Favorite Mandarin songs

[Bernard Cleary]

Continuing in the same vein as last week's post (posted on the comments board), here's another poem by 三毛, set to music, and sung again by 齊豫. A few years older than 夢田, the title is 橄欖樹(Olive Tree). Lyrics follow the video. Enjoy!


橄欖樹 (Olive Tree)

不要問我從那裡來
我的故鄉在遠方
為什麼流浪,流浪遠方,流浪

為了天空飛翔的小鳥
為了山間輕流的小溪
為了寬闊的草原
流浪遠方,流浪

還有,還有
為了夢中的橄欖樹,橄欖樹
不要問我從那裡來
我的故鄉在遠方

為什麼流浪
為什麼流浪遠方

為了我夢中的橄欖樹

不要問我從那裡來
我的故鄉在遠方
為什麼流浪,流浪遠方,流浪

[José Balido]

Wow! 这个歌儿非常的好听！But............ olive trees in China? Are there? How come they don't have olive oil?

[Bernard Cleary]

Well, it's poetry, so my interpretation might not be right, but I'll share my thoughts anyway: Note that the olive tree is the "olive tree in my dreams"; note also the question repeated several times: "why [do you] wander so far?" Keeping in mind that 三毛 herself was a traveler/wanderer (whose husband was Spanish, if I'm not mistaken), I think she wrote this poem in the first person, about herself. The reasons for wandering? "The little birds that fly in the sky; the little brooks that flow lightly through the mountains; and...and...the olive tree in my dreams."

My sense since the first time I studied these lyrics (1982?) was that her wanderlust was triggered by a sense of adventure to exotic lands. An olive grove would be exotic to most Chinese, I think. She spent a lot of time in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, which fits that interpretation, too.

As to whether China produces olives, I don't know for sure, but I'd be surprised if they didn't have some production, perhaps way out west in the desert/oases of 新疆. I do know that there is a kind of dried (or preserved) olive snack that a teacher offered me once years ago in Taiwan. It was all I could do not to spit it right out. It was heavily spiced, bitter, had an herbal-medicinal flavor, and was not at all pleasant, to me.

Jose Balido said:

Wow! 这个歌儿非常的好听！But............ olive trees in China? Are there? How come they don't have olive oil?

[Bernard Cleary]

Since this is a language exchange forum, I am now going to put on my teacher's hat, and hope that my innate pedantry does not offend: The standard measure word for "歌" (as well "詩") is 首. Thus, 這首歌非常好聽...才對! Huh! :)


Jose Balido said:

Wow! 这个歌儿非常的好听！But............ olive trees in China? Are there? How come they don't have olive oil?

[Bernard Cleary]

不了情 (Endless Love) is a real oldie. Not sure when this song was first written or performed, but it's a Mandarin classic that has been recorded and performed by many, many artists over the decades. 費玉清, the singer in the video below, has one of the most beautiful pop tenor voices I've ever heard. Lyrics follow the video. Enjoy!


不了情

忘不了忘不了
忘不了你的錯
忘不了你的好
忘不了雨中的散步
也忘不了那風裡的擁抱
忘不了忘不了
忘不了你的淚
忘不了你的笑
忘不了葉落的惆悵
也忘不了那花開的煩惱

寂寞的長巷
而今斜月清照
冷落的鞦韆
而今迎風輕搖
它重複你的叮嚀
一聲聲忘了忘了
它低訴我的衷曲
一聲聲難了難了

忘不了忘不了
忘不了春已盡
忘不了花已老
忘不了離別的滋味
也忘不了那相思的苦惱

[José Balido]

Not too offended, 谢谢！So I'm learning something here!

Bernard Cleary said:

Since this is a language exchange forum, I am now going to put on my teacher's hat, and hope that my innate pedantry does not offend: The standard measure word for "歌" (as well "詩") is 首. Thus, 這首歌非常好聽...才對! Huh! :)


Jose Balido said:

Wow! 这个歌儿非常的好听！But............ olive trees in China? Are there? How come they don't have olive oil?

[José Balido]

Hmm. 忘不了= I can't forget?
Xiexie!

