忘了我 \ Forget me is 杨宗纬's latest offering in his 2013 album,《初.爱》. Whilst I think 杨宗纬 is a great singer, this song was a tad too bland for me despite one of my favourite singers, 韦礼安 being the composer. I still remember how 杨宗纬 shone in 那个男人 even thought that was a rather flat song too. Wished he was able to channel that charm here as well.
Putting that aside, a few lines of notable mentions;
没有谁放不开谁的手 我的遗憾 也不能是借口 都已陌生了\ No one can't ever not let go of another's hand. My regrets are but an excuse as all is remote now. Despite talk on how love is eternal, there is never (or rarely) cases where one is unable to let go of another. Once relationships have come to a close, there is little point in pining. On a more realistic note, any supposed regret is but a cover as everything is now foreign (once you have gotten over it). Imagine yourself in a scenario where your friend asks if you still miss your ex. Will it feel somewhat heartless if you admit that you have gotten over him/her? As humans I guess we would prefer to portray ourselves in a good light.
我把彻夜的痛 痛成了自由 \ Internalising the pain and transforming that into freedom/liberation
忘了我 忘了我们的梦 当你想起我 我已不是我 \ Forget me, forget us. When you think of me, I am no longer me. People change or evolve? (indicates that people improve for the better) and that's what we should aim to do; to be a better me.
就这样吗 loosely translated as "Let it be", is a ballad by local pairing By2. I found this song to be rather intriguing and will do a brief translation of this whole song this time round.
你不说话我自己解答 这种沉默有抱歉的想法 你想走吧 \ You don't have to say anything for I know. This silence, this apologetic thinking. Leave if you want to.
怕就只怕没用的嘴巴 这个时候不开口留你啊 内心狂乱挣扎 \ Afraid its due to this useless mouth of mine. Could have stopped you from leaving there and then. Internal turmoil.
我们岌岌 可危的篱笆 拆不掉等着哪天倒塌 \ We a precarious fence, awaiting for the day when it collapses
祈求完美的家却败给距离关卡 我们的爱长不大 \ The hope for a lovely ending was lost against the distance barrier. Our love cannot grow.
我们任由爱化成沙 微小的可怕 在手心中慢慢地落下\ Our freedom to love has crumbled into sand, so small that it's scary, slipping away from our hands
原来再见一霎 还是无法 说出内心的话 \ At the moment of farewell, it was still impossible to say what we really feel
我们单纯的去爱吧 没那么复杂 以为你懂我也真太傻 \ Let's have an innocent notion of love; it's not that complicated. I thought you understood me but I was too naïve.
爱停止发芽 来不及开满遍地鲜花 都已腐化 \ Love is something that needs to be nurtured. Stopping short of referring to it as a growing plant, this phrase paints a vivid picture of how that might look like. A love that has stopped sprouting; it never got to bloom into flowers, has decomposed.
我们任由回忆秒杀 将泪痕记下 \ Allow the memories to cut through for a second and remember those tear tracks
把分手的说法理论化 沿着彼此步伐了无牵挂 这是最好的吗\ Rationalise the reason for breaking up and continue on our individual pathways without care. Is this for the best?
绝对不会被你恨吧 也没那么差 曾经爱过的也不是假\ Surely you won't hate me for I wasn't that bad. The love we once had wasn't fake
想重新出发 却害怕我们不够伟大 我们就这样吧 \ Wishing for a new start but there's fear that we aren't that strong. Let's just let it be.
愛你 by newcomer Kimberley Chen, 陈芳语 is in her début album, 《Kimberley首张同名专辑》. Given her achievements at such a young age, she is not exactly a "newcomer".
This song was released back in April 2012 and I particularly enjoy her acoustic version.
A sweet love song that deviates from my usual entries on ballads but I am sure there are portions in which we can all relate to; making you go aww without the goosebumps.
Catch her acoustic live rendition her. Her husky vocals somewhat remind me of a rock singer. It will be interesting to see what her next offerings will be (fingers crossed for a tear-jerking ballad)
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/13983828
I have heard of Crowd Lu for some time now but I never really got around listening to his music. My impression of him is strong, well namely because his image is striking/memorable (in a good way) and his indie offerings are refreshing. As I tend to be biased towards ballads, I never got to explore his works beyond those I hear occasionally on the radio.
Incidentally, I chanced upon a few of his covers (as per covered in previous postings) and was blown away by his vocals. His performances are solid and engaging and he is definitely someone whom you would want to see sing live with a backup band and him on his guitar.
Digging through his songs, I found two that I really liked, 听见了吗? in his 2009 album <<七天>> and 不想去远方 in <<慢灵魂>> released in 2011.
听见了吗?
我只想看着你 用任何距离
非常安静 飘过一片云
你的关心 变成灰色墙壁
我没能力 抵挡攻击
该如何告诉你 我的心情
我还想陪着你 任何天气
我还盼望 可以传达给你
唱给你听 在秋天里
那你听见了吗 我不安的心脏
听见了吗 要送给你的花
我所有能量 只能让这首歌与你分享
听见了吗 你在想着谁吧
听见了吗 我拥有的快乐 悲伤
不用回答 你听见了吗
不用回答 给我一个微笑
Loosely translated as "Can you hear me?", this is a sweet confession song. Love can be simple; it is the feelings you have that really counts.
Rather than the traditional MV version I usually post, catch Crowd Lu's live rendition of it. He is one singer who sounds much better live.
不想去远方
经过云的时候 我吞下一大口
你有没有感同身受 和我一样在天空
我的黑色行李 装太多不愿意
如果可以让我学会瞬间转移
我要用我的念力
把地球变成一颗微小星星
不用费力气就可以
跨越海洋找到你
别带我去远方 我不想去远方
我只想待在家 陪你说说话
然后一些生命 就这样平安的消耗
暂时没有 想到其他的愿望
Another soothing song which I guess we can relate to in one way or another. If only physical distances can be shrunk with will-power.
Catch the live version and skip to 0:43 for the full song.
Lovely song by local artists 插班生 \ The freshman. As my thoughts for this song are neatly reflected on a penned piece on their blog, I would direct you to here (refer to song number 3). Listen to it here (YouTube link as I can't seem to find the same video via blogger YouTube search)
Credits: Music Baidu http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/341374684.html
JJ Lin's 10th anniversary album <<因你 而在Stories Untold>> is due to be out on 13 March. But before the official release, we can already have a chance to listen to two song offerings, 修炼爱情 and 因你而在. The latter, a chirpy upbeat tune dedicated to JJ's fans did not leave a big impression so I am giving that a miss to talk about 修炼爱情, loosely translated into Practice of Love.
I have always enjoyed majority of JJ's works (mainly ballads) because he's a great composer and he sings well. Some of such memorable ballads range from 翅膀 to 学不会, 不存在的情人 . This latest offering, Practice of Love, isn't as "ballad-ish" and carries a more encouraging and positive tone. Frankly, I have been sitting on this post for more than a week since the lyrics aren't so clear-cut and I am trying to understand the story-line (if there is one). Watching the MV didn't help much since it was a animated story and its contents were not easy to relate to. Some of lyrics (chorus and bridge) stood out and I would be selectively covering this song.
修炼爱情的心酸 \ 修炼爱情的悲欢; Love ain't easy and the practice of love is one long arduous journey. It brings along happiness and sadness and I love the contrast/irony of the term 悲欢.
学会放好以前的渴望 \ 我们那些信仰 要忘记多难; Expectations are something we all have and it is never easy learning to let them go.
远距离的欣赏 近距离的迷惘 \ 谁说太阳会找到月亮; Appreciation from far, perplexity when near. It is always good to see other couples happily in love but when experienced first-hand, you may not have the same sweet pleasant relationship.
几年前的幻想 几年后的原谅 \ 为一张脸去养一身伤; The years before spent fantasying about love, the years after and the forgiveness. All the injuries incurred for a lone person.
