It's been a really good long weekend thanks to the Hari Raya holidays. I hardly did anything more than eating and sleeping and laughing and lazing. Spent Raya evening at Z's house per custom every year, and had tonnes of fun playing Taboo (srsly, I need to buy a set of my own!) with Z, F, J, M and the husb, and helping myself to plates of Raya delicacies; spent the next couple of days with family cooking and eating as my bro and sis in law are back from Singapore; spent today having a lunch and coffee with S and the husb talking about theology and traveling plans. It doesn't get much better than that and I'm more than grateful. :)

[via]

I haven't done much translating work recently, so this is my gift to myself to mark the end of a 96 hours well spent (plus, I'm doing well in blocking thoughts of having to go back to work tmrw). It's a short song, and I love how Ashin puts words together. Of course I really can't judge its quality, but by my standard, this is gold. So here's Mayday's Poetry of the Day After 后青春期的诗 and wishing everyone a good week ahead! XOXO.


當煙霧(yānwù)隨晨光(chénguāng)飄散 枕(zhěn)畔(pàn)的湖已風乾
期待已退化成等待 而我告別了突然
當淚痕勾勒(gōulè)著遺憾 回憶誇(kuā)飾(shì)著傷感
逝(shì)水比喻(bǐyù)時光荏苒(rěnrǎn)
終於我們不再為了生命狂歡(kuánghuān)為愛情狂亂
然而青春彼岸(bǐ'àn)盛夏(shèngxia)正要一天一天一天的燦爛
(口白：然後呢 一起走吧)

As the mist vaporizes with daybreak, the lake at the edge of the pillow (pool of tears) has already dried up
Anticipation is reduced to waiting, just as I bid farewell to the unexpected
As tear stains outline regrets, and memory boasts of how it conceals sadness
Time is slipping by like flowing water
Finally we are no longer merrymaking over life or go hysterical over love
However, the midsummer on the other side of youth is becoming more and more splendorous
(Spoken: What happens now? Let's go.)

誰說不能讓我此生唯一自傳 如同詩一般
無論多遠未來讀來依然一字一句一篇都燦爛
讓天空解釋(jiěshì)著蔚藍(wèilán)　浮雲(fúyún)定義著潔白(jiébái)
落花鋪陳(pūchén)一片紅色地毯(dìtǎn)迎接我們到未來 精彩未完的未來

Whoever was it that said my only autobiography cannot be like a poem?
No matter how far, the future reads the same:
Every letter, every word, every verse will be brilliant
Let the sky explain what 'azure' is, and the floating clouds define 'pure white'
And falling flowers arrange themselves into a carpet of red
To welcome our future; our wonderful, unfinished future



后青春期的诗
五月天

作词/曲：阿信

當煙霧隨晨光飄散 枕畔的湖已風乾
期待已退化成等待 而我告別了突然
當淚痕勾勒著遺憾回憶誇飾著傷感逝水比喻時光荏苒

終於我們不再為了生命狂歡為愛情狂亂
然而青春彼岸盛夏正要一天一天一天的燦爛
(阿信口白：然後呢 一起走吧)

誰說不能讓我此生唯一自傳如同詩一般
無論多遠未來讀來依然一字一句一篇都燦爛
讓天空解釋著蔚藍　浮雲定義著潔白
落花鋪陳一片紅色地毯迎接我們到未來精彩未完的未來

heroes unrivaled.

This song is probably the epitome of Leehom's chinked out style. It has a great mix of rock, hip hop and Beijing opera, and was sung in English, Mandarin and a smack of Cantonese, with two singers, one Beijing opera master.. all that in one song! The chinaman in me will surely agree that it's great value for money haha!

One of my first few impressions of this song came from this music video from his Music Man concert (which imho is better than the official MV)(sorry Leehom, but I think many of your MVs aren't very interesting), and I was pretty blown away. I've replayed this song in my car so many times to learn to sing all its parts. Super love it! :D

Before I start, the title of the song is 蓋世英雄 which literally translates to Unrivaled/Matchless Hero, but Leehom chose to translate it as Heroes of the Earth, and the heroes he referred to were the musical masters that he looked up to. On to the song now...



#5 蓋世英雄

Yo come on come on come on
大家一起說一次　蓋世英雄到來
Homeboy Production　力宏　項羽　My homboy Jin
Yo come on come on come on
Everyone say it together now　"The heroes of the earth are here"
Homeboy Production　Leehom　Xiang Yu　My homboy Jin

迫不及待看見我的未來(看見我的)　對什麼都看開
蓋世英雄真的到來(蓋世英雄到來)
迫不及待看見我的未來(看見我的)　對什麼都期待
蓋世英雄站上舞台(世界是舞台)
Eagerly awaiting my future, I'm open to anything
The heroes of the earth are really coming
Eagerly awaiting my future, I'm anticipating everything
The heroes of the earth are taking to the stage

我出門了載四個哥兒們兒們　鍍鉻輪框24吋
今晚我的目的明確　帶Chinked-out到全世界
加入了京劇(jingju)崑曲(kunqu)　Hip-hop進入新的格局 (geju)
新的突破　新的曲風　才有新的蓋世英雄
I'm out with my four homies, (cruising in) 24-inch chrome rims
Tonight my purpose is clear: to introduce chinked-out to the whole world
Mixing in Beijing opera and kunqu, hip hop's entering a new structure
New breakthrough, new style, only then there will be heroes of earth

把收音機開最大聲　聽見的聲音又是武生
道白的共鳴又最流行　要模仿他　真的不容易
他的唱法獨一無二　這種藝術屬一屬二
希望幫助全世界的華人　唱出大家的心聲(我們大家的心聲)
Crank up the volume of your radio, what you hear is the sound of martial arts coming to life
The resonance of the operatic lines is again all the rage, and it's no mean feat to be mimicked
The way it's sung is unequalled, this form of art ranks top
I hope it would help all the Chinese around the world in singing out their hearts' contents

霸氣傲中原　王者揚烽煙
力拔山河天　宏威征凱旋
(Beijing opera line)(I have no idea what they mean, so I got the translation from here:)
The tyrant’s pride takes the field, the ruler raises the signal fire
Pulling at the homeland, the heroes risk prestige to attack and return triumphantly

迫不及待看見我的未來　對什麼都看開
蓋世英雄真的到來 (蓋世英雄到來)
迫不及待看見我的未來　對什麼都期待　蓋世英雄站上舞台
(呦　一位蓋世英雄要上台了　歐陽靖你在哪兒　All yours, baby)
Eagerly awaiting to see my future, I'm open to anything
The heroes of the earth are really coming
Eagerly awaiting my future, I'm anticipating everything
The heroes of the earth are taking to the stage
(A hero is now taking to the stage: Ouyang Jin, where are you?)

I'm here let's go　
Yo it's Jin and Leehom, it feels good to be home　
I've got the skills to be known so Imma chill on my throne　
yes, I keeps it blazing from Shanghai out to Beijing
stop in Taiwan back to Hong Kong where they start doing they thing
this is something special, my culture's is so contagious
they wanna know about us, we been around for ages
a couple thousand years, a bunch of pioneers
just artists and scholars making noise, it was loud and clear
hey yo, the future's here, the revolution's near
Jin's got the solution for the pollution in your ear
switch it up:

唔使問　你實同意　做英雄　係唔容易
(不用問　你得同意　做英雄　是不容易)
But yo, you ain't gotta take it from me
Just listen close to 李老師
Don't bother asking, you'll surely agree, that it's not easy being a hero
But yo, you ain't gotta take it from me
Just listen close to Teacher Li

(Repeat Beijing opera lines and chorus)

the sun and the moon :: part 1

I've been playing 心中的日月 Shangri-La on a loop in my car for about a week now; the song doesn't get old! Definitely a worthy entry for my Top 20.. ;)

This song is found in Leehom's 2004 album of the same name where he incorporated the music of the Chinese ethnic minorities and therefore began the first chapter of "chinked-out", a term he coined together to represent the ties between Chinese and Western music. He experimented with the tribal sounds of Taiwan, Tibet, and Mongolia, traveling the area carrying 15 kg of equipment while fighting bouts of altitude and food sickness. [via] He made this short documentary of his journey which he took with his brother Leekai (I think it was just the two of them):



#5 心中的日月 Shangri-la

你是我心中的日月光芒
you are the radiance of the sun and the moon of my heart

手中握著格桑花呀　美的讓我忘了摘下
妳的真　帶著香　妳的香　會說話
妳的話　好像只　對我說
holding a stalk of azalea of in my hands
its beauty let me forget about plucking
your genuineness carries a fragrance
a fragrance that speaks
your words seem to be only spoken to me

我的專長叫做流浪　妳註定要為我綻放(zhanfang)
我的心　尋找家　我的家　沒有花
我的花卻在這山谷等著我
my specialty is in being a nomad
you are destined to blossom for me
my heart is looking for a home, my home has no flower
for it is waiting for me in the ravine

若一開始　沒有上帝　暗中偷偷的慫恿(songyong)
我們怎知選擇相逢　喔～
if from the start God did not secretly make this happen
how could we know to choose to meet?

你是心中的日月　落在這裡　旅程的前後多餘　只為遇到妳
多麼想幻化成為妳腳下的泥　yeah　此刻的無人山谷　彷彿聽見說愛妳
you're the sun and moon of my heart, it's written right here
on this journey, everything before and after is immaterial, what mattered was that I met you
how i wish to be transformed into the clay underneath your feet, yeah
at this moment in the ravine where there is no one around
I seem to hear myself say that I love you

你是我心中的日月光芒
you are the radiance of the sun and the moon of my heart

我的漂泊不懂泥巴　妳的美麗不堪動盪 (dongdang)
妳單純　我迷惘　妳戀家　我流浪　山谷中　這一切　帶不走
in my drifting I'm not afraid of mud
your beauty bears no turmoil
you're pure, I'm lost
you're homely, I'm a nomad
I can't bring everything away from the valley

妳愛抬頭(taitou)擁抱陽光　喔～我得眺望下個前往
我走開　妳留下　我回憶　妳昇華　至少我們會仰望(yangwang)同一片天空
you love lifting your head to embrace the sunlight
from my vantage point, I understood where I should go next
I left, you stayed, I reminisce, you ascend splendidly
at least we would be looking at the same sky

置身在　傳說中　人間天堂
妳是我　心中的　日月光芒
帶領我　找到妳　的芬芳　放不下
living on in a legend, heaven among mankind
you are the radiance of the sun and the moon of my heart
bringing me to your fragrance
I couldn't let go


動蕩/动荡 dòngdàng - unrest (social or political) / turmoil / upheaval / commotion



心中的日月

作詞：陳宇佐
作曲：王力宏
編曲：王力宏

你是我心中的日月光芒

手中握著格桑花呀　美的讓我忘了摘下
妳的真　帶著香　妳的香　會說話
妳的話　好像只　對我說

我的專長叫做流浪　妳註定要為我綻放
我的心　尋找家　我的家　沒有花
我的花卻在這山谷等著我

＃若一開始　沒有上帝　暗中偷偷的慫恿
我們怎知選擇相逢　喔～

你是心中的日月　落在這裡　旅程的前後多餘　只為遇到妳
多麼想幻化成為妳腳下的泥　yeah　此刻的無人山谷　彷彿聽見說愛妳

你是我心中的日月光芒

我的漂泊不懂泥巴　妳的美麗不堪動盪
妳單純　我迷惘　妳戀家　我流浪
山谷中　這一切　帶不走

妳愛抬頭擁抱陽光　喔～我得眺望下個前往
我走開　妳留下　我回憶　妳昇華
至少我們會仰望同一片天空

Repeat ＃

你是心中的日月　落在這裡　旅程的前後多餘　只為遇到妳
多麼想幻化成為妳腳下的泥　yeah　那天的無人山谷(那一天)　彷彿聽見說愛妳

置身在　傳說中　人間天堂
妳是我　心中的　日月光芒
帶領我　找到妳　的芬芳　放不下

你是心中的日月　落在這裡
旅程的前後多餘　只為遇到妳
多麼想幻化成為妳腳下的泥
那天的無人山谷　彷彿聽見說愛妳　那天聽見說愛妳

yippeedooday, DT's in the house!

