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Bilangual Song--055: Shirley Sings A Chinese (Northern)Folk Song 085:"Shuo Ju Xinlihua-- To Be Honest With You" in English & Chinese in the US--023

Listen to Shirley Sang the Song In English Aug 22, 2009 in the US
Listen to Shirley Sang the Song In Chinese Aug 22, 2009 in the US

Listen to Shirley Sang the Song In Chinese March 18, 2006 in China

This is a famous Chinese Art & Folk song, which admires the loving feeling of the militaries to their family members, lovers and motherland.

When I was hearing it by a colleague in the company's Spring Festival Party in 2006, tears were flowing down my face silently and then I asked my teacher to teach me to sing it in my music lesson. Because, I really felt that this song had touched my heart and sung out of my heart.

That was Nov, 1993, with another 5 colleagues together, I was sent to take part in the work to found up a new national newspaper office in China's securities information field from a better work condition and a higher salary from Shenzhen Stock Exchange. July, 1994, when the others went back to their original positions, I was promoted to be the information department manager in the newspaper office and the president (also the genernal manager of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange) said "I wanted you to go back to Shenzhen Stock Exchange and work in the information department, but, Mr. Wu -- the boss of the newspaper office thought that the newspaper office needs you..." then, I became the only one to be left. I could also ask to go back and to work and live with better condition and higher salary. I did not, I wanted to create something first-class in the totally new field, while I had no time to think of my own things, too.

Then, in the first 8 years, I involved 120% of myself into the work and studying. I had not had one holiday for 7 years. Except the daily creating and editing of 3 to 11 pages, database founding, web site founding, infromation system founding... every May Day holiday, I led my team to edit and publish a book for the newspaper office. Most of weekends within 3 years, I flied between Shenzhen and Shanghai to study some new professional lessons and to adjust my knowledge structure. Most of days, I worked for 15 to 16 hours. Sometimes, I crashed myself on a billboard for my mind was focused on something that I was creating...

I had no time and energy to involve myself into my own life as the other women in the initial term of the newspaper office. I deeply loved my family and cared for my friends. I raised my son in person for 15 years, even though in the tightest time and busiest time, I kept rushing back home in the noon and evening to cook lunch and dinner for him, then I rushed back to my office or rushed into the classroom and supermarket before having my own dinners -- I had my cleaning lady ws the thing after I had gone over the most difficult times...

So, in the first 10 years after I came to Shenzhen, I had not been to the biggest park of the city, I had also not been in a movie house at all... :-)

I gave more than 95% of my remuneration of author to my team members in the 8 years, the toal amount reached 6 digit number. Not for I was too rich, but for I wanted to thank them and encourage them for they were sharing the most difficult time with me together.

Many friends made joke that I was living in the moon and did not eat the food of human world. Someone even misunderstood me as a "cold blood animal". I did not want to explain at all.

After all, when a person who had experienced the test of death by the hardest life environment and the sickness, his/her understanding to money, position and the matter things would be totally different. What I was cherishing was that I was still alive. I would really like to involve my limited life to the unlimited jobs to repay the society and to help those people who need help, to make my limited life to be flashed more flashes.

Just like this song has sung, in my heart, there is also missing and love, there is also normal loving feelings of human being. But, when I had to stand some bigger responsibility, when the   bigger love and the smaller love had to be looked after at the same time. I could only stand the society responsibility at the first. After all, if there is no a country’s peaceful and stable, a single family or a personal loving feeling cannot really be in happiness for a long time.

That also makes me think of a famous Chinese national hero Yue Fei ?when a foreign army was aggressing China’ land, his mother tattooed 4 words on his back, “Jing Zhong Bao Guo ? Serve our country with total loyalty” and sent him to the battlefield. I think, this is just China’s traditional culture and national spirit.

Accept the lesson that I made my music job last Sunday at the too late time, so that affected the quality of the recording, this week, I completed my translation, singing and recording Friday night and Saturday morning.

I really hope that my effort will be some help of you to know more about Chinese culture and to help you to improve your Chinese listening level...

Listen to Shirley Sang the Song In English Aug 22, 2009 in the US
Listen to Shirley Sang the Song In Chinese Aug 22, 2009 in the US

MAIN MEANING OF THE SONG

To be honest with you,
I also miss my family.
In my hometown,
my mama's hair has been white.

To be honest with you,
I also have love.
I often miss her/him in my dream,

Lai, lai, lai, lai, lai,
Since I have been a soldier,
lai, lai, lai, lai, lai,
I know my duty is big.

If we did not carry guns,   
who would safeguard our mama?
Who would safeguard her?



To be honest with you,
I am also not foolish.
I know there is wind and rain,
on the road as a soldier.

To be honest with you,
I also have affections.
It is the food of human world,
raising me growing up.

lai, lai, lai, lai, lai,
even though we talk this way,
lai, lai, lai, lai, lai,
no country, will no families.

If we were not on sentry,
Who would safeguard our country,
Who would safeguard families?

Listen to Shirley Sang the Song In English Aug 22, 2009 in the US
Listen to Shirley Sang the Song In Chinese Aug 22, 2009 in the US

CHINESE LYRICS AND PRONUNCIATION:

说句心里话-- shuo ju xin li hua,
我 也 想 家 -- wo ye xiang jia。
家中的老 妈 妈 -- jia zhong de lao ma ma,
已是满头白发 -- yi shi man tou mai fa。

说句那实在话 -- shuo ju na shi zai hua,
我也有爱 -- wo ye you ai。
常思 念那个梦中的 她 chang sinian na ge mengzhong de ta,
梦中的她 -- mengzhong de ta。

来,来,来,来,来 -- lai, lai, lai, lai, lai,
既 然来当 兵 -- jiran lai dang ping,
来,来,来, 来,来 -- lai, lai, lai, lai, lai,
就 知 责任 大 -- jiu zhi zeren da。

你不扛枪 -- ni bu kangqiang,
我不扛枪 -- wo bu kang qiang,
谁保卫咱妈妈 -- shui baowei zan ma ma,
谁来保卫她 -- shui lai baowei ta。



说句心里话 -- shuo ju xin li hua,
我也不傻 -- wo ye bu sha。
我懂得从军的路上 -- wo dongde zongjun de lu shang
风吹雨打 -- feng chui yu da。

说句实在话 -- shuo ju shi zai hua,
我也有情 -- wo ye you qing。
人间的那个烟火 -- renjian de nage yanhuo,
把我养大 -- ba wo yang da。

来,来,来,来, 来-- lai, lai, lai, lai, lai,
话虽这样说 -- hua sui zheyang shuo,
来,来,来,来,来-- lai, lai, lai, lai, lai,
有国才有家 -- you guo cai you jia。

你不站岗 -- ni bu zhangang,
我不站岗 -- wo bu zhangang。
谁保卫咱祖国 -- shui baowei zan zuguo,
谁来保卫家 -- shui lai baowei jia。

Listen to Shirley Sang the Song In English Aug 22, 2009 in the US
Listen to Shirley Sang the Song In Chinese Aug 22, 2009 in the US




If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn, or yiping007@missouristate.edu, You are welcome to publish your opinions in Forum For Friends. :-)

--Shirley Zhang
Written, Translated and Recorded It Saturday, March 18, 2006 in China   / Saturday, August 23, 2009 in the US.