笑着说爱让人疯狂 \ 哭着说爱让人紧张; Laughingly saying that love makes one go crazy, cryingly saying that love makes people nervous.
忘不了那个人就投降; Admit defeat if you can't forget that person.
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/34201134
I chanced upon this song on the radio recently, 薛凯琪's Better Me. Released in May 2012 and written by talented local lyricist 小寒, I found myself listening and humming to this song on repeat as I work.
A big attributing factor to the longevity of this song is the way Fiona Sit sings. The slight American accent whenever she sings in English adds a tinge of spice to this otherwise bland song. The concept of this song is about relationships and how one can be empowered by another to be a Better Me.
As they always say, it is difficult to meet the Right one but when you do, it's the beginning of something transformational and beautiful.
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/14845471
只有懂幸福的人 才懂得进退一样精彩 一样精彩
This song about relationships is written by none other than a very talented lyricist, 林夕. Rather than attempting to encapsulate what this song is about in a single sentence, I would bring you through the song by verse. But before I do so, I would like to set some groundwork so you would know roughly what to expect/the central theme of this song.
This song reminded me of an old Sunday Times Life section by Sumiko Tan where she writes on how "Marriage is Freedom". She seeks to explain why so; "now that I’m tied to someone, I feel strangely, ironically, free." Do take a look at this interesting article here.
The song begins as our lead (could be either genders but for simplicity, I would say female) has finally started a stable relationship, one without surprises. It seems as though everything else thereafter has been arranged for; her expected perfect life is about to begin. She is finally the love of his life; there is a mutual reliance on each other. Leaving behind her dreams, she is "locked in", figuratively (a nicer term would be committed) into this relationship fortress bounded by promises made. Those who are inside may not be free but those lingering outside are not at ease.
These forms the first two verses of the song and perhaps the most meaningful takeaway here is its last line which goes; 里面不自由, 流浪在外却不自在. Isn't it somewhat ironic that those who aren't in relationships are always not at ease, yearning to be in relationships; yet those who are already in relationships want to have to have freedom and the feeling of being single. (The former scenario has been explained succinctly in Sumiko Tan's article.) Indeed, there is this fine line that needs to be balanced.
This irony is reflected in the subsequent chorus too. Those outside the relationship fortress cannot imagine how it is like inside. Those who are in, want it out; those who are out, want to be in. It is no wonder most people choose to linger around around the two realms. To me, all these are akin to the saying, "the grass is always greener on the other side". Some people transit from being single to attached to single (cue vicious cycle) because they always feel that there is a next best alternative.
Jumping a verse, our lead has left the "sea of singles". She is satisfied but does not hold any further expectations. It feels like she has won the race out of single-hood and she is celebrating in her fortress. She has finally proven to the world that she has done it; she is no longer single. With the Chinese New Year coming up, there are probably many singles or couples who will face the golden question from their relatives; "when are you getting married?" or "are you attached?". If our lead is encounters this situation, she can proudly declare a big yes. Is getting into a relationship/getting married then a social responsibility expected of us or do we do so because we want to?
The song ends with a realisation; those who really know what true blissfulness is are probably the only ones who know that both realms (single or attached) are equally rewarding and satisfying. Put simply, you have the control to make the best (or worst) out of your own circumstances.
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/33465904
I have to admit, when I first heard this song, I was all too crazy about it. It is not a usual ballad offering I would expect from A-lin but I was pleasantly surprised and got hooked on this after a couple of spins.
This song has a pop-rock feel, especially towards the end as she repeats, 你是不是也记得多久没有说爱我; do you also remember how long you haven't said you love me. As discussed in previous postings, the central theme in this album is what happens after the supposed happily-ever-afters and this song captures what all that is about.