I was so stoked to find out from David's weibo that he has just dropped his latest album Hello Goodbye three days back! WHEE!! He's been AWOL since his last album Opus 69 in 2008 (which I have not heard until last year, as I have been AWOL from Chinese music since.. 2001? :D)(I'd have to say that Opus was his best album yet and a tough act to follow--and of course, I totally enjoyed it!)..

So I've just downloaded Hello Goodbye 再見你好嗎 from iTunes as I was typing (for some reason, it costs USD9.99 from my iPhone's iTunes, but when I checked online from my laptop, the album costs USD16.99!) Anyway, I've already heard a few songs from his mini concert which was held in conjunction with the album launch, and most of what I heard sounded like old skool David, which isn't a bad thing at all :) There are a few collaborations with other singers, namely Crowd Lu, Tanya Chua and Sharon Kwan (unfortunately, I have very little idea of who they are, and a total blank as to their works)(sorry!)

And the best thing is, he's embarking on a (world?)(somehow that term is used pretty loosely when it comes to concerts) tour -- and I'm hoping very much that he would make it to Malaysia!! It's pretty likely that he would. Problem is, who would go with me to the concert?? :(

Anyway, it's so good to have you back, David. I've really missed you! :) Please stay a while longer this time k?

So sporting a new hairstyle and colour (love the blue!), this is David with the first single from his album, the song 勿忘我 Forget Me Not which grew on me pretty quickly. I think it's the trend these days to throw in a line or two of nostalgic catchy tune/hook in the chorus (like the song Live Your Live by T.I feat. Rihanna which takes from Chicken Little's Numa Numa song or Feel This Moment by Pitbull feat. Christina Aguilera which took a leaf from Eiffel 65's Blue (Da Ba Dee))(Leehom has done it with too with 春雨里洗过的太阳 which has a modified line from The Cascades' 1963 song, Rhythm of the Falling Rain). And I think this strategy works, because the familiarity provides instant connection, and you also get something entirely new thrown in. I hope this would be used sparingly though (David also employed this technique in his Taiwanese song 上爱唱的歌 Songs From Yesterday, a poignant song dedicated to his late dad :( I could so feel his pain when he almost broke down before presenting this song at his mini concert! :(

Anyway... so far, I've liked what I've heard so I'm glad I bought the whole album :) His would be the second full-length album I purchased from iTunes -- the first being Khalil Fong's excellent Back to Wonderland, and when Leehom is ready with his new album (he's recording! :), I'm guessing that would be a full album purchase too (although I'm contemplating a physical album.. would love to have something tangible (like his two other albums which I've bought and are now sitting quietly on the shelf haha!)

勿忘我

作词：周启儿
作/编曲：陶喆

谢谢你曾陪我走过的路 今天只剩你一个人走
再好的故事终究(zhongjiu)要结束 我知道 yeah~
在我心中的你永远停在那天 倔强(juejiang)地微笑着的侧脸
忍住眼泪的你说不出的再见 却听见你轻轻地唱着
thank you for accompanying on my journey
today you are left to continue alone
no matter how good a story get it would eventually come to an end
in my heart you are paused at that very day
i could see a stubborn smile from your side profile
holding your tears, you couldn't say goodbye
but i heard you softly singing...

yo de lay lay yo 请不要忘了我
yo de lay lay yo 你不要忘了我 答应我
yo de lay lay yo please forget me not
yo de lay lay yo don't you forget me, promise me you won't

谢谢你从不计较的付出 那是多么单纯的幸福
遗憾的是幸福不能弥补(mibu) 最初的错误 yeah~
在你心中的我你要怎么记住 那些不再纪念的日子
你还是挥挥手(huihuishou)装作毫(zhuangzuohao)不在乎 却低着头轻轻地唱着
thank you for your willing sacrifice, what a pure blessing that was
my only regret is that the blessing cannot offset the mistake I've initially made
how do you want to remember me in your heart
those days that have been forgotten
you're waving and pretending not to care, but you lower your head and softly sing...

记得那时候 牵着你的手 什么都没说 多笨拙(benzhuo) yeah~
如果还能够 只想对你说 永远记得我 记得我 I say yeah~
remember that time, holding your hand, no words were said, how awkward
if i still could, i only want to say to you, remember me always, remember me,
and I say...

Is it me, or is it harder to translate from Cantonese? Half the time here, I wasn't completely sure what I was translating, but I do think that I've captured the gist of the song. :) I'm sure a lot has been lost in this translation -- it wasn't until I attempted the translation that I realised the song's meaning is kinda bland, although the words are not and I would still sing it with all my heart. Perhaps nostalgia's magic got to me. :)



真情流露

仍难尽信我是这样地无穷好运　能遇上精彩的你　
我缺点胜别人　你竟费尽心神　把我留起
I can't believe how lucky I was to meet someone like you
Despite all my glaring shortcomings, you gave your all to lift me up

如仍未清楚地说在目前和今后　(仍难尽清楚地说在目前和今后)
无论那一天都爱你　我这刻要直言到沧海或桑田　最深爱的亦只是你
Even in the uncertainties of the present and the future, every day I love you
At this very moment I want tell it to the oceans and the fields
That my deepest love is you

我与你永不可别离　爱你爱到死　因只得你方可使我流露自己
你眼里那种种传奇　醉我醉到死　一生使我动情 是你
You and I will never part, I love you til death
Because of you, my real self is revealed
In your eyes lie a legend, that leaves me love drunk
In this life, only you could excite me so

when hate becomes love

so yeah, I hated this song when I first heard it (back in the early days of my fangirlism which is like.. a year ago). well, it all started when I didn't understand what he was singing about (there were too many songs of his to check out then), and the only phrases I could understand immediately then were the lines in English, and you know how much I love (that was kinda sarcastic, in case the italics doesn't mean anything to you) something as hackneyed as "'cos you're my everything..." -- when i first heard it, i was like, hello, the 90's called and they wanted their chorus back!

and the music video didn't help at all. in fact, i was completely baffled by it: he was all lovey dovey with the girl in a boat, and all of a sudden the boat capsized and she fell over, and when he jumped into the water to rescue her, he never found her... mysteriously, she never resurfaced and he didn't seem too perturbed by that after what seemed to be a short search. and i was like whaaa--? -____- I can be too literal a person sometimes, hence the video just made no sense to me. so yeah, that was strike two!

soooo, you ask, how did a song I've practically wrote off make it into my top 20??

ok, the thing is, although I tried to keep away, the song still got played when I wasn't actively skipping it when it came up on my WLH playlist, and I'd soon realised that every time when I heard it I actually really liked the melody. a lot! and there's also that one line in there that felt very personal to me (not telling which ;).. a while later, I saw this video clip of him singing just the chorus (you know, the part I couldn't stand most in the song) at his concert -- and oh my, the earnestness with which he sang that part really got to me. srsly, if he sang the phone book with that much passion, I'd lap it up haha! and finally, as for the MV, someone explained in the comments that the girl he was with "was never into the relationship, so everything that he did with her was just part of his imagination. it's really sad because he eventually realized that and thus she 'disappeared'", and I thought, aha that made sense! and with that, the bothersome part of my mind was acquiesced haha!

so I revisited the song, and when I understood the rest of it, whaddya know, I loved it! :)

#3 Everything

故事裡的起承轉合有一些忘記
做了多少錯誤的選擇
原來波折才暗示(anshi)著該走的方向
指引(zhiying)妳我來到這一刻
就算別人都說我們沒什麼出息
不可能會這樣輕易放棄
I've kinda forgotten how the story went and all the wrong choices I've made
but it turned out that the twists and turns were hints at the direction we ought to have taken
guiding you and I to this very moment where we are
and even if other people thought that there was nothing special about us
we couldn't just give up so easily

Note: The individual Chinese characters [起承轉合] mean "opening, development, twist, resolution." They are traditionally used to label the four lines of a classical quatrain, of which the first states the basic situation, the second amplifies it, the third introduces something unexpected, and the fourth completes the picture, usually by resolving the puzzle of the third line but sometimes by extending it.

cause you're my everything
就一個原因 讓我勇敢面對這個世界
想給妳everything 不管用多少個明天
永遠從此刻開始算起
妳的愛是我的everything
cause you're my everything
and just that one reason alone emboldens me to face this world
i want to give you everything, no matter how many tomorrows it takes
forever begins this very moment
your love is my everything

遼闊(liaokuo)天際 巧合相遇 有多少機率(jilv)
多少煙火墜落無痕跡
因為幸福 沒有捷徑 (jie jing) 難免要繞道
不被看好越是要走到
what were the odds that our encounter across this vast horizon was a coincidence?
how much could the fireworks fall from the sky without leaving any trace?
because there's no shortcut to happiness, and you can't escape it
if you don't carefully watch over it, the more it wants walk elsewhere (?)

