Stand by P

在友blog讀到關於倫敦的文章，跟她一樣，我到倫敦已是十多年前了。那時因為班機延誤，在巴黎戴高樂國際機場等了很久很久，到了倫敦市已是傍晚了。我們只能乘車看看牛津街、唐寧街10號首相府、白金漢宮的門外等景點。晚膳於倫敦華埠，那兒的路牌都附有中文名稱。有一條Gerrard Street當地華人起初管它叫豬乸街(粵語，母豬之意)，不過這不竟有欠文雅改成了爵祿街(九龍新蒲崗有一條)。

當年阿城留學威爾斯，我在倫敦的酒店打電話給他的時候已回到威爾斯了。他說當他遊覽愛丁堡的時候，讓他想起中環。我卻說一天跟Sam到中環看那些古蹟，卻讓我想起"Streets Of London"。說來有趣，歌中一句歌詞"for you, that the sun don't shine"，媽媽總質問為什麼不是"doesn't"，我聽過一些版本是唱"doesn't"的。不竟這就是她的補習導師本色，我也不知道怎麼解釋。我說「大概是當地的特殊用法吧」，不過對我來說這都不重要了。



Streets Of London - Ralph McTell

Have you seen the old man in the closed down market
Kicking up the paper with his worn out shoes
In his eyes you see no pride
And held loosely by his side,
yesterday's paper telling yesterday's news

How can you tell me you're lonely
And say, for you, that the sun don't shine
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something to make you change your mind

Have you seen the old gal who walks the streets of London
Dirt in her hair and her clothes in rags
She's no time for talkin, she just keeps right on walkin'
Carryin her home in two carrier bags

How Can you tell me....

In the all night cafe at a quarter past eleven
Same old man sitting there on his own
Looking at the world over the rim of his teacup
Each tea lasts an hour and he goes home alone

How can you tell me....

Have you seen the old man outside the seaman's mission
Memory fading like the ribbons that he wears
In our winter city, the rain cries a little pity
For one more forgotten hero in a world that doesn't care

How can you tell me you're lonely
And say, for you, that the sun don't shine
Let me take you by the hand
And lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something to make you change your mind
I'll show you something to make you change your mind

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