Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Bibi Zhou Bichang - Yu Guantou (Canned Fish) translation

The music video for this song is a rip-off of Nuit Blanche, an award-winning short film. Like, a blatant shot for shot rip-off. Not even a little bit subtle about it. And yes, it was plagiarism, because the director didn't give any credit for the idea. Why people think they can get away with this sort of thing in the era of the internet is beyond me.

The song isn't a plagiarism of anybody, though.



魚罐頭一樣 在平躺lying flat, like canned fishyu guantou yiyang zai ping tang
困在濃稠的思念 仰望surrounded by dense nostalgia, looking upkun zai nongchou de sinian, yangwang
星空空轉 the starry sky idly spinsxingkong kongzhuan
念頭像水母的飄蕩thoughts floating like jellyfishniantou xiang shuimu de piaodang
我並不孤單 I don't feel alone at allwo bing bu gudan
想你 才孤單but when I think of you I feel alonexiang ni cai gudan
在瀰漫 防腐的哀傷soaking in a preservative sorrowzai miman fangfu de aishang
   
*被淹沒一樣 不作響*not making a sound, like being drowned*bei yanmo yiyang bu zuo xiang
四季就是那四面 白牆the four seasons are just the four white wallssiji jiu shi na mian si bai qiang
唱盤在空轉 the turntable is idly spinningchangpan zai kongzhuan
寂寞是濃霧的暗光loneliness is a dark light in thick fogjimo shi nongwu de an'guang
空心磚發燙 a hollow brick burningkongxing zhuang fatang
胸膛 正中央in the center of my chestxiongtang zheng zhongyang
那是我 真空的地方that's me, a vacuumna shi wo, zhenkong de difang
   
#缺氧 #no oxygen#que yang
魚失去海洋the fish lost the seayu shiqu haiyang
我失去心臟I lost my heartwo shiqu xinzang
要用什麼補償 都一樣what can make up for it? it's all the sameyao yong shenme buchang, dou yiyang
魚罐頭一樣like a can of fishyu guantou yi yang
慢慢的被蓋上 slowly covered up by a lidmanman de bei gai shang
不透光no light enteringbu tou guang
   
repeat *repeat *repeat *
   
repeat #repeat #repeat #
   
缺氧no oxygenque yang
魚失去海洋the fish lost the seayu shiqu haiyang
我失去立場I lost my placewo shiqu lichang
我以為不一樣 都一樣I thought it was different, but it's all the samewo yiwei bu yiyang, dou yiyang
倔強得牽強stubborn beyond reasonjuejiang de qianqiang
慢慢的被風乾 slowly air-driedmanman de bei feng gan
我說謊I tell lieswo shuo huang
我說謊I tell lieswo shuo huang

Monday, September 6, 2010

Landy Wen Lan - Fatang (Burning) translation 溫嵐- 發燙

A few hilarious notes about the video: Miami is conspicuously lacking in black and Hispanic people. Hmm. And the street signs are clearly from Hawaii. This is like when people ask me to translate something for them and I'm like "Um, that's Japanese."

"Whatever, that's all the same right? What does it mean?"

People always seem to treat "the exotic" as more or less interchangeable... you could also say this extends to the music. Penned by Jay Chou, it has a strong Middle Eastern vibe. So, Middle Eastern Miami Hawaii. In Chinese. Woo!



邁阿密海邊 棕欄的樹叢Miami beach, clusters of palm treesMaiami haibian, zonglang de shucong
微熱的南風 微熱的南風warm southern wind, warm southern windweire de nan feng, weire de nan feng
手牽著手 還在 曖眛中摸索hand in hand, but still fumbling in ambiguityshou qianzhe shou, hai zai aimei zhong mosuo
街上人群猜不透我們算是什麼the people on the street can't figure out what we are to each otherjieshang renqun caibuxiu women suanshi shenme
一路沉默 緊閉嘴角the entire way silent, mouth shut tightyi lu chenmo, jinbi zuijiao
突然說出 愛我then suddenly you say you love meturan shuo chu ai wo
   
腳底 髮梢 from the soles of my feet to the tips of my hairjiaodi, fashao
全被不安情緒給籠罩 I'm enveloped by a mood of disturbancequan bei bu an qingxu gei longzhao
關於耳邊呢喃 已經聽不到as for the murmur in my ears, I already can't hear itguanyu erbian ninan, yijing tingbudao
安靜已久心臟 左邊暈眩狂跳 my once peaceful heart is jumping giddily and madly in my left sideanjing yijiu xinzang zuobian yunxuan kuangtiao
邁阿密的下午 誰知道an afternoon in Miami, who knows?Maiami de xiawu, shei zhidao?
   
我感到臉頰一直在 發燙I feel like my cheeks are constantly burningwo gandao lianjia yizhi zai fatang
我感到胸膛 小鹿在亂撞I feel like there's a little deer running around crazily in my chestwo gandao xiongtang xiao lu zai luanzhuang
濕潤的嘴唇 被你覆蓋說不出話 不出話my moist lips overlaid by yours can't say a word, not a wordshirun de zuichun bei ni fugai shuo bu chu hua, bu chu hua
   
我感到臉頰一直在 發燙I feel like my cheeks are constantly burningwo gandao lianjia yizhi zai fatang
溫柔從髮稍 一路在擴張tenderness is extending from the tips of my hair the entire waywenrou cong fashao yi lu zai kuozhang
曖昧的感覺逐漸蛻變成 the feeling of ambiguity is gradually shed and changed intoaimei de ganjue zhujian tui biancheng
一種愛情的模樣a romantic styleyi zhong aiqing de moyang

Monday, August 30, 2010

Landy Wen Lan 溫嵐 - D.I.S.C.O. translation

I got stuck on one part of the rap here, 看好出口. My translation of "come off well" is very vague and tentative. The thing is, as far as I can tell, it means "it is probable that exports will increase." But that makes NO SENSE AT ALL.

This is a cover of a kpop song of the same name by Uhm Jung Hwa. Like all covers between Asian languages, this sends certain fanbrats into fits of Youtube comment apoplexy, and this song is particularly a target for that because the Korean song featured TOP, a member of a boy band, and boy band fandom contains some of the most batshit crazy people on the planet. (Not all of you, but I'm sure those of you who are sane know even better than I do who I'm talking about.) So I'll paint a target on myself by saying I liked Landy's version better. Haters to the left!

I used a pinyin generator and fixed common errors such as "shui2" for "shei2" and "shi2 me" for "shen2 me". Should be alright. I hate doing pinyin by hand. Even using pinyin generators seems like a lot of work. I'm too lazy. XD



*D.I.S.C.O 歡迎光臨Lan-Disco*D.I.S.C.O welcome to the LAN-DISCO*D.I.S.C.O huānyíng guānglín LAN-DISCO
熱情無休 To The Disconon-stop passion TO THE DISCOrèqíng wúxiū  TO THE DISCO
D.I.S.C.O 這裡就是Lan-DiscoD.I.S.C.O this is the LAN-DISCOD.I.S.C.O zhèlǐ jiù shì LAN-DISCO
煩惱真空 Let’s Go Discofree from worries LET'S GO DISCOfánnǎo zhēnkōng  LET'S GO DISCO
Magic DiscoMAGIC DISCOMAGIC DISCO
D.I.S.C.O To The DiscoD.I.S.C.O TO THE DISCOD.I.S.C.O TO THE DISCO
D.I.S.C.O Let’s Go Disco!D.I.S.C.O LET'S GO DISCO!D.I.S.C.O LET'S GO DISCO!
   
