Chinese Pop Songs

我們-鍾漢良(We Are-Wallace Chung)

 

wallace-chung-movie

作詞: 鍾漢良
Lyricist: Wallace Chung/Zhong Hanliang
作曲: 陳國華
Composer: Chen Kuo-hua/Chen Guohua
MP3: 我們-鍾漢良(We Are-Wallace Chung)

Word-by-Word Translation for Chinese Learners:

[Note: A literal translation of the song title is “Us.”]

VERSE #1:
陽光刺眼抱著洗好的相片
The sunshine is glaring. I held the newly-developed photos
好想讓時間走得慢一點
How I wish that time slowed down a bit
多點一杯熱湯霧氣裏想象
I ordered an extra cup of warm soup, musing in its hot steam
多少快樂我試著去遺忘
How many happy memories did I try to erase?

VERSE #2:
如果聽見我不小心說了謊
If you happened to hear that I accidentally told a lie
希望你可以為了我假裝
I hope you can pretend [I told the truth] for me
不過是到明天換一個地方
It was just switching to a new place the next day
我感覺你不肯講的慌張
[But] I felt your anxiety which you wouldn’t explain

CHORUS:
我笑著遠遠看著你追往風的方向
I smiled gazing at you chasing the wind
曾經開心的指著櫥窗買走夢想
[We] once pointed at the shop window and happily bought our dreams
怎麽愛情都沒有經過最後一晚
How come love never sustains the last night?
感覺一下不快樂又何妨
Why can’t one feel sorrow once in a while?

VERSE #2

CHORUS x2

想起我們分手時快天亮
I recalled it was almost the break of dawn when we parted ways
笑或不笑淚水不能衡量
Whether we smiled or not, tears can’t measure [the meaning of our breakup]

Liberal Translation for Music Lovers:

VERSE #1:
陽光刺眼抱著洗好的相片
In the glaring sun, I held the newly-developed photos
好想讓時間走得慢一點
How I wish that time slowed down a bit
多點一杯熱湯霧氣裏想象
I ordered an extra cup of warm soup, musing in its hot steam
多少快樂我試著去遺忘
How many happy memories did I try to erase?

VERSE #2:
如果聽見我不小心說了謊
If you happened to hear me accidentally tell a lie
希望你可以為了我假裝
I hope you can pretend for me
不過是到明天換一個地方
It was just switching to a new place the next day
我感覺你不肯講的慌張
[But] I felt the anxiety you wouldn’t explain

CHORUS:
我笑著遠遠看著你追往風的方向
I smiled gazing at you chasing the wind
曾經開心的指著櫥窗買走夢想
[We] once pointed at the shop window and happily bought our dreams
怎麽愛情都沒有經過最後一晚
How come love never sustains the last night
感覺一下不快樂又何妨
Why can’t one savor sorrow once in a while?

VERSE #2

CHORUS x2

想起我們分手時快天亮
I recalled it was almost the break of dawn when we broke up
笑或不笑淚水不能衡量
Whether we smiled or not, tears can’t measure the meaning of our parting ways

[Note: This song was included in Wallace Chung’s 1998 album Adore. Wallace once said he had a soft spot for this song. I guess this song is about a disheartening love story: Two like-minded people severed a beautiful romantic relationship. They broke up in their last trip together. The day before they went to the place where the woman planned the breakup, the man felt the woman’s anxiety but he couldn’t draw out the reticent girlfriend. It is possible that the man is Wallace himself. As for the lie, I guess it refers to claiming to be single or denying a former relationship. Wallace hoped that the ex-girlfriend would not bust the lie.

Or maybe my guess is totally wrong—maybe the story is fictitious; maybe the man was watching himself chasing the wind and he was the one who broke up with the girlfriend to pursue his dreams…Again, this song is open to various interpretations.]

Chinese Pop Songs, My Favorite Songs

很像我-鍾漢良 (I Want to Be Me-Wallace Chung)

wallace-chung-phoenix-tv
Wallace Chung 2011 Interview with He Dong from Phoenix TV

作詞:鍾漢良
Lyricist: Wallace Chung/Zhong Hanliang
作曲:邰正宵
Composer: Samuel Tai/Tai Zhengxiao
編曲:屠穎
Arrangements: Tu Ying
製作:邰正宵
Producer: Samuel Tai/Tai Zhengxiao
MP3: 很像我-鍾漢良 (I Want to Be Me-Wallace Chung)


Wallace Chung sang this song at 35:03.

Word-by-Word Translation for Chinese Learners:

[The literal translation of the song title is “[It’s] So My Style.”]