Before I end this post, I would like to promote A-lin's upcoming concert, 天生歌姬A-Lin 2013【Feel-Lin巡迴演唱會】in Taiwan, 小巨蛋 on the 9th of March 2013. Being an avid fan, I would really love to be there to hear her sing live, time permitting. Nevertheless, you can check out more details on her concert here; http://shop.dmarketnet.net/application/UTK02/UTK0201_.aspx?PRODUCT_ID=D091NN05
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/31626150
This is a more radio-friendly ballad with lyrics that aren't too difficult to understand. However, with the release of the MV, I realised that it could be interpreted in two ways. The beginning of the chorus goes, "in that very year, I lost both my best friend and the person I loved the most". I though that our leading lady meant that she lost her lover, who was of course, the person she loved the most and him being not just a lover but also her best friend. Cue, Colbie Caillat's Lucky.
Another way to interpret this song (aka MV version), was that she lost her best friend to her ex, meaning which she and her best friend fell in the love with the same guy at the same time and she decided not to be the third wheeler. This brings the meaning of this song to different level (even sadder really) just because hey, it's horrible to lose both your best friend and your lover at the same time.
The most poignant parts of this song for me were in the chorus; 而爱从不由人, 对错不会永恒. 但当时我只懂憎恨 and the very last chorus at the end of the song. For the former, it basically means that love cannot be controlled, there is no permanent right or wrong, during then, I could only hate. Hating your best friend and/or your lover at that point in time is understandable. You may have thought that it was wrong of them to behave this way, etc. but whichever the case, they are both important people to you and that should be cherished.
That brings us to the last bit of the song. Our lead really wants to bring up her courage to talk to her best friend, find out how she's doing in her (love-filled) life. How can she feel that her friend's happiness is being cruel (to her)? Even if she is feeling bitter, she should learn to let go. Eventually, she gives her blessings.
Perhaps the most meaningful takeaway from this song is really 爱从不由人, 对错不会永恒. Nothing is permanent, especially with regards to the rights and wrongs in love.
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/33465954
<<幸福了 然后呢>> was released on the 30th of December last year and I have to say, I always look forward to A-lin's latest albums. She is a fabulous singer with strong emotive vocals and her ballads are simply keepers for your playlist.
Quoted from her album description, this prose captures this album's theme of "What's next after the happily-ever-after". We are all familiar with fairy tales which end with "And they lived happily ever after..." The biggest irony of that statement is the "..." segment. The story continues and we find ourselves slipping back into the daily nuances of mundane life and as time passes by, the feeling of love disappears. Or on a more positive note, rather than saying it disappears, it is very much toned down or neglected and we find ourselves needing to re-affirm that affection.
The first song from her album that I will be covering in this post is entitled, 温柔累了and is my personal favourite.
A wonderful song is impossible without a fantastic lyricist and 姚若龙 has proven his writing chops once again with his insights into what I call the "Afters of the supposedly happily-ever-afters". The song begins with our leading lady hearing about a decision made by his other half from his friends. This line hints something; if they are as close as before/usual, why would she hear of such decisions from his friends and not from him personally.
Whilst we mull over that, our suspicions are confirmed; since a forgotten time, he has stopped sharing his inner feelings/thoughts, our lady has stopped hoping, because high hopes lead to greater disappointment. 姚若龙 subsequently parallels love with chewing gum; the longer you chew it, the more bland and tasteless it becomes. I thought that was pretty apt; some people continue chewing tasteless gum out of habit. Is staying together a mere sign of habit then?
By now, our lady is frustrated; why is he so insensitive and why is she so emotional? Men always say women are too sensitive and conversely, women say men are tactless.
In the chorus, our lady admits that she is tired; she has had enough of pretending that she is alright with the neglect she gets. Her partner rebuts by insisting that life is not all romantic. She stares blankly, not refuting but something in her heart has just died away. It is true that despite how much we enjoy the "happily-ever-story", it is just not realistic. But then and again, who doesn't hope for fairy tales to come true.
She used to enjoy this fortune feeling of being committed in a relationship aka cue lack of freedom. But it finally dawns upon her that love is but a dream and beauty lies in having that dream.
The song comes to an end with a twist in the chorus; she is tired of determining who has given the other a greater burden or who loves the other party more. All those independence and strength are but a façade; it was a gesture out of love towards him that she is playing the role of someone who understood.
