夏礼章／英国强叔 Elton John获颁波兰勋章
文／夏礼章
Elton John七月九日在波兰的演唱会中获颁感谢勋章，Elton 1984年的时候即曾于波兰公开夸赞团结工联领袖华勒沙，这个举动被认为对波兰的共产政权当年秋天垮台有影响，华勒沙后来于1990年成为波兰总统。前几年曾来台湾演出的Elton John脾气不小，被台湾新闻界朋友取了一个有趣的外号叫「强叔」，其实他和George Michael是英国籍两位最出名的同性恋流行歌手。Elton John 1947年出生于英格兰，是一位极出色的摇滚乐手、作曲人与钢琴手，原先组过一个叫Bluesology的合唱团，他的艺名即来自该团团员Elton Dean与Long John Baldry，1967年开始他开始与作词人Bernie Taupin搭配，二人合作写出了不少动听的流行歌曲。Elton John对英王室活动都热心参与，1998年获英国女王颁予骑士爵位，他从1980年代后期开始热心参与抗爱滋病事务，并于1992年成立Elton John AIDS Foundation，次年开始于奥斯卡奖颁奖典礼前主持募款派对，这个基金会至今已募得二亿多基金。Elton John 于1994年即进入摇滚乐名人堂，1999年获颁Grammy传奇歌星奖，在历年畅销歌星与合唱团排行榜他仅次于猫王Elvis Prasley与The Beatles披头合唱团获得第3名，是摇滚乐界的超级巨星。Elton John在排行榜名次最好的歌是1997年为因车祸不幸去世的英国黛安娜王妃演唱的Candle In The Wind 1997，这首歌共获得14周排行榜冠军。
Candle In The Wind 1997Songwriters: JOHN, ELTON / TAUPIN, BERNIE Goodbye englands rose May you ever grow in our hearts You were the grace that placed itself Where lives were torn apart You called out to our country And you whispered to those in pain Now you belong to heaven And the stars spell out your name
And it seems to me you lived your life Like a candle in the wind Never fading with the sunset When the rain set in And your footsteps will always fall here Along englands greenest hills Your candles burned out long before Your legend never will Loveliness we've lost These empty days without your smile This torch well always carry For our nations golden child And even though we try The truth brings us to tears All our words cannot express The joy you brought us through the years
And it seems to me you lived your life Like a candle in the wind Never fading with the sunset When the rain set in And your footsteps will always fall here Along englands greenest hills Your candles burned our long before Your legend never will
Goodbye englands rose May you ever grow in our hearts You were the grace that placed itself Where lives were torn apart Goodbye englands rose From a country lost without your soul Wholl miss the wings of your compassion More than you'll ever know
And it seems to me you lived your life Like a candle in the wind Never fading with the sunset When the rain set in And you footsteps will always fall here Along englands greenest hills Your candles burned out long before Your legend never will