Notes of a Desolate Libra

I have always been obsessed with voices. That’s why I say that I love all music, as long as it’s good music. I especially like live music, although those usually come pretty expensive. However, as with food and travel, I think experiences are priceless and if you are able to spend some money to gain them, then you should definitely go for it.

Last year I went to quite a few concerts -
1) Eason – 2/26
2) Hins – 8/27
3) MUCC – 12/15
4) Jay – 12/21

Food for the Soul!

I’m sure my friends are no stranger to my Jay Chou obsession. I ended up crying at Jay’s concert, but all of the above concerts were 100% worth watching. There’s just no word for that warm fuzzy exploding feeling in my chest that I get whenever I’m listening to live music. It’s as if a different me comes alive within me. It’s a sort of exciting, thankfulness, and just contentment that come with knowing that I am standing in front of people who love their arts as much as I love mine, and they are able to share it with other people, which is what I’m trying to do. I appreciate anyone with the passion to drive themselves forward on a “road less traveled,” but are especially thankful that they exist to show us that it is possible to attain your dreams.

To me, music is the source, capsule, and storyteller of life. Appreciating music is like appreciating life itself, because we identify with the lives that music tells with its unique language. This isn’t an ode to music, but I think just something that all music lovers know but don’t always express. I always remind myself that it is for this reason that I became a radio host, it is for this reason that I translate lyrics, and it’s for this reason that I still shell out those dollars to go see concerts. I hope you will do the same.

Aside from singers and music, voices themselves trigger something in my heart. It’s as if a voice can physically touch me and make me tremble, joyous, sad, angry… in love. That explains the obsession I have had with Seiyuus (voice actors) since young. If I close my eyes, I can visualize an entire world just by a person’s voice. Perhaps that’s why I love(d) being a radio host. My voice is nothing special, but I know that through my voice, or my words, I can bring comfort to many many people.  Such is the amazing thing that is the human voice.

Musings 2008, Concerts, Eason Chan, Hins Cheung, Jay Chou 周杰倫, MUCC, Music, Seiyuu, Voice Actors

夜曲的故事是說一個男生在悼念他死去的女朋友。MV拍得十分唯美。天飄著雪。孤寂的身影走到了埋葬了一切快樂回憶的墓埤前﹐靜靜地蹲下﹐痴痴地凝望。莊嚴的墳場中瀰漫著壓抑的憂鬱﹐冰冷的空氣﹐似乎滲透到心裡去。腦海中電視屏幕上飛掠過往昔互相嘻戲的景象﹐卻明白已經永遠無法重現。能夠怨天意弄人﹐怨天妒紅顏﹐卻仍是無力回天。

MV的背景是紐約的某個墳場﹐似乎有點熟悉。第一次看時我想﹐這大概是我坐地鐵時曾看到過的一個地方吧﹖只是﹐為什麼每次看這個MV時我的心裡總有一種撕裂的感覺﹖直到那天跟一個電臺同事一起看MV的時候﹐他突然說了一句﹕這不是FDR嗎﹖

Overcoming

一言驚醒。那刻﹐我終於明白為什麼我第一次聽到這首歌時就產生了那麼深的感觸。FDR (Franklin D. Roosevelt) Drive是紐約曼哈頓東河旁邊的一條公路。紐約享譽盛名的7月4日獨立節煙花表演最佳的觀摩地點就是在FDR﹐每個週末也可以看到無數旅遊客途經這條公 路開去紐約洲其他地區﹐一片歡樂氣氛洋溢。可是﹐我每次經過這段路的時候﹐心裡卻有抹難以消除的淡淡陰影。

幾年前﹐死亡﹐對我來說除了兒時似乎是患上輕微憂鬱症的種種症狀和幾次因為好奇而研究各類自殺的方法的白痴事跡外﹐是一個遙遠的概念。

直到爺爺去世那天﹐天地仿彿變色了﹐只剩下灰與白。那次﹐還有之後每一次去爺爺墳地的時候﹐都是經過FDR。沿途上本該賞心悅目的風景人物﹐都變得淡然無味﹐甚至成了椎心的諷刺。這首歌的氣氛背景﹐原來已經無意中跟我自己的經歷融合了。

對我來說﹐死亡﹐仍然是一件難以釋懷的事情。不過﹐夜曲裡說到的那種﹐情人死去了就要就要隱姓埋名避世的理想化生活和偏執﹐對我這些平凡人來說﹐是不大可能的。世上最遙遠的距離﹐不是死亡﹐而是遺忘。所以我不會忘記我曾經對爺爺的承諾﹐我會寫一本屬於自己的書﹐也會繼續踏上這條公路﹐直到痛楚能夠昇華。唯有去面對﹐直到釋然。

Jay Chou 周杰倫, Memories, VoCaL, 中文 Creative, Jay Chou 周杰倫, New York City, writing, 夜曲

Castle William (Jay Chou; also inspired by “backwards clock”靈感來自周杰倫歌曲“的威廉古堡”“與“反方向的鐘”)

3:29 “candles can’t replace sunlight, but at least they’ll stay quiet until twilight.”