穿上最驕傲的行頭wearing the most audacious outfitchuānshàng zuì jiāoào de hángtóu
準備席捲全場的所有眼球getting ready to pull in all the eyes on the dance floorzhǔnbèi xíjuǎn quán chǎng de suǒyǒu yǎnqiú
燈光正在招手空氣騷動還等什麼the lights are flashing, the place is jumping, what more am I waiting for?dēngguāng zhèng zài zhāoshǒu, kōngqì sāodòng, hái děng shénme
快點站出來讓地球的心跳動I'm gonna come out and make the earth's heart beatkuàidiǎn zhànchūlái ràng dìqiú de xīn tiào dòng
   
#完全釋放電流搖擺身體Beautiful#completely letting the electricity flow as I move my body, BEAUTIFUL#wánquán shìfàng diànliú yáobǎi shēntǐ BEAUTIFUL
真男人吸引了我 real men attract mezhēn nánrén xīyǐn le wǒ  
連笑容都有節奏even the smiles are to the beatlián xiàoróng dōu yǒu jiēzòu
快樂無限暢飲消滅悲傷Wonderfulhappily indulging myself and extinguishing sorrow, WONDERFULkuàilè wúxiàn chàngyǐn xiāomiè bēishāng WONDERFUL
有愛就會有魔力if there's love there'll be magicyǒu ài jiù huì yǒu mólì
抱緊抱緊不要害羞#embrace, embrace, don't be shybàojǐn, bàojǐn, bú yào hàixiū #
   
REPEAT*REPEAT *REPEAT*
   
不愛不勇敢的傢伙guys who don't love and aren't bravebú ài bú yǒnggǎn de jīahuǒ
舉起雙手驅逐憂愁到外太空lift your hands and send your troubles to outer spacejǔqǐ shuāng shǒu qūzhú yōuchóu dào wài tàikōng
誰在偷偷看我一舉一動 someone's sneakily watching every move I makesheí zài tōutōu kàn wǒ yī jǔ yī dòng  
怎麼閃躲how do I dodge him?zěnme shǎnduǒ?
不如解開細胞盡情享受我就是我better unleash myself and enjoy myself to the fill, I am who I ambú rú jiěkāi xìbāo jìnqíng xiǎngshòu, wǒ jiù shì wǒ
   
REPEAT#REPEAT #REPEAT#
   
REPEAT *REPEAT *REPEAT *
   
(Rap)(Rap)1(Rap)
This is how I do it the Landy style AHOO~!!THIS IS HOW I DO IT, THE LANDY STYLE!THIS IS HOW I DO IT, THE LANDY STYLE!
把事情想的 那麼那麼太多thinking about things way way too muchbǎ shìqíng xiǎng de nàme nàme tài duō
只不過 想先看好出口only think first of coming off wellzhǐbúguò xiǎng xiān kànhǎo chūkǒu
沒有錯 誰沒有架子 誰不怕羞that's right, who doesn't put on airs, who's not shyméiyǒu cuò, sheí méiyǒu jiàzǐ, sheí bú pàxiū
but really think about it 我要愛BUT REALLY THINK ABOUT IT (I want love)BUT REALLY THINK ABOUT IT (wǒ yào ài)
你給我機會 給我暗示 給我線索 我還缺什麼you should give me a chance, give me a hint, give me a clue, what am I still lacking?nǐ gěi wǒ jīhuì, gěi wǒ ànshì, gěi wǒ xiànsuǒ, wǒ hái quē shénme
D.I.S.C.O.unt 時間不折扣D.I.S.C.OUNT, time doesn't discountD.I.S.C.O.unt shíjiān bú zhékòu
我的愛 Let’s Go Disco!my love, LET'S GO DISCOwǒ de ài, LET'S GO DISCO
   
微笑挑逗全場騷動 a teasing smile, the dance floor is jumpingwēixiào tiāodòu, quán chǎng sāodòng  
舉手投足揮霍節奏lifting my hands and moving my feet freely to the beatjǔ shǒu tóu zú huīhuò jiēzòu
誰能封鎖驚艷直播 who can block this breathtaking performance?sheí néng fēngsuǒ jīngyàn zhíbō  
愛讓人全身充滿魔力攔不住我love fills people with magic, nothing can stop meài ràng rén quánshēn chōngmǎn mólì, lánbúzhù wǒ
   
REPEAT *REPEAT *REPEAT *

1. I had some trouble translating the rap. It seems to jump around from one thought to another and I'm not sure how the English integrates with it, if at all. I will keep thinking about it, but I invite help on translating it. (The ever-popular "It doesn't make much sense in the original language either" answer might be correct. I can think of hundreds of English songs that I can't make head or tail of the lyrics. Other than the rap, the lyrics were fairly easy.)

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Six Plus 六甲樂團 - Taike Song 台客Song translation



This song has a ton of footnotes, which is understandable because it's all about Taiwanese culture, and a lot of Taiwanese culture is fairly obscure, even to people who know something about the Sinosphere and Chinese.

I'm not exactly sure what's going on in the music video. I think they're supposed to be skanking, but it looks like they're doing some kind of black suit and tie Riverdance up there. Nor do I know why they are floating around in the air. It's a bit odd.

Six Plus only ever released one album in 2004, plus a couple of songs on the Smile Pasta soundtrack. Their sound is rap-rock, their lyrics tend to be aggressive, and the content is unmistakeably Taiwanese, especially in this song.

I should explain taike first. Two characters, tai from Taiwan, and ke which means "guest". This term originating as basically a condescending term used for people born in Taiwan by the nationalists who retreated to the island in 1949. To the KMT at that time, everything Taiwanese was backwards, the Taiwanese people hicks and fools who had rolled over under the Japanese occupation. You could compare the term to "redneck".

In recent times, the term taike has been reclaimed as a term of pride (much like "redneck" and other such terms). It's hard to define what "taike" is... it's one of those "know it when you see it" kind of things, much of the time. The examples people typically give are things like riding a moped with plastic slippers on... keeping your cigarettes in your sleeve... drinking Taiwan Beer and chewing betel nut... wearing grungy wifebeaters... You'll notice these are all male things. The female term is taimei.

And of course, speaking Taiwanese (aka Holo aka Hoklo aka Taiwanese Hokkien aka Taiwanese Min Nan aka probably a few other things I've forgotten) instead of Mandarin.

I can't speak Taiwanese or understand it. I would like to learn it sometime but that's a daunting task. Primarily because it has a 3-way distinction between voiced/voiceless unaspirated/voiceless aspirated ([b/p/ph] if you know IPA) and I cannot, for the life of me, produce voiceless unaspirated at the beginning of a word. Also Taiwanese has very complicated tone sandhi rules, which are the rules governing when tones change to other tones.

