The cultural agency of the United Nations—UNESCO—added reggae music to its list of international intangible cultural treasures in 2018. The purpose of the list is to protect many international cultural traditions.
Reggae music began in Jamaica and spread across the world with its calls for social justice, peace and love.
Born in the neighborhoods of Kingston in the 1960s, reggae songs were an expression of hard times and struggle. But its rhythmic sound and hopeful lyrics also made it an enjoyable music.
Its most famous songwriter and performer, the late Bob Marley, became an international star with songs like “No Woman, No Cry” and “Get Up, Stand Up”. Other well-loved reggae artists include Jimmy Cliff and Toots and the Maytalls.
Over time, the music traveled everywhere, from Britain and the United States to Latin America and Africa.
In the 1960s, reggae gained popularity in Britain and parts of the US, where Jamaicans began moving after World War Ⅱ.
Many of the worlds most famous reggae musicians began their careers in Britain. Reggae also influenced other styles of music there.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the British punk rock music world welcomed reggae. Soon, punk musicians would be making reggae-influenced songs.
British artists such as The Clash and The Police mixed reggaes rhythms and sounds into their music. This helped bring reggae to a wider audience.
Today, musicians from a wide field of styles, such as pop, R&B and even jazz, continue to borrow from reggae.
UNESCO said in a statement that reggae remains unchanged as “a vehicle of social commentary, as a cathartic experience, and means of praising God... and the music continues to provide a voice for all.”
2018年,聯(lián)合國文化局——聯(lián)合國教科文組織將雷鬼音樂列入世界非物質(zhì)文化遺產(chǎn)名單。這份名單旨在保護各種國際文化傳統(tǒng)。
雷鬼音樂起源于牙買加,因其對社會正義、和平與愛的呼吁而傳播到世界各地。
雷鬼音樂誕生于20世紀(jì)60年代的金斯敦社區(qū),在那時是人們表達生活艱難和對生活抗?fàn)幍囊环N方式。但它富有節(jié)奏感的聲音和充滿希望的歌詞使它成為一種令人愉快的音樂。
最著名的雷鬼音樂詞曲作者和表演者是已故的鮑勃·馬利,他憑借《不,女人,不要哭泣》和《起來,站起來》等歌曲成為國際明星。其他深受人們喜愛的雷鬼音樂藝術(shù)家還有吉米·克里夫、圖茨和梅塔爾夫婦。
隨著時間的推移,雷鬼音樂從英國、美國傳播到拉丁美洲和非洲,最終傳遍全世界。
牙買加人在第二次世界大戰(zhàn)后開始遷往英國和美國部分地區(qū),到20世紀(jì)60年代,雷鬼音樂已經(jīng)在這些地區(qū)流行起來。
世界上許多著名的雷鬼音樂家都是在英國開啟他們的職業(yè)生涯,雷鬼音樂也影響了英國其他類型的音樂。
20世紀(jì)70年代和80年代,英國朋克搖滾音樂界欣然接納雷鬼音樂。很快,朋克音樂家就創(chuàng)作出許多帶有雷鬼因素的歌曲。
“碰撞樂隊”和“警察樂隊”等英國樂隊的藝術(shù)家們將雷鬼音樂的節(jié)奏和聲音融入他們的音樂之中,這讓雷鬼音樂有了更多的聽眾。
如今,流行音樂、節(jié)奏布魯斯,甚至爵士樂等各種風(fēng)格的音樂家們都在借鑒雷鬼音樂元素。
聯(lián)合國教科文組織在一份聲明中表示,雷鬼音樂作為“一種評論社會的工具,一種宣泄情感的方式和贊美上帝的方式……這種音樂將繼續(xù)為所有人提供發(fā)聲的機會”,這一點是始終保持不變的。
Word Study
rhythmic /'r??m?k/ adj. 有節(jié)奏的;節(jié)奏分明的
cathartic /k?'θɑ?t?k/ adj. 情感宣泄的
His laughter was cathartic, an animal yelp that brought tears
to his eyes.