美国乡村音乐:The Giving Tree一棵奉献树

The Giving Tree一棵奉献树
    词曲作者:西尔弗斯坦Shel Silverstein
    歌手：巴比貝尔Bobby Bare
     Once there was a giving tree
　　Who loved a little boy
　　And everyday the boy would come to play
　　Swinging from her branches
　　Sleeping in her shades
　　Laughing all the summer hours away
　　And so they loved, and oh the tree was happy
　　Oh, the tree was glad
　　
　　But soon the boy grew older
　　And one day he came and said
　　Can you give me some money, tree
　　To buy some things I've found
　　I have no money, said the tree
　　Just apples, twigs¹ and leaves
　　But you can take my apples, boy
　　And sell them in the town
　　And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
　　Oh, the tree was glad
　　
　　Soon again the boy came back
　　And he said to the tree, I'm now a man
　　And I must have a house that's all my own
　　I can't give you a house, said the tree
　　The forest is my home
　　But you may cut my branches off
　　And build yourself a home
　　And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
　　Oh, the tree was glad
　　
　　And time went by and the boy came back
　　With sadness in his eyes
　　My life has turned so cold, he said
　　And I need sunny days
　　I'm nothing buy my trunk, she said
　　But you may cut it down
　　And build yourself a boat and sail away
　　And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
　　Oh, the tree was glad
　　
　　And after years, the boy came back
　　From both ends of the world
　　I really cannot help you
　　If you ask another gift
　　I'm nothing but an old stump² now
　　I'm sorry, boy, she said
　　I'm sorry, but I've nothing more to give
　　I don't need very much now
　　Just a quiet place to rest
　　The boy, he whispered³ with a weary⁴ smile
　　Well, said the tree, an old stump is still as good for that
　　Come, boy, she said, sit down
　　Sit down and rest awhile
　　And so he did, and oh the tree was happy
　　Oh, the tree was glad[/align]

这首歌的词曲作者西尔弗斯坦(Shel Silverstein)堪称二十世纪美国文艺界令人印象最为深刻的鬼才之一，1932年出生于芝加哥，少年时代就因为缺乏运动细胞、长相又不讨女孩子喜欢，因此决定把自己的时间用来写诗和作画，由于当时的他从未接触过任何名家的作品，反而发展出一种非常独特的个人风格，等到女孩子们因为他的表现而开始注意到他的时候，他已经忙得没有时间去理会她们了。

西尔弗斯坦多才多艺，除了诗人、画家、词曲作家、唱片制作人和歌手等身份之外，他令人印象最为深刻的，却是他为儿童们所绘制与编写的儿童文学作品，以及童诗与儿歌。不过，他并不是一开始就从事儿童作品创作的，因为他早期都是以成年人作为设定的读者群，由于他的出版公司主编独具慧眼，建议他尝试儿童作品，没想到却激发了他的另一种潜力。出版於1964年的《奉献的树》是他最早的儿童文学作品之一，也是最受推崇与喜爱的经典，其他有名的作品还包括《失落的一角》（The Missing⁵ Piece, 1976）和《阁楼上的光》（A Light in the Attic⁶, 1981）等等，这些优秀的作品国内都可以找到中译本。

这首歌的演唱者巴比贝尔是西尔弗斯坦的老友，也是乡村歌坛最具特色的资深艺人之一。他来自俄亥俄州，出身贫门，青少年时代在农场和成衣厂打工。由于喜爱音乐、却又买不起乐器，自己做了一把吉他开始练习，进而在一支乡村乐队里面找到一份没有酬劳的工作。他最重要的作品，是在70年代推出的一系列专辑，这首“一棵奉献树”就是他跟鬼才大师西尔弗斯坦合作，根据《奉献的树》这篇儿童作品改编的一首想到成功的歌曲。

1 twigs   

细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Some birds build nests of twigs. 一些鸟用树枝筑巢。
• Willow twigs are pliable. 柳条很软。

2 stump   

n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走

参考例句：

• He went on the stump in his home state.他到故乡所在的州去发表演说。
• He used the stump as a table.他把树桩用作桌子。

3 whispered   

adj.耳语的，低语的v.低声说( whisper的过去式和过去分词 )；私语；小声说；私下说

参考例句：

• She sidled up to me and whispered something in my ear. 她悄悄走上前来，对我耳语了几句。
• His ill luck has been whispered about the neighborhood. 他的不幸遭遇已在邻居中传开。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 weary   

adj.疲劳的，使人疲劳的；vi.厌烦，不耐烦

参考例句：

• He has laid out all his strength and is weary.他使出了全部气力，非常疲倦。
• I am weary of his constant complaints.我对他不断发牢骚感到厌烦。

5 missing   

adj.遗失的，缺少的，失踪的

参考例句：

• Check the tools and see if anything is missing.检点一下工具，看有无丢失。
• All the others are here;he's the only one missing.别人都来了，就短他一个。

6 attic   

n.顶楼，屋顶室

参考例句：

• Leakiness in the roof caused a damp attic.屋漏使顶楼潮湿。
• What's to be done with all this stuff in the attic?顶楼上的材料怎么处理？