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39 美国音乐爱好者投票选出20世纪最佳歌曲
DATE=5/21/01
TITLE=THIS IS AMERICA #1065 - Songs of the Century
BYLINE=Jerilyn Watson
VOICE ONE:
Music lovers in the United States recently voted for the best songs of the Twentieth （1）Century. The （2）competition was designed to help school children learn about music. I'm Shirley Griffith.
VOICE TWO:
And I'm Sarah Long. We play some of the "Songs of the Century" on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
((THEME))
VOICE ONE:
Two （3）organizations have （4）launched a program to improve music education in schools. The Recording Industry Association of America and the National （5）Endowment for the Arts began the project with a competition called "Songs of the Century." Hundreds of music lovers across the country voted for songs they liked best from the past 100 years.
Voters included elected officials, people in the music industry, teachers, students and members of the media. They chose from a list of more than 100 recordings of historical importance. The voters chose 365 songs as "Songs of the Century." Children in 10,000schools will hear the songs on school computers later this year. They will also learn how music is written, （6）performed and produced.
VOICE TWO:
The "Songs of the Century" competition was divided into nine periods. The first period was from Eighteen-Ninety to Nineteen-Twenty. During these years many people came from other countries to live in the United States. Some of the music of this time showed their love for their new country.
For example, voters chose a recording of "America the Beautiful" sung by Louise Homer. They also liked the happy musical beat of a piano piece written and played by Scott Joplin called "The （7）Entertainer."
Voters chose "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" sung by Billy Murray as the top song of this time. It honors baseball, America's national sport.
VOICE ONE:
The Nineteen-Twenties were often called "The （8）Jazz Age." African American artists wrote and performed a number of songs chosen among the best of this time. Louis Armstrong performs "When the Saints Go Marching In." It won the top number of votes for Jazz Age songs.
((TAPE CUT ONE: "WHEN THE SAINTS GO MARCHING IN"))
VOICE TWO:
The Nineteen-Thirties were years of deep economic （9）depression. Many Americans had no jobs, no money and very little hope. The top song of this period was also chosen best song of the century. It is "Over the Rainbow" by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. Judy Garland first sang the song in the movie "The Wizard of Oz" in Nineteen-Thirty-Nine.
((TAPE CUT TWO: "OVER THE RAINBOW"))
VOICE ONE:
Music historians call the years from Nineteen-Forty to Nineteen-Fifty "The Swing Era." People loved to dance to swing music. Voters chose music from World War Two on their list of best songs. They chose the Andrews Sisters singing "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." They also voted for "This Land Is Your Land." Folksinger and songwriter Woody Guthrie recorded this song in Nineteen-Forty-Seven.
A song by Irving Berlin was chosen as the top song of this period. Here is Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas."
((TAPE CUT THREE: "WHITE CHRISTMAS"))
VOICE TWO:
Americans liked （10）romantic love songs during the Nineteen-Fifties. They also liked rock and roll music. This new music was becoming popular all over the world. Bill Haley and His Comets perform the top choice of voters from this period. The song is called "Rock Around the Clock."
(TAPE CUT FOUR: "ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK"))
VOICE ONE:
Some of the most popular songs of the Nineteen-Sixties were about social protest in the United States. For example, Joan Baez recorded "We Shall Overcome." （11）Demonstrators for civil rights for African Americans often sang this song. Voters chose several recordings by the Beatles among the top songs of the Nineteen-Sixties. Otis Redding wrote the winning song from the Nineteen-Sixties. Here is Aretha Franklin singing "Respect."
((TAPE CUT FIVE: "RESPECT"))
VOICE TWO:
The Nineteen-Seventies were best known for rock music. Voters also liked a song sung by Barbra Streisand called "The Way We Were." And they liked Loretta Lynn singing "Coal Miner's Daughter."
Don McLean wrote and sang the top song of the Nineteen-Seventies, "American （12）Pie."
((TAPE CUT SIX: "AMERICAN PIE"))
VOICE ONE:
Rock, country music and love songs all appeared on the list of best songs of the Nineteen-Eighties. For example, Joan Jett recorded "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." Country singer Willie Nelson performed "On the Road Again."
Tina Turner recorded the top song for the Nineteen-Eighties called "What's Love Got To Do with it?"
((TAPE CUT SEVEN: "WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?"))
VOICE TWO:
People also chose several kinds of music for the Nineteen-Nineties. They voted for a sad song by Elton John that honored movie star Marilyn Monroe called "Candle in the Wind." They also liked the happy sound of "Livin' La Vida Loca" sung by Ricky Martin. The group (13) Nirvana performs the song voters liked best from the last ten years of the century. It is called "Smells like Teen （14）Spirit."
((TAPE CUT EIGHT: "SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT "))
VOICE ONE:
Early in the last century, people operated record players by turning a handle. Now we listen to C-Ds or play music on computers. As time passes, the children of today may hear music in new and different ways. And some day, their children may choose the top songs of the Twenty-First Century.
((THEME))
VOICE TWO:
This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. It was produced by Cynthia Kirk. Our studio engineer was Keith Holmes. I'm Sarah Long.
VOICE ONE:
And I'm Shirley Griffith. Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.
注释：
（1） century[ 5sentFuri, -tFEri ]n.世纪, 百年
（2） competition[ kCmpi5tiFEn ]n.竞争, 竞赛
（3） organization[ 7C:^Enai5zeiFEn ]n.组织, 机构
（4） launch[ lC:ntF, lB:ntF ]n.下水, 汽艇v. 开办, 发动
（5） endowment[ in5daumEnt ]n.捐赠, 捐赠的基金(或财产)
（6） perform[ pE5fC:m ]v.履行, 执行v.完成任务
（7） entertainer[entE5teInE(r)]n.款待者, 表演娱乐节目的人
（8） Jazz [dVAz ] n.(20世纪产生于美国的一种舞曲性音乐)爵士乐, 喧闹
（9） depression[ di5preFEn ]n.沮丧, 消沉
（10） romantic[ rE5mAntik ] adj.传奇式的, 浪漫的
（11） demonstrator[ 5demEnstreitE ]n.论证者, 示威者adj.传奇式的, 浪漫的
（12） pie[ pai ]n.馅饼
（13） nirvana[ niE5vB:nE, nE:5v- ]n.涅盘, 天堂
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