In search of my Rock Time 20 – The Waterboys

「有時候，在從前一個春天聽到的名字現在又聽見了，我們會像擠繪畫顏料管似的，從中擠出流去時光的神秘而新鮮的、被人遺忘了的細膩感情；當我們像一個蹩腳的畫家，把我們的過去整個兒地展現在同一張畫布上，任憑我們的記憶給予它傳統的、千篇一律的色彩的時候，我們以為對過去的每時每刻仍然記憶猶新。然而恰恰相反，過去的每一時刻，作為獨到的創作，使用的色彩都帶有時代特徵，而且十分和諧，這些色彩我們已不熟悉了，可是仍會突然使我們感到心醉。我就有過這種體會。」
(p.5~6 追憶似水年華 III蓋爾芒特家那邊  聯經版 1992) 


極喜歡這張專輯封面及水紋的樂團徽章......


遠溯 80年代的英國民謠搖滾，樂團靈魂人物 Mike Scott 在1983年組團並從 Lou Reed 的一首歌曲中找到團名「The Waterboys」的靈感。
(The Waterboys as its name from a line in the Lou Reed song "The Kids" on the album Berlin)

但老實說，以這個樂團的文學氣息 (Scott, who briefly studied literature and philosophy at the University of Edinburgh, has made heavy use of English literature in his music.)，我倒是一廂情願地只想援用另外一種說法去解釋團名 Waterboys 的象徵意義——縮寫 W.B. 正是代表對詩人葉慈 (William Butler Yeats) 的致敬之意。
(So close is the identification of The Waterboys with their literary influences that the writer also remarks that "W.B.", the initials to which Yeats' first and middle names are often shortened, could also stand for "Waterboys".)

The Waterboys 在樂評家心目中或許與 Van Morrison 及 U2 差可比擬，蘇格蘭民謠搖滾的曲風確實獨樹一旘而在80年代的搖滾樂史佔有一席之地。
(Their music, influenced by Patti Smith, Bob Dylan and David Bowie, was compared by critics to Van Morrison and U2 in its cinematic sweep.)



1988年的（Fisherman’s Blues）可能是大家較有機會接觸的作品，曾經收錄在電影"心靈捕手"及"樂透天"原聲帶的曲目裡。
(Fisherman's Blues is the 1988 album by The Waterboys. The album marked a change in the sound of The Waterboys', abandoning their earlier grandiose rock sound for a mixture of traditional Scottish music, country music and rock and roll. Critics were divided on its release with some disappointed at the change of direction and others ranking it among The Waterboys' best work. The album went on to become the Waterboys' best selling album, despite reaching only number thirteen in the U.K. charts on release, and position seventy-six on the Billboard 200.
The title track reached third place on Billboard's Modern Rock chart. The single for the song reached position thirty two on the UK singles charts in 1989 and position seventy five, when re-issued in 1991. Country music song "The Lost Highway" was the B-side, and featured Liam O'Maonlai on the piano. "Fisherman's Blues" has appeared on the soundtracks of the movies Good Will Hunting and Waking Ned Devine.)



（A Girl Called Johnny）是第一張同名專輯中的單曲，同時也是向龐克搖滾桂冠女詩人 Patti Smith 的致敬之作。
("A Girl Called Johnny" had been released both as a seven inch and as a twelve inch single in March 1983, preceding the album by four months. The song, a tribute to Patti Smith.)



而個人最喜愛的應該是（Don't Bang The Drum）這首歌，源自於第三張專輯《This Is the Sea》。
(This Is the Sea is the third and last of The Waterboys' "Big Music" albums. Considered by critics to be the finest album of their early rock-oriented sound, described as "epic" and "a defining moment", it was the first Waterboys album to enter the United Kingdom charts, peaking at number thirty-seven.)

像是驟雨紛來沓至般的激烈，尋求一種通體淋漓舒暢的解脫，意欲將所有的憂愁或苦惱隨著這一首歌沖刷而逝......

...but if i know you
You'll bang the drum like monkeys do
Here we are in this fabulous place
What are you you gonna dream here?
We are standing in this fabulous place


「The Waterboys 在從前一個春天聽到的名字現在又聽見了...這些歌曲我們已不熟悉了，可是仍會突然使我們感到心醉...」


ps. 括號內的英文皆引用自 Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia