天外飛來巴斯光年

小學二年級的賢侄不愛英文，想到童年時娘親的必殺洗腦技之「耳濡目染」：每晚睡前都放西洋老歌CD。當時我發現好多歌琅琅上口，因為喜歡就去查歌詞。從興趣中學習最快了，在課本裡出現100次 "what's it" 記不住，看卡通只要再聽到一次就永遠能記住 "what it is". 於是趁離鄉前在侄子臥房電腦建了一個催眠歌單，25首西洋古代、近代都屬翹楚的中慢歌。回台北兩星期後他的奶奶敲我：「你侄子喜歡Joni Don't Cry，會跟著哼，快給我歌詞。」大心！你叔叔小時候最早入門之一就是這條啊品味太近！此曲好得不得了，也建構我對西洋老歌部分認知：類三段章法的敘事情歌最動人了，要說影響了日後台灣陶喆的《小鎮姑娘》也不為過。於是下班再累，也要趕完這篇中英對照，讓他奶奶有教材可授。

Jimmy please say you'll wait for me 

求求你等等我，吉米

I'll grow up someday you'll see 

有天我會長大不騙你

Saving all my kisses just for you 

我每一個吻只留給你

Signed with love forever true 

以愛之名永不渝

Joni was the girl who lived next door 

瓊妮曾是鄰家的女孩

I've known her I guess 10 years or more 

認識她十年了吧應該

Joni wrote me a note one day 

那天她遞了紙條來

And this is what she had to say 

上面這樣娓娓道來

Jimmy please say you'll wait for me 

求求你等等我，吉米

I'll grow up someday you'll see 

有天我會長大不騙你

Saving all my kisses just for you 

我每一個吻只留給你

Signed with love forever true 

以愛之名永不渝

Slowly I read her note once more 

我仔細地再讀了一遍

Then I went over to the house next door 

然後到她家門口一見

Her tear drops fell like rain that day 

她淚如時雨滂沱下

When I told Joni what I had to say 

當我說了該說的話

Joni, Joni please don't cry 

瓊妮瓊妮別哭泣

You'll forget me by and by 

你會漸漸把我忘記

You're just fifteen I'm twenty two 

我22歲你才15

And Joni I just cant wait for you 

等不得也留不住

Soon I left our little home town 

不久我離鄉背井去

Got me a job and tried to settle down 

有新工作努力適應

But these words kept haunting my memory 

但字字句句纏上心

The words that Joni said to me 

瓊妮說的那字字句句

Jimmy please say you'll wait for me 

求求你等等我，吉米

I'll grow up someday you'll see 

有天我會長大不騙你

Saving all my kisses just for you 

我每一個吻只留給你

Signed with love forever true 

以愛之名永不渝

I packed my clothes And I caught a plane 

我打包行李上了飛機

I had to see Joni I had to explain 

我要見瓊妮向她說明

How my heart was filled With her memory 

我滿腦子是她的回憶

And ask my Joni if she'd marry me 

要求我的瓊妮為我妻

I ran all the way To the house next door

千里迢迢我到她門口

But things weren't like they were before 

但人事已非白雲蒼狗

My tear drops fell like rain that day 

我淚如時雨滂沱下

When I heard what Joni had to say 

聽瓊妮這樣說實話

Jimmy, Jimmy please don't cry 

吉米吉米別哭泣

You'll forget me by and by 

你會漸漸把我忘記

It's been five years since you've been gone 

你走了5年沒消息

Jimmy I married your best friend John

吉米我已嫁你朋友約翰矣