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青春悲喜曲:談 Joni Mitchell

 三十一年後,當 Joni Mitchell以爵士歌手的姿態,重新詮釋包括自己創作在內的經典情歌,發行「Both Sides, Now」時,早已是享譽全球的創作全才,甚至,搖滾樂史上的燦爛巨星。她的作品歷久彌新,從不隨時間消逝而減損光芒。同她的創作一起成長的歌迷,無論世代,均可從她極具個人風格的創作中映照出自己個別的身影,從那些被敘說的歌詞,彈奏的音符,還有那人間罕有的優美高音中,深刻地承受生命中情感的份量。

英國喜劇電影「愛是您,愛是我」( Love Actually)中,被辦公室女秘書勾引,弄得心猿意馬的丈夫,在耶誕節前夕,心懷鬼胎地諷刺老婆喜歡聽Joni Mitchell歌曲的原因是:「她的作品是情感教育的教材,讓冷感的太太重拾熱情」,而背景音樂則是Joni異常憂傷的耶誕節歌曲「River」(同一首曲子也曾在「電子情書」You ' ve Got Mail一片中被女主角提及)。那孤寂的鋼琴伴奏,空靈哀傷的女聲,像在河上盤旋,末了配上一小段「Jingle Bell」,簡直是憂鬱靈魂遇上年節盛事時,用來舔舐心靈傷口的良藥。爾後,當太太滿懷期待地拆開先生送的禮物,卻發現不是原先想像的昂貴珠寶項鍊,且驚覺先生可能有外遇時,一時難以控制情緒,跑回臥房痛哭。這時片中播著「Both sides, now」一曲,它述說著感情的期待與失落,Joni Mitchell那數十年來,早已被香菸燻啞的嗓子,緩緩吟唱著愛與背叛的故事,弦樂襯底的伴奏中,Wayne Shorter的高音薩克斯風,淡淡幾筆,全然展現了另一種成人感情世界中,世故又帶苦澀的況味。


關於愛的失與得,關於生命燦爛與黑暗,關於禍幅相倚的人生哲學, Joni Mitchell恐怕早已了然於胸,比我們任何人都還更早領悟。她九歲就罹患小兒麻痺,脊椎扭成「撞毀的火車車廂」形狀,從此不良於行。憤世嫉俗的她,質疑上帝的存在,決意我行我素,立志要活得比別人加倍精彩。她抽煙,彈吉他,作曲作詞,上藝術課,學畫畫,活出所有六○年代長大的北美女性知識青年的夢想:批判社會,擁抱理想,歌頌那曾有過的革命火花。

如果妳曾像我,花一整個早上的時間審視「 Court and Spark」黑膠唱片封面,沉思於這一幅難解畫作的意境中,或許妳也可以體會,Joni在這張比手掌略小的插圖,刻意留下了一個謎題。抽象的水彩素描中,右邊是山谷與色彩繽紛的平原,而左邊乍看之下,像是展開來的白色布廉。一瞬間,那席白色布廉隱隱纏起的淡藍陰影,幻化成一個背對「鏡頭」的女孩/女人,與一雙抽象的手,緊緊地擁抱。

在那擁抱中,瀰漫著不捨與揮之不去哀愁。然而,仔細聽完整張專輯,妳會發現這張唱片的封面與曲子的整體調性,產生了一種弔詭的分叉,(而非對立)。即使像「 Raised on robbery」談赤裸裸的一夜情,或是「Twisted」述說著精神分裂的狀態,從編曲的角度來說,「Court and Spark」仍算是一張相當輕快的專輯。迥異於先前的空心吉他或鋼琴伴奏,「Court and Spark」已經脫離民謠風,而朝向流行樂中,較為繁複的編曲手法邁進。雖然這不能算是一張爵士專輯,但卻有多位爵士樂手參與,如澳洲來的小號手Chuck Findley(他也是「澳洲爵士春秋」電影配樂的作曲與演奏者),老牌貝斯手Max Bennett(在伯利恆有若干作品),跨爵士與流行樂的吹管能手Tom Scott等。

