spotlight: "heart to heart" by linda chung

Heart to Heart - Linda Chung
(Themesong from TVB series Best Bet)

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English Translation by MetalAZNWarrior
After gambling for seven nights,
your body is weak, but you're still happy
You continue to gamble on 'dai sai'
and hope for lucky stars to shine on you
Do you have good chance or just good fortune;
when the luck comes you will buy land
You and I with great wealth and fortune happily welcome happiness

Chorus
*Hoo ~ The lucky star shines all over the side of your body and mine
Good destiny comes with a joyous tone,
spreading it throughout the skies
Hoo ~ Luck is loving you loving me a little more
You - my heart agreed early on to meet
It's hard to decide on a predetermined relationship
Also for obtaining complete happiness
A good husband and a kind wife are dear to each other
Strong love and affections is called 'heart to heart'*

Because having good fortune makes loving sweet as honey
For the sake of loving me, you bid farewell to 'ha haai yue'
After frustration, still love the feeling of wealth
I will continue to love to find out what will touch me

Repeat Chorus

Pinyin
Doh liu chat man tui yuen sau yuen daan ying si foon hei
Nei jau gai juk maai dai sai mong gat sing jiu hei
Hoh yau sau hei ji yiu fuk hei wan loi yau maai dei
Nei gung ngoh dai foo dai gwai fai lok ying hei hei

Chorus
*Hoo ~ Fuk sing joi jiu pin nei yue ngoh dik san bin
Leung yuen wan loi foon sing heung pin tin
Hoo ~ Hang wan si ngoi nei ngoi ngoh doh yat dim
Nei ngoh sum lui jo yeuk ding seung gin
Naan dak jue ding dik yuen fan
Waan yau hang fuk dak doh moon fan
Leung foo yue yin chai seung chan
Ching yi nung sum sum wooi kiu seung yan*

Yan yau fuk hei yan ngoi dak yu mat tong bei jaan yue
Nei wai ngoi jeuk ngoh jau go bit liu ha haai yue
Ging gwoh sat yi doh ya seung ngoi gam gok gik foo yue
Ngoh yik gai juk ngoi wai faat gwai dung yan chi chue

Repeat Chorus

Opinions
Truth be told, it took me a while to warm up to this song, but once I did, I absolutely loved it. It is a super adorable and cute song. I can't help but smile every time I hear it. Heart to Heart just melts my heart with Linda's sugary vocals and the cheerful melody. I really like the lyrics too. It's cute and fitting to Best Bet. The allusions towards gambling and "Hor Yi" (Michael Tse) are funny in a very cute way. I know, I keep using the word "cute", but there's really no other word to describe this song. It's such an adorable and endearing song. I love the instrumental at the very beginning - the music just sounds so cute!

When I watched the themevideo for Bet for the very first time, I was shocked. I had thought that the themesong was a duet between Michael and Linda, so I found it to be a bit "weird" during the first listen. I kept waiting to hear Michael's vocals... but it was just Linda all the way through - shocking indeed. I also didn't like the background vocals initially as well - they sounded weird. After I got over my shock and listened again, I learned not only to appreciate, but love the song as well.

I just love Heart to Heart! I'm very eager to hear more songs from Linda in the future. Unlike her acting, Linda has a background in singing. She took vocal lessons from ex-Hong Kong diva Lau Fung Ping, who immigrated to Canada after getting married. She actually performed in-concert with her teacher at the Hong Kong Coliseum a few months back. Linda will be performing there for the second time this August with Raymond Lam as special guest performers for Susanna Kwan's concert. With a background in singing and a good voice, it's not surprising that TVB is investing in Linda's singing career. It's very possible that she might have a record deal in the future. If not, I'm more than content hearing her singing for the themesong or subsong for her series.

appreciating this relationship

Appreciated by Raymond Lam & Linda Chung
(Subsong from TVB series Heart of Greed)

