A Song a day: 9th July 2014 (歌之女

The song for today is “歌之女” by Denise Ho. This song was from Denise’s “Recollection” album, in which almost all the songs (including this song “歌之女”) were sung by Anita Mu. Anita was Denise singing teacher, and of cause a very successful singer as well. I guess Anita means a lot for Denise so from time to time, Denise will have a song dedicated to Anita. This time is a whole album. I chose focus on Denise version this time because I really like this version, to a certain extent, even more than Anita’s version. I think the emotion that she expressed through this song is deeper and more than Anita’s version. The direct English translation of the title is “Girl of songs”.

I feel that to a certain extent, the lyrics of the song are about the life of Anita. In the original Anita’s version, there were choir singing “Learning to sing, practicing to sing; was accompanied by those songs. Got tired? Got hungry? Singing loudly would make me feel better. Singing at day time, singing at night; haven’t fully understand what is the lyrics are about. Still singing because I wanted you to like me”. This choir is missing in Denise’s version, but it doesn’t affect the song much. The main part said “I remember that little girl singer from the past, she was very thin and small. I remember that she was singing old songs with an old band in the not so high class distract. The theatre was never full, but she keeps singing because she want to fill her stomach. The old cloth looks ok from a distance, but at close inspection they are full of holes. I remember that little girl singer from the past, she likes to see rain flow in the sky. Perhaps she likes to see the rain when it got blow by the wind and their direction become predictable. Maybe one day she will become famous, and she will not be hungry again. Maybe one day the cloths will not be full of holes and she will have more than half a listener. She is me, that she in the past is me today. I never thought that you will give me all your love. Sing for you, sing for you, thanks you for not leaving me. Got tired? Got lost? Thank you for helping me to stand up again. If I can forever sing for you, then I will not need anything else. Looking at you to find love, and found me. I remember that little girl singer from the past, her voice wasn’t too sharp. She sung out sadness and emptiness, but her eyes were always shining. Maybe one day she will become famous, and she will not be hungry again. Summer and autumn and songs and passed away, they passed by without sound.” Hope you will like the song.

I particularly like Denise version, because when she sing “她是我　當天的她今是我 (She is me, that she in the past is me today)”, I feel that she is continuing Anita’s legacy. Anita had done many charity works and had built a very good foundation for future comer in Hong Kong music industry. When Denise sings that line, I feel that she is making the promise to continue Anita’s work, to give back to the society. That is why I like this version more as it added an extra layer of feeling toward the song. But of cause, without the original and Anita’s work, this version would not feel this way, so I have also linked to Anita’s original version for you to enjoy.