Charles Mok 可圈可點

Rock on!

夏韶聲出席民建聯的國慶搖滾音樂會，引來年青網民不滿，Johnny在Facebook寫了「搖滾精神容不下奴才」，這一代令我也回想起自己十來歲時接觸Rock'n'Roll，那時真的不懂說什麼精神，但七十年代中期美國和全世界才剛走出越戰陰影，年青人以音樂表達對社會不滿，對當權者批判，我感受是很深的。今日的年青人絕對有權和義務批判夏詔聲「為五斗米折腰」，一如年青時的夏詔聲，也必定曾感受過搖滾的批判精神。

八十年代我初讀大學時，冇錢也要買來看的《滾石》雜誌("Rolling Stone")，曾經選出25大「示威歌曲」(protest songs)，「反對」的最多是戰爭，反映六、七十年代的背景，也有不少是針對社會不公義，甚至直接批領導人(總統)。這些「投訴」歌曲，有些是頗「溫柔」甚至很哲學的，像Bob Dylan早期民歌風的"Blowin' in the Wind"(YouTube | 歌詞)；也有像U2的激揚而詩歌(poetic)般的，以北愛戰爭和宗教為背景的"Sunday Bloody Sunday"(YouTube | 歌詞)，或紀念黑人民權領袖馬丁路德金的"Pride (In the Name of Love)"(YouTube | 歌詞)，都屬我的至愛。

七、八十年代英國Punk/New Wave樂隊中，The Jam和The Clash是我的「飛佛」。The Jam的"In The City"(YouTube | 歌詞)，串的是警察暴力("In the city there's a thousand men in uniforms; And I've heard they now have the right to kill a man")，"Eton Rifles"(YouTube | 歌詞)主題是階級矛盾，靈感來自一次工人示威與貴族學校學生的打鬥("I'd prefer the plague to the Eton Rifles")... The Clash直接了當地唱出白人青年不滿的"White Riot"(YouTube | 歌詞)("Black man gotta lot a problems; But they don't mind throwing a brick; White people go to school; Where they teach you how to be thick")，還有好聽多的"London Calling"(YouTube with Bruce Springsteen | 歌詞)，和玩到伊朗的"Rock The Casbah"(YouTube | 歌詞)...

美國音樂人中最直接地批判政府政策，令我印象最深刻的莫過於Jackson Browne，他1986年的"Lives in the Balance"(YouTube | 歌詞)，代表列根年代的左派良心，("You hear one thing again and again; How the U.S.A. stands for freedom; And we come to the aid of a friend; But who are the ones that we call our friends; These governments killing their own? Or the people who finally cant take any more; And they pick up a gun or a brick or a stone")。


"Lives in the Balance" (2007年反伊拉克戰爭示威版本)

就算美國搖滾教父Bruce Springsteen的經典「愛國」歌曲"Born in the U.S.A."(YouTube 東柏林版 | 歌詞)，也是駡政府的("I got in a little hometown jam; And so they put a rifle in my hands; Sent me off to Vietnam; To go and kill the yellow man")，這才是自由，民主。

真的，愛國才應該駡政府，讚除了為統治者貼金有其舍用。莎翁在《無事生非》("Much Ado About Nothing")中有一句："There is not one wise man in twenty that will praise himself"。中國和中國人，學吓吧。

誰說藝術不應涉及政治？政治乃眾人的事，不干人事的藝術，沒有靈魂。尤其是年青人表達反叛的搖滾，豈能不政治，豈能變為執政掌權者的工具？昨晚衝上台的年青人，做得好！年青不輕狂，等老乎？年少不為理想，枉為少年！Rock on！


Rolling Stone Rock List: Readers' Best Protest Songs
25. R.E.M. — "Ignoreland"
24. Sam Cooke — "A Change Is Gonna Come"
23. Bob Marley — "Get Up Stand Up"
22. Bright Eyes — "When the President Talks to God"
21. The Rolling Stones — "Street Fighting Man"
20. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young — "Ohio"
19. The Beatles — "Revolution"
18. John Lennon — "Working Class Hero"
17. Bob Marley — "Redemption Song"
16. Guns n' Roses — "Civil War"
15. Neil Young — "Let's Impeach the President"
14. Public Enemy — "Fight the Power"
13. Buffalo Springfield — "For What It's Worth"
12. John Lennon — "Gimme Some Truth"
11. The Who — "Won't Get Fooled Again"
10. Edwin Starr — "War"
9. Bruce Springsteen — "Born in the USA"
8. Sex Pistols — "Anarchy in the UK"
7. Marvin Gaye — "What's Goin' On?"
6. Bob Dylan — "Blowin' in the Wind"
5. U2 — "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
4. Country Joe and the Fish — "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag"
3. Rage Against the Machine — "Killing in the Name"
2. Bob Dylan — "Masters of War"
1. Creedence Clearwater Revival — "Fortunate Son"

posted by Charles Mok @ 9:34 PM