Mao Buyi – In My Melody

“Don’t Ask” was the theme song of the 2017 movie “Forever Young” (literally “Don’t Ask Whether It Is East or West”). The film is about four generations of Tsinghua University graduates, spanning a hundred years of modern Chinese history since World War I. Whether they lived in the 1920s, the 1940s, the 1960s or the current era, and whatever life paths they took, they all faced hard choices in the pursuit of their dreams.

The song is about their confusions and persistence. Mao Buyi’s relaxing voice has the power to quiet your mind and put you in the zone.

My favorite part of the song:

就像手边落满了灰尘的某一本书
Just like a dusted book close at hand
它可曾单薄地承载了谁的酸楚
Did it once carry, albeit feebly, someone’s grievance?

When your mind was bubbling with questions, when you lived in angst, did you ever meet a book or a person who made you feel understood and supported?

词曲：毛不易
Lyricist & Composer: Mao Buyi

你问风为什么托着候鸟飞翔
You asked why the wind supported the migratory birds in flight
却又吹的让他慌张
and startled them at the same time
你问雨为什么滋养万物生长
You asked why the rain nurtured everything to grow
却也湿透他的衣裳
but also thoroughly wet his clothes

你问他为什么亲吻他的伤疤
You asked why he kissed his scars
却又不能带他回家
but wasn’t able to take him home
你问我为什么还是不敢放下
You asked why I still didn’t dare to let go
明知听不到回答
even though I knew I would never get an answer

如果光已忘了要将前方照亮
If the light forgot to illuminate the way forward
你会握着我的手吗
Would you hold my hand?
如果路会通往不知名的地方
If the road were to lead to a place unknown
你会跟我一起走吗
Would you walk with me?

一生太短一瞬好长
Life is too short, yet that second lasted for a long time
我们哭着醒来又哭着遗忘
We woke up in tears and forgot in tears
幸好啊你的手曾落在我肩膀
Luckily your hand once landed on my shoulder

就像空中漂浮的渺小的某颗尘土
Just like a tiny grain of dust floating in the air
它到底为什么为什么
Why, why on earth doesn’t it
不肯停驻
want to land on the ground?
直到乌云散去风雨落幕
When dark clouds clear up and the storm passes
他会带你找到光的来处
He will lead you to the source of light

就像手边落满了灰尘的某一本书
Just like a dusted book close at hand
它可曾单薄地承载了谁的酸楚
Did it once carry, albeit feebly, someone’s grievance?
尽管岁月无声流向迟暮
Although the river of time silently flows into twilight years
他会让你想起你的归途
It will remind you of your way home

This is a beautiful song about the eternal promise and tenderness every romantic soul longs for. This song will be a perfect gift for the right person, be it your friend, family member or romantic partner.

Considering the pressure to marry and have children in China, as well as the prevalent gender bias and discrimination (and the appalling news stories about gender-based violence on a daily basis), however, I don’t recommend that people plunge into love without obtaining a decent gender and sex education first.

It’s harder to fangirl over a male singer nowadays without worrying about the possibility of him suddenly betraying his wholesome public persona. Chinese male singers have disappointed trusting fans again and again for mistreating their exes, because misogyny is still taught and tolerated in this country.

Mao Buyi’s gentle and unruffled in front of the camera. He is lauded for having an old soul and his dry sense of humor often sparks laughter among admiring fans and potential fans alike. His previous work experience as a nurse seemed to have gifted him with insight and maturity beyond his age. Having witnessed hundreds of patients passing away, he gave a lot of thought to life and death. Some of the insights are evident in his songs.

I have never heard him making any inappropriate comments in interviews so far, which is a pleasant surprise. He is not “greasy” – an internet meme coined specially to describe “toxic masculinity” in the modern Chinese society, and that’s awesome.

Keep it up! Wishing him the best!

詞：毛不易
Lyricist: Mao Buyi
曲：毛不易
Composer: Mao Buyi
編曲：趙兆宋濤
Arrangers: Zhao Zhao & Song Tao

給你我平平淡淡的等待和守候
[I] give you my simple and unglamorous waiting and protection
給你我轟轟烈烈的渴望和溫柔
[I] give you my zealous longing and tenderness
給你我百轉千迴的喜樂和憂愁
[I] give you my tortuous joys and sorrows
給你我微不足道所有的所有
[I] give you my insignificant all

給我你帶著微笑的嘴角和眼眸
Give me your smiling eyes and corners of the mouth
給我你燦爛無比的初春和深秋
Give me your spectacular early springs and late autumns
給我你未經雕琢的天真和自由
Give me your unaltered innocence and freedom
給我你最最珍貴所有的所有
Give me your all, the most cherished all

給你我義無反顧的長長和久久
[I] give you my unyielding eternal promise
給我你多年以後仍握緊的手
Give me your hands, closely held after many years
給你成熟你給我遷就
[I] give you maturity and you give me your loving lenience
會不會就這樣白了頭
Will we just turn grey in this way?

給我你帶著微笑的嘴角和眼眸
Give me your smiling eyes and corners of the mouth
給你我轟轟烈烈的渴望和溫柔
[I] give you my zealous longing and tenderness
給我你未經雕琢的天真和自由
Give me your unaltered innocence and freedom
給你我微不足道所有的所有
[I] give you my insignificant all
給你我微不足道所有的所有
[I] give you my insignificant all

Tag: Mao Buyi

无问-毛不易 Don’t Ask-Mao Buyi

給你給我-毛不易 For You, For Me-Mao Buyi