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Love Songs for All Ages 一曲相思情未了

 

課文朗讀

 

課文中英文講解

 

繁體中文譯本

 

Love songs are probably as old as love itself. After all, love is universal, as is songwriting. And what’s a better topic for a song than the joyous roller coaster ride that is falling in love?

 

情歌或许和爱情本身一样古老。毕竟，爱是全世界共通的，歌曲创作也是。所以，有什么能比坠入爱河时那种快乐像搭乘云霄飞车般的感觉更适合作歌曲主题呢?

 

If we go by the lyrics of love songs, it seems human emotions have changed very little throughout history. Songwriters old and new have described love as lifting them up to heaven, and ravishing their heart. But they also have expressed the sensual pleasures of love, including such simple but often intense joys as hearing a lover’s voice. “The sweet murmur of your voice, the enticing laughter that makes my own heart beat fast,” the Greek poet Sappho wrote over two millennia ago.

 

如果我们从情歌歌词的角度来看，人类的情感自古以来似乎没有什么改变。不管是过去或现代的歌曲创作者都将爱情描写成能让人飘飘欲仙、魂牵梦系的东西。但他们同时也表达了爱所带来感官上的愉悦，包括听到爱人声音时那种很单纯却往往很强烈的欣喜。希腊诗人莎孚在两千多年前就写出：「妳那甜蜜的细语，迷人的笑声使我小鹿乱撞。」

 

Terms of endearment have also changed little over time. Consider the lyrics to a Sumerian poem called “My Honey Sweet.” Four hundred years ago the writer rambled on about “My dearest, my dearest…. my darling…… my honey-sweet.” One starting difference, however, is that in antiquity lovers often called each other “brother” and “sister” to suggest intimacy. Don’t try whispering that in someone’s ear these days!

 

用来表达爱意的措辞也没也随着时间而有太大的改变。想想一首苏美情诗《我的蜜糖》中的词句；四千年前，这位作者就开始漫谈「我最亲爱的，我最亲爱的……达令，达令……我的蜜糖。」然而，有项惊人的差别是古时候的情侣们常称呼彼此为「兄弟」和「姊妹」来表现其亲密关系。但在现代，可不要尝试在某人的耳边低语这些喔!

 

Since the language of old love songs is so familiar, we can easily imagine them being performed on MTV: with a little music video and electronic beat added, of course. So move over J-Lo. Make room Madonna. Here comes Sappho and the Sumerians!

 

既然古老情歌的语言文字对我们来说并不陌生，我们就可以轻松想象那些歌曲若在MTV台播放会是什么样子了(当然还要加上一点音乐影像和电子节奏)!所以，珍妮弗罗培兹靠边站!玛丹娜也让位吧!莎孚和苏美人来了!

 

 

Vocabulary

universal [͵junəˋvɝs!] adj. 普遍的

ravish [ˋrævɪʃ] v. 使陶醉，使狂喜，使销魂

sensual [ˋsɛnʃʊəl] adj. 感官的

intense [ɪnˋtɛns] adj. 强烈的

endearment [ɪnˋdɪrmənt] n. 亲爱的表示，爱意

intimacy [ˋɪntəməsɪ] n. 亲密；亲近

whisper [ˋhwɪspɚ] v. 低语

 

More Information

murmur [ˋmɝmɚ] n. 轻柔持续的声音

entice [ɪnˋtaɪs] v. 诱使；怂恿

millennium [mɪˋlɛnɪəm] n. 千年期

ramble [ˋræmb!] v. 漫谈，聊天；漫笔[（+on/about）]

antiquity [ænˋtɪkwətɪ] n.（尤指中世纪前的）古代

suggest [səˋdʒɛst] v. 暗示

 

 

 

課文中英文講解

 

As we all know, being in love is an amazing experience. But it has its flip side. It’s dark side, even.

 

我们都知道，谈恋爱是个令人惊奇的经验。但爱情也有它的负面，甚至是黑暗面。

 

When you fall in love, you expose yourself to all the torment that can come when a relationship sours (and they almost always do) or, even worse, never gets started in the first place. Unrequited love is universal, which is probably why it’s one of the favored themes of songwriters around the world. Who can’t relate to lyrics that ask “If you looked in my eyes, would you see what’s inside? Would you even care?”

