2 posts tagged “alan”
This is not the first time I had to make some compromise by cutting the title short (and knowing the Japanese love for long titles, I doubt this would be the last). The full title of this post should therefore go:
Lyrics Translation: natsukashii mirai ~longing future~ (懐かしい未来 ~longing future~) ~ alan (アラン)
As you could have guessed, the main point of this post is to introduce another artist that I will be following on this blog - that's right, make way for J-pop's first Chinese Tibetan artist, alan! LOL ~~\(^ o ^)/~~
Born Alan Dawa Zhouma (阿兰达瓦卓玛) in the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous State (甘孜藏族自治州) of the Chinese province of Sichuan (四川), alan could be described as a musician of many talents and many voices. Indeed, her instrument of choice may be the traditional Chinese erhu (二胡) but she also plays the hulusi (葫芦丝) and piano with great proficiency. She also utilises at least two techniques of vocalisation in her singing - one that is more acquainted with mainstream pop and another that heralds the trademarks of Tibetan folk music.
She sets herself apart from other artists by leveraging on these traits as she incorporates both styles of song in her Japanese singles while those who write her music also provide her ample opportunity to display her instrumental abilities, adding that extra spice to the ever-expansive Japanese pop scene.
Furthermore, I posted a sample of alan's Chinese debut single entitled, 心・战 ~RED CLIFF~ ("xin/zhan ~RED CLIFF~"; trans: "Heart/War ~RED CLIFF~"), to the left. The song is tied to the summer blockbuster, Red Cliff (赤壁), which is directed by John Woo (吳宇森) and stars Tony Leung (梁朝偉) alongside Takeshi Kaneshiro (金城武).
If you are not living in East Asia though, you'll be getting one heavily-cut movie in January 2009. I'm not at all sure why they chose to do this but I am speculating that some of the film's stakeholders may have felt that the rest of the world may not accept Red Cliff as a Chinese epic that needs more than the span of a movie to cover.
For theatres in East Asia, the film will be screened in two parts - each part running for about two and a half hours. I managed to catch it earlier last week and have to say that I really enjoyed it. Sure, it wasn't quite historically accurate but it sure as hell was an awesome retelling of the saga. If you have the opportunity, I highly recommend checking it out - I can't wait to watch the second half now! LOL
Anyhow, you may have realised that in the span of one post I have gone through Japanese characters, simplified Chinese characters and traditional Chinese characters. As a point of clarification, I will be using simplified Chinese characters when talking about alan in the Chinese context but will retain Japanese labels when I discuss her work in regards to her Japanese career. So please bear with me! LOL
Right, I think it's about time to get into the meat of the post - hopefully, this song will teach us all to love the world and make it a better place! Now, onto some alan goodness! LOL (^___^")
Song information:
Track 1 from alan's single, 懐かしい未来 ~longing future~ (Released 2008/07/02).
PV availability:
There is a very nice PV of this song featuring alan symbolically in rags at an area of reclaimed land on Tokyo Bay. The PV uses paintings to depict the future that we are longing for - showcasing them as images of the imagination at this point in time. Interspersed with these scenes are also shots of alan in a studio and standing in the middle of the road in the countryside. Be sure to look out for the instrumental bridge of the song to catch her playing a glass erhu as well, LOL. Finally, to bring the environmental message home, the PV ends with a plug for the umi-no-mori (sea forest) project that is taking place in Tokyo Bay (to find out more, click here to go to the project's website.)
Theme song:
This song serves as the theme to NHK's series of environmental programming entitled, SAVE THE FUTURE.
Alternative versions:
1. 合唱 [懐かしい未来 ~longing future~] (Released with the same single, 懐かしい未来 ~longing future~ on 2008/07/02)
In romaji, this would be called gasshou [natsukashii mirai ~longing future~], which translates to chorus [yearning for the future ~longing future~]. With a different instrumental arrangement and featuring the children's choir that you could hear backing alan up in the original version of the song, this version is actually quite a treat to listen to. I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised when I first heard it since I thought it would be a simple remix of the original. Anyhow, it is on the same single, so there really isn't much harm in skipping over to track 3 and listening to it, no? LOL
Comments:
Starting with 懐かしい未来 ~longing future~, each month will bring a new single from alan for the span of five months, with each single representing one of the five Japanese elements of earth, sky, wind, fire, and water. This single is based on the element of earth, although this is actually not altogether apparent from any part of the song, LOL (^___^")
Perhaps the reason it isn't so apparent is because my understanding of the element of "earth" is limited to the objects within the Earth and not the actual planet itself, LOL. Remove that bias in my perspective though and there is no argument that this song is about the beauty of Mother Earth (or "Little Miss Earth" as Ai-chin prefers).
