美國黑人巨星［蘿貝塔弗萊克］事業處女單曲──靈魂爵士──［Compared to What／與什麼相比］

Love the lie and lie the love
Hangin on, with a push and shove
Possession is the motivation
that is hangin up the God-damn nation
Looks like we always end up in a rut (everybody now)
Tryin to make it real, compared to what?

Slaughterhouse is killin hogs
Twisted children killin frogs
Poor dumb rednecks rollin logs
Tired old ladies kissin dogs
Hate the human, love that stinking mutt (I cant stand it)
Try to make it real, compared to what?

The President, hes got his war
Folks dont know just what its for
Nobody gives us rhyme or reason
Have one doubt, they call it treason
Were chicken-feathers, all without one gut (God damn it)
Tryin to make it real, compared to what? (Sock it to me, now)

Church on Sunday, sleep and nod
Tryin to duck the wrath of God
Preachers fillin us with fright
Tryin to tell us what he thinks is right
He really got to be some kind of nut (I cant use it)
Tryin to make it real, compared to what?

Wheres that bee and wheres that honey?
Wheres my God and wheres my money
Unreal values, crass distortion
Unwed mothers need abortion
Kind of brings to mind ol young King Tut (He did it now)
Tried to make it real — compared to what?!

１９３７年２月生於美國北卡羅萊納州的黑人巨星蘿貝塔弗萊克（Roberta Flack）出身音樂家庭

本身就是個音樂教師，畢業於音樂學院擁有專業學位，彈得一手好鋼琴

受過扎實的聲樂訓練，因此對聲音的表現收放自如．

１９６８年夏天，弗萊克被靈魂樂／爵士樂歌手Les McCann發覺，在他推薦下，與Atlantic唱片簽約 ．

１９６８年１１月，她在不到１０小時的時間內錄製３９首歌曲樣本。

三個月後，Atlantic唱片在１０小時內錄製了蘿貝塔的首張專輯［First Take］．

１９６９年２月，蘿貝塔推出首張大碟〔First Take／第一步〕，由Joel Dorn製作，走民謠爵士樂，爵士歌唱，靈魂樂，R&B，

獲得高度評價．

首支單曲是１９６９年８月的［Compared to What／與什麼相比］．

由Gene McDaniels創作的抗議歌曲，１９６９年２月蘿貝塔最早灌錄．

１９６９年６月，Les McCann（鋼琴和聲樂）和 Eddie Harris（次中音薩克斯）在蒙特婁爵士音樂節上表演（收在１９６９年發行的現場專輯［Swiss Movement ］）而變得更加出名。

弗萊克版由Joel Dorn製作成一首靈魂爵士，在穩定的節奏間，

蘿貝塔的嗓音以一種低調舒緩，但偶爾節制的激昂來演繹．

只是沒引起大眾迴響，連帶專輯也在市場上石沉大海．

直到１９７２年初，才因單曲［The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face］的大紅，

才受到商業肯定，１９７２年登上美國告示牌專輯榜冠軍，蟬連五週，取得白金唱片（１００萬張）．

副榜──R&B專輯榜冠軍，爵士專輯榜冠軍．

英國＃４７，挪威＃１７

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDUk9Lsy_yQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whGEMu8XqUU

(Remix) (feat. Terri Lyne Carrington, Angela Davis and Kassa Overall)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzHwAPGbSOM