給家庭頂梁柱的歌---《Inutil》

這是一首令人感動的歌.情緒強烈,很震撼. 選自百老匯歌舞劇"In The Heights".
幾天前剛介紹過此劇的創作者Lin Manuel Miranda
(http://blog.wenxuecity.com/blogview.php?date=201004&postID=27138)

劇中女主角Nina來自一個波多黎各新移民家庭.是家裏第一個上大學的.
但因為家庭困難,不得不打幾份工攢錢上斯坦福. 過度的工作量導致她成績嚴重下降, 失去一個重要的獎學金,因此綴學回家.
她事前一直瞞著父母. 等父母了解真相後, 她父親Kevin為此很自責.有感而唱此歌. Inutil的意思是沒用,
不過在歌裏有消極和積極的兩層意思.

我看演出時,Kevin由Rick Negron扮演.盡管他已經演過幾百場,他很投入唱完後可以清晰地看到他的淚花.
順便地說,百老匯的演員真是出色和敬業.
一個月35場演出,光是演出時間就有100小時.工作量相當大.
沒有最好的訓練歌唱技巧,根本不能勝任.




KEVIN:
This isn't happening.
Inutil. Useless.
Just like my father was before me.
Inutil. Useless.
And every day
He cute the cane.
He came home late and prayed
For rain. Prayed for rain.

And on the days
When nothing came
My father's face was lined 
With shame.
He'd sit me down beside him
And he'd say,
"My father was a farmer.
His father was a farmer,
And you will be a farmer."
But I told him, "Papi, I'm
Sorry, I'm going farther.
I'm getting on a plane.
And I am gonna change the 
World someday."
And he slapped my face.
He stood there, staring at me,
Useless.
Today my daughter's home
And I am useless.

And as a baby she amazed me
With the things she learned
Each day.
She used to stay on the fire escape
While all the other kids
Would play.
And I would stand beside he
And I'd say:

"I'm proud to be your father,
Cuz you work so much harder
And you are so much smarter
Than I was at your age."
And I always knew that she 
Would fly away.
That she was gonna change
The world someday.

I will not be the reason
That my family can't succeed
I will do what it takes,
They'll have everything they need
Or all my work, all my life
Everything I've sacrificed will
Have been useless.