[Music] Judy Ongg - I Believe

1. When one is down in life and needs encouragement, "I Believe" is one of the songs to turn to - listening to this song is very therapeutic.

"I Believe" is the Cantonese theme song for the Japanese TV drama "Oshin", which started airing in Japan in April, 1983.

"Oshin tells the story of a girl born in a very poor rural family in Japan, who through hard work and perseverance eventually triumphs over pain and adversity to achieve fame and success." ("Oshin" in DramaWiki)

"Shin" is the name of that girl.

The accent or emphasis of the story of Oshin is not "to achieve fame and success", but "triumphs over pain and adversity" through "hard work and perseverance".

Three actresses played Shin in the TV Drama:

(a) Ayako Kobayashi (6 to 10 years old) .

(b) Yuko Tanaka (16 to 46 years old) .

(c) Nobuko Otowa (50 to 84 years old) .

Oshin is a very powerful drama - watching it in the 1980s actually brought me to tears many times.


2. To cater to the Hong Kong market, two songs were specially written for the Cantonese dubbing of Oshin: "I Believe" ("信") by Judy Ongg and "Offerings for Love" ("愛的奉獻").

To cater to the Taiwan market, two songs were also written for the Mandarin dubbings: "Always Believe" ("永遠相信") by Judy Ongg and "A Thankful Heart" ("感恩的心") by AuYeung Fei Fei.

The word "shin" means "believe" in both Japanese and Chinese, so "believe" appears a lot in the songs' title.

"Shin" ("Believe") is the name of the girl; "believe", as in believing in goodness and the future in the face of adversities, is also a major motif of the TV Drama.

So the single worded title of the song "信" can simply be translated as "Believe"; but given the story line of Oshin, it can equally well be translated as "I Believe".

My preference is for "I Believe".


3. A Mandarin version of "I Believe" also appeared.

It was also sung by Judy Ongg; the music is the same but the title and lyrics are different.

The new title is "Because I Believe" ("因為相信").

The Mandarin lyrics are more relaxed than its Cantonese counterparts and, in my opinion, nearly as good.


4. A search in YouTube yields a few instances of this song.

The original Cantonese version by Judy Ongg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPGe3qlOzJk

A memorable song!

The video consists of a static photo of the three Japanese actresses that played Shin.


5. A cover version by Andy Lau:

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXwqJpQsZMk

I like the arrangement of this version.


6. Sally Yeh covering the song in concert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmTPQ97aYBk

Sally is a very talented singer.


7. "Because I Believe" by Judy Ongg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdM5mjAHGI0

Very nice.


8. Another version of "I Believe" by Judy Ongg:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqdG1PafnzQ
 
(All four of Judy Ongg's songs associated with Oshin!)


9. This sidewalk karaoke performance is quite good:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb40901OkVY

Another angle of the same performance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlX8b3Nkdz8

According to the uploader, this sidewalk karaoke is located in Mongkok District, Hong Kong.


10. A nice cover version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3FDGDSrTi4


11. Judy Ongg in concert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8gagAzqCgI

She was so beautiful!


