美国乡村音乐:Better As A Memory——Kenny Chesney

i move on like a sinners prayer
and letting go like a levee breaks
walk away as if i don't care
learn to shoulder my mistakes
or built to fade like your favorite song
get reckless¹ when there's no need
laugh as your stories ramble² on
break my heart, but it won't bleed
my only friends are pirates
that's just who i am
but i'm better as a memory than as your man

never sure when the truth won't bend
and pretty good on a lonely night
or move on the way a storm blows through
and never stay, but then again, i might.
i struggle sometimes to find the words
always sure until i doubt
walk a line until it blurs
build walls too high to climb out
but i'm honest to a fault
that's just who i am
i'm better as a memory than as your man

i see you leaning, you're bound³ to fall
i don't want to be that mistake
i'm just a dreamer and nothing more
you should know it before it gets too late

cause goodbyes are like a roulette wheel
you never know where they're gonna land
first you're spinning, then you're standing⁴ still
left holding a losing hand
but one day you're gonna find someone
and right away you'll know it's true
that all of your sinking's done
it was just a part of the passing through
right there in that moment you'll finally understand
that i was better as a memory than as your man
better as a memory than as your man

1968年3月26日，Kenny Chesney出生在已故著名乡村歌星Chet Atkins的诞生地，美国田纳西州东部城市Knoxville附近的小镇Luttrell。从小爱好音乐的Kenny Chesney自幼接收着当时盛行的一些乡村和摇滚音乐的熏陶，不过努力学习的他在进入东田纳西州立大学学习之前的时候，一直没有把音乐当成一个谋生手段来看待。但是在进入了东田纳西州立大学之后，Kenny Chesney开始弹奏吉他，并且加入了当地的一支蓝草音乐乐队，那把吉他原本是Kenny Chesney的圣诞礼物，后来却成为了他成长为一名一流乡村歌星的基础。经过一段时间的锻炼和提高，Kenny Chesney渐渐开始自己创作歌曲，随着不断的演出，Kenny Chesney得到了更多的演出机会，他自己也录制了一些小唱片在表演之后销售。
    1991年，Kenny Chesney从大学毕业之后来到了美国乡村音乐的圣城纳什维尔，经过一年的不断努力和积累，Kenny Chesney终于在这里得到了Acuff-Rose Music的合同，并且通过这里和Capricorn Records唱片公司签订了唱片合同。1994年，Kenny Chesney在Capricorn Records唱片公司发行了个人首张专辑《In My Wildest Dreams》，但是影响不是很大。因为Kenny Chesney所签订合同的Capricorn Records唱片公司并不是一家非常强的专业乡村音乐唱片公司，在Kenny Chesney的《In My Wildest Dreams》发行之后不久，Capricorn Records唱片公司的乡村分支就关张大吉，Kenny Chesney在Capricorn Records唱片公司的短暂生涯也就宣告结束了。虽然没有唱片公司的支持，但是Kenny Chesney的《In My Wildest Dreams》还是卖出了超过十万张，这样的成绩自然引起了另外的唱片公司的注意。

1 reckless   

adj.粗心大意的，鲁莽的

参考例句：

• The policeman chewed out the driver for reckless driving.那位司机因为开车莽撞，被警察狠狠批评了一顿。
• He thought she was too reckless at it.他觉得她对它太粗心大意了。

2 ramble   

v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延

参考例句：

• This is the best season for a ramble in the suburbs.这是去郊区漫游的最好季节。
• I like to ramble about the street after work.我下班后在街上漫步。

3 bound   

adj.一定的，必然的；受约束的，有义务的

参考例句：

• I feel honor bound to repay the money I borrowed.我觉得有责任归还我借的钱。
• If he signs that paper,he will be bound hand and foot.如果他签署那份文件，他就会受到束缚。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。