Traffic, John Barleycorn(Must Die)

친구들은 모이면 그 시절 얘기를 꺼내곤 했다. 집집마다 궁기가 흘러 떠올리기 싫은 시절이기도 했지만 돌아갈 수 없어서 아름다운 추억이기 때문이다. 굳이 다른 이유 하나를 들자면 아무것도 몰랐던 우리 이야기이어서이다.
한 번은 시내에 약속이 있어서 나간 적이 있다. 청바지를 쫙 빼입고 장발머리 휘날리며 구둣소리도 가볍게 걸어가는 중인데, 저 앞에서 마주오던 아저씨가 길을 물으려는 듯하다. 답해 주려고 다가갔더니 내 팔을 꽉 잡는다. 바로 장발 단속에 걸려 들어갔다. 히피 문화로 대변되던 청바지와 장발이 기성세대에게는 몹쓸 망조로 비쳐지던 때이다.




Traffic의 'John Barleycorn(Must Die)'은 영국의 구전민요를 바탕으로 하여 만들어졌다. '70년에 발표한 이들의 두 번째 앨범 John Barleycorn Must Die에 수록되어 있다. Steve Winwood의 Acoustic 기타와 보컬, Chris Wood의 Flute, Jim Capaldi의 탬버린 연주에 서정성 넘치는 포크 아트록 넘버이다.
'67년 영국에서 결성된 Group 'Traffic'은 Spencer Davis Group과 Blind Faith를 거친 그룹 리더 겸 싱어송라이터인 Steve Winwood를 중심으로 Dave Mason(Guiter), Jim Capaldi(Drum), Chris Wood(Organ)로 구성된 4인조이다.

Traffic / John Barleycorn Must Die (1970 UK)



Traditional, arranged by Steve Winwood

There were three men came out of the west, their fortunes for to try
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn must die
They've plowed, they've sown, they've harrowed him in
Threw clods upon his head
And these three men made a solemn vow
John Barleycorn was dead

They've let him lie for a very long time, 'til the rains from heaven did fall
And little Sir John sprung up his head and so amazed them all
They've let him stand 'til Midsummer's Day 'til he looked both pale and wan
And little Sir John's grown a long long beard and so become a man
They've hired men with their scythes so sharp to cut him off at the knee
They've rolled him and tied him by the way, serving him most barbarously
They've hired men with their sharp pitchforks who've pricked him to the heart
And the loader he has served him worse than that
For he's bound him to the cart

They've wheeled him around and around a field 'til they came onto a pond
And there they made a solemn oath on poor John Barleycorn
They've hired men with their crabtree sticks to cut him skin from bone
And the miller he has served him worse than that
For he's ground him between two stones

And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl and his brandy in the glass
And little Sir John and the nut brown bowl proved the strongest man at last
The huntsman he can't hunt the fox nor so loudly to blow his horn
And the tinker he can't mend kettle or pots without a little barleycorn




Traffic, John Barleycorn(Must Die)