12. The Lyrics of "I Believe" in Traditional Chinese:

信 - 翁倩玉

雲與清風可以常擁有
關注共愛不可強求
不強求   不強求   永遠等候
如必需苦楚   我承受

＊ 誰會珍惜當你還擁有
將要逝去總想挽留
想挽留   想挽留   看似荒謬
求今天所得   永遠守

＃ 命運是對手   永不低頭
從來沒抱怨半句   不去問理由
仍踏著前路走   青春走到白頭
成功只有靠一雙手

重唱 ＊,＃,＃

命運是對手   永不低頭
從來沒抱怨半句   不去問理由
仍踏著前路走   青春走到白頭
成功只有靠堅守信心   奮鬥


13. The Lyrics of "I Believe" in Simplified Chinese:

信 - 翁倩玉

云与清风可以常拥有
关注共爱不可强求
不强求   不强求   永远等候
如必需苦楚   我承受

＊ 谁会珍惜当你还拥有
将要逝去总想挽留
想挽留   想挽留   看似荒谬
求今天所得   永远守

＃ 命运是对手   永不低头
从来没抱怨半句   不去问理由
仍踏著前路走   青春走到白头
成功只有靠一双手

重唱　＊,＃,＃

命运是对手   永不低头
从来没抱怨半句   不去问理由
仍踏著前路走   青春走到白头
成功只有靠坚守信心   奋斗


14. The Lyrics of "Because I Believe" in Traditional Chinese:

因為相信 - 翁倩玉

白雲清風怎麼可能擁有   只有今天握在我手
讓生活讓愛情將我左右   為一個值得的理由

該做的事做的毫無保留   該走的路不再回頭
一個人兩個人總會要走   即使有孤獨的時候

因為我相信所以我追求   不該屬於我的一切我不想擁有

在花花世界裡什麼才是不朽   曾經付出   也是一種成就

只要我相信就讓我追求   不該屬於我的一切我不想擁有

在花花世界裡什麼才是不朽   能夠隨心所欲   也是一種成就


15. The Lyrics of "Because I Believe" in Simplified Chinese:

因为相信 - 翁倩玉

白云清风怎么可能拥有   只有今天握在我手
让生活让爱情将我左右   为一个值得的理由

该做的事做的毫无保留   该走的路不再回头
一个人两个人总会要走   即使有孤独的时候

因为我相信所以我追求   不该属于我的一切我不想拥有

在花花世界里什么才是不朽   曾经付出   也是一种成就

只要我相信就让我追求   不该属于我的一切我不想拥有

在花花世界里什么才是不朽   能够随心所欲   也是一种成就


16. Names, Words and Phrases:

Judy Ongg (Traditional Chinese: 翁倩玉; Simplified Chinese: 翁倩玉).

Andy Lau (Traditional: 劉德華; Simplified: 刘德华)

AuYeung Fei Fei (Traditional: 歐陽菲菲; Simplified: 欧阳菲菲).

Ayako Kobayashi (Traditional: 小林綾子; Simplified: 小林绫子).

Nobuko Otowa (Traditional: 乙羽信子; Simplified: 乙羽信子).

Oshin (Traditional: 阿信的故事; Simplified: 阿信的故事).

Sally Yeh (Traditional: 葉蒨文; Simplified: 叶倩文).

Yuko Tanaka (Traditional: 田中裕子; Simplified: 田中裕子).


References:

"Judy Ongg", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Ongg
(accessed 2011-12-30).

"Oshin", DramaWiki,
http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Oshin
(accessed 2011-12-30).

"Oshin", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oshin
(accessed 2011-12-30).

"翁倩玉", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E7%BF%81%E5%80%A9%E7%8E%89
(accessed 2011-12-30).

"阿信的故事", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E9%98%BF%E4%BF%A1_%28%E9%9B%BB%E8%A6%96%E5%8A%87%29
(accessed 2011-12-30).

End.

[Music] Han Lei - Waiting

1. Han Lei is a Chinese male singer born in 1968.

Han Lei's father is Han Chinese but his mother is ethnically Mongolian.

Han Lei entered the Chinese music scene in a Beijing concert performance in 1991 and his stars have been rising since.

Han Lei has a very strong voice - in colloquial Putonghua it is called "big air".


2. I first came across Han Lei's music in watching the television drama "The Emperor Han Wu" ("汉武大帝").

"The Emperor Han Wu" is a 58 episodes historical drama that was first aired on China's CCTV in 2005.

CCTV is short for "China Central Television".

There are six songs in "The Emperor Han Wu", Han Lei sang four of them:

(a) Last Confession ("最后的倾诉") (Theme Song).

(b) Waiting ("等待").

(c) Who Will Remember Who in a Thousand Years ("千百年后谁还记得谁").

(d) Places Where My Heart Has Laid ("心灵睡过的地方").

The four songs are all memorable songs and their titles are aesthetically well- chosen.

The titles evoke moving thoughts and imageries in my mind.

 
3. A search in YouTube yields only three instances of the song "Waiting".

The male singer in the video is Han Lei:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mXATUp1uv4

I agree with a comment on YouTube - Han Lei sitting down on a chair wrecked this video for me too.

Sitting down on a chair is totally incongruent with the music and lyrics.


4. Another version by Han Lei:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqdSeBMFo8o

The video are scenes from the TV drama.


5. The version by Yao Bei Na:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yz5chi5M848

Again, the video are scenes from the TV drama.

In the TV drama, there are two versions of "Waiting" - one sang by Han Lei and the other by the female Yao Bei Na.

