Main Site Blog Help

如果有来生 A song with a VERY DEEP meaning

#1

I have to recommend this song called 如果有来生 by 谭维维。 It’s a pretty nice song with a pretty melody and the first time you hear it you might think meh, nothing special, but once you start looking at the lyrics you will find that some things she sings does not really make sense. But actually everything has a very deep meaning and means something different then what you may think. I will let you look at it yourself but her face in the end of the song tells it all (at least thats what I feel). I have posted this at reddit and skritter to, but no one seems interested. I would love to discuss it with someone because this song is actually awesome.

Below are the lyrics:

以前人们在四月开始收获

躺在高高的谷堆上面笑着

我穿过 金黄的麦田

去给 稻草人唱歌

等着 落山风吹过

你从一座叫“我”的小镇经过

刚好屋顶的雪化成雨飘落

你穿着 透明的衣服

给我 一个人唱歌

全都是 我喜欢的歌

我们去大草原的湖边

等候鸟飞回来

等我们都长大了就生一个娃娃

他会自己长大远去我们也各自远去

我给你写信 你不会回信

就这样吧

以前人们在四月开始收获

躺在高高的谷堆上面笑着

我穿过 金黄的麦田

去给 稻草人唱歌

等着 落山风吹过

你从一座叫“我”的小镇经过

刚好屋顶的雪化成雨飘落

你穿着 透明的衣服

给我 一个人唱歌

全都是 我喜欢的歌

我们去大草原的湖边

等候鸟飞回来

等我们都长大了就生一个娃娃

他会自己长大远去我们也各自远去

我给你写信 你不会回信

说好了吧

去大草原的湖边

等候鸟飞回来

等我们都长大了就生一个娃娃

他会自己长大远去我们也各自远去

我给你写信 你不用回信

就这样吧

#2

Thanks for sharing this song and the lyrics with us!

When I first listened to it I felt that she was sad because of an imagined future that will not materialise (我给你写信 你不会回信). However, I started wondering about all the agricultural metaphors and then noticed the line 你从一座叫“我”的小镇经过. Why is she comparing herself to a town? Then I thought maybe the speaker is the land. But if the land speaks, who is “you”? This didn’t seem to make sense.

Now I see that there is very much a theme of passing time in the song. The song starts off with 以前人们在四月开始收获。Further on, she sings about waiting, first for 落山风吹过 and then for 鸟飞回来. They will together wait to grow up and have a child. Then comes this line: 他会自己长大远去我们也各自远去. Is 远去 here a euphemism for death? Perhaps it is more probable that 远去 means something like “go your own way/ down your own path.”

After all of this I still have the feeling that this song is about love, I think she is singing about someone who came into her life for a short time and made her happy - 你穿着 透明的衣服/ 给我 一个人唱歌/ 全都是 我喜欢的歌. I think this person relieved her loneliness but then went their own way, leaving her with just memories to sing about.

I think there is something more to the scarecrow, but I can’t quite figure it out. The scarecrow could represent the person she misses, perhaps she feels that he (assuming it’s a man because of the child line) lacks strong emotions and is just a shell of a man, like a scarecrow. This would help explain why he will not return her letter. However, I don’t think this fully makes sense given the line 你穿着 透明的衣服。One would assume 透明的衣服 represents openness. So, maybe something happened between them that meant they had to part.

#3

Great song - thank you for sharing and the lyrics.
This is a great idea to connect with other learners and to learn/understand the culture.

The reply is also thoughtful. Very well articulated to the deeper meaning of the song.

When I studied in China, we had lesson that usually taught Chinese culture. But I was told that each lesson had a surface level and a deeper meaning. over time I found that to be true.

I would love for more of this type of engagement. Books and movies are a time commitment, but Chinese songs are very poetic or fun and it is a great way for learners to engage.

#4

Hi there,

You are right. That’s why many students love to learn languages through songs. Here are some lessons about pop music:

Chinese Love Songs (Part 1)
https://www.chinesepod.com/lesson/chinese-love-songs-part-1

但愿人长久: A Song song
https://www.chinesepod.com/lesson/但愿人长久-a-song-song

S.H.E. and Super Star
https://www.chinesepod.com/lesson/she-and-super-star

We will have more lessons talking about songs. Stay tuned.

Betty