올해 47세가 된 레니 크라비츠는 (1964년 5월 26일생) 뉴욕 출신으로, NBC-TV 프로듀서였던 러시아 태생의 유태계 혈통을 지닌 아버지 Sy Kravitz와 바하마 태생 흑인 어머니 Roxie Roker사이에서 태어나 비교적 유복한 환경에서 성장할 수 있었고, 연예산업과 관련된 분야에서 일하는 부모 덕분에 자연스럽게 음악을 접할 수 있었다는 것은 널리 알려진 사실이다.
10살 때 유명 TV 드라마 시리즈에 출연하던 어머니로 인해 가족 모두가 로스앤젤레스로 이사를 가게 되면서 더욱 음악과 쉽게 조우할 수 있는 기회를 갖게 되는데, 그의 부모님과 친분이 두터웠던 Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis등 전설적인 팝 아티스트의 눈에 보이지 않은 영향은 그가 전문적인 가수가 되는데 탄탄한 밑거름이 되었다.
California Boys Choir 단원으로 활동하며 여러 악기를 다루는 법을 배웠고, 1978년 Bevelys Hills 고등학교에 입학한 이후로는 로큰롤 스타가 될 결심을 굳게 하게 된다. 그의 이런 결심에는 Prince란 아티스트의 음악과 존재감이 결정적인 영향을 미쳤다. 대학 진학을 포기하고 프린스가 추구하는 음악을 하고 싶어했던 레니 크라비츠는 스스로를 ‘Romeo Blue’란 예명으로 부르며 가수의 꿈을 키워나가기 시작한다. 이후 Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, John Lennon, Bob Marley등 6~70년대 전설적인 아티스트와 그들의 음악을 본격적으로 접하면서 그가 추구해야 할 음악 방향에 대한 깊은 영감을 얻게 된다.
80년대 후반 고향 뉴욕으로 활동 무대를 옮기면서 본격적인 프로 뮤지션이 되기 위해 준비를 해가던 레니 크라비츠를 먼저 알아본 것은 굴지의 음반사 Virgin이었다. 소울/펑크(Funk)/레게/하드록/힙합/포크/사이키델릭은 물론이고 블루스와 발라드까지 모든 장르의 음악이 절묘하게 섞여 표현되는 레니 크라비츠 만의 퓨전 사운드는 6~70년대 음악을 연상할 수 있는 복고적인(Retro)면도 강하게 드러나 Virgin 레코드사로서는 ‘포스트 프린스’ 더 나아가 ‘포스트 지미 헨드릭스’의 등장에 음악 팬들이 극도로 열광할 것에 흥분을 감추지 못했다.
1989년에 발표된 데뷔 앨범 [Let Love Rule]을 선보이며 서서히 레니 크라비츠의 존재감을 드러내며 롤링스톤지 선정 최우수 신인상 수상의 영예를 가져다 주었다. 1991년 발표된 2집 [Mama Said]는 레니 크라비츠가 남긴 최고의 앨범으로 손꼽히는데, 대표 곡이자 최고 히트곡 “It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over”가 수록되어 빌보드 HOT 100 차트 2위까지 랭크 되는 빅히트를 기록하게 된다.(앨범은 39위) 1993년과 1995년에 발표된 3집 [Are You Gonna My Way]와 [Circus]역시 앨범 차트 12위와 10위에 각각 오르며 대중적인 인지도의 상승 곡선이 확연히 높아졌음을 알 수 있다. 상업적인 성공과 함께 평단의 레니 크라비츠 음악에 대한 제대로 된 평가가 이뤄지기 시작한 것은 1998년 5집 앨범 [5]로부터 시작된다. 본 앨범에서 싱글 커트되어 음악 팬들의 사랑을 받았던 “Fly Away”와 “American Woman”은 레니에게 1998년과 1999년 그래미 “최우수 남성 록 보컬 퍼포먼스”부문 수상의 영예를 안겨 주었다. 더욱 놀라운 것은 2000년-[Greatest Hits]수록 곡 “Again”-과 2001년-6집[Lenny]수록 곡 “Dig In”-으로 이어져서 한번도 받기 힘들다는 그래미상을 4년 연속 같은 부문에서 수상하는 믿지 못한 결과를 이루게 된다.
대중성과 음악성을 동시에 인정받고 거머쥔 레니 크라비츠는 자칫 변질될 수 있는 그의 창작 활동에 더욱 채찍질을 가하며 7집 [Baptism](2004)과 8집 [It’s Time For A Love Revolution]으로 더욱 정제되고 완성된 음악을 선보이며 최고 록 스타의 건재를 과시한다.특히, 전작 [It’s Time For A Love Revolution]은 빌보드 앨범 차트 4위에 오르며 레니에게 가장 높은 순위를 선사한 작품이었기에 전세계 음악 팬들이 3년 만에 공개될 이번 레니 크라비츠의 새 작품에 대한 기대치는 상당할 수 밖에 없다. .... ....
Yeah it's magic Uhh, Jay-Z and Lenny Kravitz And it's a Heavy D product you bastards Come on Ha hey yo stop playin man This is real serious Ha (It's the rock) yeah yo
Post Postatono, Hov' hangin with Bono You too can live like Salvatore Ferragamo And you too can cool out poolside after Delano And you too flow like you was out of your mind yo And who knew dude who loved apple pies from McDonalds Would soon be the boss of the Big Apple, ya know And who knew dude would play ball for the NBA Would make a mistake on the who know it stayed still in the way Who knew that would be his last shot, who drew up that play They giveth and they taketh life is cool that way But even a broken clock is right two times a day You could have turned Guns into Roses like two times today Now there's something you gotta say two times to Jay I got my shades on waiting for the sun to shine my way Got my boom box, suntan lotion waiting for action Its safe when you play with skills, good luck could happen Let's go
(C'mon) It's the Roc [repeat 4X] That's right
It got to hot so I jumped off in this rap shit You got it criss-crossed ain't no turning me backwards Too many District Attorneys concerned with the actions Of one individual he's criminally attached I turned in all my rap chips I'm earning my bachelors While dating all the models and actresses I'm learning all the potholes in every single barrio Trying not to mess up my axis kid On the road to riches through trafficking Through rappining whatever's happening Roc-a-wear I'm the young black Ralph Lauren Every time I get out they put me right back in The Michael Corleone of the microphone The Michelangelo of flow I paint pictures with poems Have you ever known moss like a rolling stone Case the Grim Reaper visits my home, nigga I'm gone c'mon
(C'mon) It's the Roc [3X] (C'mon) That's right (C'mon)
*Life is all about Guns and Roses Bittersweet like friends and foes Some get lucky and some get chosen Just like life, Guns and Roses
* Repeat
More Guns then Roses, foes is, visibly shook of the invisible book, let's go Flowers need water to grow, it gotta rain And in order to experience joy you need pain Every time a baby is born, somebody slain You know the saying, somebody's lose is another's gain The sun comes out when the water goes down the drain When the rainbow in the cloud comes out we do it again Everything evens up, you just wait Even a garbage can gets a steak You ain't even a garbage can you have faith But when it turns your way before it turns away To turn that into something you gotta learn from Jay You will get return in your investment if attention you pay let's go
(C'mon) It's the Roc [3X] (C'mon) That's right (C'mon)
Sittin' on top of the world Sittin' on top of the world
Remember the times we used to play We'd sing and we'd dance all damn day But all I do is sing the blues But have I forsaken you by telling you What you must do And all I do is sing the blues But I would never lie, let things go by Leave you in road to die I would never ever say good bye
Never gonna say good bye Gonna never yeah, never, Never, never, nev' Never gonna say good bye Oh ... yeah
Remember the times that we used to share You got to remember the times That we used to share That we used to share Yeah yeah
You got to remember the times Remember the times That we used to share That we used to share That we used to Share
That we used to share That we used to share That we used to share That we used to share
But the only way for you to survive Is to open your heart it will guide You wanna stay in this world of music and life You got to turn around And spread a little love and get high Oh, oh, oh, oh Get get high, Get high.
Love is gentle as a rose And love can conquer any war It's time to take a stand Brothers and sisters join hands
We got to let love rule Let love rule
We got to let love rule Let love rule
Love transcends all space and time And love can make a little child smile Can't you see this won't go wrong But we got to be strong We can't do it alone
In this garden This lovely garden I build a temple of love Walk with the Father Won't be a bother To touch the Earth as it was
We'll farm the land each day And in the sunshine we will play Glory glory for the day He came Our tears had gone away We'll make love in the shade And in the ocean we will bathe Little fishies in the sea Say hooray
I build this garden for us
In this garden Our children will grow Darling this is a must We'll be so happy Our little family So full of love and trust
And darling when we're old We'll close the gates and lock the door Our love will never fade away When it's pure it's forever last And darling when you're cold I'll hold you tight and keep you warm Little darlin' gonna make it through the storm You'll never be alone
I build this garden for us
In this garden They'll be no war No racial prejudice You'll be my brother Of any color You'll just be okay with us We'll love each day in peace In hope that we will one day reach The rest of the world When they are ready to be teached The kingdom will come Thy will be done On Earth as it is in heaven
I smell the fear that rains inside The thought of children who must oblige To tainted dreams and polluted seas The missing moon and melting trees A mist of doom and clouds of pain Toxic waste and acid rain The passing of our ignorance A lifetime spent in abstinence
Living in fear Living in fear I can't tell you no lies Living in fear Living in fear
Conditioning to hate and them to blame Their search for God is just the same Machines for hearts, how warped a view Forgetting that they're human too Waiting like a branded steer Who first will launch the burning spear When every day may be your last You think we'd learn from our past
Living in fear Living in fear I can't tell you no lies Living in fear Living in fear
I smell the fear that rains inside The thought of so many lives denied More wounded soldiers, another burning flag And rows and rows of body bags No time for tears as the night falls cold The days survivors crawl back in their holes As for the rest they're shipped back home Home to the rows of white tomb stones
Living in fear Living in fear I can't tell you no lies Living in fear Living in fear
The dream is lost Don't let it slip away Or bloody days won't be far away Cause when there's no more sin There's no where you can run
Does anybody know how many lives we've lost Can anybody ever pay the cost What will it take for us to join in peace my friends Does anybody out there even care
Wake up world before it's too late It's time for love to conquer hate And when that battle's won We all can live as one
Does anybody know how many lives we've lost Can anybody ever pay the cost What will it take for us to join in peace my friends Does anybody out there even care
Riots in the streets, men dressed in white sheets Is that what we want A little boy hanging from a tree and a burning cross If we can learn that we're one we can overcome Before this takes us all We'd better catch ourselves before we fall
Does anybody know how many lives we've lost Can anybody ever pay the cost What will it take for us to join in peace my friends Does anybody out there even care
Little Mary was five years old Her parents left her, she was out in the cold Alone to live and find her way In this great world of heartache and pain
Eyes of brown, matted locks of gold Her flowered dress is tattered and soiled Tear stained cheeks, her feet cold and bare Who could have left a child so rare
*Rosemary your day will come He loved you so He gave His only son Keep the faith in your soul Stay down on your knees I'm begging you please Hold onto the beads at your heart
A burning heart and tired eyes Howling winds for lullabys No one there to soothe her fright Nowhere to turn but the inward light Because life is for believing That your heart can turn to gold All you need is Christ to receive it There's eternal life for every soul
*Repeat
Rosemary, Rosemary He loves you He needs you He wants you So don't let him down
Singing Rosemary your day will come He loved you so He gave His only son Keep the faith in your soul Stay down on your knees I'm begging you please Hold onto the beads at your heart
