versus.

since news on Lee Hom has been slow lately, plus i'm almost at the point of OD'ing on his songs, i have presently shifted interest back to my long-time music "love", David Tao. while i appreciate LH for the versatile and skillful musician that he is, David's music has somehow always moved me on a deeper level. and for a longgg time, i was trying to figure out why. and i was still pondering about it when i started this post, but wouldn't you know it, lady epiphany dropped by just in time to say hi. :D

so.... here's my theory on why I think David's music is better (it's a relative term, don't hold me against it :) than Lee Hom's (or maybe i should use the term "different", as in how D's music is different in comparison with LH's):

• D's academic background in Psychology and Film-making gives him a more educated insight into the human psyche and also makes him a better story teller, compared to LH's courses in Music (classical, jazz, vocal) and Asian Studies which makes him a more well-rounded musician but as I've said before, he has ample room for improvement in the lyrics department.
• personality wise, i think D is more reserved and serious, while LH is an eternal optimist and more carefree. in this sense, my character partially mirrors LH's, while i would be drawn to someone with D's traits. so i actually relate to them or approach their songs differently.
• lifestyle-wise, i think D makes time to lead a more "normal" life (he's been known to go into hiding periodically, also he is also into business and runs a fashion boutique) while LH lives and breathes work 24.7.365. I believe LH genuinely enjoys his marriage to his music or movies, but I don't think his devotion can offer him a meaningful kind of inspiration or understanding of the world outside the entertainment industry. of course, this is purely conjecture on my part, i do however strongly encourage him to take a sabbatical (in fact, i've highlighted this when i was a month-old fan :) because if he was gonna sing a love song, it'd better be believable, otherwise it would be a sham.
• in an industry where artists churn out at least an album a year to remain in the mind of their fans, D has always taken his time to work on his music. since debuting in 1997, he's only six full-length albums to his name (compared to LH's 14 albums in 17 years). i know LH can be incredibly persnickety when it comes to producing his music and he pours in an incredible amount of time and effort in getting the exact sounds that he wanted, he's always managed to deliver not too far from the deadline. he's reliable like that. :) but like a pot of beef stew, it's probably edible after an hour of simmering on low fire, but an extra two hours in the pot would do it wonders. and if you left it overnight in the fridge, you'll be discovering a far richer, more flavorful pot the next day. can you see my point? ;)

i hope i would NEVER have to choose between D and LH. it's like having to choose between my right arm and my left, or my heart and brain! i want to be whole, man. hehe.. i don't want to have take anything away from either one because they are both great singer-musicians in their own rights. plus they are both genuinely super nice guys. and oh, they are both seemingly destined for prolonged bachelorhood hahaha anyway, the BEST part right now is both artists have said that their new music will be out by the end of this year. the year is already ending on a high note with my anticipation for these two movies, and now this.. if the world is really ending, it's going out with a bang! tee hee!

back to D and to make my case about his songs, i normally don't fancy songs that i cannot relate to. here, 暗戀 or Adoration (though I think Secret Crush/Love is more apt) is a song about a guy who's secretly in love with a girl but gets all tongue-tied around her so he's left tepuk sebelah tangan... and unfortunately, the song doesn't have a happy ending. awww :(

anyway, i shouldn't be able to have anything to do with it now, right? but i fell in love with it (and i'm talking about the stomach churning, skipped heartbeat type of fall okay) the moment i heard him sang the first two words, and i've not really stopped listening to it since. i especially love what i imagine is the effect of the ebow holding those notes, and i also love the lyrics and melody, and i love how earnest he sounded (i watched somewhere that he was expressing the loss of a real crush). love, love, love! ^_^

oh btw, this song is for you. i imagine that person singing it to you... but who knows, his song could have a happy ending. :)


昨晚又再見到你 你還是那麼美麗
我緊張到話都不會說 就傻傻看著你
渴望永遠這距離 就是和你在一起
醒來發現這一切都只是我的夢境
saw you again last night, you're still so beautiful
i was so nervous i couldn't speak, so i just stared at you foolishly
hoping to remain this close to you always, just to be with you
waking up only to realize that this has all been a dream