就算別人都說我們沒什麼出息
不可能會這樣輕易放棄
and even if other people thought that there was nothing special about us
we couldn't just give up so easily

妳就是everything
就這個原因 讓我勇敢面對這個世界
想給妳everything 只要妳說一聲願意
所有的未來才有意義
妳的愛是我的everything
you are everything
and just that one reason alone emboldens me to face this world
i want to give you everything, you only have to say "yes"
the future is then meaningful
your love is my everything

Cause you're my everything
就這個原因 讓我勇敢面對這個世界
想給妳everything 不管用多少個明天
永遠從此刻開始算起
妳就是everything
就如這個原因 我會永遠記住這種感覺
想給妳everything 只要妳說一聲願意
所有的未來才有意義
妳的愛是我的everything
cause you're my everything
and just that one reason alone emboldens me to face this world
i want to give you everything, no matter how many tomorrows it takes
forever begins this very moment
you are my everything
and for that one reason alone, I'll remember this feeling
I want to give you everything, you only have to say yes
the future is then meaningful
your love is my everything


遼闊/辽阔 liáokuò - vast, extensive
機率/机率 jīlǜ - probability / odds (common in Taiwan)
捷徑/捷径 jiéjìng - shortcut
繞道/绕道 ràodào - roundabout route / detour



Everything
作詞：王力宏/小寒
作曲/編：王力宏

故事裡的起承轉合有一些忘記
做了多少錯誤的選擇
原來波折才暗示著該走的方向
指引妳我來到這一刻

就算別人都說我們沒什麼出息
不可能會這樣輕易放棄

Cause you're my everything
就一個原因 讓我勇敢面對這個世界
想給妳everything 不管用多少個明天
永遠從此刻開始算起
妳的愛是我的everything

遼闊天際 巧合相遇 有多少機率
多少煙火墜落無痕跡
因為幸福 沒有捷徑 難免要繞道
不被看好越是要走到

就算別人都說我們沒什麼出息
不可能會這樣輕易放棄

妳就是everything
就這個原因 讓我勇敢面對這個世界
想給妳everything 只要妳說一聲願意
所有的未來才有意義
妳的愛是我的everything

Cause you're my everything
就這個原因 讓我勇敢面對這個世界
想給妳everything 不管用多少個明天
永遠從此刻開始算起
妳就是everything
就如這個原因 我會永遠記住這種感覺
想給妳everything 只要妳說一聲願意
所有的未來才有意義
妳的愛是我的everything

[this is both a translation post and also a top 20 Leehom track post. two for the price of one -- woo hoo! :)]
click here for the list of my Top 20 Favorite Leehom Tracks.

pasta time!

Okay, not really.

You see, the title of the song I've translated today is Olia by David Tao. And I love the song and its melody but I can't shake off that it's a song about one of my favorite pasta cooking styles: aglio olio (which I just had for dinner not an hour ago :)!

Anyway, according to thinkbabyname.com, Olia is a girl's name and is a variant of Olga (Old Norse, Scandinavian) and Olivia (Latin), and the meaning of Olia is "blessed, holy; successful; olive tree". It's not a popular name at all though, unlike mine, which placed #423 out of 1,220 most popular.. men's names! Haha! E's actually a unisex name but apparently it's not so popular with girls. Oh well, I love my name still! Btw David is not unaccustomed to naming a song after a girl's name (e.g. Susan, Angeline, Katrina, Melody, etc.) and Olia is his muse from his 2006 album, Beautiful 太美麗.

I don't remember having heard this song before, and it was brought to my attention following this recent weibo conversation between David and another singer, Yoga Lin (whom I've heard of but have no idea of who he is)(translation below image):

@林宥嘉 (Yoga Lin)
When Olia first came around, we were solely focused on its light and shadow, on whether it constituted the point of view that we hoped for, on its transience; when actually a face of incomparable beauty has unexpectedly been drowned out by the crowd for a good few years. Big brother David, I love you; you were the first person in my life who I reckoned truly felt the beauty of music, and I hope that this generation would be able to better appreciate the absolute energy found in music.

@陶喆 (David Tao)
Yoga, thanks for reminding me of the things I once knew but now often forget. Sometimes we would forget that we can move the world in our own small ways. Let's rock the world.

I think Yoga's comment is just so sincere and beautifully written (and truly lost in my translation), and reading it has moved me, what more with David's gracious reply. So heart-warming.. ^_^

***

碎石子路長青苔 指針把時間再掃開
馬戲團走了但小丑還在這舞台
黑馬車沒停下來 消失前妳回過頭來
多少人到現在還不明白 還等待
the gravel road is covered with moss
the hands of the clock sweeps time away
the circus has left, but the clown remains on stage
the black carriage didn't stop, but before it disappeared you turned your head around
how many people still do not understand, and keep on waiting?

一直走 一直走 一直不停的走 該選那個路口
一瞬間 一瞬間 可能這個瞬間 那命運就會改變
Olia 請不要走 是否我做的還是不夠
Olia 請不要走 為什麼永久不會永久 不停留
keep going on, keep going on, keep going on non-stop, which road should i choose?
a moment, a moment, perhaps it's this moment, that fate would change
Olia, please don't go, have I not done enough?
Olia, please don't go, why doesn't "forever" last? why doesn't it stay?

鐘聲把夕陽暈開 十八歲又換了一代
機會是否劃一次的火柴 不重來
the bell chime ushers the setting sun
at 18 years old, a new generation is replaced
is opportunity like a match stick, there's no going back once lit?

一直走 一直走 一直不停的走 能不能再重頭
一輩子 一輩子 就算用一輩子 也沒有辦法挽回
keep going on, keep going on, keep going on non-stop, could we start all over?
this life, this life, even if I spend my whole life, i wouldn't be able to get it back

Olia 請不要走 是否我做的還是不夠
Olia 請不要走 為什麼永久不會永久 不停留
Olia 請不要走 是否我讓你等得太久
Olia 妳早已走 為什麼失去才想保有 不放手
Olia, please don't go, have I not done enough?
Olia, please don't go, why doesn't "forever" last? Why doesn't it stay?
Olia, please don't go, did I leave you waiting for too long?
Olia, you have left a while ago, why did I want you to stay only after I've lost you? I'm not letting go.

不放手 不放手
not letting go, not letting go




Olia

作詞：李焯雄 / 陶喆
作曲：陶喆

碎石子路長青苔 指針把時間再掃開
馬戲團走了但小丑還在這舞台
黑馬車沒停下來 消失前妳回過頭來
多少人到現在還不明白 還等待

一直走 一直走 一直不停的走 該選那個路口
一瞬間 一瞬間 可能這個瞬間 那命運就會改變

OLIA請不要走 是否我做的還是不夠
OLIA請不要走 為什麼永久不會永久 不停留

鐘聲把夕陽暈開 十八歲又換了ㄧ代
機會是否劃一次的火柴 不重來

一直走 一直走 一直不停的走 能不能再重頭
一輩子 一輩子 就算用一輩子 也沒有辦法挽回

OLIA請不要走 是否我做的還是不夠
OLIA請不要走 為什麼永久不會永久 不停留
OLIA請不要走 是否我讓你等得太久
OLIA妳早已走 為什麼失去才想保有 不放手

不放手 不放手

music as refuge

Oh happy day! Oxford Union has finally uploaded the high quality videos of Leehom's session. Click here to check out the Youtube playlist I've created of the eight videos (the full length speech + 7 Qs&As). And thanks to the superb audio quality, I've also updated the transcription. :)

Well, it's been a while since I last translated a song. This one came to me today when the Chinese line in blue below popped into my head, well, out of the blue.. :) I must have been thinking about the country's current circumstances.. makes me just wanna crawl into a cocoon and hide in there for a while. i think i've just felt a sudden aversion to political news. I'm sure it's only temporary, but right now, it's getting too much and I really just want to get away.

Anyway, this is a really simple song (I hardly needed Google Translate :) -- the lyrics in fact are somewhat of a "Frankenstein's monster" -- they're from the titles and partial lyrics of his other songs.. I think most die-hard fans should catch at least a handful of the references. I kinda think that this is somehow an inside joke. :)


己經聽了一百遍 怎麼聽都不會倦
從白天唱到黑夜 你一直在身邊
如果世界太危險 只有音樂最安全
帶著我進夢裡面 讓歌詞都實現
I've heard the songs a hundred times, but they never get old
from day break to night time, you are constantly by my side
when the world becomes too dangerous, music is my refuge
it leads me to my dreams, where the words to the songs come alive

無論是開心還是難過我的愛一直不變
不必擔心時間流逝帶走一切
無論是Hip-Hop 還是搖滾我的愛一直不變
所有美好回憶紀錄在裡面
這種 Forever love 那麼深 我們的歌 那麼真
無國界跨時代 再也不會叫我 Kiss Goodbye
要每一句能夠動人心弦Yeah~
no matter if i were happy or sad, my love will never change
i don't have to worry that time will take everything away
be it Hip Hop or Rock, my love will remain
all the beautiful memories are recorded in them
this type of forever love is so deep, and our songs are so real
they cut across borders and time, and i won't have to kiss them goodbye
every word has the potential to move someone's heartstrings

情人總分分合合 可是我們卻越愛越深
認識你 讓我的幸福如此悅耳
能不能不要切歌 繼續唱我們的歌 讓感動一輩子都記得
lovers come and lovers go, but our love grow deeper
knowing you has made my happiness complete
can we not stop the music, and continue to sing our songs
you'll remember for a lifetime these moving emotions



我們的歌

作詞：王力宏/陳信延
曲/編曲/電吉他/其他樂器：王力宏

己經聽了一百遍 怎麼聽都不會倦
從白天唱到黑夜 你一直在身邊

如果世界太危險 只有音樂最安全
帶著我進夢裡面 讓歌詞都實現

無論是開心還是難過我的愛一直不變
不必擔心時間流逝帶走一切
無論是Hip-Hop 還是搖滾我的愛一直不變
所有美好回憶紀錄在裡面

這種 Forever love 那麼深 我們的歌 那麼真
無國界跨時代 再也不會叫我 Kiss Goodbye
要每一句能夠動人心弦Yeah~

情人總分分合合 可是我們卻越愛越深
認識你 讓我的幸福如此悅耳

能不能不要切歌 繼續唱我們的歌 讓感動一輩子都記得
一輩子都記得

i'm hooked on a new drug, and it's called Quora, and it's so addictive, i just can't stop scrolling. it's basically a community-driven Q&A website (something like Yahoo! Answers but wayyyyy better in content quality).. there is every possible topic under the sun that you could choose to follow, and i really enjoy the thoughtful or funny insights some of these answers have given. Jimmy Wales, one of the founders of Wiki (one of my other most visited websites), is a small investor of Quora (not surprising), and is also a regular contributor whose answers are good read. so yeah, this is what i do late into the night under the cover when i can't sleep. :D

anyway, i would like to report that i've been a good girl and the WLH fast is ongoing without a hitch. this also means that i gave his Google+ Hangout session last Saturday a miss :( but other than that, i've been doing quite okay. today is Day 28 (wow, already!) and other than the Gospel of Matthew, I've been enjoying David Crowder's latest (and final! *cries) CD on the way to and back from work. (I tune into Khalil Fong's music at work though)(realised i've paid more for Khalil's songs on iTunes than even LH, but that's cos I had all of LH's songs prior to iTunes being available in Msia ;)

speaking of K, here's my new favorite song, 詩人的情人 The Poet's Lover from his 2006 sophomore album This Love. ergh this is really difficult to translate so please humbly accept my attempt.