Yeah yeah, Rosemary, singing, Rosemary Rosemary Rosemary, come on now yeah Got to keep the faith yeah Keep the faith
Lord what's the matter Am I lost This life's a disaster, what is the cause Am I a junkie, what is my fate Or am I a flunkie who doesn't relate Or am I a child so full of hate
Am I a doctor or even a priest Or am I a rapist who needs a release A psychotic prancer Times Square dancer The mind can see as long as you'll be For real with yourself And you'll forever be
Lord what's the matter am I insane This life's an illusion that's all it remains Are you listening, are you boss Am I gonna make it up on that cross Believe in Your name and You'll forever be
Blues For Sister Someone I know a girl who gets off By sticking needles in her vein Oh Lord what a shame She's got no money so she turns tricks And plays dirty games Oh Lord spare her pain What she says she do to you You'd have to be insane The bathroom stall, her bedroom The one that's always engaged She sleeps and eats with the plague She's got a baby in her belly But she just don't care What will be come of the pair Oh Lord what can she do To get the shit out of her hair To get the shit out of her hair Blues for sister someone Oh Lord
Empty Hands He rode in town on a white horse With nothing in his hands He came to gather his people And take them to his promised land When he came he knew there would be bloodshed But still no violence made his places He came to fight in a battle With no guns or money But with his empty hands
With his empty hands
They said hey boy what you lookin' at As they eyed his dreaded mane He said my father has sent me I've come back to reclaim The children whose hearts Were so whole and pure Now it's you who'll die in pain So they lynched the man Who fooled the word And all the children gathered In his empty hands In his empty hands
Dressed in purple velvets With a flower in her hair Feel her gentle spirit As the champa fills the air She wears rubys on her fingers Tiny bells upon her toes She's the finest thing I've ever seen Love that ring inside her nose
Flower Child yeah Flower Child yeah
She's a psychedelic princess On a magic carpet ride And where her trip will carry you Is somewhere you can't find She's on a plane of higher consciousness Meditation is the key She's got her shit together Cause her soul and mind are free
Flower Child yeah Flower Child yeah
She's a child of Martin Luther As a freedom fighter she Speaks of liberation on the land And on the sea Her eyes are made of sunshine And her lips are jelly sweet
Let's wander slowly through the fields Slowly slowly through the fields I touch the leaves that touch the sky Just you and i through fields of joy All trouble slowly fades away Slowly slowly fades away I hold your hand inside my hand Across the land through fields of joy The sound of music that we hear The blend of colors throug the air All cities, mountains disappear from view All truth and beauty near to me and you With you through the fields With you through the fields With you through the fields The fields of joy
Let's wander slowly through the fields Slowly slowly through the fields I know our love will never die Just you and i Through fields of joy Through fields of joy
My mama said That your life is a gift And my mama said There's much weight you will lift And my mama said Leave those bad boys alone And my mama said Be home before the dawn And my mama said You can be rich or poor But my mama said You can be big or small
But i'm always on the run
My mama said That it's good to be truthful But my mama said Don't take more than a mouthful And my mama said That it's good to be natural And my mama said That it's good to be factual
But i'm always on the run
My mama said Baby don't ride that crazy horse And my mama said You must push with much force And my mama said Go get all that your after And my mama said That love's all that matters
There were times I wasn't kind And there were times I wasn't even around And there were times I made you cry So many times I had to say goodbye When you want to talk I'm on the phone But now baby I am here for you alone
I'm gonna stand by my woman now I'm gonna stand by my woman now 'Cause I can't live my life alone Without a home
There were times I didn't understand And there were times I wouldn't hold your hand But baby now I'm here for you 'Cause baby I am so in love with you
I'm gonna stand by my woman now I'm gonna stand by my woman now 'Cause I can't live my life alone Without a home