Bernard Cleary said:

不了情 (Endless Love) is a real oldie. Not sure when this song was first written or performed, but it's a Mandarin classic that has been recorded and performed by many, many artists over the decades. 費玉清, the singer in the video below, has one of the most beautiful pop tenor voices I've ever heard. Lyrics follow the video. Enjoy!


不了情

忘不了忘不了
忘不了你的錯
忘不了你的好
忘不了雨中的散步
也忘不了那風裡的擁抱
忘不了忘不了
忘不了你的淚
忘不了你的笑
忘不了葉落的惆悵
也忘不了那花開的煩惱

寂寞的長巷
而今斜月清照
冷落的鞦韆
而今迎風輕搖
它重複你的叮嚀
一聲聲忘了忘了
它低訴我的衷曲
一聲聲難了難了

忘不了忘不了
忘不了春已盡
忘不了花已老
忘不了離別的滋味
也忘不了那相思的苦惱

[Bernard Cleary]

Yes! Here's a very quick-and-dirty translation of the lyrics. I didn't spend much time on this, so it may be a little loose! And I'm changing my translated title to "Unforgettable Romance."

不了情 Unforgettable Romance

忘不了忘不了 I cannot forget, cannot forget
忘不了你的錯 Cannot forget your wrongs
忘不了你的好 Cannot forget your kindness
忘不了雨中的散步 Cannot forget the walks in the rain
也忘不了那風裡的擁抱 Or the embraces in the storm
忘不了忘不了 I cannot forget, cannot forget
忘不了你的淚 Cannot forget your tears
忘不了你的笑 Cannot forget your smiles
忘不了葉落的惆悵 Cannot forget the melancholy of the fallen leaves
也忘不了那花開的煩惱 Or the heartache of the flowers in bloom

寂寞的長巷The deserted, long lane
而今斜月清照 Is now bathed in pale moonlight;
冷落的鞦韆 The abandoned swing
而今迎風輕搖Now sways slightly in the breeze.
它重複你的叮嚀Every sound they make repeats your exhortation:
一聲聲忘了忘了 "Forget me! Forget me!"
它低訴我的衷曲Every sound they make whispers my heart's complaint:
一聲聲難了難了"I can't! I can't!"

忘不了忘不了 I cannot forget, cannot forget
忘不了春已盡 Cannot forget that spring is gone
忘不了花已老 Cannot forget that the blossoms have faded
忘不了離別的滋味 Cannot forget how it felt to part
也忘不了那相思的苦惱 Or the distress of lovesick yearning

Jose Balido said:

Hmm. 忘不了= I can't forget?
Xiexie!

[EnLinea Media]

Beautiful!!

[José Balido]

请问，柯先生，这个星期我们有没有新的歌啊？

Go-Lo.net said:

Beautiful!!

[Bernard Cleary]

嚴格來講這並不是'歌',但我覺得這位業餘的古箏手彈這首梁山伯與祝英台彈得非常好聽!

Jose Balido said:

请问，柯先生，这个星期我们有没有新的歌啊？

Go-Lo.net said:

Beautiful!!

[Bernard Cleary]

And here's an actual song, a very old one, and one that I find incredibly funny and sassy, particularly given how old it is. The singer, 白光, was big in China in the 1940s. Lyrics follow the video. I may attempt a translation later, but for now, try to figure it out yourself, huh!


假惺惺 假惺惺
做人何必假惺惺
你想看 你要看
你就仔細的看看清
不要那麼樣的裝著
不要那麼樣的裝著
一本正經 一本正經 何必呢
假正經假正經
你的眼睛早已經
溜過來又溜過去
在偷偷的看個不停
難為情 難為情
什麼叫做難為情
想愛我要愛我
你就痛快的表明
不要那麼樣的扮起
不要那麼樣的扮起
面孔鐵青 嚇壞了人何必呢
紅著臉 跳著心
你的靈魂早已經
飄過來又飄過去
在飄飄的飄個不停



Jose Balido said:

请问，柯先生，这个星期我们有没有新的歌啊？

Go-Lo.net said:

Beautiful!!

[José Balido]

你没有说错了！非常的好听！It's amazing how his fingers fly over the strings!!

Bernard Cleary said:

嚴格來講這並不是'歌',但我覺得這位業餘的古箏手彈這首梁山伯與祝英台彈得非常好聽!