前陣子終於收到在網上購買的這件復刻版”Frankie Say Relax” T-shirt。這件T-shirt首次跟大家見面是在1983年,當年大有來頭,是為英國樂隊Frankie Goes to Hollywood (FGTH)的首張細碟”Relax”宣傳而推出的產品。雖然它只是一件副產品,但受歡迎程度甚至銷量都並不比歌曲本身遜色。為甚麼白色T-shirt加幾隻黑色粗體大字會如此受歡迎?
八十年代時很流行slogan tee,其中英國時裝設計師Katharine Hamnett的作品便是這潮流的先驅。她愛把自己對政治、社會、時事議題的意見以標語形式印在T-shirt上,希望把這些訊息傳開去。在1984年她穿上印有”58% DON’T WANT PERSHING”的T-shirt在首相府與戴卓爾夫人會面,來表達自己反對美國在英國境內裝設Pershing導彈來對付蘇聯,最是為人津津樂道。而最令她廣為大衆認識的一次,是1984年Wham!的George Michael與Andrew Ridgeley在”Wake Me Up Before You Go Go”的MV裏穿上她印有”CHOOSE LIFE”的T-shirt。
不過”Frankie Say Relax”並不是Katharine Hamnett的作品,而是由唱片公司”ZTT”創辦人之一Paul Morley「參考」她的作品而創作出來。”Frankie Say”系列還有”Frankie Say War! Hide Yourself” 和 “Frankie Say Arm The Unemployed”。
“Relax”的內容關於「性」,歌詞中不乏大膽露骨的描述。加上此曲的MV亦超出了電視的尺度,結果令它被電台和電視台禁播。不過壓力越大反抗力越大,禁播反而增加了樂迷對這首歌的關注,在英國細碟榜迅速攀上冠軍寶座,而且停留在榜首位置五個星期,並徘徊在榜內長達52星期之久,在英國的銷量超過二百萬張,是全年總銷量冠軍細碟。而緊接推出的第二和第三步曲”Two Tribes”和”The Power of Love”同樣在英國細碟榜得到冠軍,使FGTH成為英國流行榜史上第二隊首三張推出的細碟都能成為冠軍的組合。
[Intro]
Mi-i-ine
Give it to you one time, now
We-ell
Whoa
We-ell, now
[Chorus]
Relax, don't do it
When you want to go to it
Relax, don't do it
When you want to come
Relax, don't do it
When you want to suck it, chew it
Relax, don't do it
When you want to come
When you want to come
Relax, don't do it
When you want to go to it
Relax, don't do it
When you want to come
Relax don't do it
When you want to suck it, chew it
Relax, don't do it
When you want to come
Come on
Ohhh
[Verse 1]
But shoot it in the right direction
Make makin' it your intention (Ooh yeah, ooh yeah)
Live those dreams
Scheme those schemes
Got to hit me (Hit me!)
Hit me (Hit me!)
Hit me with those laser beams
Ow ow ow!
Laser beam me
1, 2
[Chorus]
Relax
Don't do it
Relax
When you want to come
Come, uhh! Woo!
Ow ow ow ow ow ow uh!
I'm coming
I'm coming-yeah
[Chorus]
Relax, don't do it (Once you're inside of me)
When you want to go to it
Relax, don't do it
When you want to come
Relax, don't do it
When you want to suck it, chew it
Relax, don't do it, no!
When you want to come
When you want to come
When you want to come
Come! Huh! Ow ow ow ow! Woooo! Ow ow ow yeah
The scene of love, feel it
[Chorus]
Relax, don't do it
When you want to go to it
Relax, don't do it
Ow ow yeah
Relax don't do it
When you want to go to it
Relax don't do it
[Outro]
Now's the time, it's party time (Hey!)
Come!