VERSE #1:
你 點了一杯
You, ordered the same kind
和我一樣的咖啡
of coffee as mine
有沒有什麽曖昧
Is there something going on between us?

VERSE #2:
失眠 眼圈太黑
Insomnia, the circles under the eyes are too dark
TiRaMiSu後睡一會
Get some zzz’s after having the tiramisu
也沒什麽不對
There is nothing wrong with doing that
偶爾讓可樂
Occasionally we will also invite the coke
也來聊聊是非
to join the schmooze

CHORUS:
很像我的分析
[It’s] just like my analysis
有太多邏輯
overtly laden with logic
討厭去照顧誰的情緒
[I] hate to be considerate of others’ feelings

很像我的國語
Just like my Mandarin
學著說道理
[When I] learn to reason in the language
全天下的問題都無敵
All problems of the world are insurmountable

VERSE #3:
很像我
Just like
不會說話的表情
my facial expression when I make tactless remarks
很像我
Just like how I am
無法解釋他的心
unable to explicate others’ minds

VERSE #4:
永遠沒秘密
Never have secrets
習慣隨心所欲
Already used to following my heart
我愛我自己
I love myself
請給我新鮮的空氣
Please give me fresh air

我不能愛上你
I cannot fall in love with you

CHORUS x2

Liberal Translation for Music Lovers:

VERSE #1:
你 點了一杯
You ordered exactly
和我一樣的咖啡
the same kind of coffee as I did
有沒有什麽曖昧
What’s going on here?

VERSE #2:
失眠 眼圈太黑
Insomnia, hence dark circles under the eyes
TiRaMiSu後睡一會
Get some zzz’s after the tiramisu
也沒什麽不對
Nothing is wrong with that
偶爾讓可樂
Once in a while, let’s have the coke
也來聊聊是非
join our small talk

CHORUS:
很像我的分析
Just like my
有太多邏輯
overtly rational analyses
討厭去照顧誰的情緒
I don’t bother to be considerate of others’ feelings

很像我的國語
Just like my Mandarin
學著說道理
If I try to persuade others in it
全天下的問題都無敵
the world’s problems will be insurmountable

VERSE #3:
很像我
Just like
不會說話的表情
my face when I make tactless remarks
很像我
Just like
無法解釋他的心
how I can’t make sense of others’ minds

VERSE #4:
永遠沒秘密
I keep no secrets to myself
習慣隨心所欲
I am used to follow my heart
我愛我自己
I love myself
請給我新鮮的空氣
Please give me fresh air

我不能愛上你
I must not fall in love with you

CHORUS x2

[Note: This song reveals a lot about how Wallace looked at himself back in the late 1990s when he was 22-23 years old. He unapologetically insisted on being himself, though he did feel a little self-conscious about his Mandarin, childlike candor, and tactless remarks. His self-evaluation is presented through a woman who analyzes like him, speaks Mandarin like him, and even orders coffee like him. Obviously Wallace had a pretty good idea of who he was and asked for tolerance of his idiosyncracies. He loved himself and even warned himself not to be too self-indulgent (“I must not fall in love with you”). Well, it would be hard not to fall in love with a creative soul who fantasizes gossiping with a cup of coke!

Years went by, Wallace changed. Now he is a seaoned singer and actor, fluent in Mandarin, forever considerate and tactful, and keeps some innocuous secrets. What hasn’t changed is his boundless imagination. And his determination to “sing for life!”]

Chinese Pop Songs

我很想知道-鍾漢良 (I Really Want to Know-Wallace Chung)

adore-wallace-chung

作詞:鍾漢良
Lyricist: Wallace Chung/Zhong Hanliang
作曲:方文良
Composer: Neil Fang/Fang Wenliang
編曲:黃中岳
Arrangements: Huang Zhongyue
製作:邰正宵
Producer: Samuel Tai/Tai Zhengxiao
MP3: 我很想知道-鍾漢良 (I Really Want to Know-Wallace Chung)

Word-by-Word Translation for Chinese Learners:

VERSE #1:
你丟掉 自己一直最心愛的玩具
You threw away the toy that had always been your favorite
當它陳舊 再也不能 給你驚喜
When it turned old and could no longer give you pleasant surprises
送給了你 除了它 還有那時候
[I] gave it to you. Besides, [I also gave you]
我的心 和自己
my heart and myself of that moment

CHORUS:
多麼想抱一抱 你怕冷的身體
How I wish I could embrace your cold-blooded body
能不能 給你要的甜蜜
May I give you the sweet love you want?
告訴我 你試著去生活
Tell me, you [left only because you] tried to live [your] life

多想再聽一次 你天真的問候
How I wish to hear once more, your simple and unaffected greeting
讓我說 你快樂而沉默
Let me say [this], you are [now] happy and quiet

[Note: I guess this line means “If you ask me, I will say that you are now happy and quiet.”]

