美国国家公共电台 NPR--Lyrics from 'One by One,' written by Connie Converse, will stay with you

Lyrics² from 'One by One,' written by Connie Converse³, will stay with you

Transcript⁴

We asked NPR Music's classical producer Tom Huizenga: Was there one lyric¹ from 2022 that stayed with you all year? He chose a line from the song "One by One," recorded by Julia Bullock.

A MART?NEZ, HOST:

Sometimes when you hear a song, it can move you in unexpected ways. We're asking some of the folks who report on music here at NPR which set of lyrics from the past year stayed with you?

TOM HUIZENGA, BYLINE⁵: I'm Tom Huizenga from NPR Music. This is a deceptive⁶ little song way off the radar⁷ called "One By One." And it was written by Connie Converse. The backstory is pretty crazy. Connie Converse was a singer-songwriter who had a brief flicker⁸ of recognition in the 1950s. But she never cut an album. And in 1974, at age 50, she disappeared. And she was never heard from again. But it appears on soprano Julia Bullock's recent album.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ONE BY ONE")

JULIA BULLOCK: (Singing) We go walking in the dark.

HUIZENGA: This little song describes a couple walking out at night, but they're not together. And the lines go, it's not as lovers go - two by two, to and fro - but it's one by one. And then something really amazing happens at the end of the song. It shifts from dark to light, from this disconnection to the possibility of hope in these lines that go, if I had your hand in mine, I could shine. I could shine like the morning sun.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ONE BY ONE")

BULLOCK: (Singing) If I had your hand in mine, I could shine. I could shine.

HUIZENGA: It makes me think of our very precious and yet really precarious⁹ connections that we have to each other as human beings, as friends, as colleagues and lovers. And, you know, one of the disconnections that I felt myself over the last couple of years was that I lost my dad last year to COVID. And I couldn't be with him because there was a lockdown where he lived. So I lost that physical connection with him when he passed. And a lot of other people have experienced the same thing or just other disconnections from COVID, from politics, from whatever. And this song, you know, for me is just a little pain - or love song to all the disconnected souls out there who are yearning¹⁰ for love and human contact at a time where it's difficult sometimes.

(SOUNDBITE OF JULIA BULLOCK SONG, "ONE BY ONE")

MART?NEZ: The song is "One By One," written by Connie Converse, sung by Julia Bullock. Tom Huizenga is NPR Music's classical producer.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "ONE BY ONE")

BULLOCK: (Singing) We go walking in the dark. We go walking...

1 lyric   

n.抒情诗，歌词；adj.抒情的

参考例句：

• This is a good example of Shelley's lyric poetry.这首诗是雪莱抒情诗的范例。
• His earlier work announced a lyric talent of the first order.他的早期作品显露了一流的抒情才华。

2 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。

3 converse   

vi.谈话，谈天，闲聊；adv.相反的，相反

参考例句：

• He can converse in three languages.他可以用3种语言谈话。
• I wanted to appear friendly and approachable but I think I gave the converse impression.我想显得友好、平易近人些,却发觉给人的印象恰恰相反。

4 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 deceptive   

adj.骗人的，造成假象的，靠不住的

参考例句：

• His appearance was deceptive.他的外表带有欺骗性。
• The storyline is deceptively simple.故事情节看似简单，其实不然。

7 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

8 flicker   

vi./n.闪烁，摇曳，闪现

参考例句：

• There was a flicker of lights coming from the abandoned house.这所废弃的房屋中有灯光闪烁。
• At first,the flame may be a small flicker,barely shining.开始时，光辉可能是微弱地忽隐忽现，几乎并不灿烂。

9 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

10 yearning   

a.渴望的；向往的；怀念的

参考例句：

• a yearning for a quiet life 对宁静生活的向往
• He felt a great yearning after his old job. 他对过去的工作有一种强烈的渴想。