子欲舞而亲不在 ------ 一首催人泪下的蓝调（ R& B ） To Dance With My Father Again
因了写嘻哈音乐题材的文章，连日来嘻哈，蓝调音乐不绝于耳。本来咱们听西洋歌曲就是重曲调轻歌词，何况这些嘻哈歌手都刻意用口齿不清的哈莱姆英语念白说唱，听得我云山雾罩。暗自寻思多半离不开性爱，暴力，毒品和叛逆的内容，此时不懂胜听懂。
突然，一个情真意挚的中年男声如泣如诉，初成曲调即有情。一个中年男人，表达了他对已经逝世的父亲那份思念，歉疚和爱，与中国传统的“树欲静而风不止，子欲养而亲不在”的孝道异曲同工。演唱者 Luther Vandross 是蓝调的殿堂级人物，唱了许多脍炙人口的歌曲，平生获奖无数。他还因此歌而获得 2004 年的格莱美奖。
To Dance With My Father Again
By: Luther Vandross
Back when I was a child
before life removed all the innocence
my father would lift me high
and dance with my mother and me and then
spin me around till I fell asleep
then up the stairs he would carry me
and I knew for sure, I was loved
If I could get
another chance
another walk
another dance with him
I'd play a song that would never ever end
how I'd love love love
to dance with my father again
第一段回忆了孩提时代父亲让孩子骑在脖子上，和妈妈一起跳舞，直至孩子酣然入梦，才把他抱上楼去。既表达了父亲那份舔犊深情，也让我们感到家庭的温馨，父亲和母亲那份相濡以沫的爱情。我的思绪也随着歌声，回到了童年：父亲骑着自行车，驮着我上街，给我买最爱吃的甘草杨桃，鸟梨（一种小沙皮梨） …….
oooo when I and my mother would disagee
to get my way I would run from her to him
he'd make me laugh just to comfort me yeah yeah
then finally make me do just what my momma said
later that night when I was asleep
he left a dollar under my sheet
never dreamed that he would be gone from me
If I could steal one final glance,
one final step
one final dance with him
I'd play a song that would never ever end
cause I'd love, love, love, to dance with my father again
这一段回忆了一个慈父如何巧妙地教育孩子听妈妈的话。没有喝斥，也不用说教，让孩子心服口服。许多中国家庭的父母，对孩子给予了太多的期许，所以当孩子不听话或者成绩稍不如人意时，恨铁不成钢的复杂心情跃然脸上，总爱把自己的喜好和是非判断强加于孩子身上，反而激起了孩子的逆反情绪，造成剑拔弩张的紧张局面。我们能否从这段歌声里得到某种启发呢？
sometimes I'd listen outside her door
and I hear how my mother cried for him
I'd pray for her even more than me
I'd pray for her even more than me
I know I'm praying
for much to much
but could you send back
the only man she loved
I know you don't do it usually
but dear lord she's dying
to dance with my father again
every night I fall asleep
and this is all I ever dream
最后这一段最是催人泪下，令人心碎！从儿子的口中诉说了母亲对逝去丈夫的无限哀思和眷恋，并向上苍祈求，让父亲复活回到爱着他的妻儿身边。这里不仅表达了对父亲的思念，更委婉地表达了对孤寂的妈妈的心疼，愧疚和孝心。都说男儿有泪不轻弹，听到这里，我还是把手伸向纸巾盒 …… 因为它让我想起银丝满头的妈妈，多年来为照顾因中风而行动不便的父亲，任劳任怨全天候护理陪伴着他。每年回去看到她日渐憔悴，身体大不如前，心中也有如歌中的那份愧疚和心疼。妈妈，儿子不孝，身在万水千山之外，无法与你分担辛劳。还望你自己多多保重！
谨将这首歌曲献给与我同龄的海外游子和我们亲爱的父亲母亲们，向他们感恩！