R = Raymond Lam
L = Linda Chung
T = Together

English Translation by MetalAZNWarrior
R: Perhaps with love, there's just fire and smoke that marks passion,
If it's this simple to be happy, it won't take more than one night
Within the heart, there are boundaries. How can I not be frightened?
Then, I discovered that perhaps the feelings have faded

L: Even more, I beg you to exchange the many nights of sadness, pain, and tears with me
If you want to play all of the time,
Being tired of the old and greedy for the new, my heart grows weary
Is it destined that being caring will not receive praises
Fearing the passionate love has already diminished

Chorus
*T: Who is willing to cherish this love,
Not willing to change yourself because of me,
Actually, after understanding this process,
Realizing that sacrifices won't lead to happiness,
It's been appreciated*

R: Any love left has reached its expiration,
What the heart desires is not just you
With so many reprisals, it forces me to humor you
In truth, throughout, I still absolutely love you

L: Likewise, don't suggest that the feelings from early on were extinguished
Thanks to you, starting today,
I also won't hold on to waiting for you,
The pleasures of being single, even if unafraid of holding the air,
I will not bother to remember

Repeat Chorus

R: Never meant to be cruel, never meant to hurt you...

T: Who is willing to cherish this love,
Not willing to change yourself because of me

(Simultaneously)
R: Actually... clearly...
I know
No use bothering me,
No use inquiring again,
It's been appreciated
L: Actually, after understanding this process,
Realizing that sacrifices won't lead to happiness,
It's been appreciated

T: Senselessly, perhaps we discovered that feelings fade,
Senselessly, perhaps we discovered that feelings fade

Pinyin
R: Waak hui yue ngoi doh ji yau yin foh na hak dik chui chaan
Yu chi gaan daan fai lok bat doh yue yat maan
Noi sum chung yau haan chuk bok jam hoh bat ging taan
Yin hau faat yin ching waak hui juen taam

L: Yuet to ho nei jau woon loi seung sum tung huk doh yat maan
Yu chi taam waan, yim gau daam sun ngoh sum taam
Si fau jo jue ding tai tip doh bat wooi dak doh ching jaan
Pa yit ngoi yi tui gaam

Chorus
*T: Sui yuen hei hon je ngoi ching
Chung mei gam sum yan ngoh juen sing
Kei sat ching chor je gwoh ching
Jau suen hei sang bat wooi ko hing
Yi sum ling*

R: Sam moh luen ngoi dik gam gok chi chung yau ta dik haan kei
Chui sum foon hei, fong yam sum chung bat ji nei
Sau jung jung jaak bei bik ngoh fong si foo hin nei
Kei sat chi chung chuen lik hei foon nei

L: Yik bat bit am si gam gok yat jo yi sik
Doh dak nei, chung gam tin hei
Ngoh yik bat hei hon dang nei
Duk san dak chui mei bat pa jik si po yung hung hei
Ngoh yik laan hui gei hei

Repeat Chorus

R: Never meant to be cruel, Never meant to hurt you...

T: Sui yuen hei hon je ngoi ching,
Chung mei gam sum yan ngoh juen sing

(Simultaneously)
R: Kei sat ching... chor...
Ngoh jee
Mo wai hui chin jue ngoh
Mo wai joi hui da ting
Yi sum ling
L: Kei sat ching chor je gwoh ching
Jau suen hei sang bat wooi ko hing
Yi sum ling

T: Mo wai faat yin ching waak hui juen taam,
Mo wai faat yin ching waak hui juen taam

Analyzing the song
I'm not going to do a Deciphering Themesong for this song because I'm basically doing an abridged version of it right now. Based on spoilers that have leaked pertaining to Heart and how clear the message of this song is, I don't think it's premature to analyze it in the context of the series.

