上大學時,美國老師在"音樂欣賞會"上給我們放了好些八十年代流行的歌曲,包括卡倫卡彭特兄妹的歌,並打印出歌詞供欣賞。其中有一首聽起來挺詭秘有趣,帶有異域情調,同時具有西方現代流行音樂的節奏感。但美國老師很神秘地拒絕提供歌詞,也不予解釋歌詞內容。
多年以後,我才找到“拉斯普京“的歌詞,原來歌中唱的是一個俄羅斯聲色犬馬的神秘曆史故事。難怪美國老師當時環顧左右而言它,大概是怕我們這些“純潔”的中國大學生被“精神汙染”了。可有意思的是,來美國後, 卻發現不少美國曆史老師在給高中生上俄國曆史課時,竟會在堂上播放這首歌作為輔助“教材”, 寓教於樂。
拉斯普京(Grigory Rasputin)人稱魔僧(Mad Monk),是十九世紀俄國皇帝尼古拉二世當政時的傳奇人物。他本是一名農民,因為能夠預言及行神蹟的伎倆,因此得到篤信神秘力量的沙皇及皇後賞識。之後更為患上“血友病”的太子醫治,而聲名大噪! 1915年,太子突然流鼻血,病情惡化,但是當拉斯普丁一出現,太子就奇跡似的好了。
患血友病的太子
皇後
拉斯普京最後被扔入涅瓦河的一個冰窟窿中,屍體於次日被發現。法醫驗屍結果證明他是溺水而死的,但卻在冰水中存活了8分鍾之久,死後陰莖遭人割除。拉斯普京的屍體經過防腐處理後,亞曆山德拉皇後為他修建了地下墓穴,並計劃在墓穴上修建修道院。二月革命後,拉斯普京的屍體被士兵發現,運到彼得格勒遊街示眾,再將屍體焚毀。
焚燒拉斯普京的屍體時,目擊者稱,斂放其屍體的棺材已經被熔毀,但拉斯普京的遺體卻完好如初,甚至從棺材裏坐了起來,眼睛也睜開了。士兵隻好不斷向屍體上潑灑煤油,10個小時後才將其燒為灰燼。
他屍體被焚毀後,還有許多貴族婦女變裝來到其焚屍地拾取灰燼,作為聖物崇拜。據傳聞,拉斯普京喜歡收集跟他發生過性關係的處女的頭發。 1977年列寧格勒市政府拆除其居住過的樓房時,在花園裏發現了許多裝有女人頭發的箱子。
"上帝非常喜歡我們懺悔,但懺悔之前讓我們先犯下罪惡吧!"拉斯普京說過。
歌詞
There lived a certain man in Russia long ago
He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow
Most people looked at him with terror and with fear
But to Moscow chicks he was such a lovely dear
He could preach the bible like a preacher
Full of ecstacy and fire
But he also was the kind of teacher
Women would desire
RA RA RASPUTIN
Lover of the Russian queen
There was a cat that really was gone
RA RA RASPUTIN
Russia's greatest love machine
It was a shame how he carried on
He ruled the Russian land and never mind the czar
But the kasachok he danced really wunderbar
In all affairs of state he was the man to please
But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze
For the queen he was no wheeler dealer
Though she'd heard the things he'd done
She believed he was a holy healer
Who would heal her son
(Spoken:)
But when his drinking and lusting and his hunger
for power became known to more and more people,
the demands to do something about this outrageous
man became louder and louder.
"This man's just got to go!" declared his enemies
But the ladies begged "Don't you try to do it, please"
No doubt this Rasputin had lots of hidden charms
Though he was a brute they just fell into his arms
Then one night some men of higher standing
Set a trap, they're not to blame
"Come to visit us" they kept demanding
And he really came
RA RA RASPUTIN
Lover of the Russian queen
They put some poison into his wine
RA RA RASPUTIN
Russia's greatest love machine
He drank it all and he said "I feel fine"
RA RA RASPUTIN
Lover of the Russian queen
They didn't quit, they wanted his head
RA RA RASPUTIN
Russia's greatest love machine
And so they shot him till he was dead
(Spoken:) Oh, those Russians...
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