美国著名黑人音乐家山姆·库克
30 美国著名黑人音乐家山姆·库克
DATE=4-22-01
TITLE=PEOPLE IN AMERICA #1818 - SAM COOKE TYPE=SPECIAL ENGLISH FEATURE BYLINE=CYNTHIA E. KIRK
(THEME)
Voice one:
I'm Shirley Griffith.
Voice two:
And I'm ray freeman with the VOA special English program, people in America. Every week we tell about someone important in the history of the United States. This week we tell about black (1) singer and songwriter, Sam Cooke. ((Cut one: you send me))
Voice one:
It has been years since that song was a hit. Yet it is still (2) popular today. The song is called "you send me." it was written and sung by a young singer and songwriter, Sam Cooke.
During the late nineteen-fifties and early sixties, Sam Cooke was one of the biggest stars in the music industry. His smooth voice and musical style were popular with both blacks and whites. Although Sam Cooke died years ago, his (3) influence still is present in today's music.
Voice two:
Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in nineteen- thirty- one. He grew up in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a minister in a (4) Baptist church. Sam started singing religious music when he was only fifteen years old. When he was nineteen, he became the lead singer of a famous (5) gospel-singing group called the soul (6) stirrers.
In nineteen-fifty, he began writing and recording 2 for the soul stirrers. During his six years with the group, Cooke brought his own kind of expression to gospel music. He became gospel music's biggest star.
His good looks and singing abilities made him very popular among women, both young and old. Here is Sam Cooke with the soul stirrers, singing, "Touch the hem 1 of his (7) garment".
((Cut two: touch the hem of his garment)
Voice one:
Although Sam cooker was a star with the soul stirrers, he wanted to sing other kinds of music. So, he decided 3 to sing popular music instead.
Cooke's decision to "cross over" to pop music shocked many blacks that was because making such a change was not as easy then as it is today. Racial tensions 4 were high between blacks and whites in the nineteen fifties. And gospel music was popular among black people. It was considered an important part of black culture.
The company that recorded the soul stirrers' records urged him not to start singing pop music. They thought it would offend 5 the group's (8) fans.
Voice two:
Cooke, however, wanted to sing to all groups of people. He wanted to express his racial (9) identity 6 without offending 7 whites. At that time, most records by black artists were not played on radio stations that had white listeners. So, he left the gospel music world where he was extremely popular with blacks. But the move was not a mistake. He soon became a big star singing pop music.
A small company (10) released 8 Sam Cooke's first pop record in 1957. It was "you send me." it was a huge success. It sold one- million- seven- hundred- thousand copies in the first year alone. It is one of his most memorable 9 recordings 10. Here is the first (11) version 11 he recorded of that song. It was made to show Cooke's ability to sing.
((Cut three: you send me demo: up and under))
Voice one:
Sam Cooke had a voice that was unlike any the public had ever heard. His voice was soft, yet intense 12. He made singing seem effortless.
Cooke was also a wise businessman. In nineteen- fifty- nine, he became the first black artist to establish his own record company, s-a-r records. He wrote most of his own material. And, he owned the rights to his songs through his music publishing company, kegs music. Very few blacks at that time were able to control their musical (12) profession in such a way. And, without such business control, they lost money.
Here is another hit by Sam Cooke, when he was with the keen 13 record company, called "wonderful world."
((Cut four: wonderful world))
Voice two:
In nineteen-sixty, Sam Cooke signed an agreement with a major record company, r-c-a. Such a move is common today. But, a move from an (13) independent black-owned record company to a major record company was something few black artists were able to do then.
Cooke had a number of big hits at r-c-a. In this song, Sam Cooke uses a "call and answer" form of musical (14) expression that started in the black church. The song is called, "bring it on home to me."
((Cut five: bring it on home to me))
Voice two (cont):
In nineteen- sixty- two, Sam Cooke recorded a song for r-c-a about a popular new dance step, the twist. The song is called "twisting' the night away."
((Cut six: twisting' the night away))
Voice one:
In December nineteen- sixty- four, Sam Cooke's life was suddenly cut short. He was shot and killed at a hotel during a visit to Los Angeles. He was thirty-three years old.
His death (15) shocked his fans. Thousands of people gathered at his funeral.
Two of Cooke's last songs were released after he died. One of the songs is called "a change is gonna come." it is a powerful song that combines gospel and pop music. The song is like many of Sam Cooke's that made him so popular as a singer and songwriter. It is about never losing hope.
(Cut seven: a change is gonna come)
Voice two:
This special English program was written by Cynthia Kirk. It was produced by Lawan Davis. I'm Ray Freeman.
Voice one:
And I'm Shirley Griffith. Join us again next week for another people in American program on the voice of America.
注释:
(1) singer[ 5sindVE ]n.歌手
(2) popular[ 5pCpjulE ]adj.流行的, 受欢迎的
(3) influence[ 5influEns ]n.影响, 感化, 势力v.影响, 改变
(4) Baptist [5bAptist ] n. 施洗约翰
(5) gospel[ 5^CspEl ]n.福音, 信仰, 真理
(6) stirrer[ 5stE:rE ]n.搅拌器, 搅拌者
(7) garment[ 5^B:mEnt ]n.衣服, 外衣
(8) fan[ fAn ]n.扇子, 鼓风机, v煽动, 飘动
(9) identity[ ai5dentiti ]n.同一性, 身份,
(10) release[ ri5li:s ]n.释放, 让渡 v.释放, 解放 n.版本, 发布
(11) version[ 5vE:FEn ]n.译文, 译本
(12) profession[ prE5feFEn ]n.职业, 专业
(13) independent[ indi5pendEnt ]n.中立派, 无党派者adj.独立自主的, 不受约束的
(14) expression[ iks5preFEn ]n.表达, 表情, n..表达式, 符号
(15) shocked[ FCkt ]adj.震惊的,震撼的
- The hem on her skirt needs sewing.她裙子上的褶边需要缝一缝。
- The hem of your dress needs to be let down an inch.你衣服的折边有必要放长1英寸。
- How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间?
- I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
- This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
- There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
- Social tensions were manifested in the recent political crisis. 最近的政治危机显示了社会关系的紧张。
- These disagreements are symptomatic of the tensions within the party. 出现意见分歧表明该党内部的关系紧张。
- He took care never to offend his visitors.他小心谨慎,绝不得罪他的访客。
- I think I never offend you.我想我从没有触犯过你。
- He never revealed his identity.他从未暴露过自己的身份。
- He showed his identity card and went in.他把工作证亮了一下就进去了。
- The offending paragraph was deleted. 令某些人不悦的那段话已经删除。
- The petty clerk was afraid of offending his boss. 这个小职员不敢得罪他的老板。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
- With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他,这倒容易。
- This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
- The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。
- a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
- old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐
- His version of the events is pure supposition.他对这件事的说法纯属猜测。
- What is your version of this matter?你对这件事情的看法 怎么样?
- Susan was an intense young lady.苏珊是一个热情的年轻姑娘。
- The quarrel caused her intense unhappiness.争吵令她极其不快。