夏禮章／玫瑰園作者Joe South去世

文／夏禮章

作曲人與鄉村流行歌手Joe South九月5日不幸去世（72歲），由他作曲而由Lynn Anderson唱紅的(I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden和自己唱紅的Games People Play曾經非常受到歌迷們的喜歡。Joe South(圖／翻攝自網路)出生於喬治亞州亞特蘭大，本名Joseph Souter，當他還是一個青少年的時候就開始寫歌了，同時還在唱片公司的樂隊彈吉他，他參加過Aretha Franklin的歌Chain of Fools，Bob Dylan的專輯Blonde On Blonde和 Tommy Roe的Sheila這些名歌的錄音工作，1969年Joe終於以Games People Play獲得12名而於流行歌壇成名。Joe South其它知名作品有1970年的Walk A Mile In My Shoes，Billy Joe Royal的Down In The Boondocks和Deep Purple的Hush。Joe於 1979年獲選進入鄉村歌曲之都納許維爾的作曲家名人堂，2003年則進入喬治亞音樂名人堂。Games People Play這首歌於1969年獲得Grammy年度歌曲獎。

Games People PlayJoe South Oh the games people play nowEvery night and every day nowNever meaning what they say nowNever saying what they meanAnd they wile away the hoursIn their ivory towersTill they're covered up with flowersIn the back of a black limousine[Chorus:]La-da da da da da da daLa-da da da da da deTalking 'bout you and meAnd the games people playOh we make one another cryBreak a heart then we say goodbyeCross our hearts and we hope to dieThat the other was to blameNeither one will give inSo we gaze at our eight by tenThinking 'bout the things that might have beenIt's a dirty rotten shame[Chorus]People walking up to youSinging glory halleluliaAnd they're tryin to sock it to youIn the name of the LordThey're gonna teach you how to meditateRead your horoscope, cheat your faithAnd further more to hell with hateCome on and get on board[Chorus]Look around tell me what you seeWhat's happening to you and meGod grant me the serenityTo remember who I amCause you've given up your sanityFor your pride and your vanityTurns you sad on humanityAnd you don't give a da da da da da