A Whiter Shade of Pale是英國前衛(wèi)搖滾團體Procol Harum在1967年發(fā)行的同名專輯中的主打歌。“A Whiter Shade of Pale開頭如神啟、空靈般的管風琴旋律(據稱是借鑒了巴赫“G弦上的詠嘆調”之樣式)是最令人永難忘懷的,三十多年來有關它的傳說不斷,同時也是后代試圖探討或詮釋六十年代精神的最佳曲目。”
雖然Procol Harum在60年代搖滾鼎盛時期只能算是一個影響力有限的小團體,但是這首代表作可以說是影響了一代又一代歌者。后人比較著名的翻唱是莎拉·布萊曼(Sarah Brighman)的拔尖高音版。
We skipped the light fandango
我們跳著輕快的方丹戈舞曲
Turned cartwheels cross the floor
調轉車輪穿過地面
I was feeling kind of seasick
我感覺有些暈船
The crowd called out for more
人群卻要我不停
The room was humming harder
房間嗡嗡震響
As the ceiling flew away
房頂似乎要被揭開
When we called out for another drink
當我們要再喝一杯時
But the waiter brought a tray
侍者卻帶來了托盤
And so it was later
然后就是
As the miller told his tale
作坊主講述他的故事
That her face at first just ghostly
起初他形容詭異
Turned a whiter shade of pale
掠過蒼白的淺影
You said there is no reason
你說無可厚非
And the truth is plain to see
真相就在眼前
But I wander through my playing cards
但我游蕩于紙牌游戲中
And would not let it be
不愿就此
I'm one of the sixteen virgins
我就是16個少女中的一個
Who are leaving for the coast
來到海邊
And although my eyes were open
雖然睜開雙眼
They might just as well been closed
似乎一直緊閉
(Repeat) 重復
A whiter shade of pale
幻化成蒼白的淺影
A whiter shade of pale 更淺的蒼白陰影
A whiter shade of pale Procol Harum
(Keith Reid/Gary Brooker)
*And so it was that later
They might just as we've been closed(*)
She said 'I'm home on shore leave'
Though in truth we were at sea
So I took her by the looking glass
And forced her to agree
Saying, 'You must be the mermaid
Who took Neptune for a ride'
But she smiled at me so sadly
That my anger straight away died
If music be the food of love
Then laughter is its queen
And likewise if behind is in front
Then dirt in truth is clean
My mouth by then like cardboard
Seemed to slip straight through my head
So we crash-dived straightway quickly
And attacked the ocean bed
更淺的蒼白陰影 普洛可哈倫合唱團
我們跳著輕快的方丹哥舞
側手翻越過地板
我有點暈船
但群眾吆喝著再來一些
屋內越來越吵雜
天花板好象掀開
我們叫另一盅酒
侍者帶了一個托盤
就在這不久之后
磨坊主人說起他的故事
她的臉,起初如鬼魅般
轉為更淺的蒼白陰影
她說沒有任何原因
事實顯而易見
但我漫不經心在紙牌間
不允許她成為
十六位灶神的貞仆之一
離開我往海邊去
雖然我睜開了雙眼
他們卻仿佛是緊閉
她說:「我趁休假回家一趟?!?br />
雖然事實上我們還在海上
我?guī)界R子前面
逼她承認
并說:「你一定是條
擺了海神一道的美人魚」
看到她對我笑得如此哀傷
我的怒氣頓時消散無蹤
如果音樂是愛情食糧
笑聲便是其女王
同樣地,如果過去能重現(xiàn)
那土也會是干凈的
我的嘴巴那時像片紙板
似乎直接從我頭袋溜竄
因此我們立刻緊急下潛
直到撞擊海床