Summary of their relationship
In Heart, Seung Joi Sum (Linda Chung) and Ching Leung (Raymond Lam) get together and then break up a total of three times. Sum and Leung initially feel really happy being together. They get along well and everything is great. However, Sum feels that Leung doesn't offer her a sense of security. He doesn't tell her anything, thus making her worry. One time, he had a really big case, so Sum secretly went to watch him. Unfortunately, he lost the case (his first defeat since being a lawyer) and Sum was there to witness it. Leung decides to break up with Sum consequently.

However, the two still love each other, so they eventually get back together. Not long afterwards, Leung begins to treat Sum coldly again and she begins to suspect him of cheating, so she calls for a break-up. Then, Leung's mom passes away and Sum discovers the reason why Leung acts the way he does. Leung didn't have a good relationship with his mom and was forced to keep everything to himself; therefore, he doesn't know how to open up to others. Sum feels sympathy for Leung, so they get back together again. However, Sum doesn't know whether she still has feelings for him or if she just pities him... nevertheless, they date once again.

Sum starts to spend more time with Tong Chi On (Moses Chan) and the two begin to develop feelings. Later, Leung cheats on Sum with her good friend, Shui Ming Ha (Yoyo Mung). Sum is totally devastated...

Appreciated basically sums up this turbulent relationship that Leung and Sum have with each other. Leung is scared of letting others into his heart while Sum is tired of Leung's "playboy" ways and how he doesn't share anything with her. They slowly begin to realize that their feelings have begun to fade. They're not willing to change themselves for the other person and they realize that sacrificing won't lead to happiness. Sum and Leung are completely right. In a relationship (at least one that can be sustained), it's crucial to "be yourself." Changing yourself just so you can be with other person is just painful and not long-lasting. You cannot change your nature.

Although Leung and Sum still care for one another and have loved each other throughout the whole ordeal, their hearts have led them away from this unhealthy relationship. They realize they cannot continue to do this (be together). By the song's end, Sum and Leung finally admit that they understand that feelings can and do fade. It's a final, mutual break-up.

Despite the tumultuous and heart-breaking relationship, they both appreciate the experience of being together. It has helped them grow.

Comments: This song was written specifically for "Sum" and "Leung" as it summarizes their relationship so well. I think it's a bittersweet song because they finally come to an understanding that they've moved on from each other, that the passion is gone, and their feelings have faded, but at least they can both be happy now - so it's a good thing. It's sad to admit that feelings can change and that most couples don't stay together (in particular, I'm talking about the "dating" scene), but it's something that people have to accept. I think the song offers a good message. You can still care about a person (that you've dated) but you do not have to be together in order to love that person. Being together for the sake of being together isn't healthy. In the end, the heart will lead everything to how they should be.

I really do enjoy seeing Raymond and Linda together (they look so compatible) but from the sounds of the relationship between "Leung" and "Sum," it doesn't look like they are as compatible as they think. It will be interesting to watch them get together and break up three times. I will enjoy their sweet moments while they last at the beginning of each "get together" because it looks like each break-up just gets worse and worse as the two end up hurting each other over and over again... However, it's really premature for me to make any judgments as I haven't seen it played out yet.

The lyrics of the song make me appreciate and like it more because of its meaning.

deciphering themesongs #5

Love is Beautiful is a poignant tale pertaining to beauty and told through the story of two "sisters" - Ling Wan (Mariane Chan) and Chor Chor (Anne Heung) - and their switched lives and fates when one steals the face of the other. It's a moving tragedy, preaching endearing morals and presenting the issue of society's obsession with beauty and the superficial.

Love's themesong allows Ling Wan to voice her sorrows and all of hardships that she has to overcome as a result of her passionate love and Chor Chor's wickedness, jealousy, and greed.

Love's Price by Stephanie Che
(Themesong from TVB series Love is Beautiful)




English Translation by MetalAZNWarrior
If eyes can distinguish right or wrong,
Such a blink, can you see me clearly?
Sincerity hides within the heart
How to compose a love song of a thousand years with you?

Distinguish me from my body
Will such a girl love?