告訴自己要冷靜 卻又無法不想你
我的懦弱已經開始讓我討厭我自己
是你對我有戒心 還是我沒有自信
可是誰也不能阻止我 我要暗戀你 So lonely
told myself to remain composed, but i can't stop thinking about you
i'm starting to hate myself for my weakness
was it you who got wary of me, or was it me who couldn't trust myself?
but no one can stop me from secretly loving you, so lonely

so here I am standing all alone
在某個街頭 有個我在這裡只為你等候
here I am waiting just for you
開放我所有 希望你能瞭解你能夠接受 So lonely
so here I am standing all alone
on a certain street, there's me waiting just for you
here I am waiting just for you
wearing my heart on my sleeve, hoping that you would understand, that you would accept my love

今晚渴望再見你 雖然只是在夢裡
短暫的甜蜜也勝過了一輩子沒有你
就算沒快樂結局 就算從此死了心
我要付出我所有誠意 只要能感動你
我願意
hope to see you again tonight, even if it's just in my dream
the short-lived sweetness has passed, in this life i will be without you
even though there is no happy ending, even as i give this up now
i hope my sincerity shines through, to just touch your heart
i am willing

so lonely so here I am standing all alone
在某個街頭 有個我在這裡只為你等候
here I am waiting just for you
開放我所有 我要為你怎麼做你才接受我
我喜歡你。。 我要你。。 我愛你
so here I am standing all alone
on a certain street, there's me waiting just for you
here I am waiting just for you

wearing my heart on my sleeve, what do you want me to do for you to accept me?

i like you.. i want you.. i love you

so here I am standing all alone
在某個街頭 有個我在這裡只為你等候
so here I am waiting just for you
開放我所有 希望你能瞭解你能夠接受
I'm lonely
so here I am standing all alone
on a certain street, there's me waiting just for you
here I am waiting just for you
wearing my heart on my sleeve, hoping that you would understand, that you would accept my love

i'm lonely

故事就說到這裡 就算你們再好奇
我想說的都已說完了 其餘是秘密
在那某一個街頭 會流傳某個旋律
那是我在輕輕唱著歌 我多愛你 著妳
the story ends here
even if you are curious, i have said all i've wanted to say
everything else will remain a secret
on that certain street, a certain melody will linger
that's me quietly singing how much i love you...


懦弱 nuòruò - weakness
討厭 tǎoyàn - hate
短暂 duǎnzàn - brief, short-term

暗戀 Adoration
作曲：陶喆
填詞：陶喆 娃娃

Still lonely still lonely

昨晚又再見到你 你還是那麼美麗
我緊張到話都不會說 就傻傻看著你
渴望永遠這距離 就是和你在一起
醒來發現這一切都只是我的夢境

告訴自己要冷靜 卻又無法不想你
我的懦弱已經開始讓我討厭我自己
是你對我有戒心 還是我沒有自信
可是誰也不能阻止我 我要暗戀你
So lonely

So here I am standing all alone
在某個街頭 有個我在這裡只為你等候
Here I am waiting just for you
開放我所有 希望你能瞭解你能夠接受
So lonely

今晚渴望再見你 雖然只是在夢裡
短暫的甜蜜也勝過了一輩子沒有你
就算沒快樂結局 就算從此死了心
我要付出我所有誠意 只要能感動你
我願意

So lonely so here I am standing all alone
在某個街頭 有個我在這裡只為你等候
Here I am waiting just for you
開放我所有 我要為你怎麼做你才接受我 (才接受我)
我喜歡你 (我喜歡你) 我要你 (我要你) 我愛你

So here I am standing all alone(standing all alone)
在某個街頭 有個我在這裡只為你等候
So here I am waiting just for you
開放我所有 希望你能瞭解你能夠接受
I'm lonely

故事就說到這裡 就算你們再好奇
我想說的都已說完了 其餘是秘密
在那某一個街頭 會流傳某個旋律
那是我在輕輕唱著歌 我多愛你 著妳