Some people don't like calling it Taiwanese, because they feel like this denigrates the other languages spoken on Taiwan, particularly the languages spoken by the aboriginal Taiwanese.

You can't get away from politics in studying anything related to a Chinese language. I didn't have these problems when I took Latin! LOL.

In the pinyin, things in italics are in Taiwanese. I got the romanization of the Taiwanese by using this dictionary, and I have no idea if it's accurate.

異國的文化 一個家的文化 yi4guo2 de wen2hua4, yi4 ge jia1 de wen2hua4an exotic culture, a family's culture
不是花個幾兩銀子 七載八載 bu2 shi4 hua1 ge ji3 liang1 yin2zi qi1 zai3 ba1 zai3isn't a place where a couple bucks or a couple years
你就可以馬上被同化ni3 jiu4 ke3yi3 ma3shang4 bei4 tong2hua4will result in you being completely assimilated
人說讀萬卷書不如行萬里路 ren2 shuo1 du2 wan4 juan3 bu4 ru2 xing2 wan4 li3 lu4they say reading a thousand books isn't as good as walking a thousand miles
無論今日身在何處 異在他鄉 wu2lun4 jin1ri4 shen1 zai4 he2chu4, yi4 zai4 ta1xiang1no matter where you are today, whatever strange and foreign land
但是切記一定要回家dan4shi4 qie4ji4 yi2ding4 yao4 hui2 jia1always remember to come home
   
台客song 不爽 #tai2ke4 SONG, bô sóng#taike song, not good1
台客song 甲爽 tai2ke4 SONG, kah sóngtaike song, pretty good
台客song 真爽 tai2ke4 SONG, chin sóngtaike song, really good
台客song 有夠爽tai2ke4 SONG, ū-kàu sóngtaike song, good enough
   
美麗的寶島 人間的天堂 mei3li4 de bao3dao3, ren2jian1 de tian1tang2a beautiful gem of an island2, heaven on earth
身為台灣人就應該驕傲shen1 wei2 tai2wan1ren2 jiu4 ying1gai1 jiao4ao4as Taiwanese we ought to be proud
我們的國土 我們的家園 wo3men de guo2tu3, wo3men de jia1yuan2our country, our homeland
何必弄得滿身洋味he2bi4 nong4 de man3shen1 yang2wei4?why should should we make ourselves all Western?
你還不惜弄巧成拙 ni3 hai2 bu4 xi1 nong4 qiao3 cheng2 zhuo1you keep on rushing to outsmart yourself
惹得旁人覺得無味re3 de pang2ren2 jue2de wu2wei4so annoying that everyone around thinks you're tasteless
你那一付四不像的模樣 ni3 na4 yi2 fu4 si4bu2xiang4 de mo2yang4there's nothing about you that goes together
實在令人討厭shi2zai4 ling3 ren2 tao3yan4it really disgusts people!
   
*台客song 不爽 *(tai2ke4 SONG, bô-sóng)(taike song, not good)
本是同根生相煎何太急ben3shi4 tong2gen1sheng1 xiang1jian1 he2 tai4ji2we share the same roots, so why should we fight3
 台客 song 甲爽 (tai2ke4 SONG, kah sóng)(taike song, pretty good)
你可知道這是我們的文化ni3 ke3 zhi1dao4 zhe4 shi4 wo3men de wen2hua4do you understand, this is our culture
 台客song 真爽 (tai2ke4 SONG, chin sóng)(taike song, really good)
有什麼不滿你就大聲講you3 shen2me bu4 man3 ni3 jiu4 da4sheng4 jiang3if you're unsatisfied you immediately yell it out
 台客song 有夠爽 (tai2ke4 SONG, ū-kàu sóng)(taike song, good enough)
夜深了趕快回家ye4 shen1 le, gan3kuai4 hui2 jia1the night's gotten dark, return home at once
   
我說那些少數無知 wo3 shuo1 na4 xie1 shao3shu3 wu2zhi1I'm talking about that ignorant minority
頭殼有問題的ABCtou2ke2 you3 wen4ti3 de ABCof ABCs4 with something wrong with their heads
搞不懂你們為什麼要跩個二五八萬 gao3bu4dong3 ni3men wei4shen2me yao4 zhuai3 ge er4wu3ba1wan4I really don't get why y'all gotta swagger around like you've got four aces5
一付狗眼看人低yi2fu4 gou4 yan3 kan4 ren2 di3looking down on other people like dogs
揹負那些崇洋的文化 bei1fu2 na4 xie1 chong2yang2 de wen2hua4bearing those foreign cultures on your shoulders
實在已經看不下去shi2zai4 yi3jing1 kan4 bu4 xia4qu4I really can't stand to watch you anymore
難道你們甘願做一群 扶不起的阿斗ㄚnan2dao4 ni3men gan1yuan4 zuo4 yi4 qun2 fu3bu4qi3 de A1-Dou3 a?don't tell me y'all are willingly acting like a gang of pathetic morons6
講著奇怪的國語 滑稽的台語 jiang3zhe qi2guai4 de guo2yu3, hua2ji de tai2yu3speaking weird Mandarin and laughable Taiwanese
還有自以為很好的英文hai2you3 zi4 yi3wei2 hen3hao3 de ying1yu3but you think your English is great
就想來騙吃騙喝 隨便嚷嚷 唬弄過去jiu4 xiang3 lai2 pian4chi1pian4he2, sui2bian4 rang3rang3, hu3nong4 guo4qu4you're an obvious freeloader, always grumbling and doing everything half-assed
已經把耳朵豎起來聽 yi3jing1 ba3 er3duo1 shu4qi3lai2 ting1you've got your ears perked up to listen
聽的懂得沒來幾句 ting1dedong3 de mei2 lai2 ji3 ju4but you haven't even understood a few sentences7
你那一付四不像的模樣 ni3 na4 yi2fu4 si4bu2xiang4 de mo2yang4there's nothing about you that goes together
實在令人同情shi2zai4 ling3 ren2 tong2qing2!it really makes people feel sorry for you!
   
repeat # x 2repeat # x2repeat # x2
   
song 不爽 song 甲爽 SONG, bô sóng, SONG, kah sóngsong, not good, song, pretty good
song 真爽 有夠爽SONG, chin sóng, SONG, ū-kàu sóngsong, really good, song, good enough
songSONGsong
   
在外地吃喝拉撒睡 zai4 wai4di4 chi1he1la1sa1shui4getting all your bodily needs in a foreign country8
比不上家鄉的魯肉飯 bi3bu4shang4 jia1xiang1 de lu3rou4fan4can't compare to a bowl of braised pork rice9 in your hometown
配著一瓶清涼又爽口的台灣啤酒pei2zhe yi4 ping2 qing1liang2 you4 shuang3kou3 de Tâi-ôan bì-luhpaired with a bottle of cold, refreshing Taiwan Beer10
接著抬頭一看 電視機會傳來一聲耳熟能詳的問候語 jie1zhe tai2 tou2 yi2 kan4 dian4shi4ji3 hui4 chuan2lai2 yi4 sheng1 er3shou2neng2xiang2 de wen4hou4yu3and looking up at the tv where there comes the familiar sound of the greeting11
朋友順啊pêng-iú, sūn a!follow along, my friends12
   
