新編大學(xué)英語第二冊unit7 Text D: Songs of Love

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UNIT 7 AFTER-CLASS READING 3; New College English (II)

Songs of Love

1 In many respects one could call John Beltzer the world's most successful songwriter. Every song that he writes is guaranteed to be a real hit not on the popularity charts, but in a child's heart. The reason for this is that every song that Beltzer writes is for a seriously ill child. The songs never fail to make the children smile and to raise their spirits. They also play them over and over. This means more by far to Beltzer than being ranked high on the popularity charts.

2 Thirty-eight year old Beltzer is the founder and president of Songs of Love, a nonprofit group. This group combines the volunteer efforts of musicians, songwriters, singers, and studio technicians to create unique, happy songs that reflect a child's personality. Beltzer runs the operation and a tiny recording studio from the basement of his parents home in Queens, New York.

3 Beltzer believes that music is very healing. When an adult listens to a favorite song, it makes him feel good; thus when a little child listens to a song written just for him, the result is very uplifting. Since its founding in 1996, Songs of Love has been responsible for the composition, taping, and sending of more than 780 songs to delighted children, all for free. Those receiving the songs range in age from infants to young adults. All are dealing with life-threatening conditions such as cancer, undergoing treatments such as kidney dialysis, or waiting for organ transplants. Most are patients in 60 hospitals around the United States where children's play-therapists regularly request Beltzer's music.

4 Some famous musicians, after hearing about Songs of Love, have helped in the project. Among the 170 music professionals donating their talents are singer Ronnie Spector and rock star Roger Daltrey, as well as the cast members of the Broadway musical Titanic. Pop superstar Billy Joel has made a spoken introduction to a song for a child. Most performers, however, are not famous yet. Songs also have been recorded by New York City police officers and a high school choir.

5 Music styles vary from toe-tapping pop tunes and country songs to soft ballads and rap. Because Beltzer was born in Brazil and speaks both Spanish and Portuguese, sometimes he has recorded songs in these languages. Before a song is composed for a child, a parent or nurse fills out a sheet telling about the child's interests, hobbies, family, pets, and other favorite things. Beltzer then gives this sheet to a selected writer who combines these details into a song. The child's name is always mentioned at least several times throughout the song. The writers may also provide the vocalists to sing the song and, if possible, record the song on their own equipment or at a local studio that has donated time. The result is a powerful tool for making a child feel better. The illness is never mentioned in the song.

6 Beltzer has many binders full of grateful letters from children and their parents, describing the reactions when the children first hear their own special songs. Such letters make Beltzer smile because this is exactly what he hopes will happen. He began Songs of Love in honor of his twin brother, Julio, a musician, singer, and songwriter, who committed suicide at age 24 after a struggle with mental illness. Two months before he died, Julio had written a sad ballad with the words, "Songs of love are really what we need to take away our fear."

7 Unmarried with no children of his own, Beltzer had never thought much about writing songs for children. He says that one day while he was walking down the street the idea came to him and he instantly felt that he could make a success of it. He went home and called St Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. He told them he wanted to write songs for seriously ill children, but they said that they could not give out personal information on their patients. However, they said that they did have six pictures of children that had been used for promotional purposes. These pictures had a small amount of biographical information of them. They agreed to send them if he felt he could use them. He received the pictures and wrote six songs in four days. Upon receiving the songs, the hospital called him with high praise. Soon after that the mother of a little girl with cancer called him to thank him and then the little girl herself did so. At that point he knew that this was his "calling".

8 Today Beltzer and his team compose 30 to 40 songs a month. Unfortunately, a few times the child has died before the song arrived, but the parents tell him the song is a help during their grieving process.

9 As is true with most charitable ventures, Songs of Love is almost always in need of money. To help in this respect, Beltzer has moved back home to live with his retired parents, who also help support his work. His long-term goal is to offer Songs of Love to patients of all ages, including nursing home residents and the mentally ill. Among other efforts to raise money, Beltzer sells a CD and tape featuring 21 of the charity's compositions for children. The 22nd song is a recording of his brother Julio singing his own "Songs of Love". Beltzer would like to convince either Stevie Wonder or Paul McCartney to sing "Songs of Love" the next time he puts out a CD and a tape, thus ensuring a much bigger sales revenue for the Foundation. Meanwhile, Beltzer himself continues to be the most productive writer in Songs of Love, making sure that all requests for songs written for critically ill children will be met.