纏綿(chan mian)是首詩　很容易迷失
北島的朦朧(meng long)不減李商隱的精緻(jing zhi)
感情是首詩　要懂愛才能知
我希望像李宗盛一針挑中你心事
別像宋代李清照悽悽慘慘戚戚
it's easy to get lost in this poignant poem
Bei Dao's obscurity does not reduce Li Shangyin's exquisiteness
feelings are a poem that you could only know if you understand what love is
i hope to be like Jonathan Lee whose words would get you right in the heart
and not like Li Qingzhao of the Song Dynasty who was sad, miserable, sorrowful

List of poets named:

• Bei Dao 北島: lit. "Northern Island", pen name of Chinese poet Zhao Zhenkai 趙振開. He chose the pen name because he came from the north and because of his preference for solitude. Most notable representative of the Misty Poets, a group of Chinese poets who reacted against the restrictions of the Cultural Revolution.)
• Li Shangyin 李商隱: Chinese poet of the late Tang Dynasty. Was much admired and "rediscovered" in the 20th century by young Chinese writers for the imagist quality of his poems. He is particularly famous for his tantalizing "no title" (無題) poems.
  
• Jonathan Lee 李宗盛: Taiwanese record producer, singer, and songwriter, and is hailed as one of the godfathers of Taiwanese Mandopop. He was one of the most successful producers of the 1990s and 2000s. Divorced his wife and married one of the artistes he wrote for (sorry, but i lost my respect and interest of him at this point)
• Li Qingzhao 李清照: Chinese writer and poet of the Song Dynasty. Born into a family of officials and scholars. Unlike other girls born in noble families, Li was outgoing and knowledgeable. She is credited with the first detailed critique of the metrics of Chinese poetry. She was regarded as a master of wanyue pai "the delicate restraint". Her poetry was already well known within elite circles before she got married. Her husband and she shared a love of poetry and often wrote poems for each other. His death was a blow she never recovered from, and her later works reflected this.
  

我願為你背誦(bei song)　每一首情詩
我願意做你的老師　示範著(shi fan zhe)執子之手(zhí zǐ zhī shǒu)如何解釋
不願為深奧(shen ao)的感情　變白痴
我倆的情事　是一首情詩
要像徐志摩那麼癡　要像對押韻(ya yin)的堅持
要成為文學的歷史　讓我們要多美麗有多美麗 [要這段情感動他人名噪一時(míng zào yīshí)]
i would recite every one of those poems for you
i am willing to teach you
and demonstrate the meaning of 執子之手 (fig. holding hands)[Ed: lol so cheeky]
i won't let the deep feelings make me a fool
our love story is a piece of poetry
as silly as Xu Zhimo, as insistent as a pair of rhymes
to become literary history
to be as beautiful as we want it to be [v2: so that this love will become renown]

More poet references:

• Xu Zhimo 徐志摩: an early 20th century Chinese poet. One of the most renowned romantic poets of 20th century Chinese literature, he is known for his promotion of modern Chinese poetry, and has made tremendous contributions to modern Chinese literature. Tragic love life thou (wiki)

很少人看詩　很少人得知
擁抱時怎創作(chuang zuo)接近詩意的手勢
很少人懂詩　很少人情癡
莎士比亞的十四行詩快沒人認識
可我對你吟頌(yín sòng)並不如煙的往事
very few people are into poems, very few people want to find out
when we embrace, how do we create poetry-worthy gestures?
very few people understand poems, very few people are crazy in love
Shakespeare's sonnets are losing its familiarity
but the odes i hum to you aren't even like vapor of things past

讓這一首解構(jiě gòu)擁抱的詩　感染這誤解愛情的城市
多少艱澀(jiān sè)的美感快消失　可我們是少數的奢侈(shē chǐ)
我送你情詩就靠著　靈犀一指
走遍世界也能步步成詩　給寫成故事
let this poem of deconstructed hug (huh?) influence this city that misunderstands love
so much of incomprehensible but beautiful feelings are lost
although we take pleasure in the small things
my gift of a love poem to you is based on our mutual feelings
and every step around the word will turn into a poem and then a story


缠绵/纏綿 chánmián - touching (emotions) / lingering (illness)
朦胧/朦朧 ménglóng - hazy, obscure
精致/精緻 jīngzhì - delicate / fine / exquisite / refined
凄 qī - sad, mournful
惨 cǎn - miserable / wretched / cruel / inhuman / disastrous / tragic / dim / gloomy
戚戚 qīqī - sorrowful / distressed
背诵 bèisòng - to recite / to repeat from memory
示范/示範 shìfàn - demonstrate
执子之手 zhí zǐ zhī shǒu - holding hands
深奧 shēn'ào - profound / abstruse / recondite / profoundly
解構(jiě gòu) - deconstruct
艱澀(jiān sè) - incomprehensible
奢侈(shē chǐ) - luxury
名噪一時 míngzàoyīshí - to achieve fame among one's contemporaries (idiom); temporary or local celebrity

[VIDEO: I can't find a video that plays from the embedded link so please go HERE for the song :)]

詩人的情人

作詞：林夕
作曲/編曲：方大同

纏綿是首詩　很容易迷失
北島的朦朧不減李商隱的精緻
感情是首詩　要懂愛才能知
我希望像李宗盛一針挑中你心事
別像宋代李清照悽悽慘慘戚戚

我願為你背誦　每一首情詩
我願意做你的老師　示範著執子之手如何解釋
不願為深奧的感情　變白痴
我倆的情事　是一首情詩
要像徐志摩那麼癡　要像對押韻的堅持
要成為文學的歷史　讓我們要多美麗有多美麗

很少人看詩　很少人得知
擁抱時怎創作接近詩意的手勢
很少人懂詩　很少人情癡
莎士比亞的十四行詩快沒人認識
可我對你吟頌並不如煙的往事

我願為你背誦　每一首情詩
我願意做你的老師　示範著執子之手如何解釋
不願為深奧的感情　變白痴
我倆的情事　是一首情詩
要像徐志摩那麼癡　要像對押韻的堅持
要成為文學的歷史　要這段情感動他人名噪一時

讓這一首解構擁抱的詩　感染這誤解愛情的城市
多少艱澀的美感快消失　可我們是少數的奢侈
我送你情詩就靠著　靈犀一指
走遍世界也能步步成詩　給寫成故事

我願為你背誦　每一首情詩
我願意做你的老師　示範著執子之手如何解釋
不願為深奧的感情　變白痴
我倆的情事　是一首情詩
要像徐志摩那麼癡　要像對押韻的堅持
要成為文學的歷史
閨房的文字只為多情傳世

she's the catcher in the rye

i rarely enjoy female singers (prolonged exposure to female voices somehow grates my nerves hahaha!), so when i randomly chanced upon her while youtubing Mayday's songs (they belong to the same record company, B'in Music) and found myself drawn to her songs, i was like ^__^. i like her slightly off, Dido-esque pronunciation (which also means that i can't understand her without lyrics). i can't find much info about her in English as she's a fairly new artist in the Taiwanese music scene. she's 21 according to her wiki page (imo, she looks slightly more mature than that). that's all. and oh i love her hair! :)

btw the title of this post alludes to her other song by the same name as JD Salinger's book, which I've not read but would like to. I guess she likes it a lot because she calls herself that (麥田捕手) on her weibo page too.

anyway in my current state of keeping you-know-who away from my ears (Day 1: doing okay. phew! i even had to make sure his songs are not in my current playlist before i play), may i present to you: Ann 白安 and 是什麼讓我遇見這樣的你 How Is It That I Met Someone Like You What Brings Me To You.

and oh, HAPPY VALENTINE'S!! ^_^


我是宇宙間的塵埃 漂泊在這茫茫人海
偶然掉入誰的胸懷 多想從此不再離開
我是宇宙間的塵埃 微不足道的一種狀態
偶然成了誰的最愛 多想相信永恆存在
I'm a speck of dust in the universe, floating amidst a sea of people
every once in a while, I'd fall into someone's embrace, where I'd no longer want to leave
I'm a speck of dust in the universe: negligible, insignificant
by chance I'd become someone's beloved, and I want to believe in the existence of the eternal

是什麼 讓我遇見這樣的你
是什麼 讓我不再懷疑自己
是什麼 讓我不再害怕失去
在這茫茫人海裡 我不要變得透明
how was it that I met someone like you?
what was it that I no longer doubt myself?
what was it that I no longer fear loss?
in this vast sea of people, I do not want to become invisible

我是宇宙間的塵埃 漂泊在這茫茫人海
若你是我必然的存在 多想從此不再離開
若時間注定要讓你離開 我又該怎麼學會不依賴
I'm but a speck of dust in the universe, floating amidst a sea of people
if you were to be my inevitable existence, then I'd never leave
if time decides to let you go, I should learn not to be dependent of you


塵埃/尘埃 chén'āi - dust
微不足道 wēibùzúdào - insignificant, negligible
状态 zhuàngtài - state of affairs / state / mode / situation




是什麼讓我遇見這樣的你

作詞/曲：白安
編曲：Mac Chew

我是宇宙間的塵埃
漂泊在這茫茫人海
偶然掉入誰的胸懷
多想從此不再離開

我是宇宙間的塵埃
微不足道的一種狀態
偶然成了誰的最愛
多想相信永恆存在

是什麼 讓我遇見這樣的你
是什麼 讓我不再懷疑自己
是什麼 讓我不再害怕失去
在這茫茫人海裡 我不要變得透明

我是宇宙間的塵埃
漂泊在這茫茫人海
若你是我必然的存在
多想從此不再離開

是什麼 讓我遇見這樣的你
是什麼 讓我不再懷疑自己
是什麼 讓我不再害怕失去
在這茫茫人海裡 我不要變得透明

若時間注定要讓你離開
我又該怎麼學會不依賴

是什麼 讓我遇見這樣的你
是什麼 讓我不再懷疑自己
是什麼 讓我不再害怕失去
在這茫茫人海裡 我不要變得透明

• what is a gift? for me today it was waking up from a three-hour nap on a sunday evening, and then realising that the next day, a monday, is a public holiday. oh JOY!

• 2012 for me was also about chinese songs. i don't think i've ever heard that many chinese songs in the span of 9 months. granted, 90% of the time i was listening to one particular singer who doesn't need to be named but i shall, just because. hello, leehom :) along the way, i revisited david tao, and took some interest in the songs from mayday, sodagreen and khalil fong. i kinda realised that i would never be able to fully get the whole chinese pop music scene. not that i want to: the thought of another sappy ballad makes me bleh.

• i am aware that i've not set any goals for my spiritual life for 2013. it's not that i have not been thinking about it. perhaps i'm afraid of all the resos i could make, that i would not be able to keep these. i don't think it's any different from other resos, but not achieving the ones in this category is like breaking a promise to God, which i have done often enough. maybe it's all in my head. but perhaps it's to do with my not wanting to commit to this form of sp discipline. 

• tentative travel plans for this year: Taiwan (yes, again :) and maybe Bali and hopefully Singapore w00t! i had hopes to visit Beijing, not now but one day when the air quality becomes better (right now it's off the charts bad!)... and maybe Wuhan next year and someday LA! :D and New York! and Lapland! and Tokyo and London! when oh when is money gonna pour down from my sky? hehehe

• i am halfway attempting to translate this song from Khalil Fong that i've been looping the entire evening, but i feel like i'm falling short. i think it's a simple but poetic piece, and my direct translation is just killing it. but because i'm halfway done, i'm pushing forward with it. forgive me, 大同! so here's 春風吹 Spring Wind..