Repeat *Repeat *Repeat *
   
台客song 不爽 (tai2ke4 SONG, bô sóng)(taike song, not good)
少壯不努力老大徒傷悲shao4​zhuang4​bu4​nu3​li4​, lao3​da4​tu2​shang1​bei1​if you don't work hard when you're young, you'll regret it when you're old13
台客song 甲爽 (tai2ke4 SONG, kah sóng)(taike song, pretty good)
你可知道這是我們的故鄉ni3 ke3 zhi1dao4 zhe4shi4 wo3men de gu4xiang1do you understand, this is our homeland
台客song 真爽 (tai2ke4 SONG, chin sóng)(taike song, really good)
趁現在年輕回頭是岸chen4 xian4zai4 nian2qing1 hui2tou2 shi4 an1take advantage of your youth, it's not too late
台客song 有夠爽 (tai2ke4 SONG, ū-kàu sóng)(taike song, good enough)
同胞們趕快回家tong2bao1men, gan3kuai4 hui2 jia1my fellow countrymen, return home at once
   
異國的文化 一個家的文化 yi4guo2 de wen2hua4, yi4 ge jia1 de wen2hua4an exotic culture, a family's culture
不是花個幾兩銀子 七載八載 bu2 shi4 hua1 ge ji3 liang1 yin2zi qi1 zai3 ba1 zai3isn't a place where a couple bucks or a couple years
你就可以馬上被同化ni3 jiu4 ke3yi3 ma3shang4 bei4 tong2hua4will result in you being completely assimilated
   
台客songtai2ke4 SONGtaike song
   

1. This is in Taiwanese. Translating this word as "good" isn't really adequate, but it's the only way I know how to keep the same word in all four uses.
2. A probable reference to the Portuguese name "Ilha Formosa", which means "beautiful island".
3. A line from Cao Zhi.
4. The lyrics say "ABG" but that makes no sense. "ABC" is a common slang and works in context; I have searched, but I can't find anything, in Chinese or in English, using ABG to mean any kind of person; all I'm finding is about "arterial blood gas". I really doubt that the singer is dissing arterial blood gas. Errors in English in Chinese lyrics are not at all uncommon. I remember one that had "right" as "rihgt". That was in the CD booklet.
Oh and if you don't know "ABC" originally stands for "American-Born Chinese" but in practice is also used to describe Chinese-Canadians, Chinese-Australian, etc etc. This entire verse could be viewed as a description of the ABC stereotype in Chinese communities.
5. I substitute "four aces" (which most English speakers will recognize as a winning poker hand) for the original, which is a term for a similarly lucky hand in Mahjong.
6. "A-Dou" is the nickname of Liu Shan, the son of Liu Bei. His name has become a word for utterly incapable people who can't succeed even with someone holding their hand all the way. (I would translate "A-Dou" as "Scrappy", both having a meaning like "fighting" and both sounding childlike, which is funny, because Scrappy Doo and A-Dou are similarly held in contempt by most people.)
7. I'm guessing this is because the lyrics use a lot of convoluted grammar and references to literature that an ABC would not necessarily get, plus he's speaking fast. Like I understood maybe... a third?.. before looking at the lyrics.
8. Literally "eating drinking shitting pissing sleeping". LOL.
9. A very simple snack.
10. TAIWAN BEER WOOHOO. Sorry, nostalgia. He pronounces it in Taiwanese instead of Mandarin, and apparently the Taiwanese word for beer is a loanword from English "beer" via Japanese "biiru".
11. Lots of low-end restaurants in Taiwan have tvs. Only instead of being tuned to sports like they would be in the US, they are usually tuned to the news. I don't know why.
12. This line is in Taiwanese. Probably a reference to something that I would know if I spoke Taiwanese. LOL.
13. STAY IN CHINESE SCHOOL, KIDS. Oh this is another idiom btw.

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Landy Wen Lan - Wide-Angle Beauty Guangjiao Meinv 廣角美女 translation



I'll be upfront, there's a few places in this translation where I just don't know what the lyrics mean; I've marked them with footnotes.

By the way, don't miss this clip from Landy's appearance on 100% Entertainment. If you're not familiar with the show, there's a recurrent bit where Show Luo pretends to be an arrogant American-born Chinese choreographer named Dancing King. He teaches a musical guest and his co-host Alien Huang a dance, which is usually actually not a bad dance--the hysterical part is Show Luo's outrageous behavior and hilarious imitation of an American's really bad pronunciation of Chinese. If you can understand Mandarin, you'll be in stitches, but it's pretty funny without it. And this is the song they choreograph to.

天生運動細胞不是很好I'm not a natural athletetiansheng yundong xibao bu shi hen hao
媽媽說女生乖乖坐別活蹦亂跳Mama said girls should sit nicely, not go frolicking aboutmama shuo nvsheng guaiguai zuo, bie huobengluantiao
不喜歡風吹日曬也討厭流汗的感覺I don't like wind or sun, and I can't stand the feeling of sweating eitherbu xihuan feng chui ri shai, ye taoyan liuhan de ganjue
哪裡涼快哪裡一旁加油就好wherever there's cool temperatures, wherever there's cheering is fine1nali liangkuai, nali yipang jiayou jiu hao
起司 PIZZA 麵包 可樂 薯條 漢堡cheese, pizza, bread, Coke, fries, burgersqisi, PIZZA, mianbao, kele, shutiao, hanbao
在嘴裡一前一後一左一右開心的搖that dance happily in all four corners of my mouthzai zuili yi qian yi hou yi zuo yi you kaixin de yao
朋友說我能讓平凡食物變得很美味my friends say that I can make even ordinary food taste deliciouspengyou shuo wo neng rang pingfan shiwu bian de hen meiwei
何必斤斤計較 尋自己煩惱why obsess about every ounce and make yourself miserable?hebi jinjin jijiao, xun ziji fannao?
   
