There are some names that even people with the most cursory knowledge of Mandarin music will be familiar with. Legends like Cui Jian and Teresa Deng touched people with beautiful melodies, poetic lyrics and cautionary (sometimes hidden) messages during a time of volatile transformation in the PRC. However, if those two names are the extent of your insight, it’s time to update your Mandopop handbook. Emotional self-examination and existential questions are so 60s and 70s; today, it’s all about catchy rhymes and explicit lyrics. Here, we’ve selected three of the most popular contemporary hits, a perfect primer to show off your familiarity with modern Chinese pop culture.
‘My Skateboard Shoes’ by Joseph John Pangmailang
《我的滑板鞋》 约瑟翰·庞麦郎 (2014)
The singer’s name may sound Thai, but it is in fact the moniker of a Shanxi Province farmer whose music has become meme gold. Tired of plowing, the 1979-born ‘musician’ (at least he believes he is) left his beloved but impoverished countryside and became a migrant worker in town. While employed at a local karaoke club, he wrote songs to reflect his lofty ambitions. ‘My Skateboard Shoes’ is among the tunes he composed and is said to have a brainwashing effect on people. Despite the fact that the whole song is sung offbeat and with a strong Shanxi accent, lyrics like “摩擦, 摩擦” (‘rubbing, rubbing’) and “时尚时尚最时尚” (‘trendy, trendy, the most trendy’)” became hot phrases on Weibo after the song was released last year in May.
I’ve forgotten certain things
But one thing I shall never forget
My mom asked me one night
Why are you unhappy today?
I said there was a pair skateboard shoes in my mind
Unique, trendy and good for dancing
I searched all the streets of the whole city but they weren’t there
She said I would find them sometime in the future
Time, time will tell
On Sunday I went searching again but got nothing
One month later I went to another city
People here call it ‘the city of charm’
Time passed and soon the night fell
I thought I had to leave
When I was about to go I saw a shop
There were my dream skateboard shoes
My skateboard shoes, trendy, trendy, the most trendy
On my way back home, I couldn’t help
Rubbing, rubbing
Rubbing them on this smooth ground
I saw my shadow under the moon
Sometimes it was near, sometimes it was far away
I felt a strength that pushed me forward
I am not afraid of the night as I have the shoes
One step, two steps, one step, two steps, step by step, like a cat’s paws
Like the demon’s pace
Rubbing, rubbing
I followed my own beat
This was the most beautiful moment in my life
I finished my favorite dance
Under the gentle moonlight, on this beautiful street
I told myself it was not a dream
有些事我都已忘记
但我现在还记得
在一个晚上我的母亲问我
今天怎么不开心
我说在我的想象中有一双滑板鞋
与众不同最时尚跳舞肯定棒
整个城市找遍所有的街都没有
她说将来会找到的
时间时间会给我答案
星期天我再次寻找依然没有发现
一个月后我去了第二个城市
这里的人们称它为魅力之都
时间过的很快夜幕就要降临
我想我必须要离开
当我正要走时我看到了一家专卖店
那就是我要的滑板鞋
我的滑板鞋时尚时尚最时尚
回家的路上我情不自禁
摩擦 摩擦
在这光滑的地上摩擦
月光下我看到自己的身影
有时很远有时很近
感到一种力量驱使我的脚步
有了滑板鞋天黑都不怕
一步两步一步两步 一步一步似爪牙
似魔鬼的步伐
摩擦 摩擦
我给自己打着节拍
这是我生命中美好的时刻
我要完成我最喜欢的舞蹈
在这美丽的月光下在这美丽的街道上
我告诉自己这是真的这不是梦
‘Little Apple’ by Chopstick Brothers
《小苹果》 筷子兄弟 (2014)
Released as the promotional track for movie Old Boy: The Way of the Dragon, ‘Little Apple’ has quickly inundated Chinese cyberspace. To locals, its popularity even outweighs Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style,’ and 10 out of 10 times you can hear the song playing during the square dance performances in the park near your home. Some kindergartens in Guangzhou even use it as background for kids’ morning exercises. Despite the fact that the song is often criticized as having (extremely) limited artistic value, ‘Little Apple’ can also be regarded as a milestone in Mandopop, as it received the International Song Award at the American Music Awards of 2014.
