中文來源：mjjcn.com 翻譯：逆天の舞
來自Willa（Michael Jackson's Art of Connection and Defiance 和"Rereading Michael Jackson"的作者）和Joie（MJFC創始人之一）的博文。發表於8.29。兩人以對談的方式解析了Michael一生只演唱一次的歌曲《You Were There》，從表演談到歌曲本身的意義。
不知道為什麼，到最後流著淚翻完他們的對話，覺得受益很多。
不知道為什麼，到最後流著淚翻完他們的對話，覺得受益很多。
=================正文===================
Willa：今天是Michael Jackson的54歲生日，我很想以一種有意義的方式來紀念這一天。所以我開始想，Michael自己會怎樣來紀念他所崇敬之人的生日呢，這讓我想起了MJ為Sammy Davis, Jr而創作，並為慶祝他60歲生日所獻唱的那首歌：《You Were There》
他一生只演唱過一次，並且很少提起，但這首歌太動人了。它的歌詞如此地有力，當MJ唱起那些詞時，看Sammy Davis臉上的表情..你就能知道這對他的意義有多麼重大。
Joie：確實如此，Willa。他的表情說明他被Michael的語句深深地打動了。而當你去聽這首歌的時候，你確實也不難理解他為何如此動容。歌曲裏承載著Michael的情感和親身體會。你真的能夠感受到Michael為他的偶像演唱這首特別的歌曲時，那種深沉的情感。每一句唱詞顯然都對他意義非凡。這實在讓人感動。
Willa：的確如此。同時這也是一次風格化的表演，這簡直像是另一個時代風格的演出。他不僅是獻歌給Sammy Davis，更是通過這些標誌性的動作來向他致敬。與此同時，他也加入了一些他自己的經典姿勢，而這與那些前人的動作在一起看起來非常和諧。這就像是他在向人們演示，他是如何將自己的動作與傳統舞步完美地融為一體。
Joie：你說得太對了。我也認為那場表演中他的動作讓人聯想起Sammy Davis Jr。所以，你說對了，不僅是歌曲本身，就連他的肢體動作也是在致敬Sammy Davis Jr。
你知道嗎，Willa。我已經有一段時間沒聽過這首歌了，不過，你知道現在我再看這段視頻時腦海裏閃過了什麼嗎？我不自覺地突然想到當今的那些年輕藝人們，例如Justin Bieber和Chris Brown等等，他們敬仰Michael，並將他視作對自己影響最深重的人之一。
Willa：我瞭解你的意思，Joie。這種傳統已經在新一代藝人中得到了延續，Michael在推動這種傳統中有著舉足輕重的地位——在很長一段時間裏，他都是引領者。而我也認為Sammy Davis Jr和Michael之間有著一種很奇妙的共通點，他們都衝破了種族的界限，同時也為此付出巨大的代價。
Michael動人地唱道：
You were there, before we came
You took the hurt, you took the shame
They built the walls to block your way
You beat them down, you won the day
It wasn’t right, it wasn’t fair
You taught them all, you made them care
Yes, you were there, and thanks to you,
There’s now a door we all walk through
And we are here, for all to see
To be the best that we can be
Yes, I am here
‘Cause you were there
Joie：確實如此，Willa。他的表情說明他被Michael的語句深深地打動了。而當你去聽這首歌的時候，你確實也不難理解他為何如此動容。歌曲裏承載著Michael的情感和親身體會。你真的能夠感受到Michael為他的偶像演唱這首特別的歌曲時，那種深沉的情感。每一句唱詞顯然都對他意義非凡。這實在讓人感動。
Willa：的確如此。同時這也是一次風格化的表演，這簡直像是另一個時代風格的演出。他不僅是獻歌給Sammy Davis，更是通過這些標誌性的動作來向他致敬。與此同時，他也加入了一些他自己的經典姿勢，而這與那些前人的動作在一起看起來非常和諧。這就像是他在向人們演示，他是如何將自己的動作與傳統舞步完美地融為一體。
Joie：你說得太對了。我也認為那場表演中他的動作讓人聯想起Sammy Davis Jr。所以，你說對了，不僅是歌曲本身，就連他的肢體動作也是在致敬Sammy Davis Jr。
你知道嗎，Willa。我已經有一段時間沒聽過這首歌了，不過，你知道現在我再看這段視頻時腦海裏閃過了什麼嗎？我不自覺地突然想到當今的那些年輕藝人們，例如Justin Bieber和Chris Brown等等，他們敬仰Michael，並將他視作對自己影響最深重的人之一。
Willa：我瞭解你的意思，Joie。這種傳統已經在新一代藝人中得到了延續，Michael在推動這種傳統中有著舉足輕重的地位——在很長一段時間裏，他都是引領者。而我也認為Sammy Davis Jr和Michael之間有著一種很奇妙的共通點，他們都衝破了種族的界限，同時也為此付出巨大的代價。
Michael動人地唱道：
You were there, before we came
You took the hurt, you took the shame
They built the walls to block your way
You beat them down, you won the day
It wasn’t right, it wasn’t fair
