B's Private Land

　　如果記的沒錯的話，這首"Walking In Memphis"應該是Marc Cohn名次最高的單曲，也是他最為人知悉的一首歌。

　　歌曲一開始以鋼琴流暢的彈奏著簡單的旋律，鋼琴聲韻回盪聲中引領出的是一個聲音表情極為豐富的磁性男聲，不得不佩服的是Marc單純的用他的歌聲，滿足了整首歌所呈現出來對Memphis這音樂聖地豐盈充沛的情感，也難怪在91年時，他能以這支單曲一舉拿下Grammy Award的"Best New Artist"。

　　Memphis是藍調（Blues）音樂的起緣地，而藍調又是影響西方流行音樂頗深的一種樂風，幾種指標性的音樂類別，如：節奏藍調(R&B)、搖滾樂(Rock 'N Roll)、鄉村樂(Country)等......，皆與藍調有著密不可分的關係。由"Walking In Memphis"歌詞中所提到與音樂有關著名的人、事、物看來，不難想像Memphis的確是美國南方一個非常重要的音樂重鎮。

　　帶點鄉村、福音風味的Walking In Memphis"，混著Marc靈魂味十足的聲線，有別於90年初盛行節奏分明的R&B歌曲，清新脫俗的氣質，不失流行感卻也能特立於流行之外，在當時R&B盛行的年代拿到Top 20的佳績實屬不易；而悅耳動聽的音樂更讓人輕易的跟著Marc一同漫步在充滿濃濃音樂氣息的音樂之都，即使筆者未曾到過Memphis，但透過Marc與Memphis邂逅，又何嘗不是件浪漫的事呢！

　　另外，順道一提的是，我個人非常喜愛的女歌手Cher在96年時發的一張重唱專輯"It's A Man's World"中，也重唱了"Walking In Memphis"，並成為美國著名影集X檔案第五季"The Post-Modern Prometheus"的片尾曲。兩個版本都很好聽，不過Cher的版本在歌詞上有做了些微的修改，『將"Now Muriel plays pian every Friday at the Hollywood"中的Muriel改成Gabriel；以及"And I said Ma'am, I am tonight"的Ma'am改為Man』。Youtube裡有個網友將Marc和Cher兩個人的歌聲，編輯出一個合唱的版本，感覺還蠻妙的。

相關視頻：

1. Walking In Memphis by Cher

2. Walking In Memphis by Marc Cohn & Cher 

MV欣賞：

Put on my blue suede shoes
And I boarded the plane
Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues
In the middle of the pouring rain
W.C. Handy -- won't you look down over me
Yeah I got a first class ticket
But I'm as blue as a boy can be

 Then I'm walking in Memphis
Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale
Walking in Memphis
But do I really feel the way I feel

 Saw the ghost of Elvis
On Union Avenue
Followed him up to the gates of Graceland
Then I watched him walk right through
Now security they did not see him
They just hovered 'round his tomb
But there's a pretty little thing
Waiting for the King
Down in the Jungle Room

(Chorus)

They've got catfish on the table
They've got gospel in the air
And Reverend Green be glad to see you
When you haven't got a prayer
But boy you've got a prayer in Memphis

Now Muriel plays piano
Every Friday at the Hollywood
And they brought me down to see her
And they asked me if I would --
Do a little number
And I sang with all my might
And she said --
"Tell me are you a Christian child?"
And I said "Ma'am I am tonight"

(Chorus)

Put on my blue suede shoes
And I boarded the plane
Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues
In the middle of the pouring rain
Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues
In the middle of the pouring rain

註：

3. 文章圖片為"Walking In Memphis"單曲封面。

4. 『相關視頻』1&2皆轉貼自http://youtube.com，"1：uploaded & edited by dlsdlopes"、"2：uploaded by nanzi1291"。

5. MV轉貼自網站http://youku.com，uploaded by syusukeyuki。