吹紅了桃花　吹綠了柳樹
你在路上總會安慰誰
吹醒了青蛙　吹來了燕子
我在城裡剛好缺了誰
你縱然帶來地下的玫瑰
能否收回地上的滋味　有人唱胡不歸
the wind blows and makes the peach blossom red and the willow tree green
who will you be comforting on this journey?
the wind blows and wakes up the frog, and brings the swallow
in the city, i just missed someone out
you brought with you roses from the undergrounds
could you take back the taste of the ground
someone's singing recklessly and not returning

春風一吹想起誰
有所謂　無所謂　只要不後悔
春風一吹忘了誰
我上一次流淚又幾歲
when the spring wind blows, who are you thinking of?
does it matter? it doesn't matter as long as there is no regrets
when the spring wind blows, who have you forgotten?
the last time i cried and how old was i?

你會退　我想追　會不會　對不對
也難怪我有點累
洞裡蛇　冬日睡　原上草　春風吹
到夏天我變了誰
you will retreat, and i want to follow after you
would i? am i right? no wonder i'm tired
the snake in the hole, hibernating in winter
grass in the meadow, the spring wind blows
when summer comes, i have become someone else

吹過玉門關　吹過南泥灣
你在北方註定拋棄誰
吹皺了河水　吹散了雲堆
我在世界不巧背著誰
你可以慫恿三月的悶雷
能否保證十年的約會　有人放生烏龜
the wind blows past the Jade Gate and past the Southern Muddy Bay
from where you are at the north, who have you decided to abandon?
the wind blows and creases the river and scatters the clouds
here on earth, i have had to carry the burdens for someone
could you instigate the melancholic thunders of March?
could you ensure our date on the tenth year
someone's releasing a turtle to its freedom

皺/皱 zhòu - to wrinkle / wrinkled / to crease
堆 duī - to pile up / to heap up / a mass / pile / heap
慫恿/怂恿 sǒngyǒng - to instigate / to incite / to egg sb on




春風吹
方大同

作曲：方大同
填詞：周耀輝
編曲：方大同

吹紅了桃花　吹綠了柳樹
你在路上總會安慰誰
吹醒了青蛙　吹來了燕子
我在城裡剛好缺了誰
你縱然帶來地下的玫瑰
能否收回地上的滋味　有人唱胡不歸

＊春風一吹想起誰
有所謂　無所謂　只要不後悔
春風一吹忘了誰
我上一次流淚又幾歲

你會退　我想追　會不會　對不對
也難怪我有點累
洞裡蛇　冬日睡　原上草　春風吹
到夏天我變了誰＊

吹過玉門關　吹過南泥灣
你在北方註定拋棄誰
吹皺了河水　吹散了雲堆
我在世界不巧背著誰
你可以慫恿三月的悶雷
能否保證十年的約會　有人放生烏龜

REPEAT＊

你可以慫恿三月的悶雷
能否保證十年的約會　有人放生烏龜

REPEAT＊

春風吹

Yeah I'm still a huge fan of Leehom, if you are wondering lol! I can't wait for his March concert (the tix should be on its way to me right about now). Alas, Mayday is also scheduled to perform here in March, and I'm quite sad having to choose between them (I mean, of course I'd go for Leehom's show, but watching Mayday live is also on my bukkit list, you see).

Back to Leehom, one of the nice things he does for his fans that is set to be a tradition is the free show he holds on New Year's night (yup, FREE. who was the last superstar you know who forks out his own money to treat fans this way? :) This year is his second in a row, and he's pretty smart to use it as a marketing tool as well. Last year's show was held in a small cafe in Taipei, while this year's was in Beijing in what seems to be an auditorium. We had to depend on dubious quality fancams last year to get a glimpse of the show, but this year, he has hired professional videographers and what he's been doing is releasing a song from the show every Tuesday on his social media network. I love to have something to look forward to every day in his weibo, and every week in his video. Brownie points for excellent fan service!

So last night he posted this song (here's the link to my Youtube playlist of the free show) called 如果妳聽見我的歌 If You Heard My Song from his second album, and on FB/weibo he described why the song holds a special meaning to him:

在送妳上車以後　我獨自站了好久
雨像一整夜的夢　痛卻怎麼也不走
after sending you off, i stood alone at the station for a while
the rain was like a night-long dream, the pain didn't seem to go away

猜不透是那裡出了錯　或許只是該結束的時候
想起妳那句還是朋友　為什麼我竟如此痛在心頭
i couldn't guess where it went wrong
perhaps it was time to close the chapter
was thinking about what you said about remaining friends
why did it hurt so deeply in my heart

如果妳在寂寞的時刻卻聽見我這首歌　妳眼眶是否會發熱
如果妳在快樂的時刻卻聽見我這首歌　妳心裡是否會有一點捨不得
if you got lonely and heard my song, would your eyes start to burn
when you're happy and heard my song, would you begrudge me in your heart

淚不會輕易地流　妳也用不著歉疚
愛就像覆水難收　情又有誰能強求
the tears wouldn't flow easily, you also don't need to be apologetic
there's no point crying over spilled milk, you can't force love


It's a simple song (perhaps even for a 19-year-old) but it's still pleasant to the ears 17 years on.. Perhaps it's its simplicity that makes it easier to build on, so here are my two favorite versions of the song:

• from the 2008 Music Man concert 

• from the 2013 New Year Free Show 

如果妳聽見我的歌

作詞：劉虞瑞
作曲：王力宏

在送妳上車以後　我獨自站了好久
雨像一整夜的夢　痛卻怎麼也不走

猜不透是那裡出了錯　或許只是該結束的時候
想起妳那句還是朋友　為什麼我竟如此痛在心頭

如果妳在寂寞的時刻卻聽見我這首歌　妳眼眶是否會發熱
如果妳在快樂的時刻卻聽見我這首歌　妳心裡是否會有一點捨不得

淚不會輕易地流　妳也用不著歉疚
愛就像覆水難收　情又有誰能強求

what every fan would already know.

Here's some overdue updates on the man-boy lol!

So Leehom dropped his new single 十二生肖 Twelve Zodiacs a few days back (by the time this is published, it would have probably been a couple of weeks since). It's the theme song to Jackie Chan's new (and supposedly his last action) movie of the same name. Here it is:

And what can I say? I love the MV - he's just so adorbs! I love the song (it's very catchy), love the vibe & the energy, the burst of colors, the cute kids, the cameo by Jackie Chan, and the ever lovable Leehom in his nerdy glasses! :D 二哥 二哥 二哥 二哥... 二二二二! :D Well, he definitely has this fangirl's approval la la la!

However, I do think that he's trying, whether intentionally or not, to emulate Psy's no-intro-needed Gangnam Style (which I can't believe is still going strong, and a quick check on youtube shows that it's just 30million shy of hitting the formerly unthinkable 1 billion views, that's 1,000,000,000 O_O)(sometimes I wonder how artists can sing just one song so many times over, I've read of artists who do get tired of their popular songs but they still play it cos that's what the fans wanted)(actually even watching leehom's concert clip where he gets his fans to say I LOVE YOU in their local dialects is tiresome because it's the same thing over and over again but i still watch them hahaha). Back to the topic, I think it's inescapable what he was trying to do, especially with the simple-to-follow dance coupled with a catchy melody. Plus he did ponder aloud about how to make a Chinese song as popular. I am just speculating, but part of me actually wished it's not so, cos it would seem like he's riding on the coattail of someone else's success.. (It's still a fun ride, nevertheless! :) Or perhaps I can choose to see it as a hat-tip to what's current in Asian music. And he did receive the 2012 MAMA (Mnet Asian Music Awards) for “Best Asian Artist”! [MAMA is a major K-pop music award ceremony, and it was held in Hong Kong earlier this month] So maybe it's come a full circle.

Anyway I was watching the MV again on youtube (it/he just makes me smile) but apparently there are a number of ppl who don't like it, up to one in four viewers. I'm trying to figure out the comments which are in Chinese, I think most didn't like the lyrics.. But what's wrong with it? It's basically a message on world peace, and a lesson on the memorising the zodiacs. And why not? Maybe they want him to do another ballad. *frowns*

Anyways, back to da man (yeah he is lol!), he's embarked on a new direction to distribute his music, via his recently revamped website, done just in time to push for the sale of his new single. He's no longer with Sony (which i think is a great move for someone with his clout -- no longer would he be bound to contract fine prints and unnecessary obligations -- he's free to chart his own direction and do what he really wants to do)(which for now seems to be like music AND movies *slight frown*). And here he is, doin' the 'splainin' :)...

Dear fellow music lovers

I'll never forget the sound of those drums, slamming out an anthem that refused to be ignored. The screeching vocals distorted the mic, irreverent, hyperactive, ridiculous – and the coolest thing I'd ever heard.

I had saved up for months, delivering newspapers and mowing lawns, and when I finally had the cash, I begged my mom to drive me to Record Archive, our neighborhood record store. One Thursday afternoon, after picking me up from school, she relented. The minute we got home, I popped the cassette in my tape player, and for the next 44 minutes I soaked in the exhilaration of pure hip-hop bliss. Then, I flipped the tape over and played it again. I was 11 years old when I bought my first record, The Beastie Boys' Licensed to Ill, and life was never the same for me after that.

Everyone remembers buying his or her first CD. It's part of coming of age. It brings us into the world, and it can give us release from the world, too. Music has the power to transport us, to transfix us, to empower us, to inspire us. But record stores are dying out, and it's getting harder and harder to sell music these days. Whenever I speak to anyone in the industry about my ideas for selling music in China, I'm always met with a lot of skepticism. Piracy is king, they say, it's inescapable. Now that I'm not with a record label anymore, I'm not even sure what the best way is for me to release new music. But I've got a lot of great material that I want to share with you, so it's about time I start putting together the next album.

So, our team has started by rebuilding my website from scratch to create a place for me to sell my music digitally, and we're hoping to prove that it can be a model for other musicians too. In the coming year, a few other artists and I will be teaming up to start a new site for musicians and other artists to share their creative works in an economically viable way. But it's still just an experiment, and every download on WangLeehom.com is a vote for a new way of getting music to the fans. It's always been important to me to support musicians and artists, famous or not, independent or not, and I'm hoping that the new site will become a way for me to give back to a community that deserves the kind of support I'm so grateful you guys have given me for so many years.

As always, I intend to include you – the fans – and hear your voice on this topic. After all, you are the ones who empower me. We will be developing a way to get feedback from you and together brainstorm the future of a sustainable music industry, whether it's over Weibo, Facebook, or WangLeehom.com. Thanks so much for continuing to be by my side all these years. It’s your support that fuels me with the fire to keep pushing forward, and I appreciate it more than ever as we take this next step together.

