金曲｜醒脑神曲 Wellerman：19世纪船歌在TikTok迎来新生
Wellerman, a New Zealand folksong dating back to the mid-19th century with no discernible author, gained sudden popularity lately after Scottish postman Nathan Evans posted a video of himself singing it on TikTok, which has given rise to a surge of interest and myriad renditions and remixes.
It results in the revival of sea shanties, the old nautical songs sailors used to sing while working on ships, even though Wellerman does not belong to shanties in the purest sense. With its clear narrative, comparatively long chorus, and preposterous conclusion, Wellerman is a good candidate for forebitters, or fo’c’sle songs. It is for recreation: entertainment, storytelling, and humor. In the broader sense of nautical songs with a strong engaging beat, however, it is eminently a sea shanty, leaving audience an expression of community and camaraderie, of working together in tandem and in harmony—things we sorely miss in person in the COVID era.
苏格兰邮差兼音乐爱好者内森·埃文斯2020年年底在TikTok上传了自己演唱19世纪新西兰船歌"Wellerman"（意为“Weller公司的雇工”）的视频，歌曲描绘了水手们等待澳大利亚捕鲸公司Weller Brothers供给茶叶、蔗糖和朗姆酒的情形。这首歌在TikTok平台上迅速走红，观看次数超400万，相关视频一时猛增，总流量超7000万。船歌的火爆似乎有迹可循。当今时代，尤其是疫情时期，船歌极具力量感的节奏和词曲间流露出的乐观无畏精神，恰好能激励沮丧的隔离群体，同时也为孤独失落的当代年轻人注入集体感与归属感。个人的世界如今越来越像孤岛，而充满活力的船歌似乎在调动人内心联结彼此、奋力抗争的本能，将一座座岛屿用音乐和网络社交传播的航道连接起来。与其说TikTok用户帮助古老的船歌焕发新生，不如说是歌曲多少帮助了沉郁的人们脱离迷茫。
There once was a ship that put to sea
“曾经有一艘船出海远航”
And The name of that ship was Billy of Tea
“那艘船的名字是‘比利·茶’号”
The winds blew up, her bow dipped down
“风刮得很大，船头向下倾”
Blow, my bully boys, blow (Huh!)
“吹吧，我的小霸王，吹吧(嘿!)”
Soon may the Wellerman come
“补给船马上会来”
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
“给我们带糖，茶和朗姆酒”
One day, when the tonguin' is done
“有一天我们吃完了食物”
We'll take our leave and go
“我们就带上行李走了”
She had not been two weeks from shore
“她离开海岸还不到两个星期”
When down on her a right whale bore
“当一头露脊鲸冲到她身上时”
The captain called all hands and swore
“船长召集了所有人来宣誓”
He'd take that whale in tow (Hah!)
“他要把那条鲸鱼拖在后面(哈!)”
Soon may the Wellerman come
“韦勒曼马上会来”
To bring us sugar and tеa and rum
“给我们带糖，茶和朗姆酒”
One day, when the tonguin' is donе
“有一天我们吃完了食物”
We'll take our leave and go
“我们就带上行李走了”
Da-da-da-da-da-da
嗒嗒嗒嗒嗒...
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
嗒嗒嗒嗒嗒...
Da-da-da-da-da-da
嗒嗒嗒嗒嗒...
Da-da-da-da-da-da
嗒嗒嗒嗒嗒...
Before the boat had hit the water
“在船落水之前”
The whale's tail came up and caught her
“鲸鱼的尾巴抓住了她”
All hands to the side, harpooned and fought her
“所有的手都放在一边拿着鱼叉和她战斗”
When she dived down below (Huh!)
“她潜入水底时(嘿!)”
Soon may the Wellerman come
“韦勒曼马上会来”
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
“给我们带糖，茶和朗姆酒”
One day, when the tonguin' is done
“有一天我们吃完了食物”
We'll take our leave and go
“我们就带上行李走了”
No line was cut, no whale was freed;
“绳索没有被割断，鲸鱼也没有被释放;”
The Captain's mind was not on greed
“船长的心思并不贪婪”
But he belonged to the whaleman's creed;
“但他坚守着捕鲸人的信条”
She took that ship in tow (Huh!)
“她拖着那艘船(嘿!)”
Soon may the Wellerman come
“韦勒曼马上会来”
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
“给我们带糖，茶和朗姆酒”
One day, when the tonguin' is done
“有一天我们吃完了食物”
We'll take our leave and go
“我们就带上行李走了”
Da-da-da-da-da-da
嗒嗒嗒嗒嗒...
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
嗒嗒嗒嗒嗒...
Da-da-da-da-da-da
嗒嗒嗒嗒嗒...
Da-da-da-da-da-da
嗒嗒嗒嗒嗒...
For forty days, or even more
“40天，甚至更长时间”
The line went slack, then tight once more
“钓索开始松弛，随后又绷紧了”
All boats were lost, there were only four
“所有的船都失踪了，只有四艘船幸存下来”
But still that whale did go
“但那头鲸鱼还是游走了”
Soon may the Wellerman come
“韦勒曼马上会来”
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
“给我们带糖，茶和朗姆酒”
One day, when the tonguin' is done
“有一天我们吃完了食物”
We'll take our leave and go
“我们就带上行李走了”
As far as I've heard, the fight's still on;
“据我所知，战斗还在继续;”
The line's not cut and the whale's not gone
“绳索没有被割断，鲸鱼也没有被释放;”
The Wellerman makes his a regular call
“韦勒曼定期打电话”
To encourage the Captain, crew, and all
“来鼓励船长，船员和所有人”
Soon may the Wellerman come
“韦勒曼马上会来”
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
“给我们带糖，茶和朗姆酒”
One day, when the tonguin' is done
“有一天我们吃完了食物”
We'll take our leave and go
“我们就带上行李走了”
Soon may the Wellerman come
“韦勒曼马上会来”
To bring us sugar and tea and rum
“给我们带糖，茶和朗姆酒”
One day, when the tonguin' is done
“有一天我们吃完了食物”
We'll take our leave and go
“我们就带上行李走了”
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