夏禮章／英國強叔 Elton John獲頒波蘭勳章
文／夏禮章
Elton John七月九日在波蘭的演唱會中獲頒感謝勳章，Elton 1984年的時候即曾於波蘭公開誇讚團結工聯領袖華勒沙，這個舉動被認爲對波蘭的共產政權當年秋天垮臺有影響，華勒沙後來於1990年成爲波蘭總統。前幾年曾來臺灣演出的Elton John脾氣不小，被臺灣新聞界朋友取了一個有趣的外號叫「強叔」，其實他和George Michael是英國籍兩位最出名的同性戀流行歌手。Elton John 1947年出生於英格蘭，是一位極出色的搖滾樂手、作曲人與鋼琴手，原先組過一個叫Bluesology的合唱團，他的藝名即來自該團團員Elton Dean與Long John Baldry，1967年開始他開始與作詞人Bernie Taupin搭配，二人合作寫出了不少動聽的流行歌曲。Elton John對英王室活動都熱心參與，1998年獲英國女王頒予騎士爵位，他從1980年代後期開始熱心參與抗愛滋病事務，並於1992年成立Elton John AIDS Foundation，次年開始於奧斯卡獎頒獎典禮前主持募款派對，這個基金會至今已募得二億多基金。Elton John 於1994年即進入搖滾樂名人堂，1999年獲頒Grammy傳奇歌星獎，在歷年暢銷歌星與合唱團排行榜他僅次於貓王Elvis Prasley與The Beatles披頭合唱團獲得第3名，是搖滾樂界的超級巨星。Elton John在排行榜名次最好的歌是1997年爲因車禍不幸去世的英國黛安娜王妃演唱的Candle In The Wind 1997，這首歌共獲得14周排行榜冠軍。
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