I'm gonna stand by my woman now I'm gonna stand by my woman now 'Cause I can't live my life alone Without a home
I'm gonna stand by my woman now I'm gonna stand by my woman now 'Cause I can't live my life alone Without a home Stand by my woman now I'm gonna stand by my woman now
'Cause I can't live my life alone Without a home Without a home
Here we are still together We are one So much time wasted Playing games with love So many tears I've cried So much pain iside But baby it ain't over 'til it's over So many years we've tried To keep our love alive But baby it ain't over 'til it's over How many times Did we give up But we always worked things out And all my doubts and fear Kept me wondering If I'd always be in love So many tears I've cried So much pain iside But baby it ain't over 'til it's over So many years we've tried And kept our love alive 'Cause baby it ain't over 'til it's over So many tears I've cried So much pain inside Baby it ain't over 'til it's over So many years we've tried And kept our love alive 'Cause baby it ain't over 'til it's over (Repeat)
More than anything in this world I just want you to be my woman More than anything in this world I wanna be your man
I'd walk through fire Stand in the rain I'll go through hell and back On a plane I'd scale the mountains Swim the seas I beg for mercy Down on my knees
More than anything in this world I just want you to be my woman More than anything in this world I wanna be your man
I caused you sorrow I've caused you pain But love is all we will have to gain I searched to whole world, oh i And i want you to be my baby
More than anything in this world I just want you to be my woman More than anything in this world I wanna be your man
My pockets were full and now my money's gone My friends come around and now they're gone Things come and they come and then they go And where they go nobody knows
It's gonna come around What goes around comes around It's gonna come around What goes around comes around
My cup over runneth with the fullness and grace Yet people push bullshit in my face The future can't hold what your money can't buy My brother keep striving your child relies
It's gonna come around What goes around comes around It's gonna come around What goes around comes around
This world keeps on spinning does the future know? We're destined to screw ourselves one blow We've ruined what's pure down from nature below You'd better look back it'll all be gone
It's gonna come around What goes around comes around It's gonna come around What goes around comes around
So children please listen this world is yours This message is too deep to ignore Your forefathers said but they did not do The things that would show that they cared for you
It's gonna come around What goes around comes around It's gonna come around What goes around comes around Comes around comes around comes around Comes around comes around comes around Comes around comes around comes around Comes around yeah
Gonna take you higher I'm gonna take you higher I'm gonna take you higher Yeah yeah yeah
I'm gonna take you higher Gonna take you higher Yeah yeah yeah Gonna take you higher higher Higher higher higher higher Gonna take you higher Gonna take you higher
아직도 레니 오빠에게서 벗어나지 못했음. 내한 공연 다녀온 뒤로 안 샀던 레니 오빠 앨범 다 사고 심지어 20주년 기념 Let love rule 디럭스 에디션, 러브 레볼루션 디럭스 앨범, 블랙 앤 화이트 아메리카 디럭스판까지 샀다. 또 Curtis Mayfield 트리뷰트 앨범(레니가 참여한 곡이 하나 있었음), 밥 딜런 트리뷰트 앨범(레니가 참여한 곡이 하나 있었음)까지 주문함. 밥 딜런 트리뷰트 앨범은 2주일 기다려야 한다고 ㅠㅠ 여튼 씨디 사.....
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끔찍하게 민감한 마음 ::
2012-04-15 23:14:25
승열 오라버니 공연 다녀온 후 며칠을 정신을 못차리고 헬렐레 했는데 레니가 치료해줬다. 이번엔 레니 때문에 헬렐레 ㅠㅠ 내한 공연 꽤 다닌다고 다녔지만 레니 크라비츠 공연만큼 휴우증이 큰 적이 첨인 것 같다. 병이 깊어서 친구가 놀러왔는데도 계속 레니 얘기만 했음. 정말 진심 레니 공연 보고 사생 택시를 타고 레니가 묶는 호텔 앞에서 기다려볼까 고민했음ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 아 정말 47세인데 대체 뭘 먹어서 저렇게 섹시함? 친구는 공연에 못 갔는데 내가 찍.....
래니 크래비츠의 따끈따끈한 새 앨범 수록곡. 좀 있음 개봉하는 데스노트 L삽입곡이라는데 안 그래도 극장서 추격자 보는데 데스노트 예고편에서 이 곡이 나왔다.정말 시원해. 래니 크래비츠 최고. 이 앨범 전체를 다 들어보진 못했다. 조만간 다 들어봐야징. 근데 데스노트 재밌나? 맨날 케이블에서 1편 2편 연달아 해주는데보다가 말다가...
Ⅰ. 미운 오리 새끼는 절대로 백조가 될 수 없다?
'미운 오리 새끼 이야기'도 이제 바뀌어야 할 때가 아닐까요? 안 그래도 매번 명절 때면 몰라 볼 만큼 몸피가 불어난 것과 비례하여 머리도 굵어진(여하튼 인터넷과 텔레비전이 문제라니까요!)조카들에게 한 방 먹기가 일쑤인데...'미운 오리 새끼' 이야기를 들려준다면 분명히 "삼촌 그건 틀렸어"라고 할 것입니다. 요즘엔 '미운 오리 새끼'들의 전성시대가 아닙니까요? 오히려 분명히 '백조'가 맞는 '미운 오리 새끼'들 대신 분명 '오리'임에 틀림이 없는 '미운 오리 새끼'들이 판치고 있지요. "삼촌, 이휘재 보다 MC몽 이 더 잘 나가요!" 라고 하면 정말 뭐라고 할 말이 없는 것이지요. 이쯤에서 아예 백조 품에서 태어난 오리 얘기로 바꿔야하는 것은 ...
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