Unknowingly, I ended up loosely translating this song with snippets of my own thoughts thrown in. This has only made me appreciate this well-penned song even more.
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/33465886
In my previous postings, I have covered a song by 王心凌, in her latest album《爱不爱》, entitled 变成陌生人 . Another mellow hit I would cover today is called 忘了我也不错.
不管你是为谁而难过 这不是我们想要的结果 一直在怀念又能够怎么了 我觉得忘了我也不错
This song is very much like her title song; not very catchy, devoid of heavy background music and will grow onto you the more you listen to it. Check out her live rendition of it here. I love how nicely her voice goes with the piano.
The lyrics are lovely, penned by well-known lyrist, 林夕. It talks about how forgetting one's ex isn't bad. When a relationship has ended, there are times when one party is unable to move on, dwelling the memories of what is past. What this song encourages you to do is to forget.
Of course the leading male in question here is by no means an angel; hints of his nature is revealed in the chorus as she goes; 爱自由的人只是更换感情寄托, 怕束缚的人终于更怕寂寞. It seems that our male leader is one who loves freedom; but this freedom comes at an even greater fear of being lonely. Also, FYI, those who don't wish to be tied down merely switch their affections onto different people; commitment is a no-no.
As the song concludes, our lady tells him that whatever the case it may be, it was the result that they both did not want. Nevertheless, nothing is going to happen/change from reminiscing the past so it's best that he moves on. Well, only one thing is for sure, whilst the guy may not stick around much longer, we the listeners will be sure to keep this song on our playlists for a long time.
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/31265434
忽远忽近 只要你想你就随时逃避 若即若离 只要你想你随时随形 I don't know why won't you set me free
不想演戏 再花力气扮演完美情侶 不想继续 再把一段关系当游戏 不想再做梦去麻痺 自己
试着分析所有梦里 一再出现重复的讯息 有种失落 把每个希望 一个个都浇熄
你若有所思的神情 背對着我的身影 我看得懂 理想的愛情 只出現在梦里
潜入你最深的意识里 你就是不让我看清 看清你复杂的聪明 聪明得让我灰了心 徹底的灰了心
忽远忽近 只要你想你就随时逃避 若即若离 只要你想你随时随形 I'm begging you to set me free
不想演戏 我们都失去了理想爱情 不想继续 就让它活在我的梦里 但梦里不会再有你
What's up girl you know 回想昨天晚上 还有每个晚上 心不在焉你的模樣 就像一直不在现场 你把心放他身上 而我从来沒有重量
你用我的伤 摆脱你的伤 但遗忘才能让我释放
You know what I mean It's over
This song by 小宇（宋念宇）is from his latest album <<再一次>> released in December. He is a talented while albeit lesser-known singer/composer with great emotive vocals. Check out his live singing below or any of videos posted by youtube user, Amy629006. There are plenty to listen to and I have to say he has very good consistent live performances; his live singing sounds like the CD-version or even better.
Entitled 过渡期, loosely translated to be transition period, it refers to the "in-between" time between relationships. His soulful voice and intriguing lyrics brings life to touchy theme; touchy depending on what you do during your own transition periods. Some gorge on ice-cream, others attempt to drink away their sorrows, but there are some who leverage on another interested party's feelings to heal. Once that is fulfilled, the poor person is discarded. This song seeks to describe the feelings of one such person trapped in this not-so-nice part of the relationship cycle.
The lyrics are quite literal, which isn't a bad thing in this case. The last line of the song pretty much sums up what this song is about; 你用我的伤 摆脱你的伤 但遗忘才能让我释放; you use the pain I feel to heal the hurt you have, liberation is only possible if I forget. The arrangement of the song is rather unique; the rap appears only when the song concludes. This was quite refreshing to me and what was great about that is the song slowly builds up the angst felt by the person, and eventually releasing all of that at the end.
If you enjoyed the emotional ride in this song, do check out 小宇's previous offerings; ballads, 终于说出口, 就站在这里, more up-beat songs, 说分手之后, 爱上, 唯一的唯一.
