VOA标准英语2013--Songwriter Looks Back at Rock and Roll Repertoire

 

Songwriter Looks Back at Rock and Roll Repertoire¹

"Jailhouse Rock" was one of more than 20 Leiber and Stoller songs that Elvis Presley recorded.  Another Presley record, written by Leiber and Stoller, was an even bigger hit.

Along with Elvis and other artists, Leiber and Stoller were at the heart of the rock and roll revolution.  Mike Stoller says he started writing music with friend Jerry Leiber when they were 17.

"I'd be jamming at the piano and he'd be walking around shouting phrases out, anything that came into his head," said Stoller.

The pair wrote and produced a series of popular songs by The Coasters, including "Yakety Yak," "Poison Ivy," and "Charlie Brown."

Many Leiber-Stoller songs were recorded by different artists and climbed the record charts at different times.  "Ruby Baby" was a hit for The Drifters in 1956, and for Dion six years later.

The Clovers, The Coasters and many other groups performed another of the duo's hits, "Love Potion No. 9."  And more than 100 artists have recorded this Leiber-Stoller hit.

Another song that became a major hit, "Stand By Me," was a collaboration² with singer Ben E. King.

"Benny had basically the tune³ pretty much in his head," said Stoller. "He started singing.  I went to the piano and started sussing (figuring) out the chords, and then I came up with the bass⁴ pattern - boom, boom, boom-boom-boom, boom ...."

It's one of scores of Leiber-Stoller tunes⁵ that are now American standards.  Mike Stoller, at his piano, sometimes reminisces.

What's his favorite song?  Stoller says it changes.

"My favorite song is always the one I'm writing at the moment because I can't get it out of my head," he said.

Jerry Leiber is gone now, but at age 80, Mike Stoller is keeping busy writing new songs, and celebrating the old ones. 

1 repertoire   

n.(准备好演出的)节目，保留剧目；(计算机的)指令表，指令系统， <美>(某个人的)全部技能；清单，指令表

参考例句：

• There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。
• He has added considerably to his piano repertoire.他的钢琴演奏曲目大大增加了。

2 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

3 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

4 bass   

n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴

参考例句：

• He answered my question in a surprisingly deep bass.他用一种低得出奇的声音回答我的问题。
• The bass was to give a concert in the park.那位男低音歌唱家将在公园中举行音乐会。

5 tunes   

n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
• When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》