我最喜歡的樂團之四:The Manhattans

The Manhattans 最早是由“Blue”Lovett、Richard Taylor、Kenny Kelley、George“Smitty”Smith 和 Sonny Bivins 一起組成的五人合唱團，其中“Blue”和“Smitty”是合唱團的領唱者，Lovett 除了是合唱團的團長之外，還是一名創作者，曾為不少歌手創作並製作過唱片。

    1970年，合唱團成員發生了一些變化和調整，在這一年進入合唱團的 Gerald Alston 成為了合唱團的領唱者，他比Blue和“Smitty”更趨向為一名流行歌手，正是由於他的加入，令到 The Manhattans 合唱團有了新的改變與突破，取得了更大的成就，一首“A Million To One”讓 The Manhattans 成為當時樂壇備受歡迎的合唱團體。

    從1972年開始，The Manhattans 有起來越多的歌曲出現在排行榜上麵，其中最廣為人知的歌曲有 One Life To Live、There Is No Me Without You、We Never Danced To A Love Song和“Hurt”，而1976年推出的單曲“Kiss And Say Goodbye”更成為當時銷量第一與最佳R&B歌曲。

    時至今日，格萊美得主 The Manhattans 合唱團，仍然以他們獨一無二的悅耳聲音繼續活躍在樂壇上，每一年他們都會在世界各地舉辦近100 場演出，是最受歡迎的R&B樂隊之一。



Let's just kiss and say goodbye... 隻想再擁抱妳一次, 當妳離去時, 別再回首, 隻想 記住妳現在的背影, 讓我們就此吻別吧..." Manhattans 合唱團1976 週冠軍曲Kiss and Say Goodbye 描寫兩個即將分手的情人, 在離別時不捨又無奈的情愫.

大學的時候參加舞會，最後幾首歌一定是纏綿的情歌，曠男怨女們在伸手不見五指的燈光下，可以耳鬢廝磨，可以跳叁貼（臉 胸 腹部以下）；當音樂響起男生必須第一時間邀請心儀的女生，女生坐在位置上等待白馬王子的邀約，男方得動作快，女方得審慎考慮，否則你就眼巴巴看著別人抱著你相中馬子陶醉，或你自己當個壁花！這首kiss and say good bye就是燈亮之前最棒的last dance，不跳叁貼，一個人靜靜聆聽，別有一番滋味！ 

Kiss And Say Goodbye   The Manhattans (1976 )

This has got to be the saddest day of my life
I called you here today for a bit of bad news
I won't be able to see you anymore
Because of my obligations, and the ties that you have
We've been meeting here everyday
And since this is our last day together
I wanna hold you just one more time
When you turn and walk away, don't look back
I wanna remember you just like this
Let's just kiss and say goodbye 

I had to meet you here today
There's just so many things to say
Please don't stop me 'til I'm through
This is something I hate to do
We've been meeting here so long
I guess what we've done, oh was wrong
Please darlin', don't you cry
Let's just kiss and say goodbye 

Many months have passed us by
I'm gonna miss you, I can't lie
I've got ties, and so do you
I just think this is the thing to do
It's gonna hurt me, I can't lie
Maybe you'll meet, you'll meet another guy
Understand me, won't you try
Let's just kiss and say goodbye
I'm gonna miss you, I can't lie
Understand me, won't you try
It's gonna hurt me, I can't lie
Take my handkerchief and wipe your eyes
Maybe you'll find, you'll find another guy
Let's kiss and say goodbye, pretty baby
Please, don't you cry
Understand me, won't you try
Let's just kiss and say goodbye

順便介紹其他一些The Manhattans經典的作品

The Manhattans - Shining Star

Ooo-ooo-ooo yeah
Honey you are my shining star
Don't you go away
oh, baby
Wanna be right here where you are
Until my dyin' day
yeah baby

So many have tried
Tried to find a love
like your and mine
Uum-hum
Girl don't you realize
How you hypnotize
Make me love you more each time
yeah baby
Honey I'll never leave you lonely
Give my love
to you only
To you only
to you only

Honey you are my shining star
Don't you go away
no baby
Wanna be right here
where you are
Until my dying day
yeah baby
Feels so good
When we're lyin' here next to each other
Lost in love
yeah baby
Baby when we touch
Love you so much
You're all I ever dreamed of
yeah baby

Honey I'll never leave you lonely
Give my love to ya only
to you only
To you only

Honey you are my shining star
Don't you go away girl
no bab-ay
Wanna be right here where you are
Until my dying day
um-hum-hum-hum

Honey you, you
you are my shining star
Don't you go away
whoa baby
(Honey you) you
(are my shining) star
Don't you go away
FADES
No-oh bab-ay
(Honey you)
Right here where you are
Till my dying day