评论
打印
This is a picture of a song.
这是关于一首歌的一张图
Its fingerprint. Its visual identity.
画面上都是指纹，这是一种视觉识别方式
It was generated by a tool that visualizes matching data.
这张图是通过一个对匹配数据进行视觉识别的工具做出来的
And it reveals something really cool
这张图表达的内容非常酷，
about how a song can be structured around lyrical repetition.
它表达的是一首歌是如何围绕重复歌词展开的
By the way, this is Vince Staples “Yeah Right”, and it’s been stuck in my head for months.
顺便说一下，这首歌是Vince Staples的“Yeah Right”，好几个月它都曾在我脑海里挥之不去
This is Colin Morris.
这位是柯林·莫里斯
He’s a computer programmer that who loves pop music.
他是一名热爱流行音乐的程序员
I did a master's degree in computational linguistics.
我硕士学的是计算机语言学
Colin created this tool called Song Sim.
柯林发明了这个叫做“Song Sim”的小工具
Each row and each column is a word in a song from beginning to end.
从头到尾的每个空格都对应了歌曲的一个歌词
But the interesting thing is when you see these structures off the diagonal.
但有趣的是对角线两边的这些地方
Those moments off the diagonal represent some form of repetition.
这些地方代表的是歌曲里某种形式的重复
I think my favorite example and one of the earliest ones that I played with
我记得，我最喜欢的一个例子，同时也是我最初尝试做的歌曲之一
was Bad Romance by Lady Gaga.
是Lady Gaga的那首Bad Romance
one of the coolest things about this song
这首歌最酷的一个地方
is just how many different hooks she manages to squeeze into it.
是副歌部分竟然占了那么大的篇幅
Depending on how you count,
虽然大家分类的标准可能不太一样，
there are at least five different lyrical themes that repeat to the point where you start running out of words to describe them.
但在我们还没有词穷之前，我们至少可以列出五种重复的抒情主题
Usually verses aren’t that repetitive.
主歌部分一般比较不好重复
Here, they are.
但这首歌不一样
The only part of the song that falls into a traditional song structure is the bridge.
这首歌唯一采用了传统歌曲模式的地方就是它的间奏部分
And it really stands out.
而且这首歌的间奏非常明显
Still, though, it’s highly repetitive.
然而，即使是这部分，其重复率也非常高
Bad Romance came out in 2009
Bad Romance这首歌发行于2009年
and since then some of biggest pop songs every year have only gotten more repetitive.
从那以后，每年最火的流行歌曲里的重复性越来越高
We’ll get back to this chart but first, I want to get something out of the way.
我们一会儿再来说那个表，我想先把重复这事儿弄清楚
Yes that’s true.
是的，我是想要你
But not exactly what I want to say.
但这并不是我想说的
You see, there’s always been a pretty strong sentiment
发现没，一直以来大家都有种深厚的情结，
that if a song is structured around excessive repetition it’s uncreative,
认为一首歌如果重复率特别高，那就意味着这首歌缺乏创造力
it's unchallenging or it lacks complexity.
没有挑战性，或不够复杂
That anti repetition sentiment goes back a laughably long time.
这种反重复的情结由来已久
All the way back to November 6, 1882
我们一直可以追溯到1882年的11月6号
when composer Ferdinand Praeger gave a case against repetition
那天，作曲家Ferdinand Praeger给出了一个反重复的实例
called "On the fallacy of the repetition of parts in the classical form."
名为“议古典音乐重复部分片段的谬误”
Here’s what he said: All will readily admit that a first impression,
他是这么说的：“毫无疑义，第一印象，
however striking, is weakened when followed by an immediate repetition.
无论多么出众，如果跟在重复后面，都将被削弱”
Would ever a poet think of repeating half of his poem; a dramatist a whole act;
诗人会重复半首诗吗？剧作家会重复一整幕的内容吗
a novelist a whole chapter ?
小说家会重复一整章的内容吗
Such a proposition would be at once rejected as childish.
这样的创作人们立马就会说它幼稚
Why should it be otherwise with music?
那歌曲为什么恰恰相反呢
Praeger believed repetition was beneath music
Praeger认为重复不够有音乐性
when in fact, repetition is decidedly musical.
然而，事实上，重复绝对具有音乐性
