VOA常速英语2007年-Boyz II Men Celebrate 20th Anniversary With New

By Larry London
Washington
17 December 2007
 

With five Number One hits between 1992 and 1997, the group Boyz II Men has secured a permanent place in music history. Through their wonderful harmonies and poetic¹ lyrics², and a career that has spanned 20 years, the band has truly come full circle as members who started as teenagers but are now in their mid-30s, reflecting the name Boyz II Men. VOA's Larry London has this exclusive story about one of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's best-loved bands.

Before the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, or 98 Degrees, there was Boyz II Men. Starting in 1988 as a quintet, the group found fame as a quartet with Motown Records in 1991 with its debut³ CD, Coolyhighharmony.

Nathan Morris, Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman, and Wanya Morris have sold close to 100 million records around the world. The Recording⁴ Industry Association of America recently named Boyz II Men as the Best Selling R&B group of all time.

"16 years of hard work and dedication⁵ to try to be the best. It's weird⁶ because we didn't get in to the business to be that," says Nathan Morris. "As a matter of fact, we weren't really looking to get a record deal when we got into the music industry. Everything has just been one blessing⁷ after another for us. We try to work hard and maintain."

 

Unlike many artists who have survived in the industry this long, Boyz II Men have been with five record companies. Now with Decca Records, it's interesting that the band would choose to cover songs from their first label on its latest album, titled, Motown: A Journey Through Hitsville U.S.A.

"On this album we have chosen, along with the record label, hits from the Motown era. The only thing we can possibly do with these songs is mess them up," laughs Wanya Morris. 

"As Boyz II Men, we tried to make sure we maintain the integrity of the songs, yet gave our little flavors to it here and there. We believe that this is one of our best albums to date," he adds.

The new CD was produced by American Idol⁸ judge Randy Jackson. Boyz II Men is enjoying its return to the world charts.

"Actually, we just found out that we are in the top 10 in [Britain]. It's a place where we haven't been in a long time," says Shawn Stockman. "It's a compliment to the work we have done. We are happy about the reception around the world."

In 1995, Mariah Carey included Boyz II Men on her Daydream⁹ album that featured the duet "One Sweet Day." The song earned two Grammy nominations¹⁰. Boyz II Men's 1992 hit, "End of the Road", remained at Number One for 13 weeks. The group remains¹¹ appreciative¹² of its international fans.

"They really pay attention. They have a sentiment when it comes to music and lyrical content. They are really into that type of thing over there. It lets us know that our job is being done," Wayna said.

Boyz II Men went through a change in 2003 as Michael McCary left the band due to health issues.

 

Nathan Morris says McCary is doing well.  "He's doing good. He actually moved to L.A., and is doing some acting¹³ and things like that," said Nathan. "We're not happy that it's a trio, but unfortunately this is what it is. We have worked too hard for 20 years, like you said, to just stop. So we have got to keep moving."

Boyz II Men is on a world tour with stops in France, Jamaica, and the U.K., and will spend 2008 touring the U.S.

"We didn't plan on any of this happening. Some people grow up and say they want to do certain things. I know we all had different aspirations¹⁴ as individuals to be singers or something eventually," says Nathan Morris. "To be in the group and do the things that we have done, the records we have broken, the people's lives we've touched, the things that we've done … its mind-blowing."

1 poetic   

adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的

参考例句：

• His poetic idiom is stamped with expressions describing group feeling and thought.他的诗中的措辞往往带有描写群体感情和思想的印记。
• His poetic novels have gone through three different historical stages.他的诗情小说创作经历了三个不同的历史阶段。

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 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。

4 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

5 dedication   

n.奉献，献身，致力，题献，献辞

参考例句：

• We admire her courage,compassion and dedication.我们钦佩她的勇气、爱心和奉献精神。
• Her dedication to her work was admirable.她对工作的奉献精神可钦可佩。

6 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

7 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

8 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

9 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。

10 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

12 appreciative   

adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的

参考例句：

• She was deeply appreciative of your help.她对你的帮助深表感激。
• We are very appreciative of their support in this respect.我们十分感谢他们在这方面的支持。

13 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

14 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。