You taught them all, you made them care
Yes, you were there, and thanks to you,
There’s now a door we all walk through
And we are here, for all to see
To be the best that we can be
Yes, I am here
‘Cause you were there
我認為很明顯，他唱的是Sammy Davis, Jr所遭到的種族歧視。就像Michae所唱的：“這不對”，“這不公平”，但他不得不忍受著這一切。“你受到傷害，你受到羞辱”，正因如此：“感謝你/ 那是一道我們都將越過的門”。我想這裏的“我們”指的顯示是那些生活與事業由於Sammy Davis Jr對於種族界限的突破而變得稍稍順利些的黑人藝術家。
Joie：是的，我完全認同。同時我也相信如今有很多黑人藝術家也和Michael有著相同的感受。舉個例子，如果不是Michael衝破MTV上的種族界限，那麼成千上萬的黑人藝術家的MV都將無法在MTV上播放。同樣地，如果不是Michael的專輯Thriller獲得跨越種族的巨大成功，那麼可能如今成千上萬的黑人藝術家就都得不到類似的成就。
Willa：我覺得這是事實，而且非常重要，Joie，我希望他們能從Michael的生活和事業中汲取力量，就如同Michael從前人的經歷中汲取力量一樣。當他經歷了孌童案指控、和索尼的鬥爭以及2005年的審判之後，事情變得一團糟，而他想起了前人的奮鬥，並且從中得到慰藉與力量。
這讓我想起了去年春天我們討論過“Will You Be There”，之後Kris, Eleanor 和Nina在評論中有一段有趣並且感人的對話，關於“I’ll Be There”和“Will You Be There”之間微妙的聯繫。
Kris寫道：
“在最初的時候，那個小男孩用最純淨的，如同天使般的嗓音對我們說“I’ll Be There’、 ‘just call my name, I’ll be there to comfort you,’等等。然後小男孩長大了，他誠摯地問’will u be there for me’，令人難過的是，看起來通常答案是不。這兩首歌就像是一枚硬幣的正反面，而它們所講述的他的生活，讓我覺得悲從中來。”我明白Kris的意思，這也讓我感到很悲傷。但是我最近一直在想，也許“You Were There”可以算作這個系列的第3首歌。
我最近一直想著，始終在他身邊，在他最需要的時候鼓勵著他，給他力量與勇氣的那一小群人，這些人中包括Sammy Davis, Jr., James Brown, Chuck Berry, Jack Johnson, Mohammad Ali, Jesse Jackson 和Nelson Mandela。換句話說，是那些經歷過相同偏見、迫害與奚落的前人們，那些黑人藝術家，戰士與政治人物們。歷數這些前輩們，你會驚訝地發現其中有如此多的人都曾被監禁，或威脅被監禁。他們的內心實在太強大了。我認為Michael也從那當中汲取了力量。
Joie：嗯。這是種有趣的想法，Willa。將這首歌和Kris, Eleanor，Nina之前所討論的那兩首組合成三部曲，很有趣。事實上，我很想知道她們會對你的假設發表什麼看法。
Willa，我認為這首歌裏最出色的是他的誠摯,發自內心的情感。這真的是一首甜美的歌，你覺得呢？據我所知，它從未被錄音，未被出售，也沒有被下載過。但儘管Michael只演唱過一次，我還是認為大多數他的歌迷，哪怕是新歌迷，也已經注意這首歌很長時間了。我相信它一直都是“歌迷最愛”之一，它也由此被歌迷口口相傳。就像有些消息，有時候口口相傳比普通推廣的傳播效應更好。我認為這個原理對這首歌也非常適用。
Willa：我同意，它太美了，儘管這是一首明確的批判種族主義的歌曲，把它稱作一首“甜美的歌”看上去似乎讓人吃驚。但通過他的眾多作品，我們能夠解釋這種說法，並且從不同的層面進行回應。
Joie：如你所言，這首歌“很明確的批判種族主義”。但是它同時也甜美而真摯，是他獻給他的偶像的，一首充滿感激與謝意的歌。而不論你從哪個角度看待它，它都是一首強大又謙遜的歌曲。
Willa：這也是他送給偶像的最棒的生日禮物。
=====================英文原文=====================
Willa: So today would have been Michael Jackson ’s 54th birthday and I was trying to think of a meaningful way to commemorate that. So I started wondering what Michael Jackson himself would do to remember the birthday of a person he admired, and that reminded me of the song he wrote and performed for Sammy Davis, Jr., for his 60th birthday:
He only performed it that one time and it rarely gets mentioned, but it’s so moving. The lyrics are really powerful, and the look on Sammy Davis’ face as watches Michael Jackson sing those words … You can tell how much it means to him.
