it's always nice to know that we are not alone

I found a kindred spirit in this girl. As far as i could gather from her blog, her name's Merry and she is a Norwegian-American from Minnesota, and in her job as a historian specializing in US-China relations, she travels quite a bit esp to the East (she stayed in Taiwan for a couple of years too I think). I'm not sure how proficient her Chinese is, but i think it's nothing less than pretty darn impressive. She is a huge fan of Taiwanese rock outfit Mayday (whose all songs she has translated into English) -- even her website is named after the band.

She wasn't a Leehom fan until she listened to Beside the Plum Tree 在梅邊 (which I hope to translate someday soon), which was written by the lead singer from Mayday. one song led to an album, she ended up at one of his concerts, and in her own words: ...if you are determined not to become a Leehom fan, then you need to stay away from his concerts. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone who enjoys performing that much, or who does so that adeptly. (cue to self: bang head on desk for missing the March concert. sighh..)

I also love how the family was converted, one by one, first the mom, and then the sister (who she says is now the biggest leehom fan that side of the atlantic), and even the dad (who is 100% norwegian).. Anyways, you can read all of her leehom-tagged posts *here*

Amazing right?!

Anyways, today's song is NOT a ballad and it's called 十八般武藝, which translates to 18 Forms of Martial Arts (also the album's title, with the word "Forms" dropped; i prefer it with), and from how I understand it, it means versatility. as it is atypical of the love songs i've been translating, I can't vouch for this translation at all. haha..

I like the sprightly tune (I've set this as my phone's ringtone), and think that the chinked-out sound is done well here. Moving forward though, I think it's really unnecessary for him to continually mention that he's doing the c-o sound, just do it. We will get it. We can handle it. Subtlety ftw yo. ;)

Today's words:

創造未來 chuàngzào wèilái - creating/shaping a future
情緒 qíngxù - mood, sentiment, depression
觀眾 guānzhòng - audience
民族 mínzú - ethnic group
階級 jiējí - class
旋律 xuánlǜ - melody
單調 dāndiào - monotony/ous
交響樂 jiāoxiǎngyuè - symphony
精疲力竭 jīngpílìjié - exhausted
肯定 kěndìng - be sure of

Here ya go!

是 我是不是 又在創造未來 (又 站上了舞台)
是不是 我又在 讓情緒更 high
帶動全場 的觀眾朋友？是
am i reshaping the future (verse 2: standing again on the stage)
am i lifting the mood higher, and moving the whole audience
yes

是不是 還在不斷 學習
無論 什麼 民族 或什麼 階級
繼續 讓我 靈感 源源不絕？是
am i always pursuing learning/education
no matter which ethnicity or class
continue to let my sources of inspiration be endless
yes

唱(寫) 最動聽的旋律給你 讓你
所有的煩惱 所有的單調 往你 的 背後 扔掉
是 這是 chinked-out 交響樂 送到全世界
又更新一遍 什麼時候歇到你精疲力竭 嘿
am i singing (v2: writing) a moving melody for you
so that all your problems, all that's monotonous
be thrown away over your shoulders
this is the chinked-out symphony that i'm giving to the whole world
another new song to help you chill out

送你的十八般武藝
就是 無二獨一 世人都在注意
看傻的十八般武藝
多麼不可思議 其實都是為你
i'm giving you a gift of 18 forms of martial arts (i.e. a versatility)
it's unique, the whole world's paying attention to it
it might look silly
you might not think so, but it's all because of you

看傻 為你
得來多麼不易的十八般武藝
期盼你能點頭 來肯定我的努力
looking silly for you
it's something that does not come by easily, all these versatility
i hope that you will nod to affirm the hard work i've put into this





十八般武藝
王力宏

是 我是不是 又在創造未來 (又站上了舞台)
是不是 我又在 讓情緒更 high
帶動全場 的觀眾朋友？是

是不是 還在不斷 學習
無論 什麼 民族 或什麼 階級
繼續 讓我 靈感 源源不絕？是

唱(寫) 最動聽的旋律給你 讓你 所有的煩惱
所有的單調 往你 的 背後 扔掉
是 這是 chinked-out 交響樂 送到全世界
又更新一遍 什麼時候歇 到你精疲力竭 嘿

送你的十八般武藝
就是 無二獨一 世人都在 注意
看傻的十八般武藝
多麼不可思議 其實都是為你

看傻 為你 得來多麼不易的十八般武藝
期盼你能 點頭 來肯定我的努力