VOA标准英语2011--Scotty McCreery's Future Career Looks 'Clear As Day'

Scotty McCreery's Future Career Looks 'Clear As Day'

“American Idol” 2011 winner Scotty McCreery has just released his debut¹ album and he's already setting records.

“Clear As Day” is the debut album by Country singer Scotty McCreery. With first-week sales totaling close to 197,000 copies, he became this year’s first new Country artist to debut at Number One on the Billboard² 200 chart. Scotty was only 17 years old when “Clear As Day” was released, making him the youngest male in history to enter at the top of the all-genre chart with a debut album.

The North Carolina native turned 18 just five days after “Clear As Day” hit the market. He celebrated³ both events with a free hometown concert attended by nearly 15,000 fans.

Scotty’s deep voice has brought him comparisons to Josh Turner and Randy Travis. Drawing from a wide range of musical influences that include George Strait, Jamey Johnson, Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash, Scotty feels that “Clear As Day” contains a good mix of contemporary and traditional styles.

And, he says the songs are a true representation of his life and values.

“I wouldn’t cut a song that’s not me, you know. That’s what I really wanted to accomplish on this album," he said. "Create something that really showed who I am as a person and I think every single song on this album speaks a little bit about me.”

"I Love You This Big” was the lead single from “Clear As Day.” The song opened at Number 32 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, which was the highest debut entry for a new artist since 1984.

After wrapping up the “American Idols⁴ Live Tour,” Scotty returned home to finish his senior year of high school. He says following graduation he plans to attend college while juggling⁵ the demands of his music career.

The second single from “Clear As Day” is currently climbing the Country chart. Scotty explains why he decided⁶ to record the track.

“’The Trouble With Girls,’ my second single, it’s probably one of my favorites on the album," he said. "It’s got a haunting melody, and I found myself, the day after I heard the demo, singing it in my head. The lyrics⁷ to it, they’re sweet. The girls want to hear it and the guys are feeling it, so I figured it would be a good one to put on the album.”

1 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

2 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

3 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

4 idols   

偶像( idol的名词复数 )； 受崇拜的人或物； 受到热爱和崇拜的人或物； 神像

参考例句：

• The genii will give evidence against those who have worshipped idols. 魔怪将提供证据来反对那些崇拜偶像的人。 来自英汉非文学 - 文明史
• Teenagers are very sequacious and they often emulate the behavior of their idols. 青少年非常盲从，经常模仿他们的偶像的行为。

5 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。