ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT? - 8/8 : Answer Song 回 應 歌 曲

DODIE STEVENS
原名字 Geraldine Ann Pasquale, 1946年二月十七日生於美國 Illinois 伊利諾伊州 Chicago 芝加哥, 三歲隨父母遷移至 California 加州 San Gabriel Valley 開始學習歌唱和舞蹈, 八歲以藝名 Geri Pace 在電視節目演唱一曲 "Merry-Go Merry-Go Round", 此曲亦是她的首張唱片, 由 Gold Star Records 唱片公司印製, 1954年面世。1958年, 以 Dodie Stevens 名字演繹 "Pink Shoe Laces", 由 Crystalette 唱片公司印製, 二月面世即打進 "Billboard Hot 100" 第九十六位, 時年還差一天才十三歲; 至四月十三日, 歌曲登至榜上第三位。

 

ANSWER SONG 回應歌曲

1960年三月, Jeanne Black 的一曲 "He'll Have To Stay", 決絕回應了 Jim Reeves 的電話 "He'll Have To Go"; 同年五月, Ray Peterson 傳來一個青年的噩耗和未圓的遺願 "Tell Laura I Love Her", 三個月後, Marilyn Michaels 以一篇哀禱 "Tell Tommy I Miss Him" 以紓解悲痛和慰藉摯愛的亡魂。

 

1960年十一月, Elvis Presley 一曲 "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" 面世, 大受樂迷歡迎, 時年十五歲的 Dodie Stevens 靈機一觸, 親自把歌詞和獨白修改, 成為一曲 "Yes, I'm Lonesome Tonight" 來回應 Elvis, 以抒解他的疑慮和祈盼他的諒解。三首作品, 三位青年女歌手, 不一樣的感情抒發, 同於1960年面世, 及後更被流行樂壇公認為最佳 "Answer Song" 的典範。

ELVIS PRESLEY & DODIE STEVENS - November 1960

Yes, I'm lonesome tonight
And I miss you tonight
I'm so sorry we drifted apart

And my memories strains
To those wonderful days
When you kissed me
And called me sweetheart

All the chairs in the parlor
Seem empty and bare
As I gaze at the doorstep
And picture you there

Now my heart's filled with pain
Take me back once again
Yes my dear
I'm so lonesome tonight

Yes my darling
I'm lonesome tonight
I realize now that world is a stage
And each of us must play a part

I know, too,

That fate sometimes acts in strange ways
Yes, Act One is where we met
And I, too, loved you at first glance
But I guess I didn't really read my lines too well

Then came Act Two
Hey, I've never changed
There was a misunderstanding
I know now that I shouldn't have you listen to a so-called friend

The truth is, my love
That she wanted you for her own
You don't really have to doubt me
Nor must you go on without me

Yes, the stage is bare
But please wait there
Because I'm coming to you darling
And we'll be together
When they bring the curtain down

Now my heart's filled with pain
Take me back once again
Yes my dear
I'm so lonesome tonight

Dodie Stevens 一曲 "YES' I'M LONESOME TONIGHT", 在美國流行樂壇的 "Answer Song 回應歌曲" 熱潮中面世, 兩個月內有四位女歌手的版本, 歌詞之外, 主要是獨白有不同的表達, 全因為 Dodie 的一曲而起, 同樣是抒發愛情的心聲, 以不同的内心感受, 回應了 Elvis Presley 的疑慮: "Are you lonesome tonight?"

 

你喜歡那個版本呢?

RICKIE PAGE - November 1960

Yes, I'm lonesome tonight
And I miss you tonight
I'm so sorry we drifted apart

And my memories strains
To a bright summer day
When you kissed me
And hold me, sweetheart

And the chairs in my parlor
Seem empty and bare
As I gaze at my doorstep
And picture you there

All my heart's filled with pain
Would you come back again
Yes my dear
I'm so lonesome tonight

You wonder if I'm lonesome tonight
The answer is yes
You said the world is a stage
And each must play a part

They had you're playing in love
And I wish you sweetheart
Act One, was when we met
I didn't love you at first glance
But you read your lines so cleverly
And never miss the cue

Then came Act Two
That's what I knew really love you
darling, I didn't lie when I told you I love you
And you have no cause to doubt
I was a fool, a lovesick fool
because all the time I thought you were the one telling lies
The stage is no longer bare
I am standing with you there
The happiness all around
And each other will make to
never bring the curtain down

