2007年VOA标准英语-Childhood Reflections Inspire Patty Griffin on

By Katherine Cole
Washington
20 February 2007

Ever since releasing her first album in 1996, critics have been raving¹ about Patty Griffin and her songs. While you're unlikely to hear Patty singing them on most U.S. commercial radio stations, that doesn't mean that she's not a success. The Dixie Chicks, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Martina McBride, even Jessica Simpson have turned Patty's songs into hit records. VOA's Katherine Cole reports on Patty Griffin's newest album, Children Running Through.

Patty Griffin has a voice that sounds wistful to some listeners. But don't confuse wistful with weak. Her songs are quiet, but they're always powerful. Take, for example, Trapeze, that duet with Emmylou Harris. Written from a childhood memory of a circus performance, it's the story of a female trapeze artist, someone who knows she has to take risks in order to fully² experience life.

That's just what Patty Griffin has done in her own career. Born in Maine, Griffin was the youngest of seven children. By age 12, Patty realized she liked to sing more than anything else. Soon she began writing. She never gave much thought to being a professional musician until she was in her late 20s. Today, Patty Griffin is the writer that many female singers, and their producers, turn to for subtle, understated, and elegant songs.

Children Running Through

While she's often reluctant to talk about the experiences that led her to write some earlier songs, Patty says a good portion of Children Running Through comes from her own childhood. "Burgundy Shoes," a song with the one-word chorus, "sun", comes out of her happy memory of a shopping trip with her mother.

Patty Griffin is known for writing dark or moody³ songs, so much so that she was recently challenged by a friend to write something in a more joyful⁴ style. "Burgundy Shoes" was the result of that challenge.

Except to call it "beautiful," it is hard to define what kind of music Patty Griffin is making on her new CD. She's not simply a singer-songwriter or a country singer. It is fair to call her a "folk singer," as the songs on Children Running Through are folk songs in the historical sense of the words: Songs that come out of a combination of bits and pieces of all kinds of American music. There is not just one sound on this album. Rock, blues⁵, soul, gospel and jazz are all mixed into a working combination. More rock than folk, and featuring a horn section, "No Bad News" is one of the more uptempo songs on Children Running Through.  It sounds almost like an anthem⁶.

Patty Griffin's songs are not only about life's difficulties, but also about the things that bring us joy and hope. People already in love with her storytelling will find much to like on Children Running Through.  Reviewers worldwide are calling it "a masterpiece," and "near perfect." That means those new to Patty Griffin's talent should be easily won over by this collection of 12 original songs.

1 raving   

adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地

参考例句：

• The man's a raving lunatic. 那个男子是个语无伦次的疯子。
• When I told her I'd crashed her car, she went stark raving bonkers. 我告诉她我把她的车撞坏了时，她暴跳如雷。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 moody   

adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的

参考例句：

• He relapsed into a moody silence.他又重新陷于忧郁的沉默中。
• I'd never marry that girl.She's so moody.我决不会和那女孩结婚的。她太易怒了。

4 joyful   

adj.欢乐的，令人欢欣的

参考例句：

• She was joyful of her good result of the scientific experiments.她为自己的科学实验取得好成果而高兴。
• They were singing and dancing to celebrate this joyful occasion.他们唱着、跳着庆祝这令人欢乐的时刻。

5 blues   

n.抑郁，沮丧；布鲁斯音乐

参考例句：

• She was in the back of a smoky bar singing the blues.她在烟雾弥漫的酒吧深处唱着布鲁斯歌曲。
• He was in the blues on account of his failure in business.他因事业失败而意志消沉。

6 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。