The song itself is quite soothing as alan's bars no holds in busting out her unique acoustic stylings when she reaches for the higher notes following the song's chorus. It was at that moment that I surrendered my heart to her as, through song, she conjured up the wonderful memories of my visit to the Celestial Mountains (天山) in the Western Chinese Uyghur province, Xinjiang (新疆). The lyrics to the piece are themselves also beautiful in their innocent portrayal of the planet, but perhaps the most beautiful part of the lyrics lies in the fact that it continues to hold hope for the future.
Indeed, the rhetoric in regards to the climate today seems so much to bear only the "stick approach" with all the warnings and threats that this song certainly stands out in simply arguing that the simple thought of the future itself is enough of a "carrot" (LOL, as bizarre as that sentence may sound, it really was what I was trying to say...). Overall, I've been very enamoured over this song and would love for nothing more than to be able to share it.
So with that, let us relieve this longing by moving on to the next segment of this post (^___^")
Lyrics:
Japanese lyrics retrieved from the almighty uta-net.com!
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日本語:
懐かしい未来 ～longing future～
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歌手: alan
作詞: 大貫妙子
作曲: 菊池一仁
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吹いて渡る 風のように 自由でいたい
同じ空の 下に生きる 息吹のように
北のオーロラ 森の囁き 夢を見た
川のせせらぎ 昇る太陽 朝が来る
愛しい気持ちを抱きしめよう
旅立つ未来 懐かしい時へ
勇気を希望をありがとう
美しい星の上で
知恵の扉 開けてみよう 光の中で
聞こえてくる 遥か遥か 大地の歌が
どこから来たの どこへ向こうの たずねたい
耳をすまそう 裸の心で 見つけよう
愛しいすべてを抱きしめて
旅立つ時は 懐かしい未来
勇気を希望をありがとう
美しい星の上で
愛しいすべてを抱きしめて
旅立つ時は 懐かしい未来
たくさんの色に溢れてる
美しい星の上で
きっとあなたへと届けたい
翼にのせて しなやかな声を
みんなが共に生きていこう
美しい星の上で
この蒼い星の上で
-------------------------------------------------------
romaji:
natsukashii mirai ~longing future~
-------------------------------------------------------
kashyu: alan
sakushi: oonuki taeko
sakkyoku: kikuchi kazuhito
romaji: crystalise
-------------------------------------------------------
fuite wataru kaze no you ni jiyuu de itai
onaji sora no shita ni ikiru ibuki no you ni
kita no oorora mori no sasayaki yume wo mita
kawa no seseragi noboru taiyou asa ga kuru
itoshii kimochi wo dakishimeyou
tabidatsu mirai natsukashii toki e
yuuki wo kibou wo arigatou
utsukushii hoshi no ue de
chie no tobira akete miyou hikari no naka de
kikoete kuru haruka haruka daichi no uta ga
doko kara kita no doko e mukou no tazunetai
mimi wo sumasou hadaka no kokoro de mitsukeyou
itoshii subete wo dakishimete
tabidatsu toki wa natsukashii mirai
yuuki wo kibou wo arigatou
utsukushii hoshi no ue de
itoshii subete wo dakishimete
tabidatsu toki wa natsukashii mirai
takusan no iro ni afureteru
utsukushii hoshi no ue de
kitto anata e to todoketai
tsubasa ni nosete shinayaka na koe wo
minna ga tomo ni ikite ikou
utsukushii hoshi no ue de
kono aoi hoshi no ue de
----------------------------------------
English:
Yearning for the Future*
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Performed by: alan
Lyricist: Taeko Onuki
Composer: Kazuhito Kikuchi
Translated by: crystalise
----------------------------------------
I want to be as free as the winds that cross the earth
As they bring the breath of life to all under the same sky.
Of the northern lights and the whispering forests, I have dreamt and
With the song of the stream and the ascent of the sun, I welcome the morning.**
I’ll embrace these feelings of love
As I set off for the future, journeying to a time I yearn to live in,
I am grateful for the hope of courage
That has been given me on this beautiful star.
Opening the door of wisdom, a light shines on me as
I hear the distant song of the earth.
