【英語学習にオススメな洋楽】60年代70年代80年代90年代-洋楽の名曲9選

歌詞を書くというのは難しい仕事です。メロディーとテンポにぴったりはまる言葉を見つけるという事は作詞家の気持ちを正確に伝えるという事です。言葉の持つ響きは耳も満足させることが出来ます。

今回は過去の有名洋楽曲から、素晴らしい歌詞を持つ曲に注目してピックアップしてみました。

英語の勉強の息抜きにぜひ聞いてみては？

 

The Beach Boys – Surf’s Up

“Columnated ruins domino…”

今までに書かれた歌詞の中でも最も美しく、最も変わっているものの一つです。この歌詞は超現実主義に満ちています。この歌詞は歌詞づくりの天才であるヴァン・ダイク・パークスが持つとても独特な想像力の賜物です。

イメージの上にイメージを積み重ねていく事によって、ブライアン・ウィルソンの素晴らしい歌が海のイメージにぴったり合うようにしています。この歌の歌詞はとても難しいものだったので、バンド内で亀裂が生じてしまいました。ビーチボーイのマイク・ラブは他のメンバーは馬鹿げていると批判をし、ファンを遠ざける結果になりました。この曲は結果として何年かお蔵入りする事になってしまいましたが、幸いな事にそこまで長くお蔵入りすることはありませんでした。

A diamond necklace played the pawn
Hand in hand some drummed along, oh
To a handsome man and baton
A blind class aristocracy
Back through the opera glass you see
The pit and the pendulum drawn
Columinated ruins domino

Canvass the town and brush the backdrop
Are you sleeping?

Hung velvet overtaken me
Dim chandelier awaken me
To a song dissolved in the dawn
The music hall a costly bow
The music all is lost for now
To a muted trumpeter swan
Columinated ruins domino

Canvass the town and brush the backdrop
Are you sleeping, Brother John?

Dove nested towers the hour was
Strike the street quicksilver moon
Carriage across the fog
Two-Step to lamp lights cellar tune
The laughs come hard in Auld Lang Syne

The glass was raised, the fired rose
The fullness of the wine, the dim last toasting
While at port adieu or die

A choke of grief heart hardened I
Beyond belief a broken man too tough to cry

Surf’s up
Aboard a tidal wave
Come about hard and join
The young and often spring you gave
I heard the word
Wonderful thing
A children’s song

Child, child, child, child, child
A child is the father of the man
Child, child, child, child, child
A child is the father of the man
A children’s song
Have you listened as they played
Their song is love
And the children know the way
That’s why the child is the father to the man
Child, child, child, child, child
Child, child, child, child, child
Na na na na na na na na
Child, child, child, child, child
That’s why the child is the father to the man
Child, child, child, child, child

Written by Brian Wilson, Van Dyke Parks • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, BMG Rights Management US, LLC

 

Bob Dylan – Masters of War

“I think you will find/When your death takes its toll/All the money you made/Will never buy back your soul…”

この曲は全てのプロテストソングを終わらせるためのプロテストソングです。ボブ・ディランはこの反戦歌を書く事によって、多くの人の戦争への懸念を表明しました。ベトナムが激怒していて、若いアメリカ人達が理解に苦しんだベトナム戦争。彼らをアメリカ政府が徴兵するという時、この歌詞は彼らの怒り、恐怖、嫌悪感を見事なまでに捉えました。

軍に加わる事を強制されるのをよしとしない若者の観点からこの歌が歌われたので、この歌は当時の人にとってもっと身近なものになりました。この歌のメロディーはとてもシンプルですが、この歌は数えきれないほどの多くのアーティスト達によってカバーされています。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHMlAYeFeYw

⭐️ Ed Sheeran’s cover of Bob Dylan’s Cold War protest song “Masters of War.”

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks.

You that never done nothin’
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it’s your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly.

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain.

You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you set back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion’
As young people’s blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud.

You’ve thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain’t worth the blood
That runs in your veins.

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I’m young
You might say I’m unlearned
But there’s one thing I know
Though I’m younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do.

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul.

And I hope that you die
And your death’ll come soon
I will follow your casket
In the pale afternoon
And I’ll watch while you’re lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I’ll stand over your grave
‘Til I’m sure that you’re dead.