在這些樂手的協助下, Joni Mitchell製作「Court and Spark」時,不僅在歌詞寫作方面交了一張漂亮的成績單,在專輯整體的音樂性方面,更臻於成熟階段,單以「Help me」一曲為例,在這首輕快的情歌中,電子吉他,貝斯與鼓,再加上製造一點趣味效果的電子琴,無論是和弦編寫或是音樂的層次感,實在已經無可挑剔,說這是一張Joni Mitchell個人的分水嶺專輯,讓她從單純的民謠風邁向更複雜的跨界音樂,實不為過。

為什麼我會說「 Court and Spark」的封面與專輯的整體音樂調性,產生了一種弔詭的分叉呢?所有的Joni Mitchell歌迷應該都知道,一九六五年時,就讀藝術學院的Joni Mitchell感情受挫,一貧如洗,不得不把八個月大的親生女兒送人,而她身邊的親友,包括雙親在內,並不知道她已經產下一女,當然也無從追尋孫女的蹤跡。

不過短短數年,她陸續發行的概念專輯卻讓她名利雙收,直至「 Court and Spark」時,Joni的個人成就幾乎已達頂峰。然而,這戲劇性的變化,並沒有撫平Joni Mitchell身為女人的,強烈的失落與罪惡感。「Court and Spark」封面上這一張筆觸樸拙的圖畫,或許正透露著Joni思念之苦。畢竟加拿大嚴格的領養制度,讓生母與認養家庭完全無法得知彼此的身份與下落。直至九○年末,Joni Mitchell公開尋找女兒,才在熱心網友的協助下,與三十餘歲,居住於多倫多的女兒破鏡重圓。

對照母女大團圓的快樂結局,我們就不難想像,在「 Court and Spark」封面中,那抱緊不放的手,那往下綻放的布廉裙擺,或許反映了Joni Mitchell曾有的痛楚。那山谷與平原,是家鄉?是憧憬的樂園?還是Joni不堪回首的往事?我們並不知道。但可以肯定的是,即使她身為一名才華洋溢的創作人,受到歌迷,媒體與票房的肯定,Joni Mitchell仍必須面對自己身為女人/殘障者/母親的多重身份與隨之而來的困境,並承受自己無奈抉擇後的苦果。令人不忍的是,Joni Mitchell刻意藏在「Court and Spark」封面圖畫上的玄機,竟然要等到九○年代末期,已經五十餘歲的她,開始為多重硬化症所苦,意識到自己來日無多,公開尋找女兒之後,才為世人(或是,像我這樣的好事者)所理解。

人生的分叉路口何其多,每次的抉擇都有可能痛徹心扉,卻也是成長的契機。 Joni Mitchell才華如此洋溢,也曾遭受貧病折磨,卻在音樂與畫作中綻放出淬煉之後的耀眼光芒。回眸望去,那張小小的水彩畫,一邊是對於美好田園的期待與努力,一邊是生命中無可避免的分離與哀愁,「Court and Spark」映照出的人生,不專屬於Joni,而屬於所有努力過活的女性。

引用通告

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http://wiendisk.net/mt/mt-tb.cgi/10565

評論

先試做這樣的版面
不滿意請嗆聲

執行小編_wienKh`o

苦仔大人,

您作得粉好
小妹給一百分,謝謝謝謝!!!!!
小威

吼,原來是苦編出馬

小威到哪裡
我就跟著潛到哪裡:p

幸好報到得早
還來得及搶面銅牌...^O^y

Congratulations!!!!!

BTW, just interviewed Anita O'Day, Chick Corea, Dave Douglas & Lee Konitz here in NYC, awesome!

To Roxytom,
想必你已經「歸營」了,希望在台南一切都還愉快!

To Dannyboy,
我正打算寫Anita O'Day,相當期待你的訪談。BTW, I hope you won't be frozen by the damn weather in East Coast!

wisconsin

非常喜歡Joni Mitchell的Both Sides Now....引用了你的URL,謝謝你的資訊!

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