2013.10.21 品尊 0 封面

2013.10.21 品尊 PRECIOUS




  • 20

    A Life’s Desire:
    No More Whys

    一生何求:不再问究竟

    Danny Chan’s most attentive song should be his “A Life’s Desire”, especially the lines “Do I possess anything, unable to explain my gains and losses” and the refrain “I haven’t expected, what I have lost, is all I have.” The coda is nothing less than the last songs of an era. No one could have sung it better.

    Theo Angelopoulos’ classic Eternity and a Day shares the same Chinese name as “A Life’s Desire”. I have always thought the two works share an uncanny parallel, and mydeceased friend Ng Chi Hung thinks the same. Ng was the one who always stole the microphone, offering his reckless rendition of this classic song.

    If we must choose Danny Chan’s second best, it must be “No More Whys”. Mahmood Rumjahn’s great song, Richard Lam’s great lyrics and Danny Chan’s great performance. One is reminded of a great poet, reciting the work that is meant to be his: “Counting stars futilely, / the firmaments look so peaceful …”

    No one in the world could sing the refrains (“Uh Ha, Ah Ah…”) in a more delicate or seductive manner than Danny Chan. A life’s desire? Better don’t ask any more whys; no more hard feelings for what is lost, nor desire for what is not meant to be. Like the young Danny, “Let’s play with him / In hopes that he won’t ask any more whys/Ah Ah…”

    陈百强唱得最细腻的一首歌,应该是《一生何求》,尤其是唱至「我得到没有没法解得失错漏/刚刚听到望到便更改/不知哪里追究」,「没料到我所失的竟已是我的所有」,那停顿处,仿佛干回百转,是一个时代的绝唱,这世上恐怕没有人能比他唱得更好。

    安哲罗普洛斯( Theo Angelopoulos )的经典之作 Eternity and a Day,理应译为「永恒与一天」,何以译为《一生何求》呢?我一直以为跟陈百强的同名歌曲关,亡友吴志雄也同意此一臆想,虽然五音不全却偏爱在卡拉OK抢咪,将这首绝唱蹧蹋得教人欲哭无泪。

    如果要选陈百强的 second best,那一定就是《不再问究竟》,林慕德的曲好,林振强词亦好, Danny仔唱得更好,三位一体,约略有点「顾城上身」之感:「茫茫然在数星星/天际多么平静/……/不知一街童正踏着我影/顽童还大胆开声/他说:哥哥眼睛/怎么怎么/又红又肿如像刚刚哭了十声/ Uh Ha只好苦笑十声/并轻抹眼角/淡淡的眼泪影/ Uh Ha只好解释有泪水/乃因风砂吹入了眼睛Ah Ah……」

    这世上恐怕没有人能比陈百强Uh Ha、Ah Ah得更干回百转了。一生何求?最好「不再问究竟,街童无知(如果真有其人曾踏我影,如今已是人到中年了),不必再强求甚么了,就像斯时的陈百强那样,「只好跟他玩耍/祈望他不再问究竟Ah Ah……」