2007年VOA标准英语-'Ruby's Torch' A Dream Come True for Nanci Grif

By Katherine Cole
Washington
22 January 2007

Texas-born Nanci Griffith has been writing since she was 12 years old, and making records since the late 1970s. Her career has spanned a variety of musical styles, including folk, country and what she calls "folkabilly." In 1992, her recording¹, Other Voices, Other Rooms, which features Griffith singing the songs of artists she considers major influences, won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. VOA's Katherine Cole reports Nanci Griffith has turned to the songs of others on her new CD, Ruby's Torch.

 
Ruby's Torch
"When I Dream" is the opening track to Nanci Griffith's Ruby's Torch. It's very representative of the 10 other tracks on the new CD. This is not a collection of new folk songs, but rather an album of "torch songs," ones that tell the story of a sentimental², and usually unrequited love. Another good example is Jimmy Webb's "If These Walls Could Speak."

Nanci Griffith first drew acclaim³ in the mid-1980s as a songwriter in the tradition of other Texas storytellers like Willie Nelson and Townes Van Zant. But her instantly recognizable voice isn't for everyone, leaving Griffith to become known better for the hit songs she's written for Kathy Mattea, Emmylou Harris and others, rather than her own CDs.

Ruby's Torch could be the one to sway those non-fans. The Texas drawl and other vocal⁴ quirks⁵ that make Nanci Griffith "Nanci Griffith" work perfectly⁶ with the songs and arrangements she's chosen for this record.

 
Nanci Griffith 
In the liner notes for Ruby's Torch, Nanci Griffith says recording an entire collection of torch songs has been a dream come true, and something that fans have been asking her to do for years. Soon they'll be able to thank her in person, as Griffith is about to embark⁷ on a two-month tour of the U.S. and U.K., with additional dates to be scheduled throughout the year.

While Nanci Griffith has written plenty of her own torch songs, most of the songs on her new record come from other writers. Tom Waits weighs in with three of the 11 cuts, including the album's title track. There are only two Nanci Griffith originals on Ruby's Torch, "Brave Companion," and "Late Night Grande Hotel."

1 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

2 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

3 acclaim   

v.向…欢呼，公认；n.欢呼，喝彩，称赞

参考例句：

• He was welcomed with great acclaim.他受到十分热烈的欢迎。
• His achievements earned him the acclaim of the scientific community.他的成就赢得了科学界的赞誉。

4 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

5 quirks   

n.奇事，巧合( quirk的名词复数 )；怪癖

参考例句：

• One of his quirks is that he refuses to travel by train. 他的怪癖之一是不愿乘火车旅行。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All men have their own quirks and twists. 人人都有他们自己的怪癖和奇想。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

6 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

7 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。