*I WANNA…I WANNA…*I WANNA... I WANNA...*I WANNA... I WANNA...
 I WANNA 想吃多少吃多少I WANNA eat how much I want to eatI WANNA xiang chi duoshao, chi duoshao
 I WANNA…I WANNA…I WANNA... I WANNA...I WANNA... I WANNA...
 每個人看見我都會微笑*everyone who sees me will smilemeigeren kanjian wo dou hui weixiao
   
(貴妃駕到)(Guifei has arrived2)(Guifei jia dao)
   
Rap:Rap:RAP:
嗯哼~所有男人在我石榴裙下拜倒mm-hmm~ all the men are wrapped around my fingers3en-hng~ suoyou nanren zai wo shiliuqun xia baidao
嗯哼~份量不夠的自己就會先落跑mm-hmm~ if I didn't weigh enough, they'd run away4en-hng~ fenliang bu gou de ziji jiu hui xian luopao
嗯哼~變成林黛玉瘦骨如柴我不要mm-hmm~ turn into skin and bones like Lin Daiyu? I won't!5en-hng~ biancheng Lin Daiyu shouguruchai, wo bu yao
嗯哼~不用害臊 mm-hmm~ no need to be shyen-hng~ bu yong haisao
大大方方走出自己的調調I confidently walk out to my own rhythmdadafangfang zou chu ziji de diaodiao
   
照片裡面我特別容易找it's easy to find me in a photographzhaopian limian wo tebie rongyi zhao
她們都喜歡靠近我都圍著我繞all my girls like to lean on me, it all revolves around metamen dou xihuan kaojin wo dou weizhe wo rao
就像是向日葵的花蕊陽光下般閃耀just like the bud of a sunflower radiating in the sunlightjiu xiang shi xiangrikui de huarui yangguang xiaban shanyao
廣角鏡頭才能抓住我的曼妙only a wide-angle lens can capture my beautyguangjiao jingtou cai neng guazhu wo de manmiao
   
恰恰 騷莎 探戈 HIPHOP 民族cha cha, salsa, tango, hiphop, folk dancingqiaqia, saosha, tange, HIPHOP, minzu wudao
只要音樂一下全身就會開始的搖as long as there's music my entire body will start to movezhi yao yinyue yixia quan shen jiu hui kaishi de yao
舞池裡我就化身為一隻性感小野貓on the dance floor I turn myself into a sexy little wildcatwuchi li wo jiu hua shen wei yi zhi xinggan xiao yemao
所有人都叫好 都為我尖叫everyone cheers and screams for mesuoyou ren dou jiaohao, dou wei wo jianjiao
   
REPEAT*Repeat *REPEAT *
   
I WANNA…I WANNA…I WANNA... I WANNA...I WANNA... I WANNA...
I WANNA 想吃多少吃多少I WANNA eat how much I want to eatI WANNA xiang chi duoshao, chi duoshao
I WANNA…I WANNA…I WANNA... I WANNA...I WANNA... I WANNA...
天天都要對我自己更好I wanna be even better to myself every daytiantian dou yao dui wo ziji geng hao
I WANNA…I WANNA...I WANNA
   
REPEAT RAPRepeat rapREPEAT RAP
1. I'm not sure about the latter half of this phrase. Literally: "wherever/cool (as in temperature)/wherever/at the side/'add oil'/then/fine". "Add oil", jia you, of course is the phrase used in Chinese to mean "Go for it!", "Try harder!" etc. You add oil to a lamp and the lamp burns brighter is the imagery. It's the yi bian (at the side) that is throwing me.
2. The "has arrived" here is a verb used for important people, I think, because I've only ever seen it about the emperor. It's not the typical "has arrived" verb.
3. This phrase, "fall down in worship before my pomegranate skirt" has the idiomatic meaning like the English "wrapped around my fingers", specifically for a beautiful woman.
4. The lyrics have luopao written but Landy seems to be pronouncing it laopao. I'm not sure if the written lyrics are wrong or if Landy is just pronouncing it oddly.
5. I would argue that this is not "fat girls vs. thin girls". Lin Daiyu is skinny because she is very ill (and dies young). The singer is saying that she's not going to make herself sick to be thinner than her body is supposed to be. She is not bashing thin girls who are naturally thin.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Amit 阿密特 - Hó Táⁿ Lí Tio̍h Lâi 好膽你就來 Come If You Dare translation



The best song of the past year! According to the Taiwanese Grammys, the Golden Melody Awards, that is. I quite like it.

I had a lot of help with this translation.

The transliteration into POJ comes from here. I do not take any credit for it.

Rex on Lang-8 helped tons, by translating difficult lines into Mandarin for me and talking with me about my translation. Thanks very much.

攏細你啦 攏細你啦 Lóng sī lí lah. Lóng sī lí lah.it's all you, it's all you
攏細你害我的面來紅紅Lóng sī lí hāi góa ê bīn lâi âng-ângit's all your fault that my face is all red
你的心我的心結結作一伙 Lí ê sim, góa ê sim, kiat-kiat chòe chi̍t-hóe.if your heart and my heart are tied together
是要打算按怎Sī beh phah-sǹg án-chóaⁿ.then what should be done about it?
   
攏細你啦 攏細你啦 Lóng sī lí lah. Lóng sī lí lah.it's all you, it's all you
攏細你害我整天在茫茫Lóng sī lí hāi góa kui-kang teh bâng-bâng.it's all your fault that I can't sober up all day
你的心我的心現在賣擱假 Lí ê sim, góa ê sim, chit-má mài koh kéyour heart and my heart should stop pretending now
   
#要討我的愛 好膽你就來 #Beh thó góa ê ài, hó-táⁿ lí tio̍h lâi.#if you want my love, come if you dare
賣放底心內 怨嘆沒人知Mài khǹg teh sim-lāi, oàn-thàn bô lâng chai.don't leave complaints in your heart that no one knows about
思念作風颱 心情三溫暖 Su-liām chòe hong-thai, sim-chêng sam-un-loán.thoughts swirling like a typhoon, mood like a sauna
其實我攏知 好膽你就來Kî-si̍t góa lóng chai. Hó-táⁿ lí tio̍h lâi.actually I know it all, so come if you dare
   
攏細你啦 攏細你啦 Lóng sī lí lah. Lóng sī lí lah.it's all you, it's all you
攏細你害我來氣心魯命Lóng sī lí hāi góa lâi khì-sim ló͘-miāit's all you taking years off my life
你的心我的心結結作一伙 Lí ê sim, góa ê sim, kiat-kiat chòe chi̍t-hóe.if your heart and my heart are tied together
是要打算按怎Sī beh phah-sǹg án-chóaⁿ.then what should be done about it?
   
攏細你啦 攏細你啦 Lóng sī lí lah. Lóng sī lí lah.it's all you, it's all you
攏細你害我整天在火大Lóng sī lí hāi góa kui-kang teh hóe tōa.it's all your fault that I'm furious all day
你的心我的心現在賣擱假Lí ê sim, góa ê sim, chit-má mài koh kéyour heart and my heart should stop pretending now
   
repeat #repeat #repeat #

Sunday, June 27, 2010

A-mei 阿妹 as Amit 阿密特 - Hei Chi Hei 黑吃嘿 Black Eats Black translation

WARNING: This video is not:
1. Work safe for workplaces that frown on BDSM imagery (although no actual nudity).
2. Brain safe for people who don't want to see explicit things being done to tomatoes.
YE BE WARNED.

Part of a series of Golden Melody Award winners! Amei won best album, best artist, and a lot more. I am working with some Taiwanese speakers to translate the song that won best song, so look forward to that, maybe?



