美國黑人歌姬［安妮塔貝克］初試啼聲之作──流行靈魂／R&B抒情曲──［No More Tears／不再流淚］

We used to laugh
Now I all do is cry
You used to make me so happy
Now you dont even try

Youre hurting me, yeah
Youre doing me wrong
I can see it in your eyes
Soon youre gonna be gone

And I know Im gonna miss you
My love I will send with you
Cause I, Ive been down too long
And you keep doin me

[Chorus:]
And there will be no tears for you
Gonna be no more crying eyes
Gonna be no more tears for you
See my eyes have run dry
And theres no more tears

Aint no more sadden eyes
From crying through the night
Gonna gather up, gather up my feelings
And lock them all inside

So when you say youre leaving
And you walk out my door
I can truly say to myself
He can not hurt me anymore

And I know I should be crying
But inside Im slowly dying
Cause all my love has gone
From two hearts so badly torn

[chorus]

[Solo: (Piano)]
And I, and I know Im gonna miss you
But my love I got to send with you
Cause I been down, been down too long
And you, you keep doing me wrong

[chorus x2]

Aint nobody cryin
Dry, my eyes
Lord knows its gonna be fine
Its gonna be alright after a while
Im gonna be alright if you would leave
Surely wont you try, surely wont you, baby wont you try
Im gonna be alright
Lord knows I dont need you no more, baby
Im gonna make it on my own

１９５８年 黑人女歌手安妮塔貝克（Anita Baker）出生於美國俄亥俄州

２歲被生母拋棄　由底特律的寄養家庭扶養

１６歲開始在夜店演唱R&B歌曲　被指揮David Washington發掘

１９７５年成為樂團Chapter 8團員　同年與Ariola唱片簽約

１９７９年出過一張專輯　在R&B界銷售不佳　

這年Ariola被Arista 唱片買下　Chapter 8被解約　Arista並認為貝克沒有明星潛力

之後安妮塔回底特律成為女侍與法律企業接待員

１９８２年　前Ariola唱片同事Otis Smith打電話給貝克　說服她與他的Beverly Glen公司簽約　追求個人事業　

１９８３年春末　２５歲的安妮塔發行首張大碟〔The Songstress／歌姬〕　由Otis Smith與Patrick Moten製作

首支單曲是［No More Tears／不再流淚］ 由後來與她多次合作的Michael J. Powell譜寫

這是一首流行靈魂／R&B抒情曲　

貝克以她擁有三個八度音的寬廣音域詮釋　演繹感人

［No More Tears］登上告示榜黑人榜＃４９　讓她首度出現在排行榜中

年底的［Angel］拿到黑人榜＃５　〔The Songstress〕則升到黑人專輯榜＃１２

讓安妮塔在R&B界小有名氣

只是貝克抱怨她沒拿到版稅　唱片公司還延宕下張大碟製作

因而決定離開Beverly Glen公司　結果被Otis Smith以違約告上法庭

不過貝克勝訴　得以與其他公司（Elektra唱片）簽約　後來才得以［Rapture］走紅樂壇

在安妮塔成為歌壇巨星後　Elektra唱片收購〔The Songstress〕版權

１９９１年換上封面重新發行　雖然沒有宣傳

但在１９９２－９７年間賣出３１萬張　可見歌迷對這張遺珠之作也頗為支持

Anyway, ［No More Tears］儘管是貝克的首支單曲　但已可聽出她詮釋靈魂歌曲的功力

介紹給各位

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZH2wpQ_CF8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pif_wD6sY1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z520bzyeS5Y