With lots of love,
Leehom

[via]

I've already downloaded the new single, which came with a PDF booklet of some photos and the above note in both Eng and Chi. I really appreciate how optimistic he remains about changing the music purchase mindset in China in the face of rampant piracy. Go Leehom! ^_^

So here's the lyrics to the song... there are a couple more tidbits below so don't X your browser page just yet :) And yes, now I can memorise the 12 zodiacs. :)

Ladies and gentlemen
期待了很久
成龍大哥的電影...
這就是十二個生肖
Ladies and gentlemen
This is what we've been waiting for
Jackie Chan's new movie
These are the Twelve Zodiacs

子鼠 醜牛 寅虎 卯兔
辰龍 巳蛇 午馬 未羊
申猴 酉雞 戌狗 亥豬
這就是十二個生肖
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit
Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram
Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig
These are the 12 zodiacs

是你的還是他的
是世界的 是地球的
一個人能夠活到一百歲 已經算久的
還有什麼好爭？ 做一個好學生
不要反抗 不要打仗 咱們來唱 首歌
What is yours? What is his? It belongs to the whole world
If a person lived to a hundred, that's considered long life
Why be bothered with strife? Just be a good student
Don't resist, no more fighting, let's just sing a song instead

如果說 人有十二種不同
不如花點時間學習 每個品種
If we say that there are twelve kinds of different people
Why not spend some time and learn about each type

鼠牛虎兔 龍蛇馬羊 猴雞狗豬 大聲地唱
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit
Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram
Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig
Singing out loud

Hey！我們還 年輕
Hey！We want some 感情
Hey! We are still young
Hey! We want some love

是你的還是他的
是地球的 是世界的
有人說世界和平很遙遠但 我不覺得
放眼這個目標, 無論什麼生肖
關心一點，在乎一點 鐵定能辦得到
What is yours? What is his? It belongs to the whole world
Some people said that world peace is a distant dream
But I think if you make it a priority and care a little more
It's definitely achievable

On another note, Leehom has recently been "crowned" King of Weibo as he overtook Chinese actress Yao Chen (who?) on the scoreboard with the highest number of weibo followers of 27 million. That's a whole country there (hello, Malaysia)! Not bad for a relative newcomer (he opened his account in March 2011, and slowly made his way to the top in just 20 months).


I like that he posts regularly (once a day, and never more) so that I have something to look forward to each day but sometimes when he posts stuff that are just so -__-"

 take note Leehom: this is a sample of a good update. :)

And this is a sample of -____- update. No! My only comment is 这。。。关你什么事？At least give your opinion of what you thought about the new leadership. Otherwise, I would gladly see a photo of your lunch. Come to think of it, you hardly show us food photos. Why not? :D

Nerdy glasses are *heart*. But the peace sign.. hmmm... the jury's still out on that!

all hail the king. peace out!

hello, old friend.

this song brings me back to the living room of the student house i was living in when i was a varsity student. at that time i had recently been introduced to David Tao by my housemate, and i took immediate liking to his songs. his Chinese R&B songs were a novelty then; in fact, it was David who first introduced the genre to the Chinese market, first via his earlier collaborations with other artists and later, via his albums.

David's songs are timeless. twelve years on from when his tunes first serenaded my ears, they still sound every bit just as good. over this weekend, i've been reacquainting myself with his songs, and found myself unexpectedly moved by the whole experience.

this song here isn't as popular as the others (judging from the severely limited clips available for this song on youtube)... but i love it! it was one of the first songs i looped the entire day back then on my trusty Pentium 4 (does anyone remember WinAmp??)(the mp3 audio file type was also still a toddler back then) Angeline tells of a forbidden love story between a girl sea creature and a boy (kinda like Little Mermaid), and it doesn't have a happy ending. :(

anyway, it's really late into the night, like really really late. and i spy with my little eye Monday morning embracing in its arms a zombie that looks a lot like me. you know the whole insomnia thing that i suffer from?  sometimes it's just me being stubborn and wanting to stay awake. i said sometimes. good night/morning, and have a good week ahead!


傳說從前有一段戀曲　埋藏在深海裡
貝殼潮汐　見證這段愛情
那個女孩叫做Angeline 歌聲甜得像蜜　
乎遠乎近 男孩忘了自己
according to legend, there was once a love song, now buried deep in the sea
shellfish and tides were the witnesses to this love story
the girl's name was Angeline, whose voice was sweet as honey
far and near, the boy fell madly in love

Oh-Angeline my love for you
永遠不忘記你　深藏在我心裡
Oh-Angeline my life 全給你
天荒地老要在一起　我和你
Oh-Angeline my love for you
i will never forget you, and will keep you hidden deep in my heart
Oh-Angeline i give my whole life to you
we will be together for eternity

女孩觸犯海洋的戒律 愛是她的罪名
男孩已經　墬入漆黑海底
波浪像他們碎裂的心　快相遇又分離
一句一句　在月光下嘆息
the girl committed an offence against the laws of the ocean in the name of love
the boy found himself in the pitch dark seabed
the waves are like the shattered pieces of their hearts
time flew by from when they met to when they parted
every word spoken in sighs under the moonlight

從此白天黑夜的交際 來往的水手們總會聽見
那首悲傷的歌 Angeline
from then on, be it day or night, sailors on ships that pass by
they would hear the sorrowful song
Angeline



Angeline
陶喆

傳說從前有一段戀曲　埋藏在深海裡
貝殼潮汐　見證這段愛情
那個女孩叫做Angeline 歌聲甜得像蜜　
乎遠乎近 男孩忘了自己

Oh-Angeline my love for you
永遠不忘記你　深藏在我心裡
Oh-Angeline my life 全給你
天荒地老要在一起　我和你

女孩觸犯海洋的戒律 愛是她的罪名
男孩已經　墬入漆黑海底
波浪像他們碎裂的心　快相遇又分離
一句一句　在月光下嘆息

從此白天黑夜的交際 來往的水手們總會聽見
那首悲傷的歌 Angeline

from books to the big screen

there are a few reasons why i am really looking forward to the end of the year. and here are two of them:

Yann Martel's Life of Pi

scheduled release: the day after my birthday :D

Victor Hugo's Les Misérables

scheduled release: the day we celebrate Jesus' birthday

oh joy, oh joy, OH JOYYY!!!!!!!!!!!! you know how delirious i can get over anticipating things like this. how my heart beats faster, how my tummy dance in delight, how i would sometimes squeal out loud. ah! :D  i'm re-reading Life of Pi now, cautiously i might add, because i want to manage my expectations should the images in my head do not translate well on the big screen.. but the trailer looks really promising. I might also attempt to read Les Mis again (i've only read the movie tie-in, and only halfway through the full version cause i keep getting lost in the details of the French Revolution). here's the trailer btw. i can't waittttttt!!!!!

and speaking of things that make me happy to the point of ecstasy... ok, that would be a gross exaggeration of what i'm going to say next, but really, i'm kinda addicted to this song right now. it's Khalil Fong doing a cover of A-Mei's 记得 Remember, featured in his 2009 covers-only album, Timeless. and i like what he's done with it. it's a sad song though, about two people who have reached a stage in the relationship where they can't go one anymore. emo beamo stuff, but i do like khalil's arrangement over a-mei's, he has made it sound somewhat more hopeful, somewhat bittersweet. :)


我们都忘了 这条路走了多久
心中是清楚的 有一天有一天都会停的
让时间说真话 虽然我也害怕
在天黑了以后 我们都不知道会不会有以后
we have forgotten how long we have been on this journey
but we know it well in our hearts, that one day, one day this would end
let time speak the truth, although i'd be terrified
as the day grows darker, we don't know if there would be a next time

谁还记得 是谁先说 永远的爱我
以前的一句话 是我们以后的伤口
过了太久 没人记得当初那些温柔
我和你手牵手 说要一起走到最后
who would still remember, who was it who had first profess to "love you forever"
words from the past, are the wounds of our future
after so long, no one remembers the initial tenderness
the both of us holding hands, and we said that we'd walk together til the end

我们都累了 却没办法往回走
两颗心都迷惑 怎么说怎么说都没有救
亲爱的为什么 也许你也不懂
两个相爱的人 等着对方先说找分开的理由
we are growing tired now, but there's no way for us to go back
two confused hearts, no matter what's said, cannot be saved
dearest, why? perhaps you don't understand
two people who love each other, waiting for one to first speak up
to find a reason to break up

谁还记得爱情开始 变化的时候
我和你的眼中 看见了不同的天空
走的太远 终于走到分岔路的路口
是不是你和我 要有两个相反的梦
who would still remember, when love first bloomed, how it's changed
you and i, our eyes are gazing at different skies
after walking such a distance, we have reached a fork in the road
why are our dreams so different?




记得 (an A-Mei 張惠妹 cover)
方大同

我们都忘了 这条路走了多久
心中是清楚的 有一天有一天都会停的
让时间说真话 虽然我也害怕
在天黑了以后 我们都不知道会不会有以后

谁还记得 是谁先说 永远的爱我
以前的一句话 是我们以后的伤口
过了太久 没人记得当初那些温柔
我和你手牵手 说要一起走到最后

我们都累了 却没办法往回走
两颗心都迷惑 怎么说怎么说都没有救
亲爱的为什么 也许你也不懂
两个相爱的人 等着对方先说找分开的理由

谁还记得爱情开始 变化的时候
我和你的眼中 看见了不同的天空
走的太远 终于走到分岔路的路口
是不是你和我 要有两个相反的梦

谁还记得 是谁先说永远的爱我
以前的一句话 是我们以后的伤口
过了太久 没人记得当初那些温柔
我和你手牵手 说要一起走到最后
我和你手牵手 说要一起走到最后

by heart.

this would be my third post in 12 hours. honestly, i'm not proud of it. but it's friday, so cheers, darlin'.

i learn a new phrase today from twoc: 夫乐者，乐也，人情之所不能免也 (fú yuè zhě, yuè yě, rénqíng zhī suǒ bùnéng miǎn yě) it a Confucian quote which basically means music is something that “produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without”. now, ain't that the truth? :)

speaking of truth that needs to be told, i've been thinking of weaning myself off Lee Hom's songs. i mean, it's been a good 6 months, and i've hardly heard any new songs by other artistes, or even go back to old songs that i used to like. so far, my attempts have been met with little success, because i just can't tear myself away long enough to listen to anything else, save for a few songs here and there hehe.. oh well, maybe i'll give it another six months. i don't want to reach a point that i get turned off by his songs from over-exposure. mm i hope he comes out with a new album soon. film-wise, he has just wrapped production of a new movie with zhang ziyi called my lucky star but i'm not sure when it will hit the theater. ah, the things to look forward to. :)

you know what, i should rename this blog to leehomfangirl.com or iheartmelbourne.com :)

anyway, today i'm translating one of his most famous songs, a perennial karaoke favorite, one that you might be familiar with even if you are not a fan. i've never really learned the words to the song until now, but i could sing it like I wrote it hehe. here's Kiss Goodbye:


