White Lies – Unfinished Business

White Lies – Unfinished Business

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我早已习惯了以守旧的姿态来选择耳朵的喜好,将那些年少新晋的都划入了时尚潮流行列不值一哂。如果不是一个偶然的机会让我看到了这首歌的MV,也许我将错过White Lies这样一支风格鲜明的Post-punk乐队。《Unfinished Business》先是让我眼前一黑,继而心里一亮:那久违的富有舞蹈韵律的后朋阴风终于又扑面而来了!

苍白的男声随教堂的管风琴声蓦地响起,清冷得像一片荒芜的坟地。没错,MV给我们的正是这样的黑白画面:旷地、迷雾、少女、剪刀……有意的镜头跳剪带来德国表现主义默片才有的恐怖寒意。我猜,一桩谋杀正在呈现。眼前的女孩为何眼中淌血?她在悲戚地寻找什么?她是否已被人杀害?唱歌的人是谁?为什么他的歌声声声紧迫又像包含着无边的痛苦?

Charles Cave, Harry McVeigh和Jack Lawrence-Brown,这三个乳臭未干的英国少年,只用了不到15分钟的时间,就创作出了这首充满诗歌想象力的《Unfinished Business》。当很多同龄人正为进入成人世界而褪去童真之时,他们选择一头扎进黑暗冰冷的后朋音乐中,以早熟的心灵洞穿了这个世界的温文尔雅,用强烈的节奏、沉郁的基调来演奏残忍与死亡。Harry McVeigh的声音稚气未脱,唱功也不见得如何高明,但那种略显压抑的声线却恰恰适合讲述离奇诡异的故事,高音部分的和声尖锐生硬,更是显露了英式摇滚的偏锋精髓。贝斯手Charles Cave,的歌词创作同样惊艳,充斥着文学世界里的谋杀、疯狂和复仇的主题。也只有在歌词的指引下,你才能够更深地踏入他们内心的世界中,看看这帮孩子们到底孤独到什么地步。

原来,《Unfinished Business》的故事远非画面所能表达。一名男子在乞求他的爱人,亲爱的,给我点时间,快把剪刀放下,我正穿越风雷雨雪向你赶来。我们是不是已经太久没见了?为什么我已经在你面前你却装作没看见?当我高声叫喊“我爱你”的时候,你没听到吗?为什么你的眼中充满哀戚?为什么你神情恍惚喃喃自语“你在哪里”?啊,这一切的答案太过让我震惊。在百般辗转之后,我终于意识到自己皮肤的冰冷,这冰冷就像一道灼热的闪电将我劈醒:竟然我已死去,魂魄未散而已!

一分二十六秒的时间,我们随着Harry的道白感受了死者的猛然醒悟。音乐至此骤然密集,那种意识到肉身已死而阴魂难弃的恐惧与辛酸开始爆发——亲爱的,原来是你杀害了我。你手上的剪刀就是凶器,你手上的血出自我心。可我不怪你,我绝不怪你。炉火正旺,雪下得紧,那道光芒在等我前去,他们的召唤步步紧逼。先别碰我!给我一点时间吧,还有一些事情没有做完!让我们再像往常那样跳舞,让我们再像往常那样一吻别离!

这是死去的灵魂唱的哀歌,不禁让我想起了电影《第六感》和《小岛惊魂》。当儿童心理学家麦克看到熟睡的妻子手中掉落的戒指时,他眼中的神情多么令人惊惧与难忘。当明白真相后的母亲葛瑞丝紧紧搂住孩子们的时候,那场景又是那么令人心痛与感动。生命的紧迫感时刻尾随着我们,并不无恶意地冷眼旁观着我们的虚度与蹉跎。残酷的事情就这样发生了,当你意识到什么是最值得珍惜的东西并想舍弃一切去拥有它、保护它的时候,你往往会发现已经失去了它。什么是你的Unfinished Business?也许只有等你成为孤魂野鬼的时候才能真切地明白吧。呜呼哀哉!了解真相过于痛苦,不如听信善意的谎言。

Just give me a second darling, to clear my head

Just put down those scissors baby, on this single bed

The sand in the hourglass is running low

I came through thunder, the cold wind

The rain and the snow

To find you awake by your windowsill

A sight for sore eyes and a view to kill

I broke down in horror at you standing there

The glow from the moon

Shone through cracks in your hair.

I shouted with passion,

“I love you so much”

But feeling my skin, it was cold to the touch.

You whispered “where are you?”

I questioned your doubt

But soon realized, you were talking to God now

You’ve got blood on your hands

And I know it’s mine

I just need more time

So get off your low and let’s dance like we used to

But there’s a light in the distance

Waiting for me, I will wait for you

So get off your low and let’s kiss like we used to

I looked in the mirror

But something was wrong.

I saw you behind but my reflection was gone.

There was smoke in the fireplace

As white as the snow.

A voice beckoned gently

‘Now it’s time to go’

A requiem played as you begged for forgiveness

“Don’t touch me!” I screamed

“I’ve got unfinished business”

You’ve got blood on your hands

And I know it’s mine

I just need more time

So get off your low and let’s dance like we used to

But there’s a light in the distance

Waiting for me, I will wait for you

So get off your low, and let’s kiss like we used to

You’ve got blood on your hands

And I know it’s mine

I just need more time

So get off your low and let’s dance like we used to

But there’s a light in the distance

Waiting for me, I will wait for you

So get off your low, and let’s kiss like we used to

以泪洗面

2012.06.15.

本篇文字为“暖房”作者原创,转载或使用整体或任何部分内容,请标明出处。

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