Sep 2, 2007

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 teacher’s lesson last night. I then recorded the English version by myself following today’s 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

我和我的祖国 ? Wo he wo de zuguo,
一 刻 也 不 能 分 割 ? yike ye buneng fenli。
无论我走到哪里 ? Wulun wo zou dao nali，
都流 出 一 首 赞 歌 ? dou liuchu yi shou zange。
我歌唱每一座高山 ? wo gechan mei yi zuo gaoshan，
我歌唱每一条河 ? wo gechang mei yi tiao he，
袅袅炊烟 ? niao niao chuiyan，
小小村落 ? xiao xiao cunluo，
路上一道辙 ? lu shang yidao zhe。
我最亲爱的祖国 ? Wo zui qinai de zuguo，
我永 远 紧 依 着 你 的 心 窝 ? wo yongyuan yiwei zhe ni de xinwo 。
你用那母亲的脉搏 ? ni yong ni na wuqin de maibo,
和我诉说 ? he wo su shuo。

我的祖国和我 ? Wo he wo de zuguo,
像海和浪花一朵 ? xiang hai he langhua yiduo。
浪是那海的赤子 ? lang shi na hai de chizi，
海是那浪的依托 ? hai shi na lang de yituo。
每当大海在微笑 ? mei dang dahai zai wei xiao，
我就是笑的旋涡 ? wo jiu shi xiao de xuanwo。
我分担着海的忧愁 ? wo fendan zhe hai de youchou，
分享 海 的 欢 乐 ? fenxiang hai de huanle。
我最亲爱的祖国 ? Wo zui qinao de zuguo，
你是那大海永远不干涸 ? ni shi na dahai yong bu ganhe，
永远给我碧浪清波 ? yongyuan gei wo bilang qinbo，
心中的歌 ? xin zhong de ge。

我最亲爱的祖国 ? Wo zui qinao de zuguo，
你是那大海永远不干涸 ? ni shi na dahai yong bu ganhe，
永远给我碧浪清波 ? yongyuan gei wo bilang qinbo，
心中的歌 ? 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