創作背景
歌曲創作於兩年前 。為了慶祝《星際迷航》系列誕生五十周年,蕾哈娜特地將這首歌曲獻給了《星際迷航》的第十三部電影《星際迷航3:超越星辰》。蕾哈娜從小就是《星際迷航》的冬粉,對於能為《星際迷航》的電影獻唱主題曲,她感到萬分榮幸 。為配合主題,蕾哈娜甚至特意裝扮出異域色彩濃重的外星人彩妝。
歌曲歌詞
I hit a wall I never felt so low so low
Like a waterfall my tears dropped to the floor the floor
They left a swimming pool of salted crimes crimes
Oh what could I do to change your mind
Nothing
I'm bracing for the pain and I am letting go
I'm using all my strength to get out of this hole
I hit a wall I thought that I would hurt myself
Oh I was sure your words would leave me unconscious
And on the floor I'd be lying cold lifeless
But I hit a wall I hit 'em all watch the fall
You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer
You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer
Yeah I hit a wall I prayed that I would make it through make it through
I can't survive a life that's without you that's without you yeah
And I will rise up from the ashes now the ashes now
Oh the sparrow flies with just the crumbs of loving spilled yeah
I was bracing for the pain and then I let it go
I gathered all my strength and I found myself whole
I hit a wall I thought that I would hurt myself
Oh I was sure your words would leave me unconscious
And on the floor I'd be lying cold lifeless
But I hit a wall I hit 'em all watch the fall
You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer
You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer
You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer
You're just another brick and I'm a sledgehammer
歌曲鑑賞
這首歌氣勢磅礴,蕾哈娜也電影《星際迷航3:超越星辰》中跌宕起伏的劇情通過充滿情感的演唱表現了出來。聽覺方面,歌曲整體走向緩慢而神秘,營造出極致的空靈。宏大場面中蘊藏著幾乎炸裂的能力。
《Sledgehammer》中有最細緻化展示。從開場的靜謐到隨後的爆發,全程鬆弛但不失緊張。聲音處理處於野蠻生長態勢,這是有別於程式化的女聲,跟學院派的精緻相悖,這屬於原始吶喊,所有發聲都是本能迸發。也正是因為如此,這款嗓音跟《星際迷航》完美配搭,那種未知的感覺完全得到體現。這種異域色彩的“怪”充分滿足獵奇欲望,對於普通聽者而言,領率歌曲就足夠完成奇妙探險旅行。來自上古的原生態聲響出現在現代語境中,這含帶著時光穿梭意味。
歌曲MV
《Sledgehammer》的MV於2016年7月1日釋出,由弗洛里亞·席基斯蒙狄執導,在加州特羅納的尖峰石陣完成拍攝。
該部MV是全球首部全片採用IMAX攝影機拍攝完成的MV。弗洛里亞·席基斯蒙狄使用ALEXA IMAX攝影機,曾用於拍攝《美國隊長3》中的巔峰對決場景。該攝影機結合IMAX具有專利性的數字原底翻版技術,將以大片質感的頂級視覺和最具IMAX特色的廣闊視野呈現天后蕾哈娜與《星際迷航》的“宇宙級”合作。從MV中可以看出蕾哈娜此次的裝扮與以往有很大的不同,一身紅衣性感又神秘,頗有異域風情。