你好不好 我很想知道
How are you? I really want to know

VERSE #2:
到最後我們慢慢的什麼都沒說
By the end, we gradually stopped talking
已經習慣 和我一起
You were used to being with me
像個朋友 感覺沒變
We are like friends. The feelings didn’t change

你想要 多一點自由
You wanted a little more freedom
隨便我走不走
You didn’t mind if I leave you or not

CHORUSx2

VERSE #3:
有一天 也許你 發現還愛著我
One day, you might discover that you still love me
我一樣 會握你的雙手
[Then] I would still want to place your hands in mine
還是我嗎 我想知道
Would [your love] still be me? I want to know

Liberal Translation for Music Lovers:

VERSE #1:
你丟掉 自己一直最心愛的玩具
You threw away your favorite toy
當它陳舊 再也不能 給你驚喜
When it turned old and no longer entertained you
送給了你 除了它 還有那時候
I gave it to you, in addition to
我的心 和自己
my heart and myself of that time

CHORUS:
多麼想抱一抱 你怕冷的身體
I want to embrace your cold-blooded body
能不能 給你要的甜蜜
May I give you the happiness you want?
告訴我 你試著去生活
Tell me, you left me to explore life

多想再聽一次 你天真的問候
How I wish to hear your childlike greeting again
讓我說 你快樂而沉默
If you ask me, I will say you are now happy and reticent
你好不好 我很想知道
How are you now? I really want to know

VERSE #2:
到最後我們慢慢的什麼都沒說
By the end, we gradually stopped talking
已經習慣 和我一起
You are used to being with me
像個朋友 感覺沒變
We are like friends. Our connection is never severed
你想要 多一點自由
You wanted a little more freedom
隨便我走不走
You didn’t mind if I leave you or not

CHORUSx2

VERSE #3:
有一天 也許你 發現還愛著我
One day, you might discover that you still love me
我一樣 會握你的雙手
[Then] I would still hold your hands
還是我嗎 我想知道
Would [your love] still be me? I want to know it

[Note: I thought this song would be easy to translate but I was wrong. The lyrics consist of succint, polysemous sentences. As a result, I thought long and hard what the story was about. Here is my guess: An independent and mature woman asked for a break because she wanted more freedom. The couple remained friends after the breakup but they didn’t talk to each other. The man is waiting for a reunion. The parts that I feel most uncertain about are “If you ask me, I will say you are now happy and reticent” and “…as a friend, but our connection is never severed.” Let me know if you have different interpretations.]

Chinese Pop Songs, My Favorite Songs

可爱女人-周杰伦 (Lovely Woman-Jay Chou)

lovely-woman-jay-chou-zhou-jielun

曲:周杰伦 (Composer: Zhou Jielun/Jay Chou)
词:徐若瑄 (Lyrics: Xu Ruoxuan/Vivian Hsu)
演唱:周杰伦 (Singer: Zhou Jielun/Jay Chou)
MV: 可爱女人-周杰伦 (Lovely Woman-Jay Chou)

VERSE #1:
想要有直升机 想要和妳飞到宇宙去
Want to have a chopper and fly to the universe with you
想要和妳融化在一起 融化在银河里
Want to melt away with you in the Milky Way

VERSE #2:
我每天每天每天在想想想想着妳
I miss miss miss miss you every day every day every day
这样的甜蜜 让我开始相信命运
Sweetness like this made me begin to have faith in fate
感谢地心引力 让我碰到妳
Thank you to gravity for making me meet you

CHORUS:
漂亮的让我面红的可爱女人
Lovely woman who is so pretty that she makes me blush
温柔的让我心疼的可爱女人
Lovely woman who is so gentle that she makes me want to protect her
透明的让我感动的可爱女人
Lovely woman who is so transparent that she touches my heart
坏坏的让我疯狂的可爱女人
Lovely woman who is so bad that she makes me crazy

CHORUS

VERSE #1

VERSE #2

CHORUS x2

世界这样大而我而我只是只小小小的蚂蚁
The world is so big but I am just a teeny tiny little ant
但我要尽全力全力全力保护妳
But I will try my best to protect you

CHORUS x2

漂亮的让我面红的可爱女人
Lovely woman who is so pretty that she makes me blush
温柔的让我心疼的可爱女人
Lovely woman who is so gentle that she makes me want to protect her
透明的让我感动的
So transparent that she moves me…