你的頭長在哪邊 where's your head?
怎麼不在脖子上面how come it's not on your neck?
我被你晾了一夜 you left me out to dry for a night
早餐配著你的黑輪I ate oden with you in the morning
  
陪你看警匪片 學會以眼還眼I learned "eye for an eye" watching crime films with you
我不還嘴 是正在 醞釀一舉攻堅when I don't talk back it's because an attack is brewing
對你的笑 藏冷箭to your smile, hiding cold arrows
  
你說的 那家店 明明全面禁菸you said that place obviously forbids smoking
你的宵夜 到底在 哪個家裡解決so you decided to get your midnight snack there
沾了一頭 菸臭味enveloped in a cloud of stinking tobacco
  
#黑吃黑 鬼咬鬼 #black eats black, ghost bites ghost
愛演我陪你演you like to play, I'll play with you
是哪個妹 又被騙 it's that girl who's the one getting fooled
躺著給你安慰into lying down to give you comfort
有夠可憐 how pathetic!
我超想見她一面I so wanna take a look at her
黑吃黑 鬼咬鬼 black eats black, ghost bites ghost
愛演我陪你演you like to play, I'll play with you
是我也想 惦一惦 it's me who wants to have a try
我有多少極限and find out how many limits I have
你的謊言 是我的飯後消遣your lies are how I pass the time after dinner
IT'S BULLSHITIT'S BULLSHIT
  
現在是西元幾年 what year is it AD now?
還把劈腿當作表現we're still treating two-timing as something to show off
愛不愛一念之間 to love or not within an instant
不過就是一句再見but it's just a goodbye
  
折磨你 打哈欠 還得陪我上街tormented by yawns you still go shopping with me
然後半夜 摸著黑 上別條船搞鬼later, at midnight, you grope in the dark, to do a number on the other girl1
黑夜白天 都別睡 whether at night or during the day, you won't sleep
  
你放心 我絕對 永遠笑容滿面relax, I'm definitely always gonna be smiling ear to ear
找到一天 跟你說 我的耐心有限but you'll find one day I'm gonna tell you my patience is finite
少在那邊 想挽回cut it out, you'd better pull back
  
repeat #REPEAT #
  
少在那邊 cut it out
你的專業謊言 對我是種表演your professional lies are a kind of performance to me
少在那邊 cut it out
你的專業眼淚 對我是種笑點your professional tears are a kind of joke to me
少在那邊 cut it out
你的專業犯罪 對我是種磨練your professional crimes are a kind of endurance test to me
少在那邊 cut it out
準備滾到一邊or get ready to get knocked to the side
1. In Chinese, one of the slang for "two-timing" is "having a foot each on two boats". The end of this line is literally "getting on your other boat to make some mischief".

Thursday, June 24, 2010

funny old world ain't it

A while ago I did a translation of "Sha Po Lang" by JS and I mentioned that I was putting "translation" in the titles now because Google thought that would be helpful. As a joke, I wrote "CPOP TRANSLATIONS CPOP TRANSLATIONS CPOP TRANSLATIONS."

I just did a search on Google for "cpop translations", because I wanted to find other websites that were translating cpop. Guess who's little blog is #4? Guess what post it specifically links to?

Yep and yep.

The even funnier thing: The first page also had a link to another page which mentioned a "Sha Po Lang" translation!

Conclusion: Google really likes "Sha Po Lang."

And now, some blatant keyword begging:
Chinese lyrics music translation cpop pinyin Google + Sha Po Lang OTP!

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Stefanie Sun Yanzi 孫燕姿 - Shenqi (Mystical) 神奇 translation



就在一瞬間我們兩人眼前 just in a moment before both of our eyesjiu zi yi shunjian women liang ren yan qian
一道光出現到了另個世界a light emerges on another worldyi dao guang chu xiandao le ling ge shijie
眉中間有個紅點 in the middle of the forehead, there's a red dotmei zhongjian you ge hong dian
頭紗遮住臉a head scarf concealing the facetousha zhezhu lian
   
#好像每個人都有特別氣味 #it seems like everyone has a special scent, #haoxiang meigeren dou you tebie qiwei
聞了才發現那是咖哩作祟only after a sniff discover that it's curry making troublewen le cai faxian na shi gali zuosui
恆河水 菩提樹葉 the water of the Ganges, the leaves of the Bodhisattva treehenghe shui, Puli shu ye
古老的情節an ancient festivalgulao de qingjie
   
(時間在倒回 )(time moves in a circle)(shijian zai daohui)
我們倆 穿著布紗 聽著梵樂 we two wear cotton and listen to the Sanskrit music, womenlia chuanzhe busha, tingzhe fan yue
還想著 是幻覺still thinking it's a fantasyhai xiangzhe shi huanjue
(奇怪的語言) (a strange language)(qiguai de yuyan)
催著我 快快起舞 urges me to quickly rise and dance cuizhe wo kuaikuai qi wu
碎碎念啊念chanting on and onsuisui nian a nian
啊...ah....a...
   
時空換換換 (space-time shifts shifts shifts)shikong huan huan huan
分割的畫面a broken picturefenge de huamian
輪迴轉轉轉 (samsara spins spins spins)(lunhui zhuan zhuan zhuan)
有一樣的信念there is the same beliefyou yiyang de xinnian
我的愛 從古代 和你回來my love, from ancient times, comes back with youwo de ai, cong gudai, he ni huilai
時空換換換 (space-time shifts shifts shifts)(shikong huan huan huan)
你回到過去you return to the pastni huidao guoqu
輪迴轉轉轉 (samsara spins spins spins)(lunhui zhuan zhuan zhuan)
我經歷了悲喜 I go through sorrow and joywo jingli le bei xi
好神奇so mysticalhao shenqi
   
Repeat from #Repeat from #REPEAT FROM #
Repeat chorusRepeat chorusREPEAT CHORUS
時空換換換 the time shifts shifts shifts shikong huan huan huan
輪迴轉轉轉 啊...the wheel spins spins spins, ahlunhui zhuan zhuan zhuan
時空換換換 the time shifts shifts shiftsshikong huan huan huan
你回到過去you return to the pastni huidao guoqu
輪迴轉轉轉 the wheel spins spins spinslunhui zhuan zhuan zhuan
又回到了這裡 and arrive back hereyou huidao le zheli
好神奇 so mysticalhao shenqi

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Lisa*Djaati - 烏雲 Wuyun Black Cloud translation



Pinyin is done by hand and I tend to make typos when I do it that way. I just caught myself making the typo "wuhui" for "wuyun", which doesn't make any sense, but is kind of hilarious, because "wuhui" could be 誤會, which means "to mistake, to misunderstand". Appropriate for a typo!

You can buy this album here. Remember when Taiwanese albums were cheap? I miss those days.

A truly beautiful song.