I sowed a seed
It grows and bears fruit
Today is a great day
Take down the stars for you
Pull down the moon for you
Make the sun rise for you every day
Turn into a candle and burn for you
To lighten you
Give you my everything
As long as you want
You make every tomorrow
Meaningful to me
Life is short though my love for you will never wither
Never leave or forsake
You are my little, little apple
How can I love you more
Your ruddy cheek warms my heart
Lighting my life’s fire, fire, fire, fire, fire
You are my little, little apple
Just like that beautiful cloud in the sky
Spring comes, flowers bloom along the hillside
Sow the seed of hope and you will harvest in the end
I’ve never thought you were annoying
I like everything about you
Together with you, every day is fresh to me
Splendid to me
And bright to me
You are the white cloud while I am the sky
In spring, we wander in flowers
In summer, we look at the stars at night
In autumn, we lie in a golden cornfield
In winter, we huddle together amid the snow for warmth
我种下一颗种子
终于长出了果实
今天是个伟大日子
摘下星星送给你
拽下月亮送给你
让太阳每天为你升起
变成蜡烛燃烧自己
只为照亮你
把我一切都献给你
只要你欢喜
你让我每个明天都
变得有意义
生命虽短爱你永远
不离不弃
你是我的小呀小苹果儿
怎么爱你都不嫌多
红红的小脸儿温暖我的心窝
点亮我生命的火 火火火火
你是我的小呀小苹果儿
就像天边最美的云朵
春天又来到了花开满山坡
种下希望就会收获
从不觉得你讨厌
你的一切都喜欢
有你的每天都新鲜
有你阳光更灿烂
有你黑夜不黑暗
你是白云我是蓝天
春天和你漫步在盛开的花丛间
夏天夜晚陪你一起看星星眨眼
秋天黄昏与你徜徉在金色麦田
冬天雪花飞舞有你更加温暖
'Chick, Chick' by Wang Rong
《小鸡,小鸡》 王蓉 (2014)
This animal anthem is entirely made up of onomatopoeia, mimicking the sounds of a hen, a chicken and a rooster – think ‘The Fox’ but even more mindless. Supposedly released to help relieve people from everyday pressures, it completely confounded the public with its strange lyrics (if the cooing can be called lyrics), not to mention the bizarre costumes and dance moves featured in the music video. The song’s ‘charm’ even reached the other side of the ocean: LA Weekly highlighted the MV as one of the world’s craziest in 2014. What exactly is relaxing about hearing a bunch of chicks crow? We honestly, truly, absolutely have no idea.
Hen hen hen hen hen hen
Cluck cluck day
Chick chick chick chick chick chick
Cluck cluck day
Hen hen hen hen hen hen
Cluck cluck day
Rooster rooster rooster rooster rooster rooster
Ohoh ohoh ohoh
Hen hen hen hen hen hen
Cluck cluck day
Chick chick chick chick chick chick
Cluck cluck day
Hen hen hen hen hen hen
Cluck cluck day
Rooster rooster rooster rooster rooster rooster
Who stole my rice
Cluck cluck day, cluck cluck cluck cluck day
cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck cluck day
母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡
咕咕day
小鸡小鸡小鸡小鸡小鸡小鸡
咕咕day
母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡
咕咕day
公鸡公鸡公鸡公鸡
喔喔喔喔喔
母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡
咕咕day
小鸡小鸡小鸡小鸡小鸡小鸡
咕咕day
母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡母鸡
咕咕day
公鸡公鸡公鸡公鸡
谁偷了我的 chua米
咕咕day 咕咕咕咕day
咕咕咕咕咕咕day
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