 與校友組成樂隊, 名字是取自 Elvis Presley 的同名歌曲 "Teddy Bears", 唯一女歌手隊員是 Annette Kleinbard, 其餘是 Phil Spector, Marshall Leib 和 Harvey Goldstein, 及後, Harvey 因工作而離開, 衹好成為三人組合。

"THE TEDDY BEARS"
樂隊首張單曲細唱片, 兩曲同是 Phil 的作品, "Don't You Worry My Little Pet" 和兩年前已完成的 "To Know Him Is To Love Him", 1958年九月面世即登上美國 "Billboard Hot 100 Chart" 榜首達三個星期, 在前十位達十一個星期, 停留在榜上二十三個星期; 在英國亦登上 "U.K. Single Chart" 第二位, 全球銷量很快已達至二百五十萬張。

THE TEDDY BEARS - L-R: Phil Spector, Annette Kleinbard (Carol Connors), Marshall Leib
"TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM" September 1958

To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him
Just to see him smile, makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him
And I do (and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I)

I'd be good to him, I'd bring love to him
Everyone says there'll come a day when I'll walk alongside of him
Yes, just to know him is to love, love, love him
And I do (and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I)

Why can't he see how blind can he be?
Someday he will see that he was meant for me, oh oh, yes

To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him
Just to see him smile, makes my life worthwhile
To know, know, know him is to love, love, love him
And I do, yes I do, yes I do (and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I, and I do, and I)

"To Know Him Is To Love Him"

大受樂迷歡迎, 銷量成績驕人; 繼而, 樂隊還錄製多首單曲細唱片, 唯一的專輯 "The Teddy Bears Sing!" 於1959年面世。1960年, 女歌手 Annette Kleinbard 在一場車禍中嚴重受傷, 需時康復, 樂隊被迫解散, Phil 開始專注在歌曲創作, 和唱片監製工作。

Annette Kleinbard 傷愈後, 改名為 Carol Connors 繼續其歌曲創作, 作品有 "THE RIP CHORDS" 樂隊 1963年的 "Hey Little Cobra" 和1976年電影 "ROCKY 洛奇" 主題歌曲 "Gonna Fly Now"。

 

 

TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM - Carol Connors (Annette Kleinbard)