Baby 不要再哭泣　這一幕多麼熟悉
緊握著你的手彼此都捨不得分離
每一次想開口 但不如保持安靜
給我一分鐘專心　好好欣賞你的美
baby, please don't cry no more
we are all too familiar with what's going on here
holding on to each other hands, and unwilling to let go
every time i try to open my mouth to speak, i find it wiser to remain silent
give me a moment to be engrossed by, and to deeply appreciate, your beauty

幸福搭配悲傷　同時在我心交叉
挫折的眼淚不能測試愛的重量
付出的愛收不回　還欠你的我不能給
別把我心也帶走 去跟隨
happiness and sorrow, both emotions intersecting in my heart
tears of disappointment cannot test the weight of love
all the love that have been given out cannot be taken back
whatever i still owe you i am not able to give
please don't take my heart away, i will have to follow

每一次和你分開　深深地被你打敗
每一次放棄你的溫柔 痛苦難以釋懷
每一次和你分開　每一次Kiss You Goodbye
愛情的滋味　此刻　我終於最明白
every time we part, i feel so defeated
every time i give up on your tenderness, there is no relief for my pain
every time we part, every time i kiss you goodbye
i finally understood this feeling called love




幕 mù - curtain or screen / canopy or tent / headquarters of a general / act (of a play)
熟悉 - to be familiar with / to know well
搭配 dāpèi - to pair up / to match / to arrange in pairs / to add sth into a group
挫折 cuòzhé - setback / reverse / check / defeat / frustration / disappointment / to frustrate / to discourage / to set sb back / to blunt / to subdue
釋懷/释怀 shìhuái - to release (tension) / relief (from suspense) / to dispel (usu. with negative, unable to forget)




Kiss Goodbye

作詞：王力宏
作曲：王力宏

Baby不要再哭泣　這一幕多麼熟悉
緊握著你的手彼此都捨不得分離
每一次想開口 但不如保持安靜
給我一分鐘專心　好好欣賞你的美

幸福搭配悲傷　同時在我心交叉
挫折的眼淚不能測試愛的重量
付出的愛收不回　還欠你的我不能給
別把我心也帶走 去跟隨

每一次和你分開　深深地被你打敗
每一次放棄你的溫柔 痛苦難以釋懷
每一次和你分開　每一次Kiss You Goodbye
愛情的滋味　此刻　我終於最明白

幸福搭配悲傷　同時在我心交叉
挫折的眼淚不能測試愛的重量
付出的愛收不回　還欠你的我不能給
我才明白愛最真實的滋味

of Melbourne and a mistake

we're back from Melbourne.. actually, not really. i left my heart there, and my spirit is both here and there. the body had no choice but to board the flight back. aish. i must have taken close to a thousand photos, both on my iPhone and on our camera but i am too lazy to sort them out. one day, one day... i'll story you every one of my many, many memorable Melbourne moments, such as this, taken at the Royal Botanics Garden, not 5-minute walk away from where we stayed:

That day was my favourite day in the city. We didn't do much, other than having a value-for-money brekkie of coffee+muffin (AUD5/set), hanging out at the park, lunching at an Italian restaurant before tea/coffee again at a rather well-known cafe. Hearty meals, coffee and cakes, books, gorgeous weather, *heart*... Just before this pic was taken, we had walked over to the park across the street from the cafe where we had brekkie and just finished a 1.5-hr stroll, and the husband decided to catch 40 winks at one of the huts. I thought I should get started on this book (Patricia Wood's Lottery)(I brought three books on this trip, and I told myself that I MUST finish at least one to justify the luggage space). It was a bright but still pretty cold day so I chose a spot on a grassy knoll right under the afternoon sun to get some warmth. I was reading away but was also somewhat distracted by my realisation of how much I was enjoying the moment hehe! 

that's it for now.

onto today's song, 花田錯 Mistake in the Flower Field, is one of my all-time favorite Lee Hom songs, but also one of the hardest for me to translate because of its poetic nuances. afaik, the lyrics made reference of some Chinese literature and opera, which i am obviously unfamiliar with, so i'm going with the surface, the literal meaning. it should be close enough. i wish i understood better, it would make for a richer listening experience :) this song is one of the perfect example of the chinked-out sound that he was (and is) trying to promote, combining chinese opera/instrument and western style music, and they do sound good together :)

i love both the CD and concert versions of this song: the former has a bassline which i don't think might not be anything special but for some reasons (I guess it's because of the pairing with traditional Chinese instruments) tickles my fancy, and the latter is a air fist-pumping rock version. oo-ee. ^_^

have a good weekend ahead. just me, over and out.


夜好深了　紙窗裏怎麼亮著
那不是徹夜等候　你為我點的燭火
不過是一次邂逅　紅樓那一場夢
我的山水 全部退色　像被大雨洗過
the night is getting late but there's a light from behind the paper window
is that what i've been waiting for the whole night -- the candle that you have lit for me?
but it was only a mere coincidence, that dream of the red chamber
my landscape has all but faded as if washed by a heavy rain

杯中景色詭魅　我忘了我是誰
心情就像夜涼如水
手裏握著蝴蝶杯 單飛　不醉不歸
in my cup are visions of beguiling charm, i've forgetten who i am
my mood is like the night, cool like water
in my hands is a cup with butterfly motif
flying solo, i won't start making my way home while i'm still sober

花田裏犯了錯 說好　破曉前忘掉
花田裏犯了錯 擁抱　變成了煎熬
花田裏犯了錯 犯錯像迷戀鏡花水月的無聊
花田裏犯了錯 請原諒我多情的打擾
a mistake was committed in the flower field
but we agreed that everything would be forgotten before daybreak
a mistake was committed in the flower field
when an embrace becomes torture instead
a mistake was committed in the flower field
a mistake that makes as much sense as being infatuated with mirror reflections
a mistake was committed in the flower field
please forgive my bothersome affection

醉 怎麼會喝醉
美 因為你的美
愛匆匆一瞥不過點綴
飛 看大雪紛飛
卻再也找不回 被白雪覆蓋那些青翠
intoxicated, how did i get myself so drunk?
beauty, it's all because of your allure
love, hurriedly, as in the blink of an eye, is mere adornment
fly, look at the big snowflakes swirling about
yet i could not find again the greens that are covered by the white snow

當時空成為擁有你唯一條件　我又醉
琥珀色的月　結成了霜的淚　我會記得這段歲月
at that time, emptiness became the only condition to have you
i got intoxicated again
the amber moon melded with the tear of the frost
i will remember this period in time

我的山水全部退了色
多情的打擾請原諒我
不是徹夜為我點的火
在那花田裏我犯了錯
my landscape has faded
forgive my bothersome affection
it's not the night-long fire that is lit for me
in that flower field, i've committed a mistake



徹/彻夜 chèyè - the whole night
燭/烛火 zhúhuǒ - candle flame
邂逅 xièhòu - to meet by chance / to run into sb / chance encounter
诡 guǐ - sly / crafty
魅 mèi - demon / magic / to charm
破曉/晓 pòxiǎo - daybreak/dawn
煎熬 jiān'áo - to suffer / ordeal / suffering / torture / torment
镜花水月 jìnghuāshuǐyuè - lit. flowers in a mirror and the moon reflected in the lake (idiom) / fig. an unrealistic rosy view / viewing things through rose-tinted spectacles
打扰/擾 dǎrǎo - to disturb / to bother / to trouble
一瞥 yīpiē - a glance / a glimpse
点缀/綴 diǎnzhuì - to decorate / to adorn / sprinkled / studded / only for show
覆盖/蓋 fùgài - to cover
青翠 qīngcuì - fresh and green/verdant
琥珀 hǔpò - amber
霜 shuāng - frost / white powder or cream spread over a surface / frosting / (skin) cream

the CD version

concert version (the song starts at 6:22)

花田錯 Mistake in the Flower Field

作詞：陳鎮川
作曲：王力宏

夜好深了　紙窗裏怎麼亮著
那不是　徹夜等候　你為我點的燭火
不過是　一次邂逅　紅樓那一場夢
我的山水　全部退色　像被大雨洗過

杯中景色詭魅　忘了我是誰
心情就像夜涼如水
手裏握著蝴蝶杯
單飛　不醉不歸

花田裏犯了錯 說好　破曉前忘掉
花田裏犯了錯 擁抱　變成了煎熬
花田裏犯了錯　犯錯...
像迷戀鏡花水月的無聊
花田裏犯了錯 請　原諒我多情的打擾

醉　怎麼會喝醉　美
因為你的美
愛匆匆一瞥不過點綴
飛　看大雪紛飛
卻再也找不回 被白雪覆蓋那些青翠

當時空成為擁有你　唯一條件　我....又醉
琥珀色的月　結成了霜的淚　我會記得這段歲月

我的山水全部退了色
多情的打擾請原諒我
不是徹夜為我點的火
在那花田裏我犯了錯

花田裏犯了錯 說好　破曉前忘掉
花田裏犯了錯 擁抱　變成了煎熬
花田裏犯了錯　犯錯... 像迷戀鏡花水月的無聊
花田裡犯了錯　請.... 原諒我多情的打擾

faith, hope and love

Hari Raya came and the four-day break will be over by today.. boo hoo! i'm happy to say that it's been a busy few days, with me cooking Dad his birthday dinner on Saturday (which turned out rather yummeh if i may say so hehe!)(hopefully, i'll post photos in the next blog) and visiting Zul on Sunday (it's kinda a tradition by now)(we got to play a few rounds of Taboo, which i've missed so much!), and the impromptu tea session with M&S at Publika, and getting my toes holiday-ready by painting them in some bright shades I've never tried before (and since i couldn't decide, i have orange on the left foot and red on the right), and also getting a lot of housework in between (i just spent three hours plus cleaning my kitchen). w00t!

anywayyy, a few nights back, i managed to listen to one hour's worth of radio interview between Lee Hom and a Hong Kong DJ. if you knew me, that was no mean feat, because it's almost next to impossible to get me to listen to an audio file of someone talking without me tuning out within the first five minutes *hashtag ADD* hehehe.. what's more, that interview was in Mandarin, which required my almost complete attention.. so woohoo! ah, why are you not surprised! :P

this song 你和我 You and I is one of Lee Hom's songs that i've listened to and liked for years. it's from his Unbelievable album which came out 9 years ago in 2003. what was I doing then?

at this point, i think i've come to accept the fact that the main appeal of Lee Hom's songs is in their simplicity and general positiveness. really, they are like honey for an ever-optimist bear like me! heh. i have a colleague who tells me that he doesn't like any tune that's upbeat or happy. he looks nothing like a melancholic soul but he just finds himself drawn to dark and depressing songs and movies. i don't think that's very healthy so i try to convince him to try something lighter.. it hasn't worked yet haha!

of course one could insist that that's how the world is really like so why try to sugarcoat the unpalatable bitterness of harsh reality? ah, but don't i know better? have i not ranted enough about the vileness of human nature and cried in despair at the bleak state of morality of this age? if anything, the images in my head are too lurid.

