Colin Goh and Woo Yen Yen

I was recently asked by a JC student for the lyrics to ‘Bong Chun Hong’, the theme song for ‘Singapore Dreaming’. (The song can be downloaded here.)

Most of us know it as a hoary old Hokkien karaoke favourite or the unofficial Taiwanese national anthem (kind of like what ‘Waltzing Matilda’ is to Australia), but the lyrics are surprisingly nuanced. (Here’s an interesting link to a review of an exhibition devoted to Deng Yuxian, the song’s composer (1906-1944) held in Taiwan. Spookily, and totally unbeknownst to us, last year, the theatrical premiere of Singapore Dreaming coincided with the 100th anniversary of Deng’s birth!)

Anyway, I thought it’d be fun to reproduce the lyrics here, accompanied by our Hokkien transliteration, in case the bananas and anglophiles amongst you feel inspired to have a singalong in the shower:

望春风 BONG CHUN HONG (WANG CHUN FENG)
Original Words and Music by Li Lin Qiu and Deng Yu Xian
Arranged by Sydney Tan for ‘Singapore Dreaming’
Used with permission
Courtesy BMG Music Publishing Taiwan
Performed by Celine Rosa Tan and Alice Lim

午夜无伴守灯下
春风对面吹
十七，八岁未出嫁
见到少年家
果然标致面肉白
想要问伊惊歹势
心里弹琵琶

想要郎君做红婿
意爱在心内
等待何时君来采
青春花当开
听见外面有人来
我开门来看看
月亮笑阮是憨大呆
被风骗不知

Hokkien transliteration:
© Woo Yen Yen & Colin Goh 2005-2006

Goh yah boh pua siew deng eh
Chun hong dui bin chuay
Chap chit puay huay ah bay choot kay
Kee tio siao lian kay
Koh lien piao tee bin bak peh
Siang kah lang choo tay
Siew buay mng kio kia pai seh (Aiyoh!)
Seem lai dua gee pay

Siew bay long koon tzuay ang sai
Yee ai tzai seem lai
Dan tai ho see goon lai chai
Ching choon huay tong kai
Tia kee gua bin ooh lang lai
Wah kui mng ga kua mai
Geh neo chio goon si gong tua dai
Wah ho hong bian mm tzai

English Translation:
© Colin Goh 2005-2006

I stand alone at twilight under the lamp
The spring wind blows across my face
At 17 going on 18, I remain unwed
And then I see the young man
His face glows like ivory
To which family does he belong?
I think of asking for his hand
But my heart beats too furiously

I see him as my groom
Feelings of love fill my heart
Oh, when will the gentlemen bring
The spring wind so flowers can bloom?
I hear someone at the door
I open it to see who it might be
But I see only the moon laughing at me
I have been deceived by the wind

And just for fun, I thought I’d include this next little piece… Before he embarked on scoring our soundtrack, Sydney Tan, our wonderful composer, asked me to share some music I thought might be helpful to him, whether in terms of tempo or mood. He also said I might want to jot down thoughts or feelings on themes that I wanted to emphasize.

Instead, I wound up writing this little bit of doggerel as a prototype end credit song (the eventual end credit songs by Ng King Kang and Ronin are much, much better and can be downloaded here). In my silly unmusical head, I saw it as a Goo Goo Dolls meets Tom Waits-type ballad. There are obviously great problems with it (took me about fifteen minutes to whip up, and it shows), but I think overall, it served its purpose, at least for Syd. So here it is, for the very first time. (Please be sparing with those rotten tomatoes!)

THE WORLD AFTER
© Colin Goh 2005-2006

What do you dream of, my love?
Of towers that sparkle in steel, glass and grey
And cars screaming up and down the highway
Of manicured lawns
Or rust coloured dawns
What do you dream of, my love?

I see you displayed on the screens
Your yearning all spent, chasing discontent
I cry as you persist in your bitter ascent
I think of how we were
And the dreams we deferred
To become people of means

Come home to me, my love
And drink deeply of all our blessings
And leave behind our craven obsessions
The desirable address
And all we possess
That looms to possess us, my love

Drink with me to the world after
Walk with me right through the veil
I fear no flame, shadow or sword
I need no title, shield or reward
All I want is justice restored
All I ever wanted was you

What do you dream of my love?
All I ever dreamed of was you.
All I ever wanted was you.
All I ever needed was you.

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