夏禮章／Chevy Van演唱人Sammy Johns去世

文／夏禮章           以1975年一首排行榜第5名暢銷曲Chevy Van成名的男歌星Sammy Johns，元月4日不幸於北卡羅來納州因病去世（66歲）。Sammy Johns(圖／翻攝自網路。)出生於北卡羅來納州Charlotte，高中時代即擁有自己的合唱團the Devilles，學校畢業後他轉往亞特蘭大和一家叫GRC的唱片公司合作，他第一張單曲Early Morning Love於1974年曾獲得第68名，之後推出的Chevy Van讓Sammy Johns一夕成名，這首歌於1973年即已錄製。Chevy Van歌詞裡的…making love in my Chevy van…讓買唱片的歌迷們有點尷尬，但Sammy Johns解釋歌詞純屬虛構，只是講一個搭便車的美女的故事而已，雖然他這麼解釋，但 Sammy Johns於1988年重灌這首歌，還又進入鄉村歌曲排行榜獲得第80名。Chevy Van成名後接着推出的Rag Doll 僅得到第52名，1975年Sammy Johns因老東家GRC唱片公司財務出狀況而轉往Warner/Curb唱片，接着而來的酗酒、毒品和離婚等問題，讓他成績一直不佳，雖然他持續寫歌，包括知名鄉村歌星Waylon Jennings的America與John Conlee的Common Man等，但僅此而已。

Chevy Van(sammy johns)

I gave a girl a ride in my wagonNow she crawled in and took controlShe was tired as her mind was draggin'And i said get some sleep--we'll get on down the road

Like a picture she was laying thereAnd moonlight dancing off her hairShe woke up and took me by the handShe's gonna love me in my chevy vanAnd that's all right with me

Her young face was like that of an angelAnd her long legs were tanned and brownBetter keep your eyes on the road sonBetter slow this vehicle down 'cause

'cause like a picture she was laying thereAnd moonlight dancing off her hairShe woke up and took me by the handShe's gonna love me in my chevy vanAnd that's all right with me

I put her out in a town that was so smallYou could throw a rock from end to endA dirt road main street, she walked off in her barefeetAnd it's a shame i won't be passin' through again

Like a picture she was laying thereAnd moonlight dancing off her hairShe woke up and took me by the handWe made love me in my chevy vanAnd that's all right with me

Yeah like a picture she was laying thereAnd moonlight dancing off her hairShe woke up and took me by the handWe made love me in my chevy vanAnd that's all right with me

All right with me