2009/04/08

是嗎?瓊斯先生?

拜網際網路之賜,資訊的搜尋、知識的學習,不論在數量、品質、或者速度上,都與我求學時期有了截然不同的社會條件,因此,我可以很方便地溫習年少時的癖好,譬如Bob Dylan這位傳奇歌手(左圖取材自wikipedia)。

關於Dylan,網路上有太多的資料,有興趣的人只要google一下就有一堆,而且也可能會和我一樣,從這些資料的閱讀、重組中,獲得某種混合知性與感性的樂趣。

前幾天聽他的"ballad of a thin man"(譯成「薄弱男子之歌」?「弱雞之歌」?)這時候正好要與婷婷討論修改2009年關機運動海報的文宣引文,我把這首歌以及歌詞給她,問她:「歌詞裡頭的Something is happening here. But you don't know what it is. Do you, Mister Jones?把前兩句放進去如何?」她答說「好啊」,於是今天凌晨出爐的關機海報文字稿,有了以下的一段引文:

全球暖化、全球金融危機……這些波濤洶湧、方興未艾的全球性事件,似乎正把我們的生活捲進一個不確定性越來越高、風險越來越大的歷史漩渦裡頭。然而,電視上的相關報導,卻多半是片段的、浮光掠影的事件堆疊,讓我們隱然陷入「某些重要的事情正在發生,卻不知道究竟是什麼」的困惑與不安。

2009年的國際關機週,苗栗社大邀請您一起關掉電視,為自己和家人安排一週不看電視卻更具意義的日常生活,20日到24日也特別針對「全球化」議題,就經濟、政治、文化、社會、生態等不同面向,邀請專家帶領我們一窺堂奧。歡迎您在這段時間關掉電視,與家人朋友一起走進講堂,共同來學習、思索:我們以及孩子們的世界,究竟發生了什麼事?又將要走向何方?

引用的那兩句話,在我們的語用脈絡中,已經有了與歌曲不同的意義,當然,要反過來說我們的引用具有某種隱然的影射也可以(只是Mr. Jones要改成Mr. TV);不過,不管怎樣,喜歡"ballad of a thin man"的朋友,看到時可能會有種會心的一笑吧。

同樣拜網際網路之賜,要跟大家分享這首歌也變得容易起來:




歌詞如下:(翻譯很難,有興趣的人可以用google一下,應該會有不少中文翻譯)
You walk into the room
With your pencil in your hand
You see somebody naked
And you say, "Who is that man?"
You try so hard
But you don't understand
Just what you'll say
When you get home
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You raise up your head
And you ask, "Is this where it is?"
And somebody points to you and says
"It's his"
And you say, "What's mine?"
And somebody else says, "Where what is?"
And you say, "Oh my God
Am I here all alone?"
But something is happening here
And you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You hand in your ticket
And you go watch the geek
Who immediately walks up to you
When he hears you speak
And says, "How does it feel
To be such a freak?"
And you say, "Impossible"
As he hands you a bone
And something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
You have many contacts
Among the lumberjacks
To get you facts
When someone attacks your imagination
But nobody has any respect
Anyway they already expect you
To just give a check
To tax-deductible charity organizations
You've been with the professors
And they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have
Discussed lepers and crooks
You've been through all of
F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well read
It's well known
But something is happening here
And you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Well, the sword swallower, he comes up to you
And then he kneels
He crosses himself
And then he clicks his high heels
And without further notice
He asks you how it feels
And he says, "Here is your throat back
Thanks for the loan"
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home"
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?
Well, you walk into the room
Like a camel and then you frown
You put your eyes in your pocket
And your nose on the ground
There ought to be a law
Against you comin' around
You should be made
To wear earphones
Because something is happening here
But you don't know what it is
Do you, Mister Jones?

(文祥)

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