Joie: That’s true, Willa; from the look on his face, you can tell he is just so moved by Michael’s words. And really, when you listen to it, it’s not difficult to understand why. It is a very emotional and personal message Michael is conveying in this song. And you can really feel his depth of emotion as he’s performing this special song for one of his idols. Those words he’s singing obviously mean a lot to him. It’s quite moving.
Willa: It really is, and it’s also a very stylized performance, if that makes sense – it almost seems like a performance from another era. It’s like he isn’t just paying tribute to Sammy Davis, Jr., through his lyrics, but through these very stylized gestures as well. He also incorporates iconic poses that are distinctively his own, but they seems perfectly in sync with what’s gone before, so it’s like he’s demonstrating through his performance how his movements fit within this tradition of dance and gesture that’s gone before him.
Joie: Oh, I agree with you; I think a lot of his movements during this performance are very reminiscent of Sammy Davis Jr. So, you’re right, it’s like he’s paying tribute through the song itself, but also through his movements.
You know, Willa, I haven’t listened to this song in a while but, do you know what strikes me as I watch that clip now? I can’t help but think about all the young artists out there now who are suddenly looking to Michael and citing him as one of their greatest influences. Artists like Justin Bieber and Chris Brown and others. They all look to Michael as one of their heroes just like Michael looked to Sammy Davis and James Brown and Jackie Wilson.
Willa: I see what you mean, Joie. The tradition is continuing on in a powerful way through this new generation of artists, and Michael Jackson played a very important part in furthering that tradition – he carried the baton a long way! But I also think there’s something very special that Sammy Davis, Jr., and Michael Jackson share in common, and that’s how they both broke through racial barriers – and paid a big price for doing that. As Michael Jackson sings so movingly,
You were there, before we came
You took the hurt, you took the shame
They built the walls to block your way
You beat them down, you won the day
It wasn’t right, it wasn’t fair
You taught them all, you made them care
Yes, you were there, and thanks to you,
There’s now a door we all walk through
And we are here, for all to see
To be the best that we can be
Yes, I am here
‘Cause you were there
I think he’s singing pretty explicitly about the racism Sammy Davis, Jr., confronted. “It wasn’t right” and “it wasn’t fair,” as Michael Jackson sings, but he endured it. “You took the hurt, you took the shame.” And because of that, “thanks to you / There’s now a door we all walk through.” I think that “we” he’s talking about in these lines is specifically black artists whose lives and careers were a little bit easier because Sammy Davis, Jr., broke ground for them.
Joie: Yes, I agree with you totally. And I also believe that there are many Black artists out there now who feel the exact same way about Michael Jackson. After all, if it hadn’t been for him and the racial barrier he knocked down at MTV, for example, there would be hundreds of other Black artists who may have never had their videos included in rotation on that station. Likewise, if it hadn’t been for Michael’s amazing cross-over success with the Thriller album, there could be hundreds of Black artists today who may never have tasted similar success.
Willa: I think that’s really true and really important, Joie, and I hope they’re able to draw strength from Michael Jackson’s life and career the way he seemed to draw strength from the stories of those who went before him. You know, when things were so bad for him after the molestation allegations came out and during the battles with Sony and the 2005 trial, he cited the struggles of those who’d gone before him, and seemed to gain comfort and strength from those stories.
And that makes me think about the title of this song. You know, last spring we talked about “Will You Be There” and Kris, Eleanor, and Nina had a very interesting and very moving conversation in the comments section about the special symbolic connection between “I’ll Be There” and “Will You Be There.” As Kris wrote,
we have this child who starts out touching us with the purest, most angelic voice, telling us “I’ll Be There,” “just call my name, I’ll be there to comfort you,” etc. And he grows into this man who finds himself really honestly asking “will you be there for me,” and so sadly, it often seemed the answer was no. The two sides of that coin and the truth they tell about his life are very poignant for me.