The version by Yao Bei Na appeard only once - in the wedding scene of Emperor Han Wu.


6. The Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:

等待 - 韓磊 姚貝娜

我為什麼還在等待
我不知道為何仍這樣癡情
明知輝煌過後是暗淡
仍期待著把一切從頭來過
我們既然曾經擁有
我的愛就不想停頓
每個夢裡都有你的夢
共同期待一個永恆的春天
春天


7. The Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:

等待 - 韩磊　姚贝娜

我为什么还在等待
我不知道为何仍这样痴情
明知辉煌过后是暗淡
仍期待着把一切从头来过
我们既然曾经拥有
我的爱就不想停顿
每个梦里都有你的梦
共同期待一个永恒的春天
春天


8. Names, Words and Phrases:

Han Lei (Traditional Chinese: 韓磊; Simplified Chinese: 韩磊).

"Big air" (Traditional: 大氣; Simplified: 大气).

CCTV (Traditional: 中國中央電視台; Simplified: 中国中央电视台).

Emperor Wu of Han (Traditional: 漢武帝; Simplified: 汉武帝).

Yao Bei Na (Traditional: 姚貝娜; Simplified: 姚贝娜).


References:

"China Central Television", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Central_Television
(accessed 2011-12-29).

"Emperor Wu of Han", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Wu_of_Han
(accessed 2011-12-29).

"韩磊", Baidu,
http://baike.baidu.com/view/21968.htm
(accessed 2011-12-29).

"韩磊", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9F%A9%E7%A3%8A
(accessed 2011-12-29).

"漢武帝", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E6%B1%89%E6%AD%A6%E5%B8%9D
(accessed 2011-12-29).

"汉武大帝" (TV Drama), Baidu,
http://baike.baidu.com/view/55078.htm#sub6183438
(accessed 2011-12-29).

"汉武大帝" (TV Drama), Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B1%89%E6%AD%A6%E5%A4%A7%E5%B8%9D
(accessed 2011-12-29).

End.

[Music] Alice Lau - I Have a Date with Spring

1. "I Have a Date with Spring" ("我和春天有個約會") is first a 1992 Hong Kong theatre production, then a 1994 Hong Kong film and after that a 1995 Hong Kong ATV's television drama.

 
A second stage production, re-written as a musical, was produced after the film.

 
A 2010 China's television production of "I Have a Date with Spring" was unfinished because of a serious accident.

 
2. "I Have a Date with Spring" is also the name of the theme song of the stage productions, the film and the television drama.

 
I have watched the 1994's film twice on DVD and it has the feel of a stage production but on film.

The theme song was sang by Alice Lau in all three medium.

She was also the lead actress in the stage productions and film.

 
Alice Lau is multi-talented - she can sing and act.

3. It is well known that Alice Lau has a taste for American Jazz.

 
Some of her songs have a Jazz feel to it.

It is especially so with "I Have a Date with Spring" - the accompanying saxophone makes it unmistakable.

I enjoy this cross between Cantopop and Jazz very much.

4. A search in YouTube yields many instances of this song.

 
A version of the song from the film:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2ieuYw-ewI

A moving performance by Alice Lau!

 

5. A cover version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eavjeeo9XG0

Not too bad.

 
6. A cover version by Sheren Tang, who performed it in Shanghai in 2011:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY7sE8oSJUU

Sheren Tang was the lead actress in the 1995 TV drama.

7. A Mandarin version by Cally Kwong with new lyrics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7ZIr5_jOqE

Although not very nuanced, Cally Kwong has a very sweet voice.

Alice Lau never sang the Mandarin version of the song.

So is Cally Kwong's version of the song considered an original or cover?

 

8. Alice Lau in concert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYIBQBS42q4

This interpretation of the song is very different from Alice's performance in the film version.

I prefer the original film version.

 

9. A piano solo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATY23ZBCWy8

The uploader wrote:
I watched the series many years ago, and really liked it. Recently I heard the theme song on radio, and decided to play it on piano. This was my spontaneous arrangement of the song.

 

10. A Mandarin cover version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdSbCBTZhRo

The choice of using four Japanese actresses in the video is very interesting.

