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I’ve Never Been to Me是一首充满女性自觉的抒情歌曲。歌曲的叙述方式十分特别：描述一个历经沧桑的女人，见到一个因不满自己目下的生活、准备去追寻“自由”的怨妇，忍不住真挚地提出忠告“我自己也曾经有过放荡形骸的生活，甚至为追寻所谓的自由走遍了世界；而且凭借年轻和美貌，曾得到过别的女人做梦都不敢想的快乐时光；但是到头来却是一场空，等到年纪大了，发现自己追求的不过是镜花水月，甚至从未有过真正的自我”。

虽然歌中唱的是劝告别人，但听起来却像是在规劝另一个自己，一个几十年前的自己。她规劝那位彷徨的妇女，“要好好珍惜自己的拥有，珍惜自己怀抱中的孩子，以及那经常拌嘴却是真心爱自己的丈夫”。她说自己虽然到过所谓的快乐“天堂”，却从来没未找到过自我，希望别人不要再重蹈她的覆辙。

这首歌早在1977即由美国女歌手夏琳(Charlene)灌唱，其后也曾经数次重录，或许是发行公司财力不够。宣传无门，问世没有多久就销声匿迹。终于本歌在1982年被一位电台DJ发掘，在自己的节目中密集的播放，从而老曲新红，一年后拿下全美排行榜第三和英国第一的好成绩。但是夏琳(Charlene)本人的星途却远非一帆风顺，另外唱了一些歌都反响平平，1980年代中期就彻底消失歌坛了。不过这首未曾有自我(I’ve Never Been to Me)却一直传唱至今，成了夏琳唯一的一首畅销曲。

台湾艺人黄莺莺早在歌曲在美国走红前慧眼识珠，发现并翻唱了这首曲子；前段时间又听说火爆一时的青春少女组合SHE也翻唱了本曲。黄莺莺的版本由于太老，所以没能找来对比；而SHE的版本则明显稚嫩了很多，不过想来也是，几个二十出头就风光一时的年轻女孩，又怎能演绎得出这样深刻的中年沧桑呢。

读书时，父母长辈经常告诫我们，人生中充满着选择，每个人都必须为自己的选择承担后果，因此抉择必须慎重，三思而后行。而年轻的我们则往往只是把这些告诫当做陈辞滥调，常常为了眼前的方便或者一时的痛快，而做出了令自己后悔莫及的事情。

另一方面，我们又总是被世俗的“乐土”（Paradise）的定义所羁绊。随着浮躁的社会风气，我们茫然的追求着“白领、外企、高薪、出国”。很多人因此牺牲了自己的家庭、爱情；放弃了自己真正钟意的爱好；而埋首于报表、试卷甚至觥筹交错之间。一厢情愿的说“有了票子、房子、车子，就会找到快乐的”。其实，你去寻找那所谓的“乐土”的时候，真正的幸福正从你的身边溜走。

希望当我们两鬓斑白时，不要发出“I’ve never been to me”的叹息。

歌词
Hey lady, you lady, cursing at your life
You’re a discontented mother and a regimented wife
I’ve no doubt you dream about the things you’ll never do
But, I wish someone had talked to me
Like I wanna talk to you…..

Oh, I’ve been to Georgia and California and anywhere I could run
I took the hand of a preacher man and we made love in the sun
But I ran out of places and friendly faces because I had to be free
I’ve been to paradise but I’ve never been to me

Please lady, please lady, don’t just walk away
‘Cause I have this need to tell you why I’m all alone today
I can see so much of me still living in your eyes
Won’t you share a part of a weary heart that has lived million lies….

Oh, I’ve been to Niece and the Isle of Greece while I’ve sipped champagne on a yacht
I’ve moved like Harlow in Monte Carlo and showed ’em what I’ve got
I’ve been undressed by kings and I’ve seen some things that a woman ain’t supposed to see
I’ve been to paradise, but I’ve never been to me

[spoken]
Hey, you know what paradise is?
It’s a lie, a fantasy we create about people and places as we’d like them to be
But you know what truth is?
It’s that little baby you’re holding, it’s that man you fought with this morning
The same one you’re going to make love with tonight
That’s truth, that’s love……

Sometimes I’ve been to crying for unborn children that might have made me complete
But I took the sweet life, I never knew I’d be bitter from the sweet
I’ve spent my life exploring the subtle whoring that costs too much to be free
Hey lady……
I’ve been to paradise, (I’ve been to paradise)
But I’ve never been to me

(I’ve been to Georgia and California, and anywhere I could run)
I’ve been to paradise, never been to me
(I’ve been to Neice and the isle of Greece while I’ve sipped champagne on a yacht)
I’ve been to paradise, never been to me
(I’ve been to cryin’ for unborn children that might have made me complete)
I’ve been to paradise, never been to me
(I’ve been to Georgia and California, and anywhere I could run)
I’ve been to paradise, never been to me