2007年VOA标准英语-Musical Album "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club

By Paul Burge
London
01 June 2007
 

Sergeant1 Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, by The Beatles

Music lovers are celebrating the 40th anniversary of one of the most acclaimed² pop music albums of the century. Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by the 1960's pop icon³ -- The Beatles -- came to symbolize⁴ the era and shaped the musical landscape for the baby-boomer generation. Paul Burge reports for VOA News on how The Beatles' most famous musical offering took rock and pop music to a new artistic⁵ level and continues to shape music 40 years after its release.

Following in the footsteps of John, Paul, George and Ringo, from around the world, Beatles fans flock to London's Abbey Road, the street where the “Fab Four” turned their memorable⁶ lyrics⁷ into music a generation cannot forget.

It was at the Abbey Road studios where, perhaps, the Bealtles' most famous album was born.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was an immediate⁸ critical and popular sensation – described by fans, music critics and fellow musicians as innovative⁹ in every sense.

It was an adventure in concept, sound, song writing, studio technology – not to mention Sir Peter Blake's eye-popping artwork on the cover.

Released on June 1^st, 1967 the album launched the “Summer of Love” – the psychedelia, spirituality, and acid craze that swept the globe. 

At the time of its release The London Times newspaper described Sgt. Pepper as "a decisive moment in the history of Western civilization."

But behind the scenes it was the result of a staggering 129 days, or some 700 hours, the Beatles spent in the studio – recording¹⁰, experimenting and mastering the album.

Richard Porter runs the Beatles in London Tour. He says the way the Sgt. Pepper concept connected songs together seamlessly created a new standard to follow, turning albums into the prevailing¹¹ format¹² instead of singles.  "For a long, long time the album was king, people used to put lots of effort into singles but then after Sgt. Pepper it was albums that became the thing to do."

For many Beatles fans, coming to Abbey road is about coming to see the place where musical nostalgia¹³ was created for a generation.

"It was a bit weird¹⁴ and unusual, it was different from a lot of their other music,” said one visitor.

"I remember the day i graduated from high school,” recalled another, “I went down and bought Sgt. Pepper and took it home with some friends and stayed and just listened to it all day."

"Influenced all music, all music from rock and roll. New era from Sgt Pepper for all,” said another music fan.

Forty years and 12 million copies later, Sgt Pepper is still going strong. Now it is being bought by the sons and daughters of the generation the album was originally aimed at.

The HMV music store still sells albums today recorded by The Beetles15 40 years ago

It was at the HMV music store on London's Oxford¹⁶ Street in 1962 where a technician first alerted distinguished¹⁷ music producer George Martin of the Beatles early demonstration¹⁸ songs.

Genarro Castaldo from the HMV music store says Sgt. Pepper still appeals to younger audiences. "You get a lot of TV and magazine polls that constantly put the album at number one or in the top five, and that usually serves to spark the interest of a new generation."

But these days, that new generation uses the latest technology to hear the 40-year-old music.

As comfortable with downloading Mp3s as her father was putting needle to vinyl in 1967, 11-year-old Anya from Washington DC is proof that not only has Sgt. Pepper's appeal spanned generations, it has spanned the globe too.

On its 40th birthday Sgt. Pepper came in number one in a Capital Gold radio poll in the UK. The radio network's DJ, David Jensen says the album will continue to be popular because of the mystery that surrounds it. "What were some of the songs really about?  What were they intending?  I think that has fared its popularity and a certain amount of intrigue¹⁹ as well."

And when the Beatles' entire back-catalogue is made digital for the first time, music retailers²⁰ in the UK predict continued success of Sgt. Pepper, perhaps helping²¹ cement the album as a musical milestone²² for another 40 years.

1 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

2 acclaimed   

adj.受人欢迎的

参考例句：

• They acclaimed him as the best writer of the year. 他们称赞他为当年的最佳作者。
• Confuscius is acclaimed as a great thinker. 孔子被赞誉为伟大的思想家。

3 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

4 symbolize   

vt.作为...的象征，用符号代表

参考例句：

• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。
• Dolphins symbolize the breath of life.海豚象征着生命的气息。

5 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

6 memorable   

adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的

参考例句：

• This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
• The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。

7 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。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。

10 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。

11 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

12 format   

n.设计，版式；[计算机]格式，DOS命令:格式化(磁盘)，用于空盘或使用过的磁盘建立新空盘来存储数据；v.使格式化，设计，安排

参考例句：

• Please format this floppy disc.请将这张软盘格式化。
• The format of the figure is very tasteful.该图表的格式很雅致。

13 nostalgia   

n.怀乡病，留恋过去，怀旧

参考例句：

• He might be influenced by nostalgia for his happy youth.也许是对年轻时幸福时光的怀恋影响了他。
• I was filled with nostalgia by hearing my favourite old song.我听到这首喜爱的旧歌，心中充满了怀旧之情。

14 weird   

adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的

参考例句：

• From his weird behaviour,he seems a bit of an oddity.从他不寻常的行为看来，他好像有点怪。
• His weird clothes really gas me.他的怪衣裳简直笑死人。

15 beetles   

n.甲虫( beetle的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Beetles bury pellets of dung and lay their eggs within them. 甲壳虫把粪粒埋起来，然后在里面产卵。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This kind of beetles have hard shell. 这类甲虫有坚硬的外壳。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

16 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

17 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

18 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

19 intrigue   

vt.激起兴趣，迷住；vi.耍阴谋；n.阴谋，密谋

参考例句：

• Court officials will intrigue against the royal family.法院官员将密谋反对皇室。
• The royal palace was filled with intrigue.皇宫中充满了勾心斗角。

20 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

21 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

22 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。