 

11. A version with the Taiwanese actress Shu Qi in the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfUfW5ATZTQ

12. A cover version by the superstar Faye Wong - who sang it in a variety show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_tE2o73lUE

13. In this version, the video is consisted of photos from the stage productions and film:

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp8UXhaEppM

14. The Cantonese Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:

我和春天有個約會 - 劉雅麗

夜闌人靜處   響起了   一訣幽幽的 SAXAPHONE
牽起了   愁懷於心深處
夜闌人靜處   當聽到   這一訣幽幽的 SAXAPHONE
想起你   茫然於   漆黑夜半

在這晚星月迷濛   盼再看到你瞼容
在這晚思念無窮   心中感覺似沒法操縱
想終有日我面對你   交低我內裡情濃
春風哪日會為你跟我重逢   吹送

夜闌人靜處   當天際   星與月漸漸流動
感觸有如   潮水般洶湧
若是情未凍   請跟我   哼這幽幽的 SAXAPHONE
於今晚   柔柔的   想我入夢中

夜闌人靜處   當天際   星與月漸漸流動
感觸有如   潮水般洶湧
若是情未凍   請跟我   哼這幽幽的 SAXAPHONE
它可以   柔柔將   真愛為你送

若是情未凍   始終相信   我倆與春天   有個約會
I HAVE A DATE WITH SPRING

15. The Cantonese  Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:

我和春天有个约会 - 刘雅丽

夜阑人静处   响起了   一诀幽幽的 SAXAPHONE
牵起了   愁怀于心深处
夜阑人静处   当听到   这一诀幽幽的 SAXAPHONE
想起你   茫然于   漆黑夜半

在这晚星月迷蒙   盼再看到你睑容
在这晚思念无穷   心中感觉似没法操纵
想终有日我面对你   交低我内里情浓
春风哪日会为你跟我重逢   吹送

夜阑人静处   当天际   星与月渐渐流动
感触有如   潮水般汹涌
若是情未冻   请跟我   哼这幽幽的 SAXAPHONE
于今晚   柔柔的   想我入梦中

夜阑人静处   当天际   星与月渐渐流动
感触有如   潮水般汹涌
若是情未冻   请跟我   哼这幽幽的 SAXAPHONE
它可以   柔柔将   真爱为你送

若是情未冻   始终相信   我俩与春天   有个约会
I HAVE A DATE WITH SPRING


16. Names, Words and Phrases:

 
Alice Lau (Traditional Chinese: 劉雅麗; Simplified Chinese: 刘雅丽).

Cally Kwong (Traditional: 鄺美雲; Simplified: 邝美云).

Faye Wong (Traditional: 王菲; Simplified: 王菲).

Musical Production (Traditioanl: 音樂劇; Simplified: 音乐剧).

Sheren Tang (Traditional: 鄧萃雯; Simplified: 邓萃雯).

Shu Qi (Traditional: 舒淇; Simplified: 舒淇).

Theatre Production (Traditional: 舞台劇; Simplified: 舞台剧).

References:

"I Have a Date with Spring", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Have_a_Date_with_Spring
(accessed 2011-12-28).

"劉雅麗", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8A%89%E9%9B%85%E9%BA%97
(accessed 2011-12-28).

"我和春天有個約會 (舞台劇)", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%88%91%E5%92%8C%E6%98%A5%E5%A4%A9%E6%9C%89%E5%80%8B%E7%B4%84%E6%9C%83_%28%E8%88%9E%E5%8F%B0%E5%8A%87%29
(accessed 2011-12-28).

"我和春天有個約會 (電影)", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%88%91%E5%92%8C%E6%98%A5%E5%A4%A9%E6%9C%89%E5%80%8B%E7%B4%84%E6%9C%83_%28%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%29
(accesssed 2011-12-28).

"我和春天有個約會 (1995年電視劇)", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%88%91%E5%92%8C%E6%98%A5%E5%A4%A9%E6%9C%89%E5%80%8B%E7%B4%84%E6%9C%83_%281995%E5%B9%B4%E9%9B%BB%E8%A6%96%E5%8A%87%29
(accessed 2011-12-28).

"我和春天有個約會 (2010年電視劇)", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%88%91%E5%92%8C%E6%98%A5%E5%A4%A9%E6%9C%89%E5%80%8B%E7%B4%84%E6%9C%83_%282010%E5%B9%B4%E9%9B%BB%E8%A6%96%E5%8A%87%29
(accessed 2011-12-28).

