The Tower

Vienna Teng的中文名字叫史逸欣，是一個來自美國舊金山的華裔女創作人，以她澄澈古典的美聲與豐富温柔的鋼琴創作，獲得美國媒體樂評如AMG網站、娛樂週刊、華盛頓郵報等的大力讚賞。

集理性聰穎與感性温柔於一身的史逸欣，放棄美國西岸高科技產業，投身音樂創作與表演，希望能以歌聲温暖每一個短暫相逢的陌路人。她澄澈古典的美聲與豐富温柔的鋼琴教美國樂評愛不釋手。

史逸欣很早就展露她的音樂才華。五歲開始沉醉在巴哈與蕭邦的古典鋼琴世界裏，六歲寫下自己的第一首歌，十六歲高中時完成個人首張創作演奏專輯。大學時期的錄音作品早在舊金山一帶校園周邊流傳開來，口耳相傳中她成為東岸地下音樂圈的學生才女。大學畢業前已完成個人首張專輯的錄音製作。

在温婉的外貌下，史逸欣有她對人世獨到的洞察力："每天我們與多少陌生人擦身而過，相逢是如此短暫，常常讓我們誤以為對方冷漠、疏離，寫歌能讓周圍即便是陌生人也能感覺温暖。"

這是史逸欣對《Waking Hour》 的最好腳註。她在寫自己的故事，也寫着別人的故事，就好像一股暖流，流到周遭的人羣中，交融在一起。電腦工程教育背景與音樂創作天賦看似衝突，在她的音樂中卻早已聽出靈性中兼具縝密編曲與浪漫創作的兩極。Vienna Teng的這張Chamber Pop風格的專輯《Waking Hour》在美國一發行，便穩坐全美三大告示排行榜、並進佔亞馬遜網站銷售榜排名第二，AMG 網站四顆星評價。

史逸欣以鋼琴創作和古典的聲線出名，《Waking Hour》在知名製作人 David Henry (REM) 的助陣下，加入類似室內管絃樂的伴奏與民謠吉他，讓整張專輯層次豐厚，而史逸欣就像説故事的人，唱着情愛與生死的人生百態。

Vienna在《Between》這首歌中啓承轉合的演唱表現還真有些Sarah McLachlan的味道，唱片宣傳語這一次沒有欺騙我們。《Drought》大約是整張專輯中相對最為複雜的作品，電子合成音效的應用使音樂層次更加豐富，也更為有趣。《Unwritten Letter #1》是頗有敍事耐心的作品，帶着些許清爽的拉丁風味。《Lullabye For A Stormy Night》中的奔湧而出的母性情懷讓我們相信天下有一種聲音只能由女性的嗓子唱出，鋼琴悄悄地響起，你可以清楚地感覺到手指觸鍵一剎那裏的小心，平和、安詳，背景後的和聲輕柔得宛如春夜裏拂面而過的微風，潛藏的那一點點憂傷終於在睡意漸起的心頭消散，窗外是風雨如晦，屋內輕語呢喃，温暖的歌聲裏亮一盞微明的燈。

對於史逸欣這樣的創作人來説，歌曲應該不僅僅只是歌曲而已，而是另一種型態的人文省思，史逸欣就像是那温暖的陌生人，唱出我們心底最温馨與悲哀，但，那都是真實，都是人性。

"轉業"對某些人來説是人生的轉折點，而對於另一些人而言，卻是迫於無奈。但"年輕"總是轉業最大的本錢。2001年才23歲的史逸欣，兩年前從斯坦福大學計算機信息系畢業後，順利地進入思科公司(Cisco)擔任軟件工程師的工作，上月底辭去高科技的工作後，決定全心以音樂為重。

對於從高科技領域踏入音樂界，史逸欣説：“19歲時就希望能以音樂為工作，但當時也對計算機感到興趣，在不確定的情況下，把學計算機視為一項挑戰。在高科技領域工作了兩年之後，雖然覺得這份工作不錯，也獲得許多經驗，但卻無法想象自己要長期地投入高科技領域。”由於在大學時代就已經開始自己製作專輯的史逸欣非常熱愛音樂，因此在唱片公司的發掘下，決定踏入音樂界。

