[Music] Alice Lau -- The Umbrella Story

Poster for The Umbrella Story (1995) 

 Poster for Alice Lau's 2013 Vancouver Concert

1. Chinese Verse of the Day:


李清照 (1084 - 1155)


一剪梅

紅藕香殘玉簟秋。輕解羅裳，獨上蘭舟。

雲中誰寄錦書來？雁字回時，月滿西樓。

花自飄零水自流。一種相思，兩處閒愁。

此情無計可消除，才下眉頭，卻上心頭。


2. The Umbrella Story ("人間有情") is the title of the theme song of a 1995 Hong Kong movie of the same name.

The title alludes to the storyline of the movie, which is a dramatization of the peoples behind the Hong Kong umbrella manufacturer Leung So Kee from its founding in 1885 onwards.

The phrase "the umbrella story" does not translate "人間有情".

A literal translation of "人間有情" would be "There is Love in the World".

Besides singing the theme song, Alice Lau is also one of the actors in this movie.


3. The Umbrella Story is a charming love song.

It is with disappointment that I can only find one instance of this song in YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJnDwMzGfMs


4. The Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:


人間有情 -- 劉雅麗


微雨裡再次進入這把傘   永留雨裡看著你的眼
重張開心中一片思憶空間   看破了這個世界一切聚散

* 微雨裡再次轉動這把傘   轉成每次結聚與分散
人生的悲歡總與心中相反   人來來回回常常原地往返

# 難忘你的真情   我的真情
每點溫柔記憶   一生都不空泛
求明瞭是這雨傘季節總未冷
人仍然苦苦等愛戀的復還
尋回你的真情   我的真情
每點溫柔   甘於一世伴你平淡
求明瞭在這冷冷世界我心未冷
情留人間一生愛未會轉淡

Repeat *, #

雨傘裡跟你緊靠風的臂彎
從前情濃並沒有一絲退減

Repeat #


5. The Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:


人间有情 -- 刘雅丽


微雨里再次进入这把伞   永留雨里看着你的眼
重张开心中一片思忆空间   看破了这个世界一切聚散

* 微雨里再次转动这把伞   转成每次结聚与分散
人生的悲欢总与心中相反   人来来回回常常原地往返

# 难忘你的真情   我的真情
每点温柔记忆   一生都不空泛
求明了是这雨伞季节总未冷
人仍然苦苦等爱恋的复还
寻回你的真情   我的真情
每点温柔   甘于一世伴你平淡
求明了在这冷冷世界我心未冷
情留人间一生爱未会转淡

Repeat *, #

雨伞里跟你紧靠风的臂弯
从前情浓并没有一丝退减

Repeat #


6. Names, Words and Phrases:

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

Leung So Kee Umbrella Factory (Traditional: 梁蘇記遮廠; Simplified: 梁苏记遮厂).


References:

"Leung So Kee Umbrella Factory",
http://www.leungsokee.com.hk/
(accessed 2014-04-16).

"Li Qingzhao", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Qingzhao
(accessed 2014-04-16).

"劉雅麗", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%8A%89%E9%9B%85%E9%BA%97
(accessed 2014-04-16).

"人間有情 (1995)", Hong Kong Movie Database,
http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=8081&complete_credits=1&display_set=big5
(accessed 2014-04-16).

"梁蘇記", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E6%A2%81%E8%98%87%E8%A8%98
(accessed 2014-04-16).

"李清照", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E6%9D%8E%E6%B8%85%E7%85%A7
(accessed 2014-04-16).

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.