(He was an intense guy wasn’t he)

 

Johnny Cash – I Still Miss Someone

“There’s someone for me somewhere/And I still miss someone…”

痛いほど心のこもった歌詞によって変えられたシンプルなメロディーは、ジョニー・キャッシュの最も有名な曲の１つで、彼が最も演奏している曲の１つでもあります。確かに他のどの曲よりも愛について書かれた歌詞が多く含まれており、そして私達とともにいてくれる歌詞は失恋についてです。

この歌詞はとても誠実で真摯に書かれているので、多くの人の心に響きます。誰かを失う経験をした事がある人なら、誰でも共感できる部分があるのも大きな理由です。

I still miss someone
At my door the leaves are falling
The cold wild wind will come
Sweethearts walk by together
And I still miss someone

I go out on a party
And look for a little fun
But I find a darkened corner
‘Cause I still miss someone

Oh, no I never got over those blues eyes
I see them every where
I miss those arms that held me
When all the love was there

I wonder if she’s sorry
For leavin’ what we’d begun
There’s someone for me somewhere
And I still miss someone

I still miss someone
Oh, no I never got over those blues eyes
I see them every where
I miss those arms that held me
When all the love was there

I wonder if she’s sorry
For leavin’ what we’d begun
There’s someone for me somewhere
And I still miss someone

I still miss someone

Written by Johnny R. Cash, Roy Cash, Roy Cash Jr. • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc

 

Johnny Mandel and Mike Altman – Suicide is Painless (Theme from M*A*S*H)

“The game of life is hard to play/I’m going to lose it anyway…”

「M*A*S*H」は最も有名なテレビと映画の中の１つです。ロバート・アルマン監督が映画のワンシーンの中で登場人物の一人が歌う曲を探していた際に、彼は作詞家であるマンデルへ「その曲は『自殺は痛くない』という名前にして、そして今までで一番まぬけな曲にして欲しい」と伝えました。

最も陰鬱だという事で有名なこの曲は、自殺を考えている人の立場から書かれています。戦争の無意味さと人生の無意味さを反映しつつ、ベトナムでの困難に直面している兵士達の事を描いている憂鬱なテーマが、とても若い作詞家によって書かれたという事実から、強烈な皮肉となっています。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-BtquTKw78

Through early morning fog I see
visions of the things to be
the pains that are withheld for me
I realize and I can see…

that suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
I try to find a way to make
all our little joys relate
without that ever-present hate
but now I know that it’s too late, and…

The game of life is hard to play
I’m gonna lose it anyway
The losing card I’ll someday lay
so this is all I have to say.

The only way to win is cheat
And lay it down before I’m beat
and to another give my seat
for that’s the only painless feat.

The sword of time will pierce our skins
It doesn’t hurt when it begins
But as it works its way on in
The pain grows stronger…watch it grin, but…

A brave man once requested me
to answer questions that are key
is it to be or not to be
and I replied ‘oh why ask me?’

‘Cause suicide is painless
it brings on many changes
and I can take or leave it if I please.
…and you can do the same thing if you please.

 

The Smiths – There Is a Light That Never Goes Out

“Take me out, tonight…“

曲と同じぐらい歌詞が評価されているバンドを見つけることは難しいです。しかし、言葉を巧みに操る事が出来るモリッシーによってThe Smithsは歌詞も曲も記憶に残る素晴らしいバンドになりました。読書家で、詩人のファンで、根っからのロマンチストであるモリッシーは過去30年間でイギリスの音楽シーンから出てきた最も有名な歌詞のいくつかを書いています。以下に示す彼らの曲のタイトルは歌詞よりも詩の要素が強いです。

Shoplifters of the World Unite, Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me, There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.

10代の若者に訴えかけるこの歌詞は、10代が感じる疎外感について述べられています。10代が感じる疎外感とは、家にもはや自分のいる場所がなくなった時、そこから逃げ出し、今まで感じたことのない過ちや喜びについて経験する必要がある状態のことをさします。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Gf-f_hWpU

Take me out tonight
Where there’s music and there’s people
And they’re young and alive
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because I haven’t got one
Anymore

Take me out tonight
Because I want to see people and I
Want to see life
Driving in your car
Oh, please don’t drop me home
Because it’s not my home, it’s their
Home, and I’m welcome no more

And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure – the privilege is mine

Take me out tonight
Take me anywhere, I don’t care
I don’t care, I don’t care
And in the darkened underpass
I thought oh God, my chance has come at last
(but then a strange fear gripped me and I
Just couldn’t ask)

Take me out tonight
Oh, take me anywhere, I don’t care
I don’t care, I don’t care
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because I haven’t got one, da…
Oh, I haven’t got one

And if a double-decker bus
Crashes into us
To die by your side
Is such a heavenly way to die
And if a ten-ton truck
Kills the both of us
To die by your side
Well, the pleasure – the privilege is mine

Oh, there is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out
There is a light and it never goes out

Written by Steven Morrissey, Johnny Marr • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

 

REM – It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)

“That’s great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes…”

REMはここ数十年で成功した曲のいくつかを書いており、それはマイケル・スタイプが書く歌詞によるところが大きいです。スタイプは少し分かりづらい歌詞を書くことに対して誇りを持っているようで、意味を隠すような抽象的な歌詞を書きます。It’s the End of the Worldという陽気で人気のあるREMの曲も例外ではなく、数多いるREMのファンでさえも試すような歌詞が詰まっています。

間違いなくある種のボブ・ディランのSubterranean Homesick Bluesへのトリビュートであり、この曲を歌うといつの間にか息切れをしていることでしょう。ただ、多くのREMの歌詞と同様に誰も本当の意味を知りません。資本主義やその他の事について不平を述べていたり、単純な事を言っている言葉もあったりと、物語の断片が沢山含まれている歌詞になっています。