在一般人的觀念裏，總覺得音樂可以當成副業。但史逸欣覺得，若要將音樂做好，還是需要全心投入。"尤其在2001年6、7月時，由於要籌備唱片，除工作上的會議無法參加外，原有的企劃案也無法如期完成。在無法兩者兼顧的情況下，最後決定離開現有的工作。"

華裔成功打入美國主流音樂的例子不多，而擅長自己作詞作曲的史逸欣可説是其中的佼佼者。對於音樂，史逸欣表示，有一股無限的驅動力，讓自己能透過音樂來了解世界。因此，無形中成為生命的一部份。

無謂的日子有時其實只是一種存在，沒有資格稱其為生活。

《The Tower》有兩個版本：專輯版4分15秒，短版3分50秒。專輯版是在專輯中的歌曲，短版是在QQ音樂上我們經常聽到的版本。

兩個版本的歌詞有些許不同，下面把兩個版本的歌詞都在下面列出，兩個版本歌詞的不同之處用黑體標出，專輯版的前奏較長，而且比短版的要多出幾個單詞，我會在下面給出兩個版本的鏈接，大家一聽便知。

歌詞——The Tower短版：

The one who survives by making the lives

of others worthwhile

she's coming apart

right before my eyes

她曾迫於生計

背離自己

如今在我眼前

她的偽裝都已碎去

The one who depends on the services she renders

to those who come knocking

she's seeing too clearly what she can't be

what understanding defies

她曾卑躬屈膝

強顏歡喜

她清楚自己的能力所及

更明白這一切的無法抗拒

She says I need not to need

or else a love with intuition

someone who reaches out to my weakness

and won't let go

I need not to need

I've always been the tower

but now I feel like I'm the flower trying to bloom in snow

她説，我並無所求

只要一份純愛的感受

一個能安撫我脆弱的人

長相廝守

我並無所求

一直堅強的承受

如今卻感覺自己像雪中的花朵

昂首綻放，決不低頭

She turns out the light anticipating night falling

tenderly around her

and watches the dusk

the words won't come

光影淡去

夜幕如期縈繞身旁

凝視暮藹處

她許久無言，心緒惆悵

she carries the act so convincingly the fact is

sometimes she believes it

that she can be happy the way things are

be happy with the things she's done

用行動去實現理想

她欣喜異常

那些努力，那些收穫

正是她所希望

And I need not to need

or else a love with intuition

someone who reaches out to my weakness

and won't let go

I need not to need

I've always been the tower

but now I feel like I'm the flower trying to bloom in snow

的確，我並無所求

只要一份純愛的感受

一個能安撫我脆弱的人

長相廝守

我並無所求

一直堅強的承受

如今卻感覺自己像雪中的花朵

昂首綻放，決不低頭

Reach out

Hold back

where is safety

reach out

and hold back

where is the one who can change me

where is the one

the one a…a…a…

去追求理想

還是維持現狀

哪裏是我的温牀

是追求理想

還是維持現狀

能改變我的那個人身在何方

那個人在何方

Music......

Reach out

Hold back

where is safety

reach out

and hold back

where is the one who can save me

where is the one

the one a…a…a…

去追求理想

還是維持現狀

哪裏是我的温牀

是追求理想

還是維持現狀

能拯救我的那個人身在何方

那個人在何方

在何方

I need not to need

or else a love with intuition

someone who reaches out to my weakness

and won't let go

I need not to need

I've always been the tower

but now I feel like I'm the flower trying to bloom in snow

我並無所求

只要一份純愛的感受

一個能安撫我脆弱的人

長相廝守

我並無所求

一直堅強的承受

如今卻感覺自己像雪中的花朵

昂首綻放，決不低頭

I feel like I'm the flower trying to bloom in snow

The danger and the power

The friend and the foe

我感覺自己像雪中的花朵

昂首綻放，決不低頭

危險和力量同在

朋友和敵人共存

=========================================華麗的分割線========================================

