1/17/09

周璇
Zhou Xuan



Zhou Xuan is the famous "songbird of Shanghai," a wonderful singer most active in the 30s. The following is from a movie I haven't yet seen, but it's her signature song. The song is a dramatic love song sung in a modern Chinese operatic style, so the tones may differ from the actual character. I'm working on memorizing and translating it, so below are characters and pinyin for anyone studying and wanting to sing along and study with me.

~{+}~


天涯呀海角觅呀觅知音
tiān yá ya hǎi jiǎo mì ya mì zhī yīn


小妹妹唱歌郎奏琴

xiǎo meì meì chàng gē láng zòu qín


郎呀咱们俩是一条心

láng ya zán men liǎ shì yī tiáo xīn


爱呀爱呀郎呀咱们俩是一条心

ài ya ài ya láng ya zán men liǎ shi yī tiáo xīn


家山呀北望泪呀泪沾襟

jiā shān ya běi wàng leì ya leì zhān jīn

小妹妹想郎直到今
xiǎo meì meì xiǎng láng zhí dào jīn

郎呀患难之交恩爱深

láng ya huàn nàn zhī jiāo ēn ài shēn


爱呀爱呀郎呀患难之交恩爱深

ài ya ài ya láng ya huàn nàn zhī jiāo ēn ài shēn


人生呀谁不惜呀惜青春

rén shēng ya shéi bù xī ya xī qīng chūn


小妹妹似线郎似针

xiǎo meì meì sì xiàn láng sì zhēn


郎呀穿在一起不离分

láng ya chuān zài yī qǐ bù lí fēn


爱呀爱呀郎呀穿在一起不离分

ài ya ài ya láng ya chuān zài yī qǐ bù lí fēn


~{`}~

(My translation attempt. 如果有人会翻译的话请我帮忙吧。)

At the cape at the ends of the earth, I listen to the sea for answers.
A girl sings a song, A boy offers a qin.*
The boy and I are together as one.
Oh love, love, oh, the boy and I are together as one.
In the north mountain house I wait and weep onto my gown.**
The girl still longs for her boy today.
The boy experiences the tribulations of a deep love.
Life does not spare or pity youth.
The girl is like a thread, the boy a needle.
The boy sews us together so we cannot part.
Oh love, love, oh, the boy sews us together so we cannot part.

*A qin is a Chinese stringed instrument
**"Jiashan" could be a town name rather than a "mountain house."

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