凡事渴望永久的 何故不能長伴我
為何曾共我一起的 像時日總未逗留
Two of the most memorable classics in Hong Kong pop history in term of lyric writing, today 當天那真我 and 追憶 have endured the test of time to become the fan favorites. However, it is easy to forget that upon their release, neither one is considered the major plugs by the record company. Released in the album Elisa Chan 陳潔靈 in 1986, 當天那真我 was passed over by 誰令你心癡 in order to capitalize the unexpected chemistry between Elisa Chan and Leslie Cheung in their previous duet 只怕不再遇上. Included in 林子祥創作歌集 in late 84, to ride the wave of his own Christmas box office hit movie 《貓頭鷹與小飛象》, the theme song 誰能明白我 was the first plug of the album followed by the even bigger hit 每一個晚上, George Lam went on to host concerts in Hong Kong Coliseum for then record-setting thirteen straight nights – he was simply at the peak of his career. In fact 當天那真我 and 追憶 were so overshadowed that neither was plugged in 勁歌金曲 and their lasting popularity is purely through word-of-mouth and, above all, their timeless lyrics.
Both are penned by 林振強, 當天那真我 and 追憶 each has its own following but people seldom put them together. However, for me they are distant cousins of one another: both span from childhood to adolescence to adulthood, both are episodic, both consist of three anecdotes of life and both convey the sense of loss in growing up… With writing as good as these, there isn’t much I want to add lest it would distract from the lyrics. A quirky hobby of mine is translating my favorite Chinese lyrics into English but I have always been too embarrassed to show to people. However, just in case there will be non-Chinese speakers stumble onto this blog, I am putting my lamentable translation here just so that people can appreciate Richard Lam’s haunting lyrics. This is in my very small way a tribute to a very prolific (see 林振強作品列表 for complete list) and sorely-missed lyricist in Hong Kong pop history
當天那真我/ The Real Me of That Day
曲 : 綱倉一也
Music: Amikura Kazuya
詞 : 林振強
Lyric: Richard Lam
記起那天 *尚束孖辮那一天
Remember the day when I was still in my ponytail
我家中的那隻鳥兒無聲的死去
The bird at home had died without a sound
我叫嚷著 哭得心都碎
I wailed and cried my heart out
望著籠兒 頭兒垂不捨去
Staring at the empty cage, my head dropped and couldn’t let go
星 曾在晚空望我 問 問我淌淚為何
The star has once given me his regard, asked me why I am crying
我 我說我甚難過 凡事渴望永久的 卻總要飄過仿似歌
I said I am so heartbroken. Why does everything I wish to last have to pass like a song?
我記起在青春中那一天
I remember one day in my youth
*有個不知天高的女孩隨風衝去
There was a naïve little girl followed the wind to chase after her dreams
要去獨力改變一切
Vowed to change the world single-handedly
並罵成年人無聊 諸多不對
And sneered at the adult world as banal and meaningless
歲月令許多不滿擱置在旁邊
Time has brushed aside many discontents
有太多妥協教夢兒無聲的粉碎
Too many dreams have been crushed by too many compromises
不很清楚當天那真我 在何年和何時偷偷死去
Never quite sure exactly when the real me of that day has secretly died
星 曾在晚空望我 問 問我淌淚為何
The star has once given me his regard, asked me why I am crying
我 我說我甚難過 凡事渴望永久的 何故不能長伴我
I said I am so heartbroken. Why couldn’t anything I wish to last stay with me?
我記起在秋之中有一天
I remember a day in one autumn
你似風中的一片葉兒曾經飄過
You drifted into my life like a leave in the wind
你到現在都居於記憶裡
Till these days you still live in my memory
但為何時辰從來不可倒退
But why is that time would never turn back?
星 曾在晚空望我 問 問我淌淚為何
The star has once given me his regard, asked me why I am crying
我 我說我甚難過 凡事渴望永久的 何故不能長伴我
I said I am so heartbroken. Why couldn’t anything I wish to last stay with me?
星聽了 跟著變沉默
The star heard me, and then turned silent…
*When Anthony Lun covered this song in 1993, these are changed to 尚很矮小那一天 and 有個不知天高的少年隨風衝去 respectively in order to make it less gender-specific
追憶/ Reminiscence
曲 : 林子祥
Music: George Lam
詞 : 林振強
Lyrics: Richard Lam
編︰鍾定一
Arrangement: Danny Chung
童年在那泥路裡伸頸看 一對耍把戲藝人
Once in my childhood I stretched my neck on a muddy road to watch a pair of troupers
搖動木偶令到它打觔斗 使我開心拍著手
Maneuvering a puppet to tumble around which cheered me to clapping my hands
然而待戲班離去之後 我問
Yet after the troupe left I asked
為何木偶不留低一絲足印
Why did the puppet leave without a trace?
為何為何曾共我一起的像時日總未逗留
Why is everyone who was once with me like time that could never stay?
從前在那炎夏裡的暑假 跟我爸爸笑著行
Once in a summer I was having hearty chat with my father
沿途談談來日我的打算 首次跟他喝啖酒
Together we talked about my future plan and for the first time shared a sip of wine
然而自他離去之後 我問
Yet after he passed I asked
為何夏變得如冬一般灰暗
Why is summer grey and dark like winter?
為何為何曾共我一起的像時日總未逗留
Why is everyone who was once with me like time that could never stay?
從前共你 朦朧夜裡 躺於星塵背後
Once was with you, in a hazy night, lied under the starlight
難明白你 為何別去
Could never understand why you part
留下空空的一個地球
Leave me with just an empty Earth
＊徘徊悠悠長路裡 今天我知道始終要獨行
*Wandering in the long road of life I realized eventually I will have to walk on my own
閑來回頭望去追憶去 邊笑邊哭邊喝啖酒
Once in awhile I would stop to reminisce amidst the laughter, tears and sips of wine
然而就算哭仍暗私下慶幸
Yet even in tears I am still secretly grateful
時日在我心留低許多足印
For time had left a lot of footsteps in my heart
從前從前曾共我一起的仍然在心裡逗留
Whoever was once with me has still stayed within my heart to these days
重唱 ＊ Repeat *
從前誰曾燃亮我的心始終一生在心內逗留
Whoever has once lighted up my life will continue to stay within my heart
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