Words and Their Stories: Like a Rolling Stone

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

Today we explain a very old saying that has had a big influence on rock-and-roll music. That saying is a rolling stone gathers no moss.?It has several meanings. One meaning is that a person who never settles down in one place will not be successful. Another is that someone who is always moving, with no roots in one place, avoids responsibilities.

This proverb was said to be first used in the fifteen hundreds. But in the nineteen sixties, the expression rolling stone became famous in the world of rock-and-roll music. It became the name of a rock group, a song and a magazine.

Experts say it all started with a song by the American singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. He was one of the country's top blues musicians until his death in nineteen eighty-three. His music influenced singers like Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan. In nineteen-fifty, Muddy Waters recorded a song called "Rollin' Stone."

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A British rock group is said to have taken its name from Muddy Waters' song. The Rolling Stones performed for the first time in nineteen sixty-two. The group's members called themselves "the world's greatest rock and roll band."

In nineteen sixty-five, Bob Dylan released his song "Like a Rolling Stone." It is one of his best known and most influential works.

It is an angry song about a woman who was once rich and successful. But now she is on her own, "with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone."

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In nineteen sixty-seven, a young man named Jann Wenner started a magazine he named "Rolling Stone." The magazine reported on rock music and the popular culture that the music created. By nineteen seventy-one, "Rolling Stone" had become the leading rock music and counterculture publication. It is still popular today.

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This VOA Special English program was written by Shelley Gollust. I'm Faith Lapidus. You can find more WORDS AND THEIR STORIES at our website, voa.com.
 

Now, the VOA Special English program WORDS AND THEIR STORIES.

这里是美国之音慢速英语词汇掌故。

Today we explain a very old saying that has had a big influence on rock-and-roll music. That saying is a rolling stone gathers no moss.It has several meanings. One meaning is that a person who never settles down in one place will not be successful. Another is that someone who is always moving, with no roots in one place, avoids responsibilities.

今天我们来讲对摇滚音乐有着深远影响的古老谚语。这个谚语就是a rolling stone gathers no moss（滚石不生苔，转业不聚财），它有几种含义。一种含义是说一个从来不在某个地方安定下来的人是不会成功的，另一种含义是说某些人四处漂泊，居无定所，逃避责任。

This proverb was said to be first used in the fifteen hundreds. But in the nineteen sixties, the expression rolling stone became famous in the world of rock-and-roll music. It became the name of a rock group, a song and a magazine.

据说第一次使用这个谚语是在16世纪。但是在19世纪60年代，短语rolling stone在摇滚音乐界变得知名起来，它成为了一支摇滚乐队，一首歌和一本杂志的名字。

Experts say it all started with a song by the American singer and guitarist Muddy Waters. He was one of the country's top blues musicians until his death in nineteen eighty-three. His music influenced singers like Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan. In nineteen-fifty, Muddy Waters recorded a song called "Rollin' Stone."

专家称，这一切始于美国歌手兼吉他手马迪•沃特斯（Muddy Waters）的一首歌。直到1983年去世，沃特斯都是国家顶尖布鲁斯(blues，又译为蓝调)音乐家之一。他的音乐影响了像艾尔维斯•普莱斯利/猫王（Elvis Presley）和鲍勃•迪伦（Bob Dylan）等一些歌手。1950年，沃特斯写了一首名为Rollin' Stone的歌。

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A British rock group is said to have taken its name from Muddy Waters' song. The Rolling Stones performed for the first time in nineteen sixty-two. The group's members called themselves "the world's greatest rock and roll band."

据说，一个英国摇滚组合就是根据沃特斯的这首歌起的名。滚石乐队的第一次演出是在1962年，该乐队的成员称他们是“世界上最优秀的摇滚乐队”。

In nineteen sixty-five, Bob Dylan released his song "Like a Rolling Stone." It is one of his best known and most influential works.

1965年，迪伦发行了歌曲Like a Rolling Stone，这是他最知名且最有影响力的作品之一。

It is an angry song about a woman who was once rich and successful. But now she is on her own, "with no direction home, like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone."

这是关于一个曾经富有、成功的女人的一首冤曲。但是现在，她独自一人，“没有家的方向，孤零零，像一个滚石。”

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In nineteen sixty-seven, a young man named Jann Wenner started a magazine he named "Rolling Stone." The magazine reported on rock music and the popular culture that the music created. By nineteen seventy-one, "Rolling Stone" had become the leading rock music and counterculture publication. It is still popular today.

1967年，一个叫做简•温纳（Jann Wenner）的年轻人创办了名为Rolling Stone的杂志，该杂志对摇滚音乐以及该类音乐产生的流行文化进行报道。1971年，该杂志已经成为摇滚音乐和反传统文化的重要出版物，至今仍然很流行。
 

1.a rolling stone gathers no moss  :滚石不生苔，转业不聚财

2.settles down  定居, 过安定生活,（在某地）定居下来

Eg : He should get a house and settle down.   他应该买幢房子安定下来。
    The organization aims to settle newcomers down in the city.
    该组织旨在帮助新来的人在这座城市安家落户。

3.avoid  vt. 避开, 避免, 预防 
    I avoided him as much as possible.
    我尽可能地躲开他。
    Try to avoid accidents.
    尽量防止事故。
    He avoided answering my questions.
    他避而不答我的问题。

4. proverb  n.谚语 ，格言，箴言