似乎有另外一個我there seems to be another mesihu you lingwai yi ge wo
看我衝向黑色的雨中watching me rush towards the center of a black rainkan wo chongxiang heise de yu zhong
人海中呼吸著愛與恨和痛in a sea of people, breathing love and hate and painrenhai zhong huxizhe ai yu hen he tong
我偶而會盼望晴空every so often I'll hope for a clear skywo ou'er hui panwang qingkong
   
忘記我名字那些人they forgot my name, those peoplewangji wo mingzi na xie ren
烏雲下的寂寞誰想看who would want to look at the lonely under a black cloud?wuyun xia de jimo shei xiang kan?
我不要回憶它卻放不過我I don't want to remember but it won't let me gowo bu yao huiyi ta que fangbuguo wo
我的夢在等著北風my dream is waiting for the north windwo de meng zai dengzhe bei feng
   
我走的太遠了 x4I went too far (x4)wo zou de tai yuan le (x4)
   
屋頂飛過去的雲朵the cloud floating past the roofwuding feiguo qu de yunduo
一眨眼就消失不見了disappeared in the blink of an eye and couldn't be seenyi zha yan jiu xiaoshi bu jian le
聽不見聲音但是它吸引我no sound could be heard, but it attracted meting bu jian shengyin danshi ta xiyin wo
因為它代表了我because it represented meyinwei ta daibiao le wo
   
人生路上 誰愛我on the road of life, who loves me?rensheng lu shang, shei ai wo?
哭不出一滴淚的人是我a person who can't cry a single tear, that's meku bu chu yi di lei de ren shi wo
不要害怕 沒有用don't be afraid, it's uselessbu yao haipa, mei you yong
往前走不回頭go forward without turning backwang qian zou bu huitou
   
喜怒悲歡 沒什麼joys, angers and sorrows (it's nothing)xinubeihuan (mei shenme)
哭不出一滴淚的人是我a person who can't cry a single tear, that's meku bu chu yi di lei de ren shi wo
永恆流浪 沒話說an eternal nomad (nothing to say)yongheng liulang (mei hua shuo)
往前走不回頭go forward without turning backwang qian zou bu huitou
(repeat entire verse)(repeat entire verse)(repeat entire verse)
   
我走的太遠了 x4I went too far (x4)wo zou de tai yuan le (x4)
   

Kelly Pan Jia Li - Second Life translation



I still don't know what the dude means by "changing into a second mami". Music is super catchy, lyrics are just meh.

最近很难找到你it's been hard to find you latelyzui4jin4 hen3 nan2 zhao3dao4 ni3
原来你又去了第二个CITYand it turns out the whole time you were in a second cityyuan2lai2 ni3 you4 qu4 le di4er4 ge CITY
打电话问你和谁一起I called to ask you who you were withda3 dian4hua4 wen4 ni3 he2 shei2 yi4qi3
可是你又转第二个话题but you just changed to a second subjectke3shi4 ni3 you4 zhuan3 di4er4 ge hua4ti
我担心我放的是感情I worry about giving up my affectionwo3 dan1xin1 wo3 fang4 de shi4 gan3qing2
你却玩着第二种游戏whereas you're playing the second kind of gameni3 que4 wan2zhe di4er4 zhong4 you2xi4
我最怕爱着唯一的你I'm so afraid you, the only one I love,wo3 zui4 pa4 ai4zhe wei2yi1 de ni3
你已经开始第二生命you've already started a second lifeni3 yi3jing1 kai1shi3 di4er4 sheng1ming4
   
可以跑东又跑西you can run to the east or run to the westkeyi pao dong you pao xi
不要说东又说西but don't try to say east and west at the same timebu yao shuo dong you shuo xi
是我对你不放心it's me not trusting youshi wo dui ni bu fangxin
是你对我不着急it's you not caring for meshi ni dui wo bu zhaoji
快要灰了我的心soon my heart's gonna turn to ashkuai yao hui le wo de xin
快要忘了你的姓soon your name's gonna be forgottenkuai yao wang le ni de xing
如果再不加点劲if you don't put in any more effortruguo zai bu jia dian jing
我就去找第二个你I'm gonna look for a second you!wo jiu qu zhao di er ge ni
   
Talk to me boy (oh oh)talk to me boy(OH OH)TALK TO ME BOY
where did you go (oh oh)where did you go(OH OH)WHERE DID YOU GO
Just let me know (oh oh)just let me know(OH OH)JUST LET ME KNOW
快点告诉我hurry up and tell mekuai dian gaosu wo
x2x2x2
   
[男声][male voice][male voice]
不要怪我说我在逃避don't blame me or say I'm running awaybu2 yao4 guai4 wo3, shuo1 wo3 zai4 tao2bi4
是我去了第二个CITYI've gone to a second cityshi4 wo3 qu4le di4er4 ge CITY
不是怕你问我去了哪里it isn't that I'm afraid of you asking where I've gonebu2 shi4 pa4 ni3 wen4 wo3 qu4 le na3li
怕你变了第二个MAMIafraid you've become a second mamipa4 ni3 bian4 le di4er4 ge MAMI
男生女生总是这样子boys and girls are always like thisnan2sheng1 nv3sheng1 zong3 shi4 zhe4yang4zi
男生说自由女生说自私the boy says it's freedom, the girl says it's selfishnessnan2sheng1 shuo1 zi4you2, nv3sheng1 shuo1 zi4si1
虽然你是我的唯一even though you're my only onesui1ran2 ni3 shi4 wo3 de wei2yi1
我也想有第二生命I want to have a second life toowo3 ye3 xiang3 you3 di4er4 sheng1ming4
   
最近常常问自己been asking myself latelyzui4jin4 chang2chang2 wen4 zi4ji3
我们能不能够多一点亲密can we get intimate enough?wo3men neng2 bu4 neng2 gou4 duo1 yi4dian3 qin1mi4
打电话问你现在什么心情calling to ask you how you're feeling nowda3 dian4hua4 wen4 ni3 xian4zai4 shen2me xin1qing1
也是为了大家少点距离would make the distance less for everyoneye3shi4 wei4le da4jia1 shao3dian3 qu1li2
我担心我放的是感情I worry about giving up my affectionwo3 dan1xin1 wo3 fang4 de shi4 gan3qing2
你却玩着第二种游戏whereas you're playing another kind of gameni3 que4 wan2zhe di4er4 zhong4 you2xi4
我最怕爱着唯一的你I'm so afraid that you, the only one I love,wo3 zui4 pa4 ai4zhe wei2yi1 de ni3
你已经开始第二生命you've already started another lifeni3 yi3jing1 kai1shi3 di4er4 sheng1ming4
   
(repeat bridge and chorus)(repeat bridge and chorus)(repeat bridge and chorus)
   
你想要第二种假期you want a second kind of vacationni xiangyao di'er zhong jiaqi
我不要第二场爱情I don't want a second romancewo bu yao di'er chang aiqing
你想做第二个自己you want to be a second selfni xiang zuo di'er ge ziji
我只想永远做第一I only want to always be the firstwo zhi xiang yongyuan zuo diyi
你想有第二种空气you want to have a second kind of airni xiang you di'er zhong kongqi
我不要第二场爱情I don't want a second romancewo bu yao di'er chang aiqing
你想做第二个自己you want to be a second selfni xiang zuo di'er ge ziji
我只想永远做第一I only want to always be the firstwo zhi xiang yongyuan zuo diyi

Saturday, May 22, 2010

David Tao Zhe - Wang Bu Liao (Can't Forget) translation

I love, love, LOVE the contrast in David's voice in this song during the rap when he goes from saying "BIG STRONG HE-MAN NO NEED WOMAN" to sniffling that women are just so cruel to sensitive guys. It's very subtle, and totally on purpose. Oh David. If I weren't married I'd heart you right up.

