KARAOKE AS A FORM OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION

When she was still a little teenager singing Hokkien-language ballads, Teresa Teng was utterly adorable. As well as being a phenomenal artist. By the time I first heard her, she sang in Mandarin, and I wasn't very much taken with her style. Yes, it was lovely to hear.
But it seemed too studied, too polished.
In the years since she passed away, her appeal has scarcely faded.
She's still a super-star in East Asia.

Not quite my thing; a little too saccharine.


Possibly about two years ago or slightly longer back, someone cajoled a Taiwanese woman I know into singing at a karaoke lounge. This was a woman who never sings, and shouldn't do so. She had to be drunk to do it, and she massacred the song.

She took the lyrics, wrestled them to the ground, and then beat their little heads fiercely against the concrete wall. Did them so bad they bled.
It was brutal.

Mercifully the woman who had persuaded her to pick up the microphone then stepped in, and nursed the lyrics back to health. Tenderly restored them to a semblance of undamaged decency.
She actually sings very well, and drinks almost never.
It had been an act of bubbling optimism.
Urging someone else to sing.

Both women are older than I am, by the way, and fondly address each other as sisters.

[Sisters: 姊妹 'ji mui'; the term for older sister and younger sister together define the concept. Older sister: 姐姐 ('je-je'), 家姐 ('gaa je') in Cantonese usage. Younger sister: 妹妹 ('mui-mui'), 小妹 ('siu mui'). The term 小妹 is one that you should be careful with, as it also refers to a little girl, and could be used affectionately between an older man and a younger woman. Standardly one might pre-pend relationship terms with 阿 ('aa', 'ah'), which is much safer. Thus: 阿姐 ('ah je') for a young woman of an age roughly equivalent to oneself or slightly younger, 阿妹 ('ah mui') for a miss who is considerably more youthful.]


The chanson which had been so grievously maltreated is one that I like, and quite naturally I had a big cheese-eating grin on my face, astounded and entertained by the result.


你怎麼說


[SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGVF13c5SeE.]

Rather lovely, don't you think?


TERESA TENG 鄧麗君

It is one of my two that I particularly appreciate from Miss Teng's repertoire. During much of her adult life she sang songs which are a bit too sweet and romantic, but there are a number where both the phrasing and the melody come together fabulously well.

The other song is this:

月亮代表我的心


[SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv_cEeDlop0.]


Both songs are written out below. Chinese lyrics, phonetic (Pinyin) rendering, and translations which are probably not very good, as capturing the exact flavour proved impossible.

Those who read Chinese might want to read just the Chinese.


你怎麼說

我沒忘記，你忘記我；
連名字你都說錯。
證明你一切都是在騙我，
看今天你怎麼說。

你說過兩天來看我，
一等就是一年多，
三百六十五個日子不好過；
你心裡根本沒有我。
把我的愛情還給我。

Transliteration:

Wǒ méi wàngjì, nǐ wàngjì wǒ
Lián míngzì nǐ dōu shuō cuò.
Zhèngmíng nǐ yīqiè dōu shì zài piàn wǒ,
Kàn jīntiān nǐ zěnme shuō。

Nǐ shuōguò liǎng tiān lái kàn wǒ,
Yī děng jiùshì yī nián duō;
Sānbǎi liùshíwǔ gè rìzi bù hǎoguò,
Nǐ xīnlǐ gēnběn méiyǒu wǒ;
Bǎ wǒ de àiqíng huán gěi wǒ！

Translation:

I did not forget you, but you forgot me,
Even the two words of my name you now pronounce wrong!
You were without a doubt just stringing me along,
And what do have to say for yourself now?

You told me you would be back in a couple of days,
It was one whole year and more!
Three hundred and sixty five days were hard to bear,
In your heart there was naught of me,
Return to me all my love.


月亮代表我的心

你問我愛你有多深，我愛你有幾分；
我的情也真，我的愛也真，月亮代表我的心。
你問我愛你有多深，我愛你有幾分；
我的情不移，我的愛不變，月亮代表我的心。

輕輕的一個吻，已經打動我的心；
深深的一段情，叫我思念到如今。

你問我愛你有多深，我愛你有幾分；
你去想一想，你去看一看，月亮代表我的心。

輕輕的一個吻，已經打動我的心；
深深的一段情，叫我思念到如今。

你問我愛你有多深，我愛你有幾分。
你去想一想，你去看一看，月亮代表我的心。

Transliteration:

Nǐ wèn wǒ ài nǐ yǒu duō shēn, wǒ ài nǐ yǒu jǐ fēn;
Wǒ de qíng yě zhēn, wǒ de ài yě zhēn,
Yuèliàng dàibiǎo wǒ de xīn.

Nǐ wèn wǒ ài nǐ yǒu duō shēn, wǒ ài nǐ yǒu jǐ fēn;
Wǒ de qíng bù yí, wǒ de ài bù biàn,
Yuèliàng dàibiǎo wǒ de xīn.

Qīng qīng de yīgè wěn, yǐjīng dǎdòng wǒ de xīn;
Shēn shēn de yīduàn qíng, jiào wǒ sīniàn dào rújīn.

Nǐ wèn wǒ ài nǐ yǒu duō shēn, wǒ ài nǐ yǒu jǐ fēn;
Nǐ qù xiǎng yī xiǎng, nǐ qù kàn yī kàn, yuèliàng dàibiǎo wǒ de xīn.

Qīng qīng de yīgè wěn, yǐjīng dǎdòng wǒ de xīn;
Shēn shēn de yīduàn qíng, jiào wǒ sīniàn dào rújīn.

Translation:

You ask how much I love you, how deeply do I care;
My emotions are true, my love is true,
The moon illustrates what is in my heart.

You ask how much I love you, how deeply I care;
My emotions do not waver, my love does not change,
The moon illustrates what is in my heart.

A gentle kiss, that stirred my heart;
The depth of which I remember to the present.

You ask how much I love you, how deeply do I care;
Just think a little bit, and reflect a moment,
The moon illustrates what is in my heart.

A gentle kiss, that stirred my heart;
The depth of which I brings me to this moment.

You ask how much I love you, how deeply do I care;
Just think a little bit, and reflect a moment,
The moon illustrates what is in my heart.


AFTERWORD

I myself have sung karaoke maybe five or six times in my entire life. Like the Taiwanese woman I mentioned earlier, I needed Dutch courage to do so, and it was not a rewarding experience for all concerned parties.

When I sing, everyone should step outside for a smoke break.
Even, especially, the non-smokers.

Just ignore me while it lasts.
I'll be alright again soon.

Sorry.




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