「治得好嗎?我不知道。但對我來說用跳舞是我唯一知道可以減輕疼痛的方式。」來自「芙蘿倫絲機進份子(Florence + the Machine)」最新專輯Dance Fever 中的主打之一,"Free"探討Florence自身於疫情期間的焦慮與創傷,講述一段內心拉扯後,找回內心喜悅與平靜的過程。
整首歌節奏明亮、歌聲充滿活力,適合運動或是在馬路上奔跑(?)的時候聽。
「芙蘿倫絲機進份子(Florence + the Machine)」是由主唱Florence Welch與其成員組成的英國獨立搖滾樂團。獨特的豪邁卻又兼具細膩的浪漫風格,讓某些無法輕易表達的感受得以被傳達,並引起共鳴。MV則由Autumn de Wilde執導(人物肖像風格很強烈,個人很欽佩她復古、繁華的風格下表現出角色故事張力的掌握),2021年於烏克蘭的基輔拍攝,並於2022年釋出MV。因此在MV的最後,能看到製作團隊對烏克蘭友人們的致敬,並堅信他們閃耀的自由意志將永不熄滅。
MV的敘事方式很可愛。Florence代表著她的「自我」,而一旁的演員Bill Nighy則扮演她的焦慮。因此Bill才會面色嚴肅且不斷地講電話、抖腳,並企圖指揮Florence的行為。
生活中雖然難以一言以蔽之地闡述焦慮為何,但MV中Bill那些不斷板起臉孔、抖腳、來回踱步的肢體語言,忠實呈現了我們焦慮的樣貌。它的具體化讓對我們焦慮的恐慌不再躲藏,而是赤裸裸地攤在面前。如果看得再仔細一些,會發現MV中Florence與Bill的距離逐漸拉遠,而Florence從一開始只是一味複製、遵從Bill的行為,到後面開始跳舞、跑步、歌唱,代表她用這樣的方式擺脫焦慮對內心的佔據。最後也用擁抱與依偎作為與之共處的象徵,畢竟即便焦慮再怎麼痛苦,也是自己的一部分。
Because it's all in my head / And "You're too sensitive", they said / I said, "Okay, but let's discuss this at the hospital".
"There were moments you know. It was like people were asking like I was asking doctors. Because we just didn't know how long mass gathering were going to be an absolute no, and in the scale of like greater good you have really sort of accepted that. But as it started, to drag on it was more of a question of like maybe this will never come back, or if it comes back, it's gonna be back in 8 years or 10 years, like there was a kind of futurelessness to it of something that I had devoted my entire life to getting people.( and my jooob!)"—Florence Welch
在一次的訪談中,Florence提及因為疫情使得她的工作停擺,而遙遙無期的解封也讓她內心的焦慮更加折磨。「我媽還跟我說至少妳還可以找其他工作做啊,但這就是我唯一的技能了啊(她跟主持人笑到岔氣)!」另外她也提到跳舞是她在戒酒之後自我認識跟展現自信的方式,就像扣下扳機然後一切都會非常失調且神奇地的重新開始的感覺(她自述這段想法的時候超好笑)。
回到歌曲本身,Florence把自由視作一個強而有力的自我提示。它能讓每個人在承擔種種的苦難中,好好去認識並接納自己的焦慮、恐懼與痛苦,並留下一個舒服的角落用來喘息、重新出發,試著突破,最後找到喜悅與平靜。
文獻來源:
- Brayden, Kate (2022). "Florence + the Machine unveil video for 'Free' starring Bill Nighy as 'anxiety' ". Hot Press.
- Lindsey Weishar. (2022). "Florence + the Machine's 'Free': Holding Personal and National Anxiety Together—While suffering brings weariness, there is room for rest and joy". Verily.
- Florence on How Difficult Making 'DANCE FEVER' was. |Absolute Radio