Faye Wong
1. Chinese Poem of the Day:
王昌齡 (698 - 756)
閨怨
閨中少婦不知愁，春日凝妝上翠樓。
忽見陌頭楊柳色，悔教夫婿覓封侯。
2. ("Faye Wong", Wikipedia):
"Faye Wong (born 8 August 1969) is a Chinese-Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actress, who is usually referred to in the media as a diva (Chinese: 天后; literally 'Heavenly Queen'). Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong (王靖雯). Born in Beijing, she moved to British Hong Kong in 1987 and came to public attention in the early 1990s by singing ballads in Cantonese. Since 1994 she has recorded mostly in her native Mandarin, often combining alternative music with mainstream Chinese pop. In 2000 she was recognised by Guinness World Records as the Best Selling Canto-Pop Female. Following her second marriage in 2005 she withdrew from the limelight, but returned to the stage in 2010 amidst immense interest in the Sinophone world."
"Hugely popular in Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, she has also gained a large following in Japan. In the West she is best known for starring in Wong Kar-wai's films Chungking Express and 2046. While she has collaborated with international artists such as Cocteau Twins, Wong recorded only a few songs in English, including 'Eyes on Me' – the theme song of the video game Final Fantasy VIII. Wong is known to be reserved in public, and has gained a reputation for her "coolness". In Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture, Jeroen de Kloet characterised her as "singer, actress, mother, celebrity, royalty, sex symbol and diva all at the same time."
3. The Wikipedia entry "Faye Wong" has very full coverage on her career and some on her personal life.
Faye Wong is a very interesting character.
Consider this:
"In the four years that followed [2005], Faye Wong would not return [from her hiatus], ignoring Live Nation's offer of 100m-HKD, and even rejecting the 3m-yuan offer for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sing at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony on her birthday – the Beijing native was the unanimous choice of netizens, receiving over 63% of the tens of millions of votes cast in a CCTV online poll. [(]The honour eventually went to Liu Huan.) She did, however, voluntarily perform for causes she truly cared about: she sang 'Wishing We Last Forever' in May 2008 at a CCTV fundraising event for Sichuan earthquake victims, and 'Heart Sutra' in May 2009 for a Buddhist ceremony at the Famen Temple." ("Faye Wong", Wikipedia)
Consider also this:
"In addition, Faye Wong is seen and thus idolised by many as a woman willing to sacrifice for love. In 1994, on one of the many trips to Beijing to see Dou Wei, Hong Kong paparazzi from Next Magazine followed her and tracked her down. The photographs taken, showing her entering an unhygenic community toilet in a narrow hutong to dump urine – in sharp contrast to the modern and glamorous lives Hong Kong celebrities led – caused quite a stir, with some in Cinepoly fearing that her diva image would be tarnished. But many were impressed." ("Faye Wong", Wikipedia)
I too am impressed.
Faye Wong is a superstar who does not fall for the trappings of the rich and famous.
As to Faye Wong's popularities:
"In 2004 and 2005 Faye Wong was ranked in the top 5 on the Forbes China Celebrity 100, as well as in 2011 and 2012 after her hiatus. In a 2011 'most popular celebrity in China' marketing study she was also ranked in the top 5. In 2009, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, a government web portal conducted an online poll on The Most Influential Chinese Cultural Celebrity in the Past 60 Years; out of 192 candidates, Wong received over 7 million votes, second only to the deceased Teresa Teng from Taiwan, Wong's own personal idol. Chen Tao, a China Radio International DJ, compares Wong's influence in the Sinophone world to Madonna's in America: 'She represents a certain era of pop music, a certain trend, and a vision of being unique.' Beijing-based scholar Wang Dong also believes Wong's popularity reflects a social phenomenon broader than entertainment itself, as people identify themselves through Wong due to her image of being unique." ("Faye Wong", Wikipedia)
4. No Regrets ("執迷不悔") is one of the early hits of Faye Wong and it came out in 1993 in an album of the same name.
There are two different versions of this song in the album: a Cantonese version and a Mandarin version.
The lyrics for the Mandarin version were written by Faye Wong herself.
The meanings of the Cantonese and Mandarin lyrics are very different.
Also, the English title of this song is only a partial translation of the Chinese.
"No Regrets" only translates "不悔".
"執迷不悔" means that whether right or wrong, I will stubbornly continue in my ways and will not repent or regret about it.
5. No Regrets in Cantonese:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBQTRfgy-LY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSrEJnRKQ-E
The Cantonese and Mandarin versions of this song are equally good to listen to, but I think the Cantonese lyrics are better than the Mandarin ones.
6. Cantonese version of No Regrets; videos are clips from a movie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QyVkXECpeU
7. According to the uploader, this is the original Mandarin MTV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-2ERyxb80o
The Cantonese lyrics are on top and the Mandarin lyrics on bottom.