I know what Kris means – it’s very poignant for me too. But I’ve been thinking lately that maybe there’s a third song in this series: “You Were There.”
I’ve been thinking lately that there was a small group who was always there to encourage him and give him strength and courage when he needed it, and it included people like Sammy Davis, Jr., James Brown, Chuck Berry, Jack Johnson, Mohammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, and Nelson Mandela – in other words, the black artists and fighters and political figures who had gone before him, who had walked that path before him, and experienced the same kinds of prejudice and persecution and ridicule he faced. Looking at that list, it’s pretty shocking how many were either imprisoned or threatened with imprisonment though no fault of their own – they were simply too powerful to be endured – and I think Michael Jackson drew strength from that knowledge.
Joie: Hmm. That’s an interesting thought, Willa. The idea that this song forms a sort of trilogy with the other two songs Kris, Eleanor, and Nina were discussing. In fact, I’d be really interested to hear their thoughts on your assessment.
You know, Willa, I think the best part about this song is that it’s just so sincere and heartfelt. It really is just a sweet little song, don’t you think? I mean, it was never recorded and never offered for sale or download as far as I know. Michael only performed it that one time that I know of and yet, I think most fans – even a lot of the new fans – have been aware of it for quite some time. I believe that’s because it’s always been sort of a “fan favorite” and so it’s been passed around from fan to fan. Sort of like when news of something really great spreads via word-of-mouth rather than by conventional promotion. I think that says a lot for this sweet little song.
Willa: I agree, it’s beautiful, though I think it’s a pretty pointed critique of racism – which is surprising in such “a sweet little song,” as you say. As with so much of his work, we can interpret it and respond to it on many different levels.
Joie: That’s very true and it is a “pretty pointed critique of racism” – as you say. But it’s also just really sweet and sincere as he sings a love song of appreciation and thanks to one of his idols. Either way you look at it, it is a very powerful, unassuming little song.
Willa: And a wonderful birthday present to one of his idols.
Michael Jackson顫慄台灣Magazine Xuite日誌
幕後故事 /
這首為Sammy Davis Jr特別創作的歌，在他1990年5月因喉癌不幸逝世後，MJ於1992年2月的Sammy Davis Jr周年獻禮晚會上演唱。在舞臺上，MJ說他將再也不會演唱這首歌，因為這是“Sammy的歌”。
MJ說這首歌曲是為了感謝Davis為打破黑人50，60年代在美國娛樂界所受的不公正待遇(偏見、歧視)而作出的貢獻，他持續前進，沒有回頭，打破傳統障礙。MJ和其他的歌手感謝因為有了Sammy，他們今天才能有這樣的成就。
/ 感想後記 /
MJ為小薩米戴維斯Sammy Davis Jr.致敬演唱，此次活動所獲得的25美金全數捐獻公益"美國聯合黑人學院"基金會。
根據歷史資料，另一首記錄於1990年的白金冠軍曲"Black or white"黑或白，其創作靈感應來自Sammy Davis Jr於50年代末期灌錄的一首"Black and white"黑和白，該曲是為了美國於1954年判決禁止各級學校採取「種族隔離」措施的人權突破而慶祝的創作。Sammy Davis Jr於1990年5月逝世，因此Michael Jackson的"Black or white"很可能是MJ在當下感懷Sammy Davis Jr而記錄完成的歌曲，其記錄時間應為1990年5月以後。
/ 歌詞內容 /
You were there 你在那裡
You were there, before we came.你在那裡，在我們到達以前
You took the hurt, you took the shame.你承受傷害，你承受屈辱
They built the walls to block your way.他們築起牆壁阻擋了你的去路
You beat them down.你打倒它們
You won the day.你贏得勝利
It wasn't right, it wasn't fair.這不是對的，這並不公平
You taught them all.你教導他們
You made them care.你讓他們懂得關懷
Yes, you were there, and thanks to you.是的，你在那裡，向你致敬
There's now a door we all walk through.現在有一扇門開啟讓我們都能走過
And we are here, for all to see .我們在這裡，有目共睹
To be the best that we can be.盡我們所能做到最好
Yes, I am here...是的，我在這裡…
Because you were there. 因為你在那裡
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