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Bilingual Song--006: Shirley Sings a Chinese Art Song--0028 "My Motherland & I" in English & Chinese

Listen to Shirley Singing the Song In English
Listen to Shirley Singing the Song in Chinese

This June, by chance, I met a young woman teacher from Shanghai Music College. After hearing her comments about my singing I decided to learn to sing with her and after my son returned abroad on July 17, I started my new lessons. Every Sunday morning I drive for about 1.5 hours for a 1.5 hour lesson, but I always feel that it is worth it.

I always take my computer with me and I have recorded all her lessons. In 6 short lessons with her, I feel that I have learned more than I would normally do in 6 months. Can you imagine? This morning, I have sung up to High C, 5 white keys on the piano higher than before I started to learn with her. She told me that my range has been widened such that I can now sing songs written for soprano.

At the same time, thinking of my original vocal music teacher, she led me through the door of vocal music, she has come to my home every week for 4 years to teach me, no matter whether there was wind or rain. Meanwhile, she needs more students, so I have not told her about my new lessons. I think of her as my elementary level teacher and my new teacher as teaching me at a more advanced level. I still keep my Saturday evening lessons with her during which the emphasis is on learning the Chinese folk style, while I will pay more attention to learning the Italian Style from my new teacher.

I recorded the Chinese version of this song during my first music teachers lesson last night. I then recorded the English version by myself following todays lesson with my new teacher. My new teacher did not teach me anything about this song, but, I tried to learn from the way she has taught me to sing. I do not find it easy to sing in English and it was funny because I kept singing the words "Smoke of Kitchen Chimney" as Smoke of Chicken Chimney", so much so that I read it at least 50 times and recorded it 30 times... :-)

Also, I knew there were certainly mistakes in my translation. :- )

Anyway, this morning, my new teacher started to teach me some lyrics in Italian and she left me homework to preview a song in the Italian language. :-)

Are you smiling right now? I do hope that what I have done on the web site will be a little help to you in your Chinese language learning...


I sung it for the first time on Dec 2006 you are welcome to check it via the link. :-)   

MAIN MENAING OF THE SONG
Listen to Shirley Singing the Song In English
Listen to Shirley Singing the Song in Chinese

My motherland and I,
cannot stay apart forever,
No matter where I may go,
there is a song in my heart.
I sing about every high mountain,
I sing about every river.
Smoke of kitchen chimneys,
Little villages,
The rut in the road.
My dearest motherland,
I will be forever close to your heart
With your heartbeat
Talking to me.

My motherland and I,
Just like the Ocean and its waves.
The wave is the son of the ocean,
The wave depends on the ocean.
When the Ocean is smiling,
I am just an eddy of smiles.
I will share in her sadness,
And share her happiness,
My dearest motherland,
You are just like the Ocean and never dry up,
You always give me clear blue waves,
and songs from your heart.

My dearest motherland,
You are the Ocean and will never dry up,
You give me your clear blue waves
and songs from your heart.

CHINESE CHARACTERS AND PRONUNCIATION
Listen to Shirley Singing the Song In English
Listen to Shirley Singing the Song in Chinese

? Wo he wo de zuguo,
? yike ye buneng fenli
? Wulun wo zou dao nali鐚
薤 莎 ? dou liuchu yi shou zange
? wo gechan mei yi zuo gaoshan鐚
? wo gechang mei yi tiao he鐚
茴茴 ? niao niao chuiyan鐚
? xiao xiao cunluo鐚
莨 ? lu shang yidao zhe
? Wo zui qinai de zuguo鐚
膣 箴 腦 ? wo yongyuan yiwei zhe ni de xinwo
罸篋 ? ni yong ni na wuqin de maibo,
? he wo su shuo

? Wo he wo de zuguo,
? xiang hai he langhua yiduo
? lang shi na hai de chizi鐚
箴 ? hai shi na lang de yituo
緇膃 ? mei dang dahai zai wei xiao鐚
羔 ? wo jiu shi xiao de xuanwo
? wo fendan zhe hai de youchou鐚
? fenxiang hai de huanle
? Wo zui qinao de zuguo鐚
羔 ? ni shi na dahai yong bu ganhe鐚
? yongyuan gei wo bilang qinbo鐚
? xin zhong de ge

? Wo zui qinao de zuguo鐚
羔 ? ni shi na dahai yong bu ganhe鐚
? yongyuan gei wo bilang qinbo鐚
? xin zhong de ge

Listen to Shirley Singing the Song In English
Listen to Shirley Singing the Song in Chinese

If you have any questions, comments and suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn , or shirleyz004@yahoo.com, You are also welcome to publish your opinions in Forum For Friends. :-)   
Shirley Zhang
Written, Translated and Recorded On Sat, Dec 3, 2006
Re-Edited & Re-recorded on Sat, Sun September 1, 2, 2007