This song borrows heavily, musically and lyrically, from a classic 60s song of the same name by Taiwanese singer Carrie Koo Mei. That's probably why David sings that he's going to take us back... all the way back... old school style. XD

Chinese and translation, with some notes, under the cut. The rap has some nice slang in it, if you like learning such things.

Some kind of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind going on in the video. What computer!David says at the end of the video is basically "Do you have an unforgettable love, [yet] is there something you can't recall? Welcome to Unforgettable Love Memory Co."


忘不了 忘不了can't forget, can't forgetwangbuliao, wangbuliao
(I can't get you outta my mind no no yeah yeah)(I can't get you outta my mind no no yeah yeah)(I can't get you outta my mind no no yeah yeah)
x4x4x4
   
忘不了 忘不了 can't forget, can't forgetwangbuliao, wangbuliao
忘不了你的錯 can't forget your faultswangbuliao ni de cuo
忘不了你的好 can't forget your goodnesswangbuliao ni de hao
忘不了雨中的散步 can't forget taking a stroll in the rainwangbuliao yu zhong de sanbu
也忘不了那風裏的擁抱*and can't forget the embrace in that windye wangbuliao na feng li de yongbao
   
在寂寞的長巷 in a long lonely alley zai jimo de chang xiang
我們見了最後一面 where we saw each other the last timewomen jian le zuihou yi mian
你說散就散 you wanted to break up so we didni shuo san jiu san
我也不想再和你爭辯 I don't want to fight with you eitherwo ye bu xiang zai he ni zhengbian
誰能阻擋 誰能Move on Yeahwho's gonna resist? who's gonna move on, yeah?shei neng zudang? shei neng MOVE ON, YEAH?
   
*忘不了你的好 *can't forget your goodnesswangbuliao ni de hao
忘不了你的淚 can't forget your tearswangbuliao ni de lei
忘不了你的SMILE can't forget your smilewangbuliao ni de SMILE
我以為忘了 可我忘不了  No NoI thought I could forget, but I can't forget, no nowo yiwei wangliao, ke wo wangbuliao, NO NO
忘不了你的錯 can't forget your faultswangbuliao ni de cuo
忘不了你的愛 can't forget your lovewangbuliao ni de ai
(I can't get you outta my mind)(I can't get you outta my mind)(I CAN'T GET YOU OUTTA MY MIND)
我都忘不了 怎麼能忘了 I can't forget at all, how can I forget?wo dou wangbuliao, zenme neng wangliao
(I can't forget you)(I can't forget you)(I CAN'T FORGET YOU)
   
BADABA~ Come onBADABA~ Come onBADABA~ COME ON
BADABA~ That's right BADABA~ That's rightBADABA~ THAT'S RIGHT
BADABA~ Uh Uh 忘不了 忘不了 忘不了BADABA~ Uh uh, can't forget, can't forget, can't forgetBADABA~ UH UH wangbuliao wangbuliao wangbuliao
   
*忘不了 忘不了 can't forget, can't forgetwangbuliao, wangbuliao
忘不了妳的淚 can't forget your tearswangbuliao ni de lei
忘不了妳的笑 can't forget your smilewangbuliao ni de xiao
忘不了葉落的惆悵 can't forget the melancholy of the fallen leaveswangbuliao ye luo de chouchang
也忘不了那花開的煩惱*and can't forget the distress of the flowers bloomingye wangbuliao na huakai de fannao
   
那寂寞的長巷 in a long lonely alleyna jimo de chang xiang
景色依然就在眼前 the scene is still before my eyesjingse yiran jiu zai yanqian
情人換又換 lovers change and change againqingren huan you huan
我已不心酸不再想念 I'm no longer heartbroken nor nostalgicwo yi bu xinsuan, bu zai xiangnian
時間讓一切都Move on Yeah Yeahtime makes everything move on, yeah yeahshijian rang yiqie dou MOVE ON YEAH YEAH
   
repeat * but last 2 lines change to:repeat * but last 2 lines change to:repeat * but last 2 lines change to:
妳早就忘了 是我忘不了 you've long forgotten, it's me who can't forgetni zao jiu wangliao, shi wo wangbuliao
(I can't forget you)(I can't forget you)(I CAN'T FORGET YOU)
   
BADABA~ Ah Ah, That's rightBADABA~ Ah Ah, That's rightBADABA~ AH AH THAT'S RIGHT
BADABA~ 忘不了 忘不了 BADABA~ can't forget, can't forgetBADABA~ wangbuliao wangbuliao
忘不了 忘不了 Come oncan't forget, can't forget, come onwangbuliao wangbuliao COME ON
   
RAP:RAP:RAP:
什麼都「嗯」什麼都「嗯」everything unh, everything unhshen2me dou1 hng, shen2me dou1 hng
什麼都只會「嗯」 everything will only unhshen2me dou1 zhi3 hui4 hng
你到底要做濫好人 do you really want to be a loser nice guy?[1]ni3 dao4di3 yao4 zuo4 lan4 hao3 ren2
被她擺佈到什麼時候呢how long are you gonna let her order you around?bei4 ta1 bai3bu4dao4 shen2me shi2hou ne?
你不要繼續坐在那裡一直可憐自己 don't just sit there always pitying yourselfni3 bu2 yao4 ji4xu4 zuo4 zai4 na4li yi4zhi2 ke3lian2 zi4ji3
忘了她 可以的 你是個帶種的男人的forget her! it's possible! you're a powerful man![2]wang4le ta1! ke3yi3 de! ni3 shi4 ge dai4zhong3 de nan2ren2 de!
反正妳對我們的愛從不看重 anyway, you women[3] never even consider our lovefan3zheng4, ni3 dui4 wo3men de ai4 cong2 bu2 kan4zhong4
付出那麼多但妳卻都不感動 we invest so much and your heart isn't even touchedfu2chu1 na4me duo1 dan4 ni3 que4 dou1 bu4 gan3dong3
現在隨便妳要怎樣我都不傷痛you can do whatever you want now, it doesn't hurt mexian4zai4 sui2bian4 ni3 yao4 zen3yang4, wo3 dou1 bu4 shang1tong3
我忘了 我忘了 我忘了I've forgotten! I've forgotten! I've forgotten!wo3 wang4le, wo3 wang4le, wo3 wang4le
我忘不了I can't forget...wo3 wang4bu4liao3...
1. Modern Taiwanese culture has a whole set of lingo around 好人, literally means "good person", but you'll understand when I tell you it's equivalent to the sentiment in "You're a nice guy, but...". IE that you're being dumped because she thinks you're a boring loser but you're not actually offensive. For example, literally "sending a good person card" has the colloquial meaning "dump" because of this.
2. I want to use something slangy to translate 帶種 here, because it's slangy in Chinese. I thought about "you're a macho man" but I can't hear "macho man" without going into the Village People song. 帶種 means... willful, gutsy, bold, fierce, daring. A lot of those in combination with "man" sound kind of camp in English, which is not the connotation in Chinese. Any suggestions?
3. In the first part of this wrap he was using the masculine second person 你. Here he switches to 妳, the feminine, pronounced exactly the same; this is only different in writing. So I translated it as "you women" but it's just "you" and the "you" is specifically addressing a female.