3:11 the sun hit three in Jacquelyn’s church as she was dragged into the ivy fortress. lala-u. you cleaned your paws under the cupboard; i looked up ads looking for a diligent and loyal butler in the newspaper.

2:20 “you are being difficult! you know i can’t fly!”; he canceled afternoon tea. the young man stretched and snuggled in beside the count and closed the lid. you tried to lower the shades. i swallowed my disobedient lunch before she found her broom.

2:18 “drat. it’s so hard to find another blood type AB rat.” lala-u. she searched for her broom. the count laughed; you rubbed his temples to remind him the time. i tripped over his tea set.

2:03 “oh dear, we must do something about those weeds;” the cat’s stomach growled. Jacquelyn gave up catching her pet on foot. you chuckled and put down your silver cup. i crossed my legs on your box-bed where i sat.

2:01 “i prefer to be served before dinner.” lala-u. the pig buried his bible back into the mud. Witch danced through the dark halls. you lifted your skirt to run faster. i contemplated skipping tea.

1:55 “i don’t want a big meal before napping.” he toyed with your fangs. Butler kissed his palm and bible; you curve your back, preparing for attack. i had my eye on this rat since three days ago.

1:50 “you took my dinner!”; he grinned; the young man tightened his embrace. lala-u. you crept out from below the stove with mud and bible in hand. i found it first.

1:41 meow. she chased her pet. the count tilted his head toward his snack. you drew a red petal on his chin. i wished someone would had waited for my prayer.

1:30 the cat abandoned her pillow-home for her dinner. Jacquelyn bat her blue eyes indignantly. you laughed. i made a cocktail of blood and eyebrow.

1:27 Witch yawned. you scolded me for snacking before dinner. lala-u, i licked my lips.

1:24 you hiss from behind the pillow. i swept under the bed.

12:02 i slept.
Cast:

the count, master of the castle; a vampire
the count’s lover, a young man
Jacquelyn, a witch who can’t fly
Witch the cat, Jacquelyn’s pet who, like Jacquelyn, also likes having mice of the blood type AB for lunch
Butler the pig – the butler who always prays before eating dinner

The speaker shifts over one with every sentence.

Creative Writing, Jay Chou 周杰倫 Creative, Jay Chou 周杰倫, 周杰倫

What about the Happiness Promised? (Translated by Aka)

Your replies are in disarray
at this time, on this day.
I remember the doves by the fountain side
scattering happiness on their way.
Struggling emotions are trying to convey
that: Hey,
I still love you.
But you sing in broken strings and pretend
that everything’s the same.

As time goes by, runs away,
love has choices to make.
You grow so distant, and tired,
then I cried.
You write your feelings on a card
from the sorrow in the start
I finally understand
love that can’t be given
must end.

What is it?
You are exhausted.
What about the happiness we
promised to create?
It’s okay, let’s not say it,
love grows gray, and dreams faded.
You don’t want to let go
of happy times and those not,
recalling each by heart.
I will always remember our past love
so deeply engraved into my thoughts, but

You won’t wait,
what about the happiness we
promised to create?
It’s my fault, dry the tears,
I’ll release your hands,
then face regret.
Just that memory’s music box
still spins and sings
How can I make it stop?

What is it?
You are exhausted.
What about the happiness we
promised to create?
It’s okay, let’s not say it,
love grows gray, and dreams faded
I still remember.
You won’t wait,
what about the happiness we
promised to create?
It’s my fault, dry the tears,
I’ll release your hands,
then face regret.
Just that memory’s music box
still spins and sings
How can I make it stop?

1/23-1/27/09 T/N: Finally. Something I’ve been wanting to do for myself. Done. N drafts: 1) direct trans, 2) line break, 3) rhyme, 4) feel, 5) fit to melody… repeat… N) overall. Yes, you can sing to this if you don’t care about things getting thrown at you. It could use a new arrangement. ^^

(original)

說好的幸福呢
填詞 : 方文山　作曲 : 周杰倫　監製 : 周杰倫

你的回話凌亂著　在這個時刻
我想起噴泉旁的白鴿　甜蜜散落了
情緒莫名的拉扯　我還愛你呢
而你斷斷續續唱著歌　假裝沒事了

時間過了　走了　愛情面臨選擇
你冷了　倦了　我哭了
一開始的不快樂　你用卡片手寫著
有些愛只給到這真的懂了

怎麼了　你累了　說好的　幸福呢
我懂了　不說了　愛淡了　夢遠了
開心與不開心　一一細數著　你再不捨
那些愛過的感覺都太深刻　我都還記得

你不等了　說好的　幸福呢
我錯了　淚乾了 放手了　後悔了
只是回憶的音樂盒還旋轉著　要怎麼停呢

怎麼了 妳累了 說好的 幸福呢
我懂了 不說了 愛淡了 夢遠了 我都還記得
妳不等了 說好的 幸福呢
我錯了 淚乾了 放手了 後悔了
只是回憶的音樂盒還旋轉著 要怎麼停呢

Jay Chou 周杰倫, Lyrics 歌詞, Translations Jay Chou 周杰倫, Translation