 

当你坠入情网时，你便让自己陷于无尽折磨里，尤其当感情变质(几乎所有感情都是如此)或更糟的是，这段感情根本从一开始就没发生过。单恋是普世现象，而这或许就是它为什么会成为世界各地歌曲创作者最喜欢的一项题材。谁能不对「如果你看着我的眼睛，你能否看到里头的爱?你会在乎吗?」这样的歌词发出共鸣呢?

 

Of course breakups are also painful and a common lament of modern balladeers is that the “god” in their eyes has transformed into the “baby that’s gone.” Interestingly, there are fewer traditional long songs on this subject. This may be because casual or short-term relationships were few and far between in older times. In addition, secret lovers were usually careful not to reveal their deeds (even when they were over) to the public. Those ancient songs that do broach the topic of breakups tend to be about couples forced apart by religion, politics, family, travel, or death.

 

当然，分手也很令人痛苦，现代民歌手们心中一个共同的痛便是他们眼中的「神」已然成了「昔日恋人」。有趣的是，关于这类主题的传统长篇歌曲数量较少。这或许是因为偶然的或短暂的邂逅再过去较少见。此外，秘密情人们通常会小心翼翼不让他们的情史曝光(即使在恋情结束后)。哪些引用分手主题的古老情歌倾向于描述有关情侣因宗教、政治、家庭、远行或死亡而被迫分离的故事。

 

These days love ballads, in all their forms, are as ubiquitous as lovers themselves. It seems this will never change. Falling in love is like a virus that everyone catches, and for which there is no cure – except maybe singing about it!

 

今日，不管是什么形式的抒情歌曲都如同情侣们一样无所不在。这看来是永远不会变的。坠入情网就像每个人都会感染的病毒，但却无药可医—或许，除了继续传唱它之外!

 

−By Murry Walker & Michael Code

 

 

Vocabulary

torment [tɔrˋmɛnt] n. 痛苦；苦恼

sour [ˋsaʊr] v. 使变得不愉快；使失望

favored [ˋfevɚd] adj. 受宠的﹐得到偏爱的

lament [ləˋmɛnt] n. 悲痛之情；哀悼

casual [ˋkæʒʊəl] adj. 随便的，漫不经心的

broach [brotʃ] v. 提出；开始讨论[（+to）]

 

More Information

flip side: 对立面 the opposite side

in the first place: 起初 before now

unrequited [͵ʌnrɪˋkwaɪtɪd] adj. 无报答的；得不到报酬的

balladeer [͵bæləˋdɪr] n. 民谣歌手

few and far between: 稀有, 难得 not very many or not appearing very frequently

deed [did] n. 行为，行动

ballad [ˋbæləd] n. 民谣，民歌; 情歌；（节奏缓慢的）流行抒情歌曲

ubiquitous [juˋbɪkwətəs] adj. 到处存在的，普遍存在的

 

 

Reading Questions

 

1. What is NOT true according to the article?

A. The lyrics to love songs can express sensual pleasure.

B. Human emotions have changed drastically throughout history.

C. Ancient Sumerian poems about love are similar to modern poems.

D. Songwriters wrote of love overwhelming their hearts.

 

2. What was true in antiquity that is not true today?

A. The terms “brother” and “sister” once suggested intimacy.

B. Old songwriters only wrote about the pain of love.

C. The language of old love songs is not understandable to us now.

D. No one ever called a lover something sweet.

 

3. What is unrequited love? It’s ______.

A. love that doesn’t require much love from either person

B. love that is unreasonable and excessive.

C. when someone loves another but is not loved back

D. when a person deeply loves another who is away

 

4. What is a common lament found in many love songs? It’s that _____

A. the person is so happy to be in love

B. the person wants to do good deeds for his or her lover

C. love is an amazing experience

D. a person’s lovers has left him or her

 

 

 

課文中英文講解

 

繁體中文譯本

 

Sample love lyrics throughout the ages: 古今情歌节选:

 

My Honey Sweet (excerpt), Sumeria, circa 2000 BCE  《我的蜜糖》(节录)  苏美—约公元前2000年

 

…..my dearest, my dearest, my darling,  我最亲爱、最亲爱、最亲爱的达令

My darling, my honey of her mother, 我的达令、我爱人母亲的蜜糖

My fruitful vine, my honey-sweet, ……. 我丰沛多产的葡萄树，我的蜜糖…

The gazing of your eyes is pleasant to me, 妳双眼的凝视让我感到欢愉

Come my beloved sister. 来吧!我最亲爱的妹妹

 

