在消費年代,音樂是不可或缺的元素。它可以烘托出引起消費慾望的氛圍,也可以成為被消費的客體;當然,它更是人生活中「不可或缺的調劑」。
今天走在台北街頭,金飾店正放著古巴國寶級女藝人歐瑪拉的哀愁,化妝清潔用品店傳出英國舞曲團體M People女主唱Heather Small的渾厚低音,正唱著《ONE NIGHT IN HEAVEN》,不經意地,我腦中淡淡的浮出另一首曲子。
Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same if I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong
here in heaven.
Would you hold my hand if I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand if I saw you in heaven?
I'll find my way through night and day,
'Cause I know I just can't stay
here in heaven.
Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees.
Time can break your heart, have you begging please,
begging please.
Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure,
And I know there'll be no more
tears in heaven.
Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven?
Would it be the same if I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on,
'Cause I know I don't belong
here in heaven.
這是Eric Clapton的《TEARS IN HEAVEN》,經典。清淡,卻讓人悲傷至極。
戰爭是不長眼睛的。有一個笑話是這樣講的,警察攔下一名騎機車不戴安全帽的老伯伯,告誡他不戴安全帽騎車非常危險,後者回辯:「我在大陸出生入死,不戴鋼盔,連不長眼睛的子彈都奈何不了我!」不料警察機智地說:「可是我有眼睛啊!」我倒真的希望戰爭也能長眼睛,和這位警察一樣聰明,專一性地剷除掉某些理該被剷除的醜惡份子;然而事非所願,往往在一大堆無辜的人民士兵陪葬之後,始作俑者卻仍不見得受到原本應得的懲罰。
甚至在肉搏槍戰時,你會心生一念同情交戰對方,想到對方與自己一樣都是想念家庭,並被所愛的人想念的人,甚至想告訴對方我們戰鬥的荒唐;但當你分心的這一瞬,你就化為成就將帥與英雄的枯朽白骨。戰爭當中,你只能殺紅了眼,不是你死就是我亡地苟活。肩上的槍是你在戰場上通行的特權來源,因為戰場上的唯一工作就是奮勇殺敵,所以你為了盡忠職守,像個專業經理人一樣地專業殺人,專業地把工作對象視為一體,專業地執行消滅敵人的任務。
你從不知道對方叫做吉米,爸爸在越戰中失去了一個頭,他從軍就是為了養活媽媽與小他五歲的唐氏症妹妹,如果不是家中醫療開銷大,他壓根不想踏上軍途。你也不知道他的女朋友在他被調到前線之後,忠心地每天一封家書告訴他她與他家的現況。你更不知道他胸口口袋中正躺著一封一刻鐘前收到的信,還來不及拆封就開戰了。
你一定也不知道對方的名字是穆罕默德,即使你的名字跟他的一樣都是菜市場名。他的媽媽在上一場波灣戰爭期間,被什葉教派的叛軍的手榴彈炸斷兩條腿,躺在沒有足夠醫療的醫院中,痛苦地等死。你也不知道他最尊敬的有如親生母親的姊姊在生第三個小孩時,因為營養不良而難產身亡。你更不知道他與軍隊來偷襲之前,正想到他昨天忘記把他最珍貴的護身符送給跟著母親逃難去的襁褓幼子,而難忍激動。
你們什麼都不知道,但就在命運之神的巧妙安排下,你們交戰。然後你們什麼都不知道地倒地,然後你們什麼都不知道地沉沉睡去。那封信,與那個護身符,沾血,染塵,從此再也不具任何意義。
在天堂裡,你們會相遇嗎?見到對方時,會咧嘴微笑,打破凡間語言與世俗的隔閡,自我介紹,握手言歡,嘲笑自己在最後一刻太過莽撞嗎?你們會不會提醒對方胸口前的那封信,與護身符,然後結伴在靜謐夜晚返回人間,一同去看看對方摯愛的家人?
還是說,你們會被送進不同的天堂?哦,不,老天。
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the flowers gone?
Girls have picked them every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young girls gone?
Taken husbands every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the young men gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the young men gone?
Gone for soldiers every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the soldiers gone?
Gone to graveyards every one
When will they ever learn?
When will they ever learn?
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time passing
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Long time ago
Where have all the graveyards gone?
Covered with flowers every one
When will we ever learn?
When will we ever learn?
難道就果真應驗了尼采的永劫回歸?
When will they ever learn?
When will we ever learn?
But, what should everyone learn?
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