切尔西旅馆静静地矗立在纽约电熨斗大厦附近，建于1883年，那时它是城市天际线中最高的建筑之一。岁月流转，它逐渐成为一片特殊的栖息地——作家、歌手、演员们在成名前在这里漂泊、梦想与现实交织。马克·吐温、阿瑟·米勒、尤金·奥尼尔、鲍勃·迪伦，垮掉的一代旗手金斯伯格，导演库布里克，以及麦当娜、阿尔·帕西诺……他们都曾在这里留下脚步与故事。事实上，在60-70年代，切尔西旅馆已经成为纽约波西米亚艺术圈的核心。六十年代末，柯恩也踏入这片布满传奇的土地，为了生计到处辗转，为梦想在夜色里燃烧。他写下这首歌，纪念那位曾与他在切尔西旅馆有过短暂交集的传奇歌手——Janis Joplin。
Janis Joplin，是六十年代美国摇滚与布鲁斯的烈焰，她的嗓音嘶吼、狂放不羁，仿佛要将整个世界都燃烧。她唱过的《Me and Bobby McGee》，至今仍在歌迷心中回荡，YouTube上的评论里，依旧有人追忆她那份无法复制的激情。可惜，1970年，她在27岁那年因吸毒过量离开了世界，成为著名的“27俱乐部”成员。这个俱乐部，还记录着那些在27岁时陨落的音乐灵魂——大门乐队主唱莫里森、涅槃乐队主唱柯本、吉它天才亨德里克斯、滚石乐队创始灵魂琼斯……每一个名字，都是时代的印记，也让人唏嘘不已。
Joni Mitchell当时虽然不像其他人一样常住Chelsea Hotel，但经常去找Cohen和Joplin聚会，并在那里短住，她写的Chelsea Morning的灵感也是来源于此，克林顿夫妇给女儿起名Chelsea也就是因为这首歌。
Chelsea Hotel # 2
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel,
you were talking so brave and so sweet,
giving me head on the unmade bed,
while the limousines wait in the street.
Those were the reasons and that was New York,
we were running for the money and the flesh.
And that was called love for the workers in song
probably still is for those of them left.
Ah but you got away, didn't you babe,
you just turned your back on the crowd,
you got away, I never once heard you say,
I need you, I don't need you,
I need you, I don't need you
and all of that jiving around.
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel
you were famous, your heart was a legend.
You told me again you preferred handsome men
but for me you would make an exception.
And clenching your fist for the ones like us
who are oppressed by the figures of beauty,
you fixed yourself, you said, "Well never mind,
we are ugly but we have the music."
And then you got away, didn't you babe...
I don't mean to suggest that I loved you the best,
I can't keep track of each fallen robin.
I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel,
that's all, I don't even think of you that often.
Janis Joplin演唱的Me and Bobby Magee链接
https://youtu.be/5Cg-j0X09Ag?si=Atr9Oy1O9q3Yczvp
