词汇大师(Wordmaster)--Palindrome

AA: I'm Avi Arditti with Rosanne Skirble, and this week on WORDMASTER -- a look backward!

RS: As we do each New Year, we're going to play one of our favorite recordings¹. It's a skit² about a cowboy with an unusual speaking habit.

AA: The piece is called "The Ballad³ of Palindrome." It's by Riders in The Sky, and it's off the group's album from a few years ago called "A Great Big Western HOWDY!" The vocalists in the group are Ranger⁴ Doug, Too Slim and Woody Paul.

RS: Here's what the liner notes say: "Back in the 1950s Johnny Western co-wrote and sang the theme song for a popular television show about a gunfighter named Paladin. Too Slim changed the action from gun play to word play and wrote new lyrics⁵ to the theme. The result is the clever and funny 'Palindrome.' Johnny Western himself joins Riders in The Sky to sing this new version. Those big thick Hollywood twangs pouring out of your speakers come from a rootin' tootin' Danelectro guitar."

AA: So now sit back and enjoy...

TAPE: "The Ballad of Palindrome/Palindrome: The Scene with Johnny Western" (3:35)

RS: ... Riders in The Sky, from their album "A Great Big Western HOWDY!" We want to wish all of our listeners around the world a great big happy 2002.

AA: Which, come to think of it, happens be a palindromic number. But whichever way you look at it, happy New Year! With Rosanne Skirble, I'm Avi Arditti.

1 recordings   

n.记录( recording的名词复数 )；录音；录像；唱片

参考例句：

• a boxed set of original recordings 一套盒装原声录音带
• old jazz recordings reissued on CD 以激光唱片重新发行的老爵士乐

2 skit   

n.滑稽短剧；一群

参考例句：

• The comic skIt sent up the foolishness of young men in love.那幅画把沉溺于热恋中的青年男子的痴态勾勒得滑稽可笑。
• They performed a skit to amuse the crowd.他们表演了一个幽默小品来娱乐观众。

3 ballad   

n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲

参考例句：

• This poem has the distinctive flavour of a ballad.这首诗有民歌风味。
• This is a romantic ballad that is pure corn.这是一首极为伤感的浪漫小曲。

4 ranger   

n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员

参考例句：

• He was the head ranger of the national park.他曾是国家公园的首席看守员。
• He loved working as a ranger.他喜欢做护林人。

5 lyrics   

n.歌词

参考例句：

• music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hart 由罗杰斯和哈特作词作曲
• The book contains lyrics and guitar tablatures for over 100 songs. 这本书有100多首歌的歌词和吉他奏法谱。