From where it springs and to where it journeys, I strain to ask and
In listening closely and stepping into the nakedness of my heart, I will find the answer.***
Holding on to all the things I love
As I set off on a journey, I head for the future we are longing for.
On this beautiful star,
I have found the gratefulness for the hope of courage.
Holding on to everything that is love to me,
I set out for the wonder that is the future.
In the overflowing myriads of colour,
I have witnessed the beauty that is on this planet.
I can hope for nothing more than that this song would reach you,
Riding on the wings of love and delivered in the range of voices****
Of all the people who are sharing in the living of this life
On this beautiful star:
This blue planet.
Notes:
*Note 1: I cut the title short since the original English sub-title was an attempt to directly translate the Japanese into English. Unfortunately, it was so direct that it was actually incorrect since it implied that the future was longing for something when, in fact, the future itself should be the object of the longing... (forgive me if that makes no sense, but I hope you get the gist of what I am trying to say, LOL).
**Note 2: Literally, “In the sound of the stream and the rising sun, morning has come.”
***Note 3: Literally, “As I listened carefully, with a naked heart, I will find it.”
****Note 4: Literally, “Riding on wings, with a flexible voice.”
Links:
alan Official Website (maintained by avex trax)
Purchase 懐かしい未来 ~longing future~ online (via YesAsia Global)
If you read any of my recent translation posts, you may have noticed that I've been putting up banners at the end of them. Hopefully, the message was clear from just glimpsing at them, LOL. (^___^") In general, there are two different sets of banners although both carry the same notion: music should be properly bought.
I was prompted to embark on this endeavour because of the increasingly errant arguments I've recently found myself getting into. Some of my friends don't quite understand why I would waste my money on original copies of games, movies, music and whatever it is that I wish to so have since all these things can readily be attained "for free". Indeed, it got even more confusing for them when they realised that I do download things... and that the things I download are the same things I buy... (^___^") So I guess I can't really blame them for finding my position a little odd, can I?
Nonetheless, arguments can seem somewhat unavoidable as my group and I do sit around talking about theoretical issues every now and then, so it's no surprise that we would launch into discourses on the false premises behind the concept of "copyright", the omni-capital might of corporations, and the propagation of the neoliberal agenda, amongst other things (yes, I really am as boring as I sound). But try as I might, I find it very hard to support their position on this issue.
Don't get me wrong though, I have no love for the entertainment industry's incessant chiming that "downloading is theft", nor do I have any respect for their heavy-handed tactics of taking individuals to court in what amounts to outright corporate bullying. No, it is not because I buy their arguments that I buy originals.
Rather, my commitment to purchasing these items is borne from the reasoning that I ultimately live in a meritocratic society, whether I like it or not. It must be stressed then that in a meritocratic society, people are asked to "vote with their wallets" - and when this becomes the primary means of communicating the public will, the purchase of music inevitably buys an artist credibility and legitimacy; however, it also means the converse is ever truer: not purchasing anything from an artist will effectively amount to a vote of no confidence.
Thus, it is for this reason that I have no qualms about forking out the money to buy my music, among other things. It is not in support of the capitalist machinery, but in support of the artist. Not for EMI, but for Hikki; not for avex, but for Ai-chin; not for Warner, but for ayaka; and certainly, not for Sony, but for YUI.
As mentioned, I'm not trying to say that downloading is a bad thing - in fact, I doubt J-pop could have grown so large without such facilitation but in the end of the day, there aren't many avenues with which I could show my appreciation for the impact their work has on my life; so, fortunately for me, one of these methods is hopping into a store and picking up that disc.
With that then, allow me to move on to address each of the two sets of banners and give a very brief description of what I was trying to convey with the words I used, LOL. (^___^")
The LOVE SUPPORT stream
You may have already figured this out, but "love support" is a play on the compound noun, "life support". The idea is simply to encourage people to support the things they love and, at a time when people seem to be buying less music, it serves as a reminder for us not to inadvertently pull the plug on our music.
The banners that have so far been created under this stream are,
The PASSION stream
I have to admit that although it seems quite simple, I actually put quite a lot of thought into the words, "FUEL YOUR PASSION" - specifically thinking of each word, the direction of their meaning, rhythm, pronunciation and so on. The point of this stream is to raise awareness that we, as individuals, have a responsibility to sustain the things that we truly feel about.
The banners created to date in this stream are,
Out of Steam
Well, I've run out of steam, so I guess it's time to bring this post to its conclusion. Check back in a day or so as a translation post follows shortly on the heels of this post! LOL (^___^")
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