That’s great, it starts with an earthquake
Birds and snakes, and aeroplanes
And Lenny Bruce is not afraid

Eye of a hurricane, listen to yourself churn
World serves its own needs,
Don’t mis-serve your own needs
Speed it up a notch, speed, grunt, no, strength,
The ladder starts to clatter
With a fear of height, down, height
Wire in a fire, represent the seven games
And a government for hire and a combat site
Left her, wasn’t coming in a hurry
With the Furies breathing down your neck

Team by team, reporters baffled, trumped, tethered, cropped
Look at that low plane, fine, then
Uh oh, overflow, population, common group
But it’ll do, save yourself, serve yourself
World serves its own needs, listen to your heart bleed
Tell me with the Rapture and the reverent in the right, right
You vitriolic, patriotic, slam fight, bright light
Feeling pretty psyched

It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine

Six o’clock, T.V. hour, don’t get caught in foreign tower
Slash and burn, return, listen to yourself churn
Lock him in uniform, book burning, bloodletting
Every motive escalate, automotive incinerate
Light a candle, light a motive, step down, step down
Watch your heel crush, crush, uh oh
This means no fear, cavalier, renegade and steering clear
A tournament, a tournament, a tournament of lies
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives and I decline

It’s the end of the world as we know it (I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)
I feel fine (I feel fine)

It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)

The other night I drifted nice continental drift divide
Mountains sit in a line, Leonard Bernstein
Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce and Lester Bangs
Birthday party, cheesecake, jellybean, boom
You symbiotic, patriotic, slam but neck, right, right

It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)

It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)

It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)

It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it (time I had some time alone)
It’s the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine (time I had some time alone)

Written by John Michael Stipe, Michael E. Mills, Peter Lawrence Buck, William Thomas Berry • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc, Universal Music Publishing Group

 

Neil Young – Old Man

“Old man look at my life, I’m a lot like you…”

ニールは深い意味を持つ歌詞を書くという観点から、ボブ・ディランと同じランクに位置づけられています。彼は人々の胸をうつコツをよく知っていて、自分の感情を強く出すタイプのアーティストです。

Old Manはニールのブロークンアロー牧場を見守っていた世話人のために書かれた曲です。ブロークンアロー牧場はニールが1970年に購入して、今も生活している場所です。曲は老人の生活と若い人の生活を比較していて、思っていたよりも両方の生活に必要なものは同様であるという事が分かるようになっています。

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcdSWfWSqGE

Old man look at my life,
I’m a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I’m a lot like you were.

Old man look at my life,
Twenty four
and there’s so much more
Live alone in a paradise
That makes me think of two.

Love lost, such a cost,
Give me things
that don’t get lost.
Like a coin that won’t get tossed
Rolling home to you.

Old man take a look at my life
I’m a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that’s true.

Lullabies, look in your eyes,
Run around the same old town.
Doesn’t mean that much to me
To mean that much to you.

I’ve been first and last
Look at how the time goes past.
But I’m all alone at last.
Rolling home to you.

Old man take a look at my life
I’m a lot like you
I need someone to love me
the whole day through
Ah, one look in my eyes
and you can tell that’s true.

Old man look at my life,
I’m a lot like you were.
Old man look at my life,
I’m a lot like you were.

 

Joni Mitchell – Big Yellow Taxi

“They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot…”

ニールの仲間の中の一人で、カナダのミュージシャンでフォークシーンにおける彼の友人であるジョニー・ミッチェルはかなり有名な歌詞を書いています。おそらく、『Big Yellow Taxi』という曲は彼女が書いた曲の中で一番知られているでしょう。環境汚染に対して彼女が懸念している事について書いた曲です。

“『Big Yellow Taxi』はハワイでの初めての旅行の中で書いた曲です。ホテルまでタクシーで向かい、翌朝起きた際にカーテンを開け、遠くにある美しい緑の山々を見ました。しかし下を見下ろすと、見える限り車が駐車してあり、私は傷つきました。”とジョニーは『Big Yellow Taxi』を書き上げたいきさつを語っています。

The Muppets – Mah Nà Mah Nà

“Mah Nà Mah Nà…!”

The Muppetsが作る曲は歌詞は愛や心の痛み、喪失について書く必要がない事を証明しています。Mah Nà Mah NàはThe Muppetsが作った世界中で愛されている、最も有名な曲の１つです。そして、この曲はほとんど何も意味しません、成功した歌詞は単に良く聞こえればいいだけで、何か特別な意味を持つ必要はないという事を暗に示しています。

いかがでしたでしょうか？英語の曲は、日本の曲とは違った意味で複雑な意味を持っていることがあります。英語の勉強に飽きた時にはここで紹介した曲の歌詞を見て、本当はどういう意味を持っているのだろう？などと推測したりすると、違った角度から英語を勉強できるかもしれません。