Credits: Lyrics adapted from official MV video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSsSjjnVQxE The lyrics are in 繁体(traditional) but I have adapted them into 简体(simplified). If you intend to use them, please link them back to this site and give proper citation. Thanks!
Claire Guo, 郭静, released her latest album <<我们都能幸福着>> back in November this year. This album revolves around 3 themes, or "3 No-s"/"3不", which include 纯爱不败、单身不坏、幸福不难 loosely translated to be pure love exists, being single is not bad and it is not difficult to be happy.
The album title also doubles as the title of the hit single, 我们都能幸福着.
The comforting tune, accompanying lyrics and Claire's clear soothing voice fits the title of the song, "we can all be happy". I really enjoy the chorus, where one gives her blessings to the other as each of them embark on their separate ways to happiness. Depending on how your relationship ends, it is never easy to be 潇洒 (I can't seem to find a good equivalent of that in English...) and to wish the other party happiness. You can never really be friends again but if you did ever love the other party deeply, at the end of the resentment and hurt, you would wish for the person to be happy.
There is something very heart-warming about the last line of the chorus, signifying the beginning of something new with the end of the song.
The next song is called, "别去问他好吗". I guess this can be interpreted as being either a question or statement but considering the context of the song, it is best left as rhetorical statement.
In contrast to 我们都能幸福着, I prefer the verses of this song. I love the play on the words, "him/her". If you know Chinese, you would realise there is no difference in the way, 他 and 她,are pronounced but in English, they are referred to "him" and "her".
Other lines that made an impression were when she goes, "别说谎 她并没有 想像中的开朗; 解答 总那么不漂亮" loosely translated as, "Don't lie, she is not as cheerful as you imagine her to be; the answer is always not as pretty/the ugly truth".
At the end of it all, the best way to get out it is to resist the temptation to ask or find out how he is doing.
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/31260382 http://music.baidu.com/song/31402876
This post may be a little dated considering 蔡依林, Jolin Tsai's album <<MUSE>> was released some time back in September. I found the title of this song to be rather intriguing, translated to be Mosaics.
In this song, the use of colours and gradients is used in a unique manner to portray a relationship. The verses here link certain colours with the emotions of the leading lady; gold to signify pride, purple as alluring, passionate, etc. Our natural inclinations to associate different colours with different emotions sets the backdrop of this love story as the choruses reveal the storyline.
The choruses indicate the appearance of a third-party. Despite the changes our leading lady makes to clamour attention from our male lead, she is but a fading favourite. She ends up distorted, morphing into someone she is not. The story concludes as she realises that all these efforts are futile and nonsensical.
They always say realising one's mistakes is the first step towards recovery. Admitting and accepting the truth is always difficult but when you realise that there is so much more beyond, you will begin the slow healing process. Whist I may not be an expert in relationships, a relationship should not be blur and crackled like a Mosaic.
I really enjoyed the subtle analogy between colours and relationships and taking the effort to decipher the meaning behind this song was well worth the time. This lovely gem will linger in my playlist for a long time to come.
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/30285955
This bitter-sweet song about one mulling over an ending relationship song is from 蔡旻佑, Evan Cai's latest album <<超级右脑>>. From his début back in 2006, I remember vaguely that there was much hype about him. He writes and composes his own music and I can still remember his initial radio-friendly hits of 我可以 and 我想要说. It is great to see that his works have matured over time, and this song is reminiscent of 2人 which can be found his 2008 album《搜寻蔡旻佑》.
A concise summary of this song is nicely put across in music.baidu; 谁知道爱情里彼此需要的是什么?也许我能给的你不要... loosely translated to be; who knows what your other half desires in a relationship? perhaps what I can give is not what you want. I enjoyed a particular line which goes, 可惜未来太远, 面对时间谁不卑微. I guess nothing is really static when faced against the vicissitudes of time.
Allow this song to accompany you through a cool, rainy day and you will probably feel a little less lonely.
Credits: Music Baidu http://music.baidu.com/song/25435767
