"RUNNING BEAR"
一個印第安土著部落青年戰士 "Running Bear 奔跑的熊" 和另一部落的少女 "Little White Dove 小白鴿" 的愛情故事。由於兩部落有衝突, 彼此之間的仇恨, 常處於戰爭而無法和解; 兩人雖然相愛, 卻被一河所隔, 衹可遙遠呼喚, 相互傳情, 一直以來, 無法親近, 這段兩地相思的愛情, 處永遠分離之苦 ....
儘管如此, 两人不顧障礙以一圓心願, 雙雙冒險跳進洶湧的河裡, 遊近至兩手僅可觸及至擁抱輕吻的迅間, 突然給一度急流衝走, 两人緊抱而同被淹歿。歌詞描述了他們的命運: 此刻, 他們在來世的樂園, 將會永遠同在一起。
Jiles Perry Richardson (1930-1959)
生於美國 Texas 德薩斯州 Sabine Pass。1947年, 畢業 Beaumont High School; 入讀高校 Lamar College 選科法律, 在校参予樂隊和唱詩班, 由於身材魁梧, 亦担任高校美式足球隊的後衛, 課餘在當地電台 KTRM 任兼職唱片騎師。
完成一年兵役, 重返電台主持一個以他名字 "Jape-A-Thon" 的節目而聲名鵲起, 由於他在德州 El Paso 市的電台, 連續播放一個節目逹一百二十二小時, 成為創下這紀錄的唱片騎師。"Jape" 是 Perry 的乳名, 而 "The Big Bopper 大胖子" 是 KTRM 電台1953年所賜的别號。
1958年, 他首次演繹自己的作品 "Chantilly Lace" 之後, 以創作歌手走進流行樂壇。第二首作品 "White Lightning" 交由同是創作歌手 George Jones 演繹, 亦登上 "Country Hit 鄉謠榜" 第一位, 第三首, 是他與 George Jones 兩人合作的 "Treasure of Love" 亦列第六位。
第四首作品, 是 Perry Richardson 回憶兒時在家鄉 Sabine River 曾聽過一則印第安部落的故事而寫成的歌曲; 完成後, 直至一次在夜總會欣賞過 Johnny Preston 演唱之後, 把歌曲交由他演繹和錄製唱片。
RUNNING BEAR - Johnny Preston (1939-2011)
歌曲開始和完結時, 所聽到是印第安戰士在戰場的納喊聲, 和每段均有他們在舞蹈時傳統的 "uga-uga" 謳吟聲, 全曲充滿印第安部落的色彩, 這是來自 Perry Richardson, 創作歌手 George Jones 和唱片監製 Bill Hall 三人的和唱效果。歌曲已完成錄音之後, 不幸事件發生 ....
1959年二月三日晚上, 中西部 Iowa 愛荷華州 Clear Lake 附近的小型飛機墜毀事故, 機上有 Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens 和被稱 "The Big Bopper 大胖子" 的 Perry Richardson 和飛機駕駛員四人同罹難。
"Big Bopper" Perry Richard 罹難之後六個月, Johnny Preston 演繹 "Running Bear" 的唱片才面世, 至1960年一月, 登上美國 "Billboard Hot 100" 榜首連續三週; 在英國的 "UK Singles Chart" 亦列榜首, 可惜他已不可能分享此曲在樂壇的成績。墜機事件成為當年流行樂壇的噩耗, 亦是年輕的派報童 Don Mclean 一頁不能磨滅的回憶: "The day the music die"。1971年, Don Mclean 寫成一曲 "American Pie"。
RUNNING BEAR, LITTLE WHITE DOVE
On the banks of the river stood runnin' bear, young Indian brave
On the other side of the river stood his lovely Indian maid
Little white dove was-a her name, such a lovely sight to see
But their tribes fought with each other so their love could never be
Runnin' bear loved little white dove with a love big as the sky
Runnin' bear loved little white dove with a love that couldn't die
He couldn't swim the raging river 'cause the river was too wide
He couldn't reach little white dove, waiting on the other side
In the moonlight he could see her blowing kisses 'cross the waves
Her little heart was beating faster, waiting there for her brave
Runnin' bear loved little white dove with a love big as the sky
Runnin' bear loved little white dove with a love that couldn't die
Runnin' bear dove in the water, little white dove did the same
And they swam out to each other through the swirling stream they came
As their hands touched and their lips met, the ragin' river pulled them down
Now they'll always be together in that happy hunting ground
Runnin' bear loved little white dove with a love big as the sky
Runnin' bear loved little white dove with a love that couldn't die
SONNY JAMES (1928-2016)
六十年代末至七十年代初, 以翻唱其他熱門流行歌曲, 在樂壇獲得不少佳績; 而翻唱 "Running Bear" 1969年四月面世之後, 並登上 "Billboard Hot Country Singles 鄉謠單曲榜" 首位, 成為他個人十六首打進榜上第一位的單曲之一。至六月中旬,"Running Bear" 更留在榜首位置達三星期, 成為 Sonny James 的歌唱生涯最受歡迎的歌曲。
RUNNING BEAR - Johnny Preston - June 1959
1959: Smiley Wilson - December
1960: Garry Mills, Dick Jordan, Mac Wiseman, Billy O'Rourke with The Thunderbirds,
The Howard Morrison Quartet
1962: George Jones, Dickey Lee, Pat Boone
1965: The Five Emprees
1868: Bob Wills
1969: Sonny James, The Southern Gentleman, Browning Bryant, Jim Stallings
1970: Louis 'Country & Western' Armstrong,
1972: Webb Brothers, The Youngbloods, The Guess Who
1973: Tom Jones
1974: Don Fardon, Mud (UK)
1975: The Rockin' Devils
1977: Lena Martell, Little and Large
1978: Johnny and The Roccos
1980: Stiff Little Fingers, Waterloo & Robinson
1981: Billy T. James
1987: Lindisfarne
1988: Williams and Ree
1998: The Flametrick Subs
2008: Monica Dupont
2012: Ray Stevens (Parody)
DANISH
Tapre Ørn - written by Erik Menved
1960: Four Jacks
1996: Jacks
2011: Keld Heick - Jesper Asholt - Jesper Lohmann - Stig Rossen
Tapre Bjørn - written by Thøger Olesen
1969: Peter Belli
Hugget sukker - written by Bamse
1976: Bamses Venner
DUTCH
Grote beer- written by André Meurs
1960: Het Cocktail Trio
1997: Oh, Grote Beer - Bart Pullens & Adje Grooten
Grote beer - written by Bennie Jolink
1984: Normaal
GERMAN
Brauner Bär und weisse Taube - written by Hans Bradtke
1960: Gus Backus
1993: Rumble on the Beach