歌詞——The Tower專輯版：

The one who survives by making the lives

of others worthwhile

she's coming apart

right before my eyes

她曾迫於生計

背離自己

如今在我眼前

她的偽裝都已碎去

The one who depends on the services she renders

to those who come knocking

she's seeing too clearly what she can't be

what understanding defies

她曾卑躬屈膝

強顏歡喜

她清楚自己的能力所及

更明白這一切的無法抗拒

She says I need not to need

or else a love with intuition

someone who reaches out to my weakness

and won't let go

I need not to need

I've always been the tower

but now I feel like I'm the flower trying to bloom in snow

她説，我並無所求

只要一份純愛的感受

一個能安撫我脆弱的人

長相廝守

我並無所求

一直堅強的承受

如今卻感覺自己像雪中的花朵

昂首綻放，決不低頭

She turns out the light anticipating night falling

tenderly around her

and watches the dusk

the words won't come

光影淡去

夜幕如期縈繞身旁

凝視暮藹處

她許久無言，心緒惆悵

she carries the act so convincingly the fact is

sometimes she believes it

that she can be happy the way things are

be happy with the things she's done

用行動去實現理想

她欣喜異常

那些努力，那些收穫

正是她所希望

And I need not to need

or else a love with intuition

someone who reaches out to my weakness

and won't let go

I need not to need

I've always been the tower

but now I feel like I'm the flower trying to bloom in snow

的確，我並無所求

只要一份純愛的感受

一個能安撫我脆弱的人

長相廝守

我並無所求

一直堅強的承受

如今卻感覺自己像雪中的花朵

昂首綻放，決不低頭

Reach out

but hold back

where is safety

reach out

and hold back

where is the one who can change me

where is the one

the one

the one a…a…a…

去追求理想

還是維持現狀

哪裏是我的温牀

是追求理想

還是維持現狀

能改變我的那個人身在何方

那個人在何方

在何方

Music......

Reach out

but hold back

where is safety

reach out

and hold back

where is the one who can save me

where is the one

the one a…a…a…

去追求理想

還是維持現狀

哪裏是我的温牀

是追求理想

還是維持現狀

能拯救我的那個人身在何方

那個人在何方

在何方

I need not to need

or else a love with intuition

someone who reaches out to my weakness

and won't let go

I need not to need

I've always been the tower

but now I feel like I'm the flower trying to bloom in snow

我並無所求

只要一份純愛的感受

一個能安撫我脆弱的人

長相廝守

我並無所求

一直堅強的承受

如今卻感覺自己像雪中的花朵

昂首綻放，決不低頭

But now I feel like I'm the flower trying to bloom in snow

The danger and the power

The friend and the foe

但是現在我感覺自己像雪中的花朵

昂首綻放，決不低頭

危險和力量同在

朋友和敵人共存

PS：請不要再胡亂修改歌詞。上個版本的翻譯不是很好，這個版本是翻譯的比較有水平的版本。

^[1-16] 

1

WHAT shall I do with this absurdity -

O heart, O troubled heart - this caricature,

Decrepit age that has been tied to me

As to a dog's tail?

Never had I more

Excited, passionate, fantastical

Imagination, nor an ear and eye

That more expected the impossible -

No, not in boyhood when with rod and fly,

Or the humbler worm, I climbed Ben Bulben's back

And had the livelong summer day to spend.

It seems that I must bid the Muse go pack,

Choose Plato and Plotinus for a friend

Until imagination, ear and eye,

Can be content with argument and deal

In abstract things; or be derided by

A sort of battered kettle at the heel.

1

I pace upon the battlements and stare

On the foundations of a house, or where

Tree, like a sooty finger, starts from the earth;

And send imagination forth

Under the day's declining beam, and call

Images and memories

From ruin or from ancient trees,

For I would ask a question of them all.

2

Beyond that ridge lived Mrs. French, and once

When every silver candlestick or sconce

Lit up the dark mahogany and the wine.

A serving-man, that could divine

That most respected lady's every wish,

Ran and with the garden shears

Clipped an insolent farmer's ears

And brought them in a little covered dish.

3

Some few remembered still when I was young

A peasant girl commended by a Song,

Who'd lived somewhere upon that rocky place,

And praised the colour of her face,

And had the greater joy in praising her,

Remembering that, if walked she there,

Farmers jostled at the fair

So great a glory did the song confer.

4

And certain men, being maddened by those rhymes,

Or else by toasting her a score of times,

Rose from the table and declared it right

To test their fancy by their sight;

But they mistook the brightness of the moon

For the prosaic light of day -

Music had driven their wits astray -

And one was drowned in the great bog of Cloone.

5

Strange, but the man who made the song was blind;

Yet, now I have considered it, I find

That nothing strange; the tragedy began

With Homer that was a blind man,

And Helen has all living hearts betrayed.