BUT.

despite it all, we are NOT without hope. there has got to be something that makes sense, above the sheer madness that's happening around us. i can't see it but there HAS got to be. and it's this faith i have in me, the hope that comes from and lies in God alone, this is the steel rope by which my sanity hangs.

it's hard being an optimist in this time that we live in. sometimes being one makes me feel foolish, an ignoramus, cold even. but i'd rather that, than having to stare defeated and hopelessly into the present and the future. which i do sometimes. sigh. make haste, Lord.

mm, how did i end going up there? haha..

so yeah, while i still enjoy me some Damien Rices and Adeles, i really appreciate Lee Hom, Jon Foreman, Adam Young, Derek Webb, Matt Thiessen, and many, many other singers/songwriters who don't leave their listeners wallowing in despair without dropping them a hint of a lifeline.

Three things will last forever--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love. 
:: 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NLT)



親愛的聽眾朋友我是你的代班DJ　想找你陪我一起聊聊這世界
整天的工作重覆疲憊的畫面　　麻木你的感覺
耳邊才剛剛聽到仇恨要靠理智解決　謾罵和子彈卻在那頭滿天飛
學了一輩子的愛沒勇氣說出來　彌補那些傷害
dearest listeners, I will be your substitute DJ for today
now that you're with me, let's talk about what's going on around the world
all you do is work the entire day, and the repetitiveness and exhaustion make you feel numbed
we have just heard about a hostile situation that requires wisdom for a solution
abuse and bullets are flying pass just above the head
having learned about love our whole life, but lacking the guts to say it even to cover pains and hurt

你和我　在世界同一座擂台　別懦弱　拿出勇氣對待
讓眼淚流出來不是因為失敗　
幸福那個夢 就看你和我　　你和我　你和我
you and i are living on the same stage in this world
don't be a coward, just summon your courage
let your tears flow freely, but not because from defeat
that blessed dream we have depends on you and i, you and i, you and i

美麗的主播說的都不是美麗的新聞　　彩色的報紙能讓鮮血更逼真
當媒體播報的全是絕望的氣氛　誰該負點責任
the beautiful anchorperson has no good news to deliver
the colorful newspaper describes the bloodshed so vividly
when all that the media have to broadcast are gloom and doom
who should be held responsible?

那麼多的人只敢窩在網路裡面生存　慢慢都忘記電腦螢幕沒靈魂
科技的發達讓人的距離被拉開　再也拉不回來
so many people hide and only dare to live their lives online
they will slowly forget that the computer screen is lifeless
the advancement of technology seems to create a gap between human beings
one that we might not be able to close (but)

你和我　在世界同一座擂台　　別懦弱　拿出勇氣對待
讓眼淚流出來不是因為失敗　　幸福那個夢　就看你和我
你和我　你和我　你和我（我們做得到yeah)
you and i are living on the same stage in this world
don't be a coward, just summon your courage
let your tears flow freely, but not because from defeat
that blessed dream we have depends on you and i, you and i, you and i

你和我也沒什麼不一樣　該學習地球如何分享
為什麼我們會忘記怎麼擁有簡單的大愛
That's right　你和我　我們都要做的更好
you and i are not very much different
we need to learn how to share this earth
how could we forget what it's like to have simple great love
that's right, you and i, we need to do more


重覆 chóngfù - repeat
疲憊 píbèi - beaten / exhausted / tired
仇恨 chóuhèn - to hate / hatred / enmity / hostility
謾罵 mànmà - to hurl abuse / to deride / to call sb names
彌補 míbǔ - to complement / to make up for a deficiency
懦弱 nuòruò - cowardly / weak
主播zhǔbō - anchorperson
逼真 bīzhēn - lifelike / true to life / distinctly / clearly
氣氛 qìfēn - atmosphere / mood
螢幕 yíngmù - screen of a computer/TV
發達/发达 fādá - develop



你和我
詞：陳鎮川　
曲：王力宏‧Epicentre‧Denise Rich

親愛的聽眾朋友我是你的代班DJ　　想找你陪我一起聊聊這世界
整天的工作重覆疲憊的畫面　　麻木你的感覺

耳邊才剛剛聽到仇恨要靠理智解決　　謾罵和子彈卻在那頭滿天飛
學了一輩子的愛沒勇氣說出來　　彌補那些傷害
你和我　在世界同一座擂台　　別懦弱　拿出勇氣對待
讓眼淚流出來不是因為失敗　　幸福那個夢
就看你和我　　你和我　你和我
美麗的主播說的都不是美麗的新聞　　彩色的報紙能讓鮮血更逼真
當媒體播報的全是絕望的氣氛　　誰該負點責任
那麼多的人只敢窩在網路裡面生存　　慢慢都忘記電腦螢幕沒靈魂
科技的發達讓人的距離被拉開　　再也拉不回來
你和我　在世界同一座擂台　　別懦弱　拿出勇氣對待
讓眼淚流出來不是因為失敗　　幸福那個夢　就看你和我

你和我　你和我　你和我（我們做得到yeah)
你和我也沒什麼不一樣　該學習地球如何分享
為什麼我們會忘　記　怎　麼　擁　有　簡　單　的　大　愛
That's right,　　你和我　　我們都要做的更好
你和我　在世界同一座擂台　　別懦弱　拿出勇氣對待
讓眼淚　流出來不是因為失敗　　幸福那個夢　就看你和我
你和我
你和我　在世界同一座擂台　　別懦弱　拿出勇氣對待
讓眼淚　流出來不是因為失敗　　幸福那個夢　就看你和我　你和我
(C'mon　一起唱 now　我們做得到　now　這個世界就是）

one melody, two songs

Good morning! It's the wee hours of a Saturday morning and I am still awake, barely so, but enough to be typing this. I am up because it's the weekend, and every effort must be made to streeeetch it.

I have just finished watching:
(1) an old French movie, the 1955 Les Diaboliques, which is not that scary by today's standard.. but maybe it was because I read the synopsis and found out how the movie ended. That was a stupid move on my part. I wouldn't call it groundbreaking, but apparently it made quite a splash when it was first released.

I've been on a movie watching spree lately, inspired by a colleague of mine who is a movie buff and his aim is to watch the entire list of movies from *IMDB Top 250 Movies* (he claims that he has covered half of the movies in the list)..

If you know me, you'd know that I don't watch many movies.. even those really famous ones like Fight Club or The Godfathers. I wonder how his passion have somehow rubbed off me. The strange thing about this colleague, when face to face, is hardly articulate (come to think of it, even on Skype he isn't exactly smooth), but when he talks about movies, he gets really chatty about it. I guess that did it for me.

Now I try to make it a point every weekend to watch one of the movies he had recommended (basically from the list), and so far I have watched Memento [2000], The Shawshank Redemption [1994], Rashomon [1950], Casablanca [1942], Princess Mononoke [1997](halfway) -- okay, I don't know why I'm watching all these super old movies haha.. didn't realise it. While those movies were ground breaking back in those days, I can't really appreciate them now. But I'm still curious enough to want to watch.

I doubt that I would want to finish the list, cos I'm never really into dramas (which the list has quite a few), but I realised that I do enjoy most psychological thrillers (Inception, Shutter Island), so last weekend, I searched for a list of must-watch Psych Thrillers and downloaded the ones which I think I might like. Can't wait to see those shows... the next movie in line is The Usual Suspects.

But first, I'll need me a few Community episodes first. Have I ever mentioned here how much I love Community? It's a whole lot, bordering the line of fanatigirlism. Actually I think I have already overstep that line. But let me talk about it some other time. But just so you know, I am crazy, like KUH-RAYYY-ZAYYY about the show. ;)

(2) an interview with Lee Hom from 2010, and I am a happy camper because I found the interview footage, which is rare these days as

• he hasn't have any new projects lately (he's been spending 2012 on his Music Man 2 tour and is currently in Harbin (that's northern China, bordering Russia and I think North Korea.. the hubby was there just a few months ago :) for a concert this weekend.) and 
• I have watched most of the rest of them haha!

Today I have two songs by Lee Hom here, which shares the same melody and theme (separation/broken hearts) but are different language and lyrics-wise. It's said that the Mary referenced in the English song is the name of his ex-gf who broke up with him when he chose music over her. He's said before that they had been together before he became famous, but once his career took off, he couldn't have the time to spend with her and it took a toll on the relationship. He said that she's now happily married, and seemed to express regrets over not being able to commit. Anyway, it's quite straight-forward what he was trying to express via the English song.. it's very simple and the way he sang it here is very heartfelt, and what gets to me most is that first line of the chorus (And Mary says she's gonna be OK) -- I couldn't really shake it off.. Maybe it's the way he sang it, or the way I imagined it, it's makes me kinda :( every time I hear it.

I am rather indifferent to the Chinese version thou' but this was one of his more well-known songs back then (it's from 1999). A karaoke staple, I guess.

Anyways, it's layyte (3:49AM)! Imma call it a night. Thank God I've got nothing on tomorrow -- the only agenda is to clean my house. Say what? Yeah, you heard me ;) Night night.

Mary Says How long has it been since I held you near？ How long will it be till I have you right here？ You say that it hurts I can't disagree But how can I hold on to someone who's leaving me? And Mary says she's gonna be OK She tells me things are getting busier these days [She tells me things will be much easier someday] And Mary says she's gonna be alright You know how much I miss her in my life [You know how much I'm missing her deep inside] Goodbye yesterday, I see my dreams walking away And Mary looks just like she did before Except she don't love me, she don't love me anymore I could shake your hand or I could kiss you goodbye But I just might break down looking in your brown eyes So what happens next do I listen to my mind or heart？ I don't know where to start feeling alright again

淚流手心 Crying Palm 雲飄在天空 浪在海流動 這世界太多 無法掌握的夢 你站在風中 你是自由的 生命有太多 不得不分的痛 Clouds are floating in the sky, waves are in motion in the sea In this world, there are too many dreams that are beyond our grasp You are standing in the wind, you are a free soul In this life, there are too much pains that cannot be shared 當你將離別握在我手心 我聽見愛被悄悄捏碎的聲音 你不懂你不要的我的心 會隨你鬆開的手而喊停 When you are leaving, don't hold on to my hand I am listening to the sound of love being quietly shattered You do not understand that you don't want my heart But it will just follow your loosening grip and cry for it to stop 我試著微笑 試著擁抱 在每一秒 我不想看見閉上的眼睛 害怕你最後 化成淚流出手心 I try to smile and try to embrace every second I don't want to see closed eyes Afraid that you would eventually become a crying palm (Ed: I don't quite get this part) 你給過的承諾 我怎能不放手 當你誠實訴說 他的愛多遼闊 這是我的手 它牽過你往事中度過 這段漫長的路 不該走到寂寞 The promises that you have once gave, I cannot let go of them When you spoke frankly about how great his love is This is my hand which has held your past This long road ahead should not be one of loneliness 遼闊 liáokuò - vast / extensive