End.

[Music] Cass Phang - I Have My Own World

 

1. The Wikipedia entry "Cass Phang" says she has retired; but I like to think Cass Phang just went into hibernation.
 
Cassapella Phang is a very talented Cantopop singer active in the 1990s.
 
She is married to another Hong Kong artist Jan Lamb in 1998.
 
Together they have two daughters born in 2000 and 2004 respectively.
 
Cass Phang went into retirement after marriage, made a brief comeback after her first daughter was born but has been "hibernating" since having her second daughter.



2. "I have My Own World" ("我有我天地") came out in 1997.

Both the music and lyrics are very upbeat and convey the happy state she was in.

The lyrics especially express the self-confidence of a would-be feminist who knows exactly where the limitation of feminism lies.

I wish Cass Phang all the happiness having found her "world" in married life.


3. A search in YouTube yields only a few instances of this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yykgptCKbc

The woman in the video is Cass Phang.


4. Another version of the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mGDSD0bHgo


5. This concert version does not have the entire song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ig4kot3c8no


6. The Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:

我有我天地 - 彭羚

從來不慣受控   完全自我也自信
在夢裡有我清藍天空
如雲彩與你遇上   忘形自由地飛縱
就是你令我美夢變真   也更出眾

* 平凡都市變鬧哄   寒流下仍未覺凍
為著我與你心靈相通
再也等不了跟你街中抱擁
像嬴盡一千億愛寵
知道嘛   凌晨睡眼惺忪
和悠悠長夜作夢
我都想與你相逢

# 仍然是我有我   自製造我夢與想
曾揚言我世界   要衝破平凡狀況
沿路有你拍翼同步再飛往
我的天空色彩幻變更好看
仍然是我有我   在兌現我夢與想
來環遊我世界   這一切自由自創
從沒界線   跳越常限更適當
心底天窗   從今不可再關上

Repeat * # #


7. The Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:

我有我天地 - 彭羚

从来不惯受控   完全自我也自信
在梦里有我清蓝天空
如云彩与你遇上   忘形自由地飞纵
就是你令我美梦变真   也更出众

* 平凡都市变闹哄   寒流下仍未觉冻
为着我与你心灵相通
再也等不了跟你街中抱拥
像嬴尽一千亿爱宠
知道嘛 凌晨睡眼惺忪
和悠悠长夜作梦
我都想与你相逢

# 仍然是我有我   自制造我梦与想
曾扬言我世界   要冲破平凡状况
沿路有你拍翼同步再飞往
我的天空色彩幻变更好看
仍然是我有我   在兑现我梦与想
来环游我世界   这一切自由自创
从没界线   跳越常限更适当
心底天窗   从今不可再关上

Repeat * # #


8. Names, Words and Phrases

Cass Phang (Traditional Chinese: 彭羚; Simplified Chinese: 彭羚)

Jan Lamb (Traditional: 林海峰; Simplified: 林海峰)

Cantopop (Traditional: 粵語流行音樂; Simplified: 粤语流行音乐)


References:

"Cantopop", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantopop
(accessed 2011-12-27).

"Cass Phang", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cass_Phang
(accessed 2011-12-27).

"彭羚", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%BD%AD%E7%BE%9A
(accessed 2011-12-27).

"我有我天地", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
 http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%88%91%E6%9C%89%E6%88%91%E5%A4%A9%E5%9C%B0
(accessed 2011-12-28).

End.

[Music] Frances Yip - Shanghai Beach

1. It is common to classify a Chinese singer as either an idol-type or a talent-type.

The two categories, of course, are not mutually exclusive.

An idol can have talent and a talent can become an idol.

Frances Yip is definitely a very talented singer.

In a career that spans over forty years and is still going, Frances Yip has recorded more than 80 albums.

But to most Chinese, Frances Yip's signature song will always be "Shanghai Beach".
 

2. "Shanghai Beach" is the theme song of a Hong Kong TVB's television drama of the same name that was aired in March, 1980.

Curiously, the official English translation of the TV drama is "The Bund".

TVB should have opted for the most appropriate "Shanghai Beach" instead of using the rare word "bund".

The drama is a period piece set in Shanghai in the 1920s when China was in turmoil.

(But when in the 150 years before 1980 was China not in turmoil?)

The music and lyrics very powerfully expressed the emotional impact of a drastically changing era on a people and on the individual persons.

