Blind Tom Wiggins是19世紀最不尋常的音樂表演者之一。他是個盲人,有著廣博記憶的自閉症學者,從古典音樂中凝練出爵士/布魯斯音樂的先驅音樂家,也是一個歸美國南部農場主所有的黑人奴隸。他在音樂上的天賦造就了他傳奇的一生:從小他就可以用口技把他聽到的任何聲音模仿得惟妙惟肖,長大後成為第一位在白宮演奏的非洲裔音樂家。然而在那個黑暗的年代,無論何等的才華也無法改變黑人崎嶇的命運。他早年飽受白人農場主的剝削與社會各界歧視,成名後則成為政治演說家的宣傳工具,直到晚年還遭遇“主人”親戚的背棄。直到1908年時年六十歲時,盲人湯姆最終死於中風被埋葬在布魯克林的長青公墓一個沒有標記的貧民墳墓。多年後,他才作為一個音樂天才聞名世界。 ”
Tom"s at the piano talkin" to a ghost
Playin" with his eyes shut tight
Here"s a little song I learnt it from the wind
I heard it on the wind last night
Beats workin" in the field for a little blind boy
Playin" in the dime museum
Day the colonel came and he take ya by the hand
What a lucky day for him
When Tom is at the bench his hands are not his own
Some spirit in the room takes hold
Never seen the sun much less read a note
But he makes ya wanna tap your toes
Make your daddy proud oh make your daddy rich
Some candy and cake for Tom
Till the crowd dies down and the colonel"s in the grave
Blind Tom Wiggins是19世紀最不尋常的音樂表演者之一。他是個盲人,有著廣博記憶的自閉症學者,從古典音樂中凝練出爵士/布魯斯音樂的先驅音樂家,也是一個歸美國南部農場主所有的黑人奴隸。他在音樂上的天賦造就了他傳奇的一生:從小他就可以用口技把他聽到的任何聲音模仿得惟妙惟肖,長大後成為第一位在白宮演奏的非洲裔音樂家。然而在那個黑暗的年代,無論何等的才華也無法改變黑人崎嶇的命運。他早年飽受白人農場主的剝削與社會各界歧視,成名後則成為政治演說家的宣傳工具,直到晚年還遭遇“主人”親戚的背棄。直到1908年時年六十歲時,盲人湯姆最終死於中風被埋葬在布魯克林的長青公墓一個沒有標記的貧民墳墓。多年後,他才作為一個音樂天才聞名世界。 ”
Tom"s at the piano talkin" to a ghost
Playin" with his eyes shut tight
Here"s a little song I learnt it from the wind
I heard it on the wind last night
Beats workin" in the field for a little blind boy
Playin" in the dime museum
Day the colonel came and he take ya by the hand
What a lucky day for him
When Tom is at the bench his hands are not his own
Some spirit in the room takes hold
Never seen the sun much less read a note
But he makes ya wanna tap your toes
Make your daddy proud oh make your daddy rich
Some candy and cake for Tom
Till the crowd dies down and the colonel"s in the grave
And the candy and the cake are gone
於我自己的理解,作者一方面是在緬懷那位不幸但是才華橫溢的音樂家,另一方面是歌頌一種高貴的孤獨。
悠然自得,做著自己喜歡的事情,哪怕是和鬼魂交流,哪怕聽風淺淺的變動,哪怕作為棋子的不幸命運,畢生從未遇見過太陽和文化,卻有著最Sunny的內心。也許做藝術就是得如此,經歷豐富卻不改初心。
We are all in the gutter,but some people look at the stars.音樂家便是some people.
昨夜我從風中知曉的樂曲,無一不穿過我淺薄的靈魂。