 

 

He Is More Than a Hero, Sappho, 650 BCE 《他不仅仅是个英雄》莎孚—约公元前650年

 

If I meet you suddenly, 如果我无意间遇见了你

I can’t speak – my tongue is broken; 我会无法言语—我的言语不能连续

a thin flame runs under my skin. 有股微弱的火焰延烧在我的肌肤底

Seeing nothing, 眼中看不见任何东西

hearing only my own ears drumming, 只有我耳里轰隆的鼓声

I drip with sweat. 我的汗水滴

Trembling shakes my body 颤抖着摇晃我的身躯

and I turn paler than dry grass. 然后，我会变得比灰草还苍白

At such times death is not far from me. 死亡已离我不远，在这样的时刻里

 

 

 

Plaisir d’Amour, 1700s 《爱的欢愉》        公元1700年代

 

The pleasure of love lasts only a moment 爱的欢愉转瞬即逝

The sorrow of love lasts a lifetime 爱的悲伤却是一世

I gave up everything for my ungrateful Sylvia, 为了那负心的席维亚，我将放弃一切

Now she leaves me for another lover. 如今，她却为了新恋人弃我而去

 

 

 

They Can’t Take That Away From Me, George Gershwin, 1936 《没人能将它从我这儿夺去》乔治．盖希文—公元1936年

 

There are many many crazy things 世上有许许多多疯狂的事

That will keep me loving you 能让我持续地爱着妳

And with your permission 妳若允许

May I list a few 容我举几个例

The way you wear your hat 妳戴帽子的模样

The way you sip your tea 妳啜饮茶的模样

The memory of all that 关于这种种回忆

No they can’t take that away from me 不!没人能将它从我这儿夺去

 

 

 

Love Me Tender, Elvis Presley, 1956 《温柔爱我》猫王—公元1956年

 

Love me tender, love me sweet, never let me go. 温柔地爱我，甜蜜地爱我，不要让我离开妳

You have made my life complete and I love you so. 妳使我的生命变得完整，而我是如此地爱妳

Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfill. 温柔地爱我，真切地爱我，让我所有梦想得以实现

For, my darlin’, I love you and I always will. 因为，亲爱的，我会爱妳直到永远

 

 

Every Breath You Take, The Police, 1984 《妳的每一次呼吸》警察合唱团—公元1984年

 

Since you’ve gone I been lost without a trace 妳离去之后，我茫然无依

I dream at night I can only see your face 在梦中我只能看见妳的容颜

I look around but it’s you I can’t replace 我环顾四周，全是挥不去的妳

I feel so cold and I long for your embrace 我感到寒冷，渴望有妳的拥抱

I keep crying baby, baby, please 我不停地哭泣，宝贝，求求妳

 

 

 

I Will Always Love You, Whitney Houston, 1991 《永远爱你》惠妮休斯敦—公元1991年

 

If I should stay, 如果我留下

I would only be in your way. 我只会成为你的牵绊

So I’ll go, but I know 所以我将离去，但我知道

I’ll think of you every step of the way. 我将在离去的路程上，每一步都想着你

And I will always love you. 而我将永远爱你

I will always love you. 我将永远爱你

You, my darlin’ you. 你，我亲爱的你

 

 

−End

 

 

Vocabulary

fruitful [ˋfrutfəl] adj. 果实结得多的；多产的

flame [flem] n. 火焰

ungrateful [ʌnˋgretfəl] adj. 忘恩负义的

permission [pɚˋmɪʃən] n. 允许

fulfill [fʊlˋfɪl] v. 实现

replace [rɪˋples] v. 取代

 

More Information

circa [ˋsɝkɚ] prep.【拉】大约于，大概是在……（用于日期、数字前）

vine [vaɪn] n. 葡萄树

gazing [gezɪŋ] n. 凝视

drip [drɪp] v. 滴下

embrace[ ɪmˋbres] n. 拥抱

in one's way 妨碍某人

 

Plaisir d'amour

 

 

They Can’t Take That Away From Me

 

 

Love Me Tender

 

 

Every Breath You Take

 

 

I Will Always Love You

 

 

 

 Answer

1. ( B )

2. ( A )

3. ( C )

4. ( D )