世上沒幾個人知我最驚的是什麼,總之,我現在又碰到我最驚的…… 當然不是Ringo Starr。
言猶在耳,昨天說要找個機會寫寫Norwegian Wood,挪威的森林,村上的和Beatles的。今天趁午飯空檔找找資料……原來,凡事太認真就會出岔子。
且讓我平靜一下,從頭說起。從第一天聽Norwegian Wood以來,我心裏就想著那是「挪威的森林」,因為挪威真有好多松木杉木林。所以Beatles的這首歌,一直以來是我夢魅以求的純愛典型,就像 I Want to Hold Your Hand, A Hard Day's Night, Love Me Do…活潑而害羞的完美男生愛的告白。
怎不是呢?簡直無可抵擋。I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me. She showed me her room, isn't it good, Norwegian wood.
She asked me to stay and she told me to sit anywhere. So I looked around and I noticed there wasn't a chair.
I sat on a rug, biding my time, drinking her wine. We talked until two and then she said, "it's time for bed".
She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh. I told her I didn't and crawled off to sleep in the bath.
And when I awoke I was alone, this bird had flown.So I lit a fire, isn't it good, norwegian wood.
我的理解︰單純男生偶遇北歐女生(天知道他為什麼跑到挪威的森林),女的邀他作客,房子十分簡單,椅也欠奉,飲酒聊天到深夜兩點,就各自就寢,一個睡床,一個睡浴缸(isn't it cute?)早上醒來,女的已離開了,男的就在她家中,獨自生一個火(因為挪威好冷嘛)。萍水相逢,不問來去。
好了,真相是︰Norwegian wood是挪威的木頭(﹗)夠煞風景了吧,而且還要是一種cheap木,英國工人階級無錢裝修屋企才用的輕軟木頭,暗說女的不夠格調,但又要扮高貴,要人家睡在廁所。於是,男的翌晨醒來…你猜對了…I lit a fire,一把火燒掉房子﹗(最慘情的是,資料來源︰Beatles...)
夠懵了吧,我把這歌誤解了十年以上。不過,陪我誤解且更高調地展示出來的應是村上先生吧。他讓《挪威的森林》的渡邊、阿綠與直子那麼憂鬱地喜愛著這首歌,且誤打誤撞譯出個這麼遼闊美麗的書名。
但始終,這讓我失魂落魄了一個下午。期間請教過對建築物料應是博學多聞的文生,他很清楚地告訴我,是的,挪威的木是生長期短而便宜的木,只有香港人那麼不環保用柚木做地板……
我繼續抱著頭訴說John Lennon自言怎樣把這歌寫得煙幕四起,因為他要瞞著當時的妻子Cynthia,把他的一段外遇寫入歌中。天呀……幸好,還是玲玲女士冷靜而有情「歌曲的調子也很重要,這樣抒情的結他,不可能是一首不好的歌。反正已經事過景遷,我們現在聽我們的。」
幾乎沒感激流涕。但整天還是有著那忐忑的影子,而且對於Beatles,真是不敢再隨便說喜歡了,就如他們的歌所說,Hey, you got to hide your love away......甲蟲樂隊,你好呀,把我嚇成這樣。知得越多,痛得越多,又一該死的明證。
然而,這四子,還是那樣吸引。Paul McCartney,生個女也這麼有才華,不時打劫我們的銀包。
你說呀,還有什麼可以全心的喜歡呢。在這個驚魂未定的日子,能夠有你這個朋友已很好了。親愛的,祝你生日快樂。