蒼穹未央

灌錄〈American Pie〉這張經典專輯的當時，唐麥克林的婚姻觸礁，工作和感情的雙重壓力令他身心俱疲，藉由研讀聖經，他尋求心靈的庇護，因而這張專輯中有幾首歌的歌詞或多或少呈現了宗教的諭示，除此，他也讀到了荷蘭畫家梵谷的傳記，梵谷一生坎坷的際遇 讓他產生許多共鳴，於是他寫出了至今傳唱不輟的〈Vincent〉，歌裡描述了多幅梵谷著名畫作的景物……〈Empty chairs〉同樣出自〈American Pie〉這張專輯，很少人知道這首含蓄而隱晦描述男人失去摯愛的情歌，其靈感也是來自梵谷的畫作〈Van Gogh ’s Chair〉，雖然〈Empty chairs〉的知名度遠低於〈Vincent〉，而這幅畫作在梵谷的〈鳶尾花〉、〈向日葵〉與〈星夜〉等名作中，顯得無足輕重，但這首歌卻意外促成西洋樂壇另一首經典《 Killing me softly with his song 》的誕生。

 

 

Empty chairs　　Don McLean

空蕩蕩的椅子　 唐麥克林

 

 

I feel the trembling tingle of a sleepless night

無眠的夜裡，感覺到微顫的刺痛

Creep through my fingers and the moon is bright

它悄悄爬過我的指間，當時的月光明亮皎潔

Beams of blue come flickering through my window pane

藍色光芒閃爍著穿過了窗欞

Like gypsy moths that dance around a candle flame

彷彿舞毒蛾不停的圍繞著燭火飛舞著

 

 

*And I wonder if you know

我在想你是否明白

That I never understood

那些我從來不瞭解的事

That although you said you'd go

儘管你說你將會離去

Until you did I never thought you would

但我一直不肯相信，直到你真的離去........

 

 

Moonlight used to bathe the contours of your face

月光曾經浸染著你臉龐的輪廓

While chestnut hair fell all around the pillow case

當栗色的秀髮垂掛在枕邊 

And the fragrance of your flowers rest beneath my head

髮上花朵散發的香味停留在我的四週

A sympathy bouquet left with the love that's dead (*)

令人憐惜的花束只賸下逝去的愛

 

 

Never thought the words you said were true

從沒想過你說的話竟是真的

Never thought you said just what you meant

從沒想過你說的都是真心話

Never knew how much I needed you

從來不明白我有多麼需要你 

Never thought you'd leave, until you went

從沒想過你會離去，直到你真的遠走 

 

 

Morning comes and morning goes with no regret

清晨來了又去，不帶一絲悔恨

And evening brings the memories I can't forget

黃昏帶來了我無法遺忘的回憶 

Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs

登梯上樓時，空蕩的房間裡傳來回聲

And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs (*)

空蕩蕩的衣衫在空椅上輕掛........又悄聲滑落

 

 

中英歌詞資料來源：〈安德森之夢〉