切爾西旅館靜靜地矗立在紐約電熨鬥大廈附近，建於1883年，那時它是城市天際線中最高的建築之一。歲月流轉，它逐漸成為一片特殊的棲息地——作家、歌手、演員們在成名前在這裏漂泊、夢想與現實交織。馬克·吐溫、阿瑟·米勒、尤金·奧尼爾、鮑勃·迪倫，垮掉的一代旗手金斯伯格，導演庫布裏克，以及麥當娜、阿爾·帕西諾……他們都曾在這裏留下腳步與故事。事實上，在60-70年代，切爾西旅館已經成為紐約波西米亞藝術圈的核心。六十年代末，柯恩也踏入這片布滿傳奇的土地，為了生計到處輾轉，為夢想在夜色裏燃燒。他寫下這首歌，紀念那位曾與他在切爾西旅館有過短暫交集的傳奇歌手——Janis Joplin。
Janis Joplin，是六十年代美國搖滾與布魯斯的烈焰，她的嗓音嘶吼、狂放不羈，仿佛要將整個世界都燃燒。她唱過的《Me and Bobby McGee》，至今仍在歌迷心中回蕩，YouTube上的評論裏，依舊有人追憶她那份無法複製的激情。可惜，1970年，她在27歲那年因吸毒過量離開了世界，成為著名的“27俱樂部”成員。這個俱樂部，還記錄著那些在27歲時隕落的音樂靈魂——大門樂隊主唱莫裏森、涅槃樂隊主唱柯本、吉它天才亨德裏克斯、滾石樂隊創始靈魂瓊斯……每一個名字，都是時代的印記，也讓人唏噓不已。
Joni Mitchell當時雖然不像其他人一樣常住Chelsea Hotel，但經常去找Cohen和Joplin聚會，並在那裏短住，她寫的Chelsea Morning的靈感也是來源於此，克林頓夫婦給女兒起名Chelsea也就是因為這首歌。
Chelsea Hotel # 2
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel,
you were talking so brave and so sweet,
giving me head on the unmade bed,
while the limousines wait in the street.
Those were the reasons and that was New York,
we were running for the money and the flesh.
And that was called love for the workers in song
probably still is for those of them left.
Ah but you got away, didn't you babe,
you just turned your back on the crowd,
you got away, I never once heard you say,
I need you, I don't need you,
I need you, I don't need you
and all of that jiving around.
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel
you were famous, your heart was a legend.
You told me again you preferred handsome men
but for me you would make an exception.
And clenching your fist for the ones like us
who are oppressed by the figures of beauty,
you fixed yourself, you said, "Well never mind,
we are ugly but we have the music."
And then you got away, didn't you babe...
I don't mean to suggest that I loved you the best,
I can't keep track of each fallen robin.
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel,
that's all, I don't even think of you that often.
Janis Joplin演唱的Me and Bobby Magee鏈接
https://youtu.be/5Cg-j0X09Ag?si=Atr9Oy1O9q3Yczvp