O may the moon and sunlight seem

One inextricable beam,

For if I triumph I must make men mad.

6

And I myself created Hanrahan

And drove him drunk or sober through the dawn

From somewhere in the neighbouring cottages.

Caught by an old man's juggleries

He stumbled, tumbled, fumbled to and fro

And had but broken knees for hire

And horrible splendour of desire;

I thought it all out twenty years ago:

7

Good fellows shuffled cards in an old bawn;

And when that ancient ruffian's turn was on

He so bewitched the cards under his thumb

That all but the one card became

A pack of hounds and not a pack of cards,

And that he changed into a hare.

Hanrahan rose in frenzy there

And followed up those baying creatures towards -

8

O towards I have forgotten what - enough!

I must recall a man that neither love

Nor music nor an enemy's clipped ear

Could, he was so harried, cheer;

A figure that has grown so fabulous

There's not a neighbour left to say

When he finished his dog's day:

An ancient bankrupt master of this house.

9

Before that ruin came, for centuries,

Rough men-at-arms, cross-gartered to the knees

Or shod in iron, climbed the narrow stairs,

And certain men-at-arms there were

Whose images, in the Great Memory stored,

Come with loud cry and panting breast

To break upon a sleeper's rest

While their great wooden dice beat on the board.

10

As I would question all, come all who can;

Come old, necessitous. half-mounted man;

And bring beauty's blind rambling celebrant;

The red man the juggler sent

Through God-forsaken meadows; Mrs. French,

Gifted with so fine an ear;

The man drowned in a bog's mire,

When mocking Muses chose the country wench.

11

Did all old men and women, rich and poor,

Who trod upon these rocks or passed this door,

Whether in public or in secret rage

As I do now against old age?

But I have found an answer in those eyes

That are impatient to be gone;

Go therefore; but leave Hanrahan,

For I need all his mighty memories.

12

Old lecher with a love on every wind,

Bring up out of that deep considering mind

All that you have discovered in the grave,

For it is certain that you have

Reckoned up every unforeknown, unseeing

plunge, lured by a softening eye,

Or by a touch or a sigh,

Into the labyrinth of another's being;

13

Does the imagination dwell the most

Upon a woman won or woman lost?

If on the lost, admit you turned aside

From a great labyrinth out of pride,

Cowardice, some silly over-subtle thought

Or anything called conscience once;

And that if memory recur, the sun's

Under eclipse and the day blotted out.

1

It is time that I wrote my will;

I choose upstanding men

That climb the streams until

The fountain leap, and at dawn

Drop their cast at the side

Of dripping stone; I declare

They shall inherit my pride,

The pride of people that were

Bound neither to Cause nor to State.

Neither to slaves that were spat on,

Nor to the tyrants that spat,

The people of Burke and of Grattan

That gave, though free to refuse -

pride, like that of the morn,

When the headlong light is loose,

Or that of the fabulous horn,

Or that of the sudden shower

When all streams are dry,

Or that of the hour

When the swan must fix his eye

Upon a fading gleam,

Float out upon a long

Last reach of glittering stream

And there sing his last song.

And I declare my faith:

I mock plotinus' thought

And cry in plato's teeth,

Death and life were not

Till man made up the whole,

Made lock, stock and barrel

Out of his bitter soul,

Aye, sun and moon and star, all,

And further add to that

That, being dead, we rise,

Dream and so create

Translunar paradise.

I have prepared my peace

With learned Italian things

And the proud stones of Greece,

Poet's imaginings

And memories of love,

Memories of the words of women,

All those things whereof

Man makes a superhuman,

Mirror-resembling dream.

2

As at the loophole there

The daws chatter and scream,

And drop twigs layer upon layer.

When they have mounted up,

The mother bird will rest

On their hollow top,

And so warm her wild nest.

3

I leave both faith and pride

To young upstanding men

Climbing the mountain-side,

That under bursting dawn

They may drop a fly;

Being of that metal made

Till it was broken by

This sedentary trade.

4

Now shall I make my soul,

Compelling it to study

In a learned school

Till the wreck of body,

Slow decay of blood,

Testy delirium

Or dull decrepitude,

Or what worse evil come -

The death of friends, or death

Of every brilliant eye

That made a catch in the breath - .

Seem but the clouds of the sky

When the horizon fades;

Or a bird's sleepy cry

Among the deepening shades. ^[17]