Another one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5yPgXjZUzQ
8. Mandarin version of the song with a pretty good music video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTbWu6wpPDo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibzWGDszyHs
9. Faye Wong and Shirley Kwan in a charity function in 1993.
Second of three songs that started at the 2:00 minutes mark:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0-LR4OxbUI
10. Faye Wong in concert in 1993 (Mandarin):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHNfuiKgqS4
11. Faye Wong in concert in 1994 (in Mandarin with English subtitles):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BDG6OdimIg
12. Live performance on New Year's Eve 1998 (Mandarin):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VezLrO1Z3yU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9i-oxX6jXQ
13. These are just the Mandarin version of the song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlWWp0Y86SY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHt_c09gFeo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp-fw5ZJ9S4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DBrPGZk0GU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YK992TBj4c
14. This is part Cantonese and part Mandarin:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh0cVDBD4nI
And many more covers of this song in YouTube by various singers.
15. The Cantonese Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:
執迷不悔 (粵語版) -- 王菲
這次我重頭面對 過去和以後
人如何自欺 再不管這對否
人如何不捨 也放開所有
縱墮入深溝 完全不想悔疚
* 我決意沉迷下去 放眼迎以後
人尋求自尊 你心中感覺否
人如何長久 卻了解不夠
縱獨自飛走 完全不想悔疚
# 身邊的聲音祝福我的一切
我已聽厭你說我那樣美麗
若付在舊日子不再可貴
我說我這次 要痛快有我的依歸
@ 今天且忍心一聲再會
不須傷心風中依偎
勉強與你 到底終會
在熱烈後變飛灰
& 今天且忍心笑笑乾杯
可知一天我會蕩回
你縱會說已早改變
獨自夢下去都不悔
Repeat *, #, @, &, @, &
16. The Cantonese Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:
执迷不悔 (粤语版) -- 王菲
这次我重头面对 过去和以后
人如何自欺 再不管这对否
人如何不舍 也放开所有
纵堕入深沟 完全不想悔疚
* 我决意沉迷下去 放眼迎以后
人寻求自尊 你心中感觉否
人如何长久 却了解不够
纵独自飞走 完全不想悔疚
# 身边的声音祝福我的一切
我已听厌你说我那样美丽
若付在旧日子不再可贵
我说我这次 要痛快有我的依归
@ 今天且忍心一声再会
不须伤心风中依偎
勉强与你 到底终会
在热烈后变飞灰
& 今天且忍心笑笑干杯
可知一天我会荡回
你纵会说已早改变
独自梦下去都不悔
Repeat *, #, @, &, @, &
17. The Mandarin Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:
執迷不悔 (國語版) -- 王菲
這一次我執著面對 任性地沉醉
我並不在乎 這是錯還是對
就算是深陷 我不顧一切
就算是執迷 我也執迷不悔
* 別說我應該放棄 應該睜開眼
我用我的心 去看去感覺
你並不是我 又怎能了解
就算是執迷 (就) 讓我執迷不悔
# 我不是你們想的如此完美
我承認有時也會辨不清真偽
並非我不願意走出迷堆
只是這一次 這次是自己而不是誰
@ 要我用誰的心去體會
真真切切地感受周圍
就算痛苦 就算是淚
也是屬於我的傷悲
& 我還能用誰的心去體會
真真切切地感受周圍
就算疲倦 就算是累
也只能執迷 (而) 不悔
Repeat *, #, @, &, @, &
18. The Mandarin Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:
执迷不悔 (国语版) -- 王菲
这一次我执着面对 任性地沉醉
我并不在乎 这是错还是对
就算是深陷 我不顾一切
就算是执迷 我也执迷不悔
* 别说我应该放弃 应该睁开眼
我用我的心 去看去感觉
你并不是我 又怎能了解
就算是执迷 (就) 让我执迷不悔
# 我不是你们想的如此完美
我承认有时也会辨不清真伪
并非我不愿意走出迷堆
只是这一次 这次是自己而不是谁
@ 要我用谁的心去体会
真真切切地感受周围
就算痛苦 就算是泪
也是属于我的伤悲
& 我还能用谁的心去体会
真真切切地感受周围
就算疲倦 就算是累
也只能执迷 (而) 不悔
Repeat *, #, @, &, @, &
19. Names, Words and Phrases:
Faye Wong (Traditional Chinese: 王菲; Simplified Chinese: 王菲).
Shirley Kwan (Traditional: 關淑怡; Simplified: 关淑怡).
References:
"Faye Wong", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faye_Wong
(accessed 2014-03-14).
"王菲", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E7%8E%8B%E8%8F%B2
(accessed 2014-03-14).
"執迷不悔", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%9F%B7%E8%BF%B7%E4%B8%8D%E6%82%94
(accessed 2014-03-14).
"王昌齡", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E7%8E%8B%E6%98%8C%E9%BE%84
(accessed 2014-03-14).
End.
