Jackie Chan
1. I am a big fan of Jackie Chan's comedic-action movies.
But let’s face it, the guy basically cannot sing.
Yet there are a few songs Jackie Chan sings surprisingly well.
Ask Me ("問我") is one of those few songs.
2. Ask Me is a light-hearted inspirational song that is suited for many occasions.
This song was originally a sub-theme song of the 1976 Hong Kong movie Jumping Ash ("跳灰").
"跳灰" is a Chinese phrase specific to Hong Kong meaning trafficking in heroine.
Although Josephine Siao appeared to sing this song in the movie, it was actually lip-synch by Chan Lai-Sze.
Ask Me was also the sub-theme song of the 1996 Hong Kong movie Feel 100% (1) and was sang by Sammi Cheng.
Ask Me has been covered by many artists since 1976.
3. Jackie Chan singing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikkq7e5_O4w
But even with a cheat sheet, Jackie Chan still make a mistake with the lyrics at the 2:37 minutes mark. : - )
4. The original singer of Ask Me was Chan Lai-Sze:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHPAYlJrsz8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8AAKStSeA0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXzSzR-piEQ
The scale of this song is quite difficult for the female voice.
5. Josephine Siao appeared to "sing" Ask Me in the movie Jumping Ash (1976):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZFvfzdApMA
Josephine Siao was one of the "Seven Princess" of Hong Kong cinema in the 1960s and 1970s.
6. Ask Me sang by the late James Wong, the incomparable lyricist who also wrote the lyrics for this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_uG0igrNhc
Two persons commented in YouTube that James Wong's singing remind them of Louis Armstrong.
7. Sammi Cheng singing Ask Me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YDi_K7mu40
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLIW18fF84Y
8. Sammi Cheng and Ivana Wong:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p_mKX_EHzc
Sammi Cheng sings this song much better in later years.
The song started at the 2:25 minutes mark.
9. Sammi Cheng and Gigi Leung - the first of two songs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecCr_gGDbMI
10. Sammi Cheng and Sheren Tang:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLNuf01E3b8
11. Ask Me as covered by Sandra Lang in concert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hcDDnz1cHs
Sandra Lang is a very talented singer whom started her career in the 1960s.
12. A cover by the talented singer Donald Cheung Wai-Man:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmZu8ovZl3A
His last name is "Cheung".
His English name is "Donald".
The English transliteration of his Chinese name is "Cheung Wai-Man".
In typical Hong Kong's creative fashion, Cheung's name is presented in English as "Donald Cheung Wai-Man".
13. Harmony by Robynn and Kendy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBynPIpIOko
14. The Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:
問我 -- 陳麗斯
* 問我歡呼聲有幾多 問我悲哭聲有幾多
我如何能夠一一去數清楚
問我點解會高興 究竟點解要苦楚
我笑住回答 講一聲 我係我
# 無論我有百般對 或者千般錯 全心去承受結果
面對世界一切 那怕會如何
全心保存真的我
問我得失有幾多 其實得失不必清楚
我但求能夠一一去數清楚
願我一生去到終結 無論歷盡幾許風波
我仍然能夠 講一聲 我係我
Repeat #, *
笑住回答 講一聲 我係我
笑住回答 講一聲 我係我
15. The Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:
问我 -- 陈丽斯
* 问我欢呼声有几多 问我悲哭声有几多
我如何能够一一去数清楚
问我点解会高兴 究竟点解要苦楚
我笑住回答 讲一声 我系我
# 无论我有百般对 或者千般错 全心去承受结果
面对世界一切 那怕会如何
全心保存真的我
问我得失有几多 其实得失不必清楚
我但求能够一一去数清楚
愿我一生去到终结 无论历尽几许风波
我仍然能够 讲一声 我系我
Repeat #, *
笑住回答 讲一声 我系我
笑住回答 讲一声 我系我
16. Names, Words and Phrases:
Jackie Chan (Traditional Chinese: 成龍; Simplified Chinese: 成龙).
Chan Lai-Sze (Traditional: 陳麗斯; Simplified: 陈丽斯).
Donald Cheung Wai-Man (張偉文; Simplified: 张伟文).
Feel 100% (Traditional: 百分百感覺; Simplified: 百分百感觉).
Gigi Leung (Traditional: 梁詠琪; Simplified: 梁咏琪).
Ivana Wong (Traditional: 王菀之; Simplified: 王菀之).
James Wong (Traditional: 黃霑; Simplified: 黄沾).
Josephine Siao (Traditional: 蕭芳芳; Simplified: 萧芳芳).
Jumping Ash (Traditional: 跳灰; Simplified: 跳灰).
Sammi Cheng (Traditional: 鄭秀文; Simplified: 郑秀文).
Sandra Lang (Traditional: 仙杜拉; Simplified: 仙杜拉).
Sheren Tang (Traditional: 鄧萃雯; Simplified: 邓萃雯).
References:
"Feel 100%", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feel_100%25
(accessed 2012-12-21).
"Jackie Chan", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Chan
(accessed 2012-12-21).
"成龍", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%88%90%E9%BE%8D
(accessed 2012-12-21).
"跳灰", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B7%B3%E7%81%B0
(accessed 2012-12-21).
End.
