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30 美国著名黑人音乐家山姆·库克
DATE=4-22-01
TITLE=PEOPLE IN AMERICA #1818 - SAM COOKE TYPE=SPECIAL ENGLISH FEATURE BYLINE=CYNTHIA E. KIRK
(THEME)
Voice one:
I'm Shirley Griffith.
Voice two:
And I'm ray freeman with the VOA special English program, people in America. Every week we tell about someone important in the history of the United States. This week we tell about black (1) singer and songwriter, Sam Cooke. ((Cut one: you send me))
Voice one:
It has been years since that song was a hit. Yet it is still (2) popular today. The song is called "you send me." it was written and sung by a young singer and songwriter, Sam Cooke.
During the late nineteen-fifties and early sixties, Sam Cooke was one of the biggest stars in the music industry. His smooth voice and musical style were popular with both blacks and whites. Although Sam Cooke died years ago, his (3) influence still is present in today's music.
Voice two:
Sam Cooke was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in nineteen- thirty- one. He grew up in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a minister in a (4) Baptist church. Sam started singing religious music when he was only fifteen years old. When he was nineteen, he became the lead singer of a famous (5) gospel-singing group called the soul (6) stirrers.
In nineteen-fifty, he began writing and recording for the soul stirrers. During his six years with the group, Cooke brought his own kind of expression to gospel music. He became gospel music's biggest star.
His good looks and singing abilities made him very popular among women, both young and old. Here is Sam Cooke with the soul stirrers, singing, "Touch the hem of his (7) garment".
((Cut two: touch the hem of his garment)
Voice one:
Although Sam cooker was a star with the soul stirrers, he wanted to sing other kinds of music. So, he decided to sing popular music instead.
Cooke's decision to "cross over" to pop music shocked many blacks that was because making such a change was not as easy then as it is today. Racial tensions were high between blacks and whites in the nineteen fifties. And gospel music was popular among black people. It was considered an important part of black culture.
The company that recorded the soul stirrers' records urged him not to start singing pop music. They thought it would offend the group's (8) fans.
Voice two:
Cooke, however, wanted to sing to all groups of people. He wanted to express his racial (9) identity without offending whites. At that time, most records by black artists were not played on radio stations that had white listeners. So, he left the gospel music world where he was extremely popular with blacks. But the move was not a mistake. He soon became a big star singing pop music.
A small company (10) released Sam Cooke's first pop record in 1957. It was "you send me." it was a huge success. It sold one- million- seven- hundred- thousand copies in the first year alone. It is one of his most memorable recordings. Here is the first (11) version he recorded of that song. It was made to show Cooke's ability to sing.
((Cut three: you send me demo: up and under))
Voice one:
Sam Cooke had a voice that was unlike any the public had ever heard. His voice was soft, yet intense. He made singing seem effortless.
Cooke was also a wise businessman. In nineteen- fifty- nine, he became the first black artist to establish his own record company, s-a-r records. He wrote most of his own material. And, he owned the rights to his songs through his music publishing company, kegs music. Very few blacks at that time were able to control their musical (12) profession in such a way. And, without such business control, they lost money.
Here is another hit by Sam Cooke, when he was with the keen record company, called "wonderful world."
((Cut four: wonderful world))
Voice two:
In nineteen-sixty, Sam Cooke signed an agreement with a major record company, r-c-a. Such a move is common today. But, a move from an (13) independent black-owned record company to a major record company was something few black artists were able to do then.
Cooke had a number of big hits at r-c-a. In this song, Sam Cooke uses a "call and answer" form of musical (14) expression that started in the black church. The song is called, "bring it on home to me."
((Cut five: bring it on home to me))
Voice two (cont):
In nineteen- sixty- two, Sam Cooke recorded a song for r-c-a about a popular new dance step, the twist. The song is called "twisting' the night away."
((Cut six: twisting' the night away))
Voice one:
In December nineteen- sixty- four, Sam Cooke's life was suddenly cut short. He was shot and killed at a hotel during a visit to Los Angeles. He was thirty-three years old.
His death (15) shocked his fans. Thousands of people gathered at his funeral.
Two of Cooke's last songs were released after he died. One of the songs is called "a change is gonna come." it is a powerful song that combines gospel and pop music. The song is like many of Sam Cooke's that made him so popular as a singer and songwriter. It is about never losing hope.
(Cut seven: a change is gonna come)
Voice two:
This special English program was written by Cynthia Kirk. It was produced by Lawan Davis. I'm Ray Freeman.
Voice one:
And I'm Shirley Griffith. Join us again next week for another people in American program on the voice of America.
注释：
(1) singer[ 5sindVE ]n.歌手
(2) popular[ 5pCpjulE ]adj.流行的, 受欢迎的
(3) influence[ 5influEns ]n.影响, 感化, 势力v.影响, 改变
(4) Baptist [5bAptist ] n. 施洗约翰
(5) gospel[ 5^CspEl ]n.福音, 信仰, 真理
(6) stirrer[ 5stE:rE ]n.搅拌器, 搅拌者
(7) garment[ 5^B:mEnt ]n.衣服, 外衣
(8) fan[ fAn ]n.扇子, 鼓风机, v煽动, 飘动
(9) identity[ ai5dentiti ]n.同一性, 身份,
(10) release[ ri5li:s ]n.释放, 让渡 v.释放, 解放 n.版本, 发布
(11) version[ 5vE:FEn ]n.译文, 译本
(12) profession[ prE5feFEn ]n.职业, 专业
(13) independent[ indi5pendEnt ]n.中立派, 无党派者adj.独立自主的, 不受约束的
(14) expression[ iks5preFEn ]n.表达, 表情, n..表达式, 符号
(15) shocked[ FCkt ]adj.震惊的,震撼的
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