Take Away English-New Music Stars 歌坛新星

Pop stars have traditionally not come from the upper classes of society. Eminem grew up on a trailer park. 50 Cent is from the dangerous ghettoes of New York. The Beatles grew up in the poor, industrial city of Liverpool.

However, some musicians have come from the army. Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, served with the American Army in Germany whilst¹ Jimi Hendrix was in the parachute regiment².

Following in that tradition comes the latest British musical sensation³, James Blunt⁴. His last single, ‘You’re Beautiful’, was a huge hit, and his concerts have sold out all over the country.

But what is a well spoken, ex-army officer doing making music? James Blunt comes from a family with a long tradition of military service. His early life was not filled with music. His army officer father thought all music, even classical, was unnecessary noise.

Being from a good family, he was sent to boarding school at the age of seven. He then went on to University to study engineering, then Sandhurst, the officer training college. His life seemed certain to follow that of his father’s and grandfather’s before him - private schools, a good university and a career as an officer in the Household Cavalry⁵, one of the best regiments⁶ in the British Army.

He had, however, started playing the guitar as a teenager. When he was sent to Kosovo, he didn’t just take his gun – he also took his guitar, attached to the side of his tank. As he drove through villages damaged by the war, he used to sing the John Lennon song ‘Give Peace a Chance.’ “Well,” he later said, “we were peacekeepers.”

So where did all this lead him? Well, in 2003 he left the army and went to Los Angeles to make a record. His accent was considered too posh for many record producers and companies in England.

In America, however, it helped open doors. In 2004, his first album ‘Back to Bedlam’ was released, and the singles ‘High’, ‘Wise Men’ and ‘You’re Beautiful’ have been great successes. For the singing soldier, swapping⁷ a gun for a guitar has been a good choice.

GLOSSARY 词汇表
upper classes 上层社会， 贵族阶层 ghettoes （城市中的）少数民族聚居区 single 单曲 sold out 售完，卖光 ex 前… military 军事的，军队的 regiments 团 peacekeepers 维持和平的人；维和战士 album 专辑	trailer park 活动房屋或(家庭拖车的)停车场 parachute 降落伞 huge hit 巨大成功 well spoken 善于辞令的；谈吐文雅的 army officer 军官；陆军军官 boarding school 寄宿学校 tank 坦克 lead 指引；带领 swapping 交换

 

1 whilst   

conj.一边...一边，当...的时候，同时，时时

参考例句：

• She sang whilst she worked.她边干活边唱歌。
• There was dead silence in the court,whilst the white rabbit read out these verses.当白兔子念诗的时候，法庭上鸦雀无声。

2 regiment   

n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制

参考例句：

• As he hated army life,he decide to desert his regiment.因为他嫌恶军队生活，所以他决心背弃自己所在的那个团。
• They reformed a division into a regiment.他们将一个师整编成为一个团。

3 sensation   

n.感觉，感知力，激动，轰动

参考例句：

• He lost all sensation in his legs through cramp.他的腿部因抽筋而失去知觉。
• Seeing him again after so many years was a strange sensation.那么多年以后又见到他，是一种不可思议的感觉。

4 blunt   

adj.（刀子）钝的，不锋利的，迟钝的，直率的

参考例句：

• The axe is too blunt to cut down the tree.斧头太钝，砍不倒树。
• She is rather blunt in speech.她说话很直率。

5 cavalry   

n.骑兵；轻装甲部队

参考例句：

• We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
• The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。

6 regiments   

（军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物

参考例句：

• The three regiments are all under the command of you. 这三个团全归你节制。
• The town was garrisoned with two regiments. 该镇有两团士兵驻守。

7 swapping   

交换，交换技术

参考例句：

• The slow swapping and buying of horses went on. 马匹的买卖和交换就是这样慢慢地进行着。
• He was quite keen on swapping books with friends. 他非常热衷于和朋友们交换书籍。