Oh, my heart's filled with pain
Won't you come back again
Yes my dear
I'm so lonesome tonight

 

LINDA LEE - December 1960

Yes, I am lonesome tonight
I'm so sorry we drifted apart

And my memories strain

To the bright summer day

When you kiss me and call me sweetheart

Now the chairs in my parlor
Same empty and bare
And I gaze at the doorstep
And picture you there

Is your heart filled with pain
Won't you come back again
Would you please
I'm so lonesome tonight

You wonder if I'm lonesome tonight
you say that the world is a stage and each must play a part
They'd have you playing in love with me as your sweetheart

Act One was when we met
I loved you at the first glance
I didn't mean to be clever
I just never had a chance then came back to 

You acted so strange, and why I'll never know

But when you said I lied 

You know you hurt me so
I told you how much I loved you 

And you had no cause to doubt me

Now I'm lost

Do you love me right there without me

You say this stage is bare

And you're standing there with emptiness all around
Just tell me you love me

And I'll come to you

Let them bring the curtain down

Is your heart filled with pain

Won't you come back again

Would you please, I so lonesome tonight

 

JO ANN PERRY - December 1960

Yes, I'm lonesome tonight
And I miss you tonight
I'm sorry we've drifted apart

Yes, I'm still wandering
From our first tender kiss
On the night I became your sweetheart
 

When I read your love letter
My tears start to fall.
When I look at your picture
It hurts both of all.
Now my heart's filled with pain.
Would you come back again
Oh my dear, I'm so lonesome tonight

Elvis darling
I'm lonesome, tonight and every night
Yes, the world's a stage
And we all play our part
It was great seeing you sweetheart

Act One, for me, is true
I was departing, darling
I was in love with you
Trying to believe me
Please believe what I say

Then came Act Two
You say I've changed and acting strange
Now, I tell you why
One night, a bad actor took your place
He had all such a good line
And turn this world at my feet

At the end of Act Three
He'd walked out on me
It's a miracle, you're still waiting
Elvis darling, come back to me
I swear faithfully,
The curtain will never come down again

Now my heart's filled with pain
Won't you come back again
Elvis dear, I'm so lonesome tonight

Youtube Link: THELMA CARPENTER - December 1960

Yes, I'm lonesome tonight
Oh, so lonesome tonight
Why did you leave me this way

I can still feel your arms
And the thrill of your charms
When you kissed me
That bright summer day

Now the place is so empty
Since you've gone away
And I'm hoping and praying
You'll come home to stay

How my heart cries for you
Won't you come back
Please do

Don't you know that
I'm lonesome tonight

My darling
I'm so lonesome tonight
Friends tell me you've said the world's a stage

And we each must play a part
True, but I wasn't playing
I gave you my heart

When you looked in my eyes
I fell in love with you
You were my Prince Charming
My dreams had all come true
Then suddenly, you said I changed
As if arranged

But I couldn't understand
And you did try your best to make believe
But your kisses were not the same

Yes, you told all our friends
That I had lied when you knew
This could never be true

For deep in your heart
You know who lied
But I don't really care
If only you would hear my plea
Forget, forgive, come back to me

How my heart cries for you
Won't you come back
Please do

Don't you know that
I'm lonesome tonight 

 

浜村 美智子 Hamamura Michiko 

1938年十月三日生於日本 Osaka 大阪, 一位以演繹歐西歌曲的演藝歌手, 英日兩語演繹一曲 "Banana Boat Song" 之後, 被稱為 "Banana Boat Girl 香蕉船女郎", 在日本樂壇一些較為保守的樂評人士, 給予負面的品評, 稱她衹會擺動蛇腰, 賣弄風情, 以兩語演唱歐西歌曲而已。

 

1966年面世, 一張翻唱六十年代歐西流行歌曲的專輯, 十二首英語經典歌曲當中, 美智子 Michicko 亦演繹了一曲 "Yes' I'm Lonesome Tonght", 在當年保守的日本樂壇, 未能收錄這段情意綿綿的 "Monologue 獨白" 是可以理解的。後來, 她遠赴美國發展, 成功走進樂壇和踏上表演舞臺。

 

Michiko Hamamura 浜村 美智子 1966