VOA标准英语2010年-Dreams Come True for Laura Bell Bundy

Country newcomer Laura Bell Bundy spent the past decade working as a television, film and Broadway actress and just recently switched gears to focus on a career in Country music.

 

Laura Bell began acting¹ at the age of nine.  She appeared in many network television shows and major motion pictures.  Laura Bell also starred in the critically-acclaimed Broadway musicals "Legally Blonde," "Hairspray" and "Wicked."

Bundy grew up in Kentucky where her parents introduced her to Country music.  She lists Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson among her musical influences.  At 18, Laura Bell moved to New York and formed a Country duo with her roommate.  But, the opportunity to earn a living as an actress postponed² her music plans.  By 2008, Laura Bell had the financial means to move to Nashville, and fulfill³ her original dream of a career in Country music.  Mercury Nashville Records signed her the following year. 

Laura Bell began writing Country songs when she was in her teens.  She co-wrote 11 of the 12 tracks on "Achin' and Shakin'," including the album's debut⁴ hit, "Giddy On Up."

"It was the first song that I had written for the Shakin' side of the album and it inspired the rest of those Shakin' songs," she says.  "It had all those elements, which are sort of older Country meets older soul or Motown put together and produced in a modern way, and lyrically was sassy and witty⁵.  It's a girl giving a guy the 'What for?' [ending the relationship] and women love those kinds of things.  It had this catchy⁶ little punch line, 'Giddy on up and giddy on out,' which is very representative of my sense of humor."

"Giddy On Up" received a CMT Music Award nomination⁷ for Breakthrough Video of the Year and "Achin' and Shakin'" made a respectable debut on the Country chart at Number 5. 

Laura Bell explains the two opposite themes of the album.

"It's six songs Achin', six songs Shakin.'  It's kind of like an old LP [record album], where you had side A, side B and you just flipped⁸ it over when you wanted to change your mood so to speak.  So, this is kind of a mood album, it's the extreme of moods, you know, Achin,' sad slow, sultry Country ballads⁹ and then the Shakin' is all up-tempo, kind of crazy, fast, a little bit throw-back Country, a little bit throw-back old soul or Motown."

 
 

1 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。

2 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

3 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

4 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。

5 witty   

adj.机智的，风趣的

参考例句：

• Her witty remarks added a little salt to the conversation.她的妙语使谈话增添了一些风趣。
• He scored a bull's-eye in their argument with that witty retort.在他们的辩论中他那一句机智的反驳击中了要害。

6 catchy   

adj.易记住的，诡诈的，易使人上当的

参考例句：

• We need a new slogan.The old one's not catchy enough.我们需要新的口号，旧的不够吸引人。
• The chorus is very catchy to say the least.副歌部分很容易上口。

7 nomination   

n.提名，任命，提名权

参考例句：

• John is favourite to get the nomination for club president.约翰最有希望被提名为俱乐部主席。
• Few people pronounced for his nomination.很少人表示赞成他的提名。

8 flipped   

轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥

参考例句：

• The plane flipped and crashed. 飞机猛地翻转，撞毁了。
• The carter flipped at the horse with his whip. 赶大车的人扬鞭朝着马轻轻地抽打。

9 ballads   

民歌，民谣，特别指叙述故事的歌( ballad的名词复数 )； 讴

参考例句：

• She belted out ballads and hillbilly songs one after another all evening. 她整晚一个接一个地大唱民谣和乡村小调。
• She taught him to read and even to sing two or three little ballads,accompanying him on her old piano. 她教他读书，还教他唱两三首民谣，弹着她的旧钢琴为他伴奏。