As Frances Yip said, wherever she performs, the audience will not let her end a performance until she sang "Shanghai Beach".

And Frances Yip has performed in over 30 countries on 5 continents.
 

3. A search in YouTube yields many instances of this song.

A concert version of the song in the original Cantonese:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uBkWv8L0eg
 

4. This version has the Cantonese pronunciation hard sub into the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM8Y0_OnFgg

Those who do not speak Cantonese can follow along.
 

5. A Mandarin Chinese (or Putonghua) version of the song with different lyrics:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBKsfoTxi50

More than one person commented that the Cantonese original sounds much better.

I concur.
 

6. In this version, the video are scenes from the 1980 TV drama:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoX5iYiSTro
 

7. I like the video of this version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THM6Ob4y7Z0

Frances Yip first sang in Mandarin and then Andy Lau sang in Cantonese.

The video is most appropriate for this song.

The actor in the video is Andy Lau.
 

8. A Vietnamese cover version of the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXgUonG5c4Q
 

9. The music in classical guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAMVLOiO9NM

Very good.
 

10. Frances Yip is so grand in this concert version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHpA_YtTNHw
 

11. A Cantonese cover version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ram9lDpa7A
 

12. In this cover version by Andy Lau, there is both the Cantonese lyrics (top) and Mandarin lyrics (bottom):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsxcYMf3xmU

Andy Lau sang the song first in Cantonese and then in Mandarin.

There is no doubt that the Cantonese lyrics are much better than the Mandarin ones.

As one person commented in YouTube, the Mandarin lyrics lost the "powerful mojo" that was in the Cantonese.

Yet the Mandarin lyrics were written many years later than the Cantonese.

One should not tinker with a classic if one cannot do it better.

Are there reasons other than musical for the Mandarin lyrics?

Puzzling.
 

13. The arrangement and accompanying musical instruments for this version are very interesting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvIW_vwHBp4
 

14. Vietnamese parody of the song?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfTsu8q_1SU

Funny video!
 

15. A very competent Vietnamese cover version (first and third part):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cKWJixV7Dg
 

16. Frances Yip performs the song in a Malaysia concert in 2011:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctwSBXshFjw

 
17. The Cantonese Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:

上海灘 - 葉麗儀

浪奔   浪流
萬里滔滔江水永不休
淘盡了世間事
混作滔滔一片潮流

是喜   是愁
浪裡分不清歡笑悲憂
成功   失敗
浪裡看不出有未有

＊愛你   恨你   問君知否
似大江一發不收
轉千彎   轉千灘
亦未平復此中爭鬥

＃又有喜   又有愁
就算分不清歡笑悲憂
仍願翻   百千浪
在我心中起伏夠

重唱　＊,＃

仍願翻   百千浪
在我心中起伏夠


18. The Cantonese Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:

上海滩 - 叶丽仪

浪奔   浪流
万里滔滔江水永不休
淘尽了世间事
混作滔滔一片潮流

是喜   是愁
浪里分不清欢笑悲忧
成功   失败
浪里看不出有未有

＊爱你   恨你   问君知否
似大江一发不收
转千弯   转千滩
亦未平复此中争斗

＃又有喜   又有愁
就算分不清欢笑悲忧
仍愿翻   百千浪
在我心中起伏够

重唱 ＊,＃

仍愿翻   百千浪
在我心中起伏够

 
19. Names, Words and Phrases

Frances Yip (Traditional Chinese: 葉麗儀; Simplified Chinese: 叶丽仪)

Andy Lau (Traditional: 劉德華; Simplified: 刘德华)

Bund (Traditional: 外灘; Simplified: 外滩)

Idol-type (Traditional: 偶像派; Simplified: 偶像派)

Shanghai Beach (Traditional: 上海灘; Simplified: 上海滩)

Talent-type (Traditional: 實力派; Simplified: 实力派)



References:

"Frances Yip", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Yip
(accessed 2011-12-26).

"葉麗儀", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%91%89%E9%BA%97%E5%84%80
(accessed 2011-12-26).

"上海灘 (1980年電視劇)", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%8A%E6%B5%B7%E7%81%98_%281980%E5%B9%B4%E9%9B%BB%E8%A6%96%E5%8A%87%29
(accessed 2011-12-26).

End.