VOA标准英语2012--Remembering Davy Jones

Remembering Davy Jones

Most of his fans first heard of Davy Jones in 1966, when the Monkees television program invaded living rooms worldwide. In reality, the then 21-year-old actor and singer from Manchester in the United Kingdom was a show business veteran. He got his start as a teen actor on British television, and later performed in the West End and Broadway casts of the musical “Oliver.”
While appearing in that show, Davy Jones found himself on The “Ed Sullivan Show” in the U.S. the same night that millions of people tuned¹ in to see the Beatles’ American TV debut². In later years, Jones often told the story of hearing hundreds of teenagers screaming as the Beatles played, and deciding then and there that he wanted to be a pop star.
Within two years, he was. And, almost 50 years later, the theme song to the television program that made Davy Jones a household name is still burned into the brains of baby boomers around the world.
The Monkees television show was developed to cash in on the success of the Beatles film “A Hard Day’s Night.” Running for only two years, it made stars of Jones and his bandmates Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Micky Dolenz. Jones played the part of “the cute one.” A quick look at Twitter and Facebook messages that have popped up since his passing confirm that Davy is remembered decades later as a first crush and teen heartthrob.
The continued success and beloved status of the Monkees is something that Davy Jones didn’t take lightly, or for granted. In a recent interview, Jones talked appreciatively about his longtime fans.
“I love the reaction of the audience," he said. "I’m looking out there, and people are actually singing along. I think that makes it for me. I mean, the fact that the songs are recognizable, we do them the way we did them.”
While the Monkees were often derided³ for not being a “real band,” just four actors and singers thrown together for a television program, no one can discount their success. They sold millions of records and helped further the careers of their songwriters. The Monkees had number one hits with **John Stewart’s "Daydream⁴ Believer," Neil Diamond's "I'm a Believer," and Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart's "Last Train to Clarksville." Davy Jones sang lead on several of the Monkees’ bigger hits, including another now classic Neil Diamond song, “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You.”
Looking back, it’s easy to say that the Monkees’ songs would be successful. After all, they had a weekly television program and millions of devoted⁵ fans. In reality, the Monkees sold millions of records because they released good songs by great writers and recorded them with some of Los Angeles' top studio musicians. Within a year of their debut single, the Monkees released four albums, all of which hit number one and continue to sell well today.
Though the Monkees broke up soon after their television show ended, the ensuing⁶ years brought a number of reunions. Last year, Davy, Micky, and Peter briefly⁷ toured the U.S. and Britain before mysteriously canceling their remaining dates.
In his post-Monkee life, Davy Jones was an actor and avid⁸ horseman. He also continued to tour, with his final New York City performance occurring 11 days before his death of an apparent⁹ heart attack at his home in Florida. Davy Jones was 66 years old when he died. Thanks to television and hit singles, however, fans will forever remember him as a cute 21-year-old pop star.

1 tuned   

adj.调谐的，已调谐的v.调音( tune的过去式和过去分词 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• The resort is tuned in to the tastes of young and old alike. 这个度假胜地适合各种口味，老少皆宜。
• The instruments should be tuned up before each performance. 每次演出开始前都应将乐器调好音。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 derided   

v.取笑，嘲笑( deride的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• His views were derided as old-fashioned. 他的观点被当作旧思想受到嘲弄。
• Gazing up to the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity. 我抬头疑视着黑暗，感到自己是一个被虚荣心驱使和拨弄的可怜虫。 来自辞典例句

4 daydream   

v.做白日梦，幻想

参考例句：

• Boys and girls daydream about what they want to be.孩子们遐想着他们将来要干什么。
• He drifted off into another daydream.他飘飘然又做了一个白日梦。

5 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

6 ensuing   

a.继而发生的

参考例句：

• In the ensuing confusion another eight persons were hurt. 在随后的骚动中，又有八人受伤。
• I lost my bag in the ensuing chaos. 我在随后的混乱中丟了包。

7 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

8 avid   

adj.热心的；贪婪的；渴望的；劲头十足的

参考例句：

• He is rich,but he is still avid of more money.他很富有,但他还想贪图更多的钱。
• She was avid for praise from her coach.那女孩渴望得到教练的称赞。

9 apparent   

adj.表面上的，貌似真实的，显然的，明明白白的

参考例句：

• The apparent truth was really a lie.表面上看似实话，实际上是个谎言。
• His guilt is apparent to all.他的罪恶尽人皆知。