2006年VOA标准英语-Veteran Rockers Continue to Make Musical Statem

By Babak Bordbar
Washington, DC
10 October 2006
 
watch report CSNY tour

 
Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young
Over the past 40 years, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young has been among the most popular music groups in the United States. Musicians David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash and Neil Young have never been shy about using their musical harmonies to make political statements and continue to do so on their latest tour. For producer Babak Bordbar, VOA's Larry London has more on the band.

Since their appearance on the American music scene in the late 60s, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young have remained relevant¹ both together and as solo² artists.

Nearly 40 years after their appearance at the Woodstock music festival, the group has reunited to speak out on issues they feel strongly about.

 
Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills, Neil Young and Graham Nash explain.

Stephen Stills: "Well, it started out as any of the C.S.N.Y. tours do which is that Neil called everybody in and had a great idea."

Neil Young: “The songs that I have written are words that I heard from all my friends, words that I have seen on television, words that I read in the newspaper. It is all about what is going on right now."

Graham Nash: "The current C.S.N.Y. tour is very focused on a certain message."

Named "Freedom of Speech '06," Nash says the tour seeks to deliver its message with a blend³ of both old and new songs while focusing on one of the most important rights guaranteed by the American Constitution.

 
Graham Nash
Nash: "Freedom of Speech is the most vital way that we can keep in touch with what's going on."

Stills: "And the whole theme of it is that having a free voice and having, being able to express yourself freely⁴ in a free society is why we're here."

Nash: "It Is the thing that separates us from a lot of other countries that do not have the ability to speak our minds."

Stills: "It is the backbone⁵ of our country."

Nash: "One of the things we wanted to get across to people is that they do have freedom of speech."

Over the years, "Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's music has been a blend of politically motivated anthems⁶ and songs about life in general.

 
Neil Young
Young: "In the 70s, we sang some songs that were protest⁷ songs but in the main we sang about life and what was going on and everything and there was always a lot of positives."

Whether the message is political or social, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young's music continues to resonate with their fans.

Stills: "I wrote this song in 1965 called "For What It's Worth". "There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear…"

A fan commented, "These guys have always had something to say, you know… 'Ohio', Woodstock… it is always going to be relevant to what is going on."

And how do they feel America has changed in the past four decades?

Nash: "I think the country's gone through enormous⁸ changes since Woodstock."

Stills: "We have become a much more culturally divided people. People are misunderstanding each other's faiths."

Nash: "It is an incredibly complex set of situations. 

Another fan says, "It's ageless, man. These guys are as cool as they ever were… and then they are just, they are better and better and better."

Nash: "What is going on generally is the Middle East is not happening 'out there'. It is happening to all of us. We are, all of us are, members of this planet⁹. It is happening to all of us."

Stills: "We are your friends. Please do not forget that and do not feel that we have abandoned you or that you have to wreak¹⁰ your vengeance¹¹ on our culture because people are different. However you want to live is fine. Just let's do it in peace."

1 relevant   

adj.有关的，贴切的

参考例句：

• I don't think his remarks are relevant to our discussion.我认为他的话不切我们的议题。
• These materials are relevant to the case.这些材料与这案件有关。

2 solo   

n.独奏，独唱；adj.单独的；adv.单独地；v.放单飞，单独表演

参考例句：

• Tara is currently working on a solo album.塔拉眼下正忙着制作个人专辑。
• There's wonderfully lyrical flute solo in the middle of this symphony.在交响乐中间有一段奇妙的抒情长笛独奏。

3 blend   

v.(使)混和，(使)混杂；n.混合物；混和

参考例句：

• Do you think these two colours will blend together?你认为这两种颜色和谐吗？
• These houses seem to blend into the surrounding scenery.这些房屋似乎与周围的景色融为一体了。

4 freely   

adv.自由地，随便地，无拘无束地

参考例句：

• She was unable to keep back her tears,and wept freely.她抑制不住泪水，痛痛快快地哭了起来。
• A liquid flows freely and has no fixed shape.液体能自由流动，无固定形态。

5 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

6 anthems   

n.赞美诗( anthem的名词复数 )；圣歌；赞歌；颂歌

参考例句：

• They usually play the national anthems of the teams at the beginning of a big match. 在大型赛事开始前，他们通常演奏参赛国国歌。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rise please, rise for the anthems of & . 请全体起立，奏和两国国歌。 来自互联网

7 protest   

v.反对，抗议；宣称；n.抗议；宣称

参考例句：

• I can't pass the matter by without a protest.我不能对此事视而不见，我要提出抗议。
• We translated his silence as a protest.我们把他的沉默解释为抗议。

8 enormous   

adj.巨大的；庞大的

参考例句：

• An enormous sum of money is injected each year into teaching.每年都有大量资金投入到教学中。
• They wield enormous political power.他们行使巨大的政治权力。

9 planet   

n.行星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun. 海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Rubbish, however, is only part of the problem of polluting our planet. 然而, 垃圾只是我们这个星球的污染问题的一个方面。

10 wreak   

v.发泄；报复

参考例句：

• She had a burning desire to wreak revenge.她复仇心切。
• Timid people always wreak their peevishness on the gentle.怯懦的人总是把满腹牢骚向温和的人发泄。

11 vengeance   

n.报复，报仇，复仇

参考例句：

• He swore vengeance against the men who murdered his father.他发誓要向那些杀害他父亲的人报仇。
• For years he brooded vengeance.多年来他一直在盘算报仇。