Chinese Song - 灵山 - Crystal Butterfly

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水晶蝶， or Crystal Butterfly, are one of my favourite Shanghai bands, their soulful indie-rock providing welcome relief from the unavoidable Mando-pop you hear everywhere you go in China. Here's one of their songs - 灵山. Translation by me, feel free to offer any corrections.

出月亮的夜晚走路 - walking on a moonlit night
请你不要打着火 - please don't start a fire
要是走路打着火 - if you start a fire
月亮就要伤心了 - you'll break the moonlight's heart

哎，你知道 - Oh, you know
酒香留下我孤单了 - The scent of liquor leaves me all alone
让我一直在想你 - makes me miss you always
哎，你知道 - Oh, you know
爱人的泪就象那一滴江水 - Lovers' tears are like a drop of river water
你就是江水里的鱼 - You're the fish in the river

菜花开放的季节 - In the season when cauliflower blooms
不要提着罗筐去搯菜 - don't take a basket to go and dig them up
要是提着罗筐去搯菜 - if you go and dig them up
菜花就要伤心了 - you'll break the cauliflower's heart

哎，你知道 - Oh, you know
酒香留下我孤单了 - The scent of liquor leaves me all alone
让我一直在想你 - makes me miss you always
哎，你知道 - Oh, you know
爱人的泪就象那一滴江水 - Lovers' tears are like a drop of river water
你就是江水里的鱼 - You're the fish in the river

你要和真心的姑娘好 - If you want to get with a sincere girl
不要三心二意呦 - you can't be half-hearted
要是你三心二意 - if you're half-hearted
姑娘就要伤心了 - you'll break the girl's heart

Cool song eh? Don't get too many English songs about love and cauliflowers!!!

Here's some useful expressions from the song:

伤心了 - hurt or broken-hearted. Obviously the moonlight and the cauliflower are personified in the song, a cauliflower can't really be 伤心了。

三心二意 - half-hearted, or in two minds. Literally three hearts two desires, meaning you're attention is split and you're not giving it your all.

As for the title of the song, 灵山, I'm not too sure what the best translation would be. Maybe Spirit Mountain? For all I know, this is an actual place. Any help would be appreciated.

I plan to post lyrics for more 水晶蝶 songs in the future. Let me know how you like them.

Tags: learn Chinese, learn Mandarin, Chinese songs, Crystal Butterfly, 水晶蝶, 灵山, 歌词, lyrics

Chinese Song - 孙楠 - 飞越海洋

OK, so songs may not be the most useful study aids, but I find if you like music (and who doesn't?), they can be an interesting way to learn (and more importantly to remember) new words and phrases. And you'll be able to show off at karaoke!
Today's song is 飞越海洋 (Fly Over the Sea)by 孙楠. It's a Chinese version of 'Beyond the Sea' from the Finding Nemo soundtrack. Sorry for the literal translation, but I think it's more useful for learning the language (and I'm no songwriter!)

想飞越过海洋 I want to fly across the sea
让梦穿过时光 Let my dreams
我的爱在等待 My love is waiting
我的心永不再徘徊不再徘徊 My heart will never hesitate again
想飞为爱远航 I want to fly, travel far for love
让梦乘风破浪 Let my dreams ride the wind and break the waves
谁也不能阻挡 Nobody can get in the way
我的心像鸟儿一样自由飞翔 My heart will fly free like a bird
出发别再彷徨 When I set out, I won't stray
奔向爱的方向 Run in love's direction
hello 风在徜徉 Hello! The wind is roaming
云在为你我而欢唱 The clouds are singing for you and me
my love 来到你身旁 My love! to be by your side
拥抱所有梦想 embraces all my dreams
你是我的海港为你 You are my port
永不再彷徨不再流浪 I'll never stray again, never wander
不再彷徨不再不再流浪 ""
my love 来到你身旁 My love! to be by your side
拥抱我梦中的天堂 Embraces the paradise in my dreams
充满甜蜜的爱充满希望 I'm full of sweet love and hope
goodbye farewell my friend
so long so long sailing
so long sailing . . . .

Tags: learn chinese |chinese lessons |study chinese |chinese songs