I've never been to me Charlene (Ken Kirsch / Ronald Miller)
Hey lady, you, lady, cursing at your life You're a discontented mother and a regimented wife I've no doubt you dream about the things you'll never do But I wish someone had talked to me like I wanna talk to you
I've been to Georgia and California, anywhere I could run Took the hand of a preachman and we made love in the sun But I ran out of places and friendly faces Because I had to be free I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me
Please lady, please, lady, don't just walk away Cause I have this need to tell you why I'm all alone today I can see so much of me still living in your eyes Won't you share a part of a weary heart that has lived a million lies
I've been to Nice and the isle of Greece While I sipped champagne on a yacht I moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo and showed 'em what I've got I've been undressed by kings And I've seen some things that a woman ain't supposed to see I've been to paradise But I've never been to me
(spoken) Hey, you know what paradise is? It's a lie A fantasy we create about people and places as we'd like them to be But you know what truth is? It's that little baby you're holding, And it's that man you fought with this morning, the same one you're going to make love with tonight That's truth, that's love
Sometimes I've been to crying for unborn children that might have made me complete But I, I took the sweet life And never knew I'd be bitter from the sweet I spent my life exploring the subtle whoring that cost too much to be free Hey lady, I've been to paradise But I've never been to me
女歌手夏琳(Charlene),她唯一的代表作「I've Never Been to Me」。尽管她的专辑早已绝版,但是仍然不断有人问起她的这首经典。来自好莱坞的夏琳,出生于1950年六月,跟大部分的歌手一样,少女时代就开始热爱歌唱。1973年,在她二十三岁的时候,她获得了Motown唱片的合约,因为向来以黑人音乐为专业的该公司企图拓展事业版图,介入白人的摇滚与乡村市场。1973年,Motown为她推出首支单曲「All That Love Went to Waste」,以「夏琳邓肯」(Charlene Duncan)的艺名发表,但由于公司正好忙着促销艾德温史塔(Edwin Starr)的「Ain't It Hell Up in Harlem」跟杰克森五人组(Jackson Five)的「Dancing Machine」,根本无暇照顾她,因此没有受到多少注意。
可能是为了补偿她吧,Motown在三年之后安排她跟肯克许与朗纳米勒(Ken Kirsch and Ronald Miller)这两位创作搭档合作,在公司副牌Prodigal旗下推出另外一首单曲「It Ain't Easy Comin' Down」,这回以「夏琳」的名义发表,总算勉强挤进排行,但只拿到第九十七名,同名的「Charlene」专辑则全军覆没。1977年五月,公司把那张专辑重新包装,以「Songs of Love」的标题推出,并且将其中一首歌曲「I've Never Been to Me」重新录制,但是在剪辑的时候却不小心遗漏了其中一段口白的部分,同时当作单曲发行,结果又成了吊车尾的情形,拿到第九十七名。1980年,在另外一首单曲未能成功之后,公司决定与她解约,而她也在落寞之中远赴英国,在一个小镇充当女店员。只是,命运的安排是很奇妙的。1982年,一位DJ偶然心血来潮,播放了她五年前的「I've Never Been to Me」,没想到引起了热烈的反应,迫使Motown不得不赶紧顺势重新推出这首歌的单曲,这回特别重新剪辑,把原先「失落」的口白部分放回去,结果一炮而红,拿到全美第三名,在英国更勇夺冠军。Motown把夏琳请回来,录制了「I've Never Been to Me」专辑,获得了很高的评价。
只可惜,夏琳的星运显然有欠亨通,尽管公司接着安排史提夫汪达(Stevie Wonder)与她合唱了一首「Used to Be」,但是名次并不理想,只拿到第四十六名,同时成了她最后一次出现在排行榜的作品。连续两张专辑惨败之后,她在1985年退出Motown唱片,从此销声匿迹,几乎再也没有人知道她的消息了。不过,她的「I've Never Been to Me」倒是成了经典,仍然深受喜爱,多次成为电影插曲,除了「沙漠妖姬」(Priscilla, Queen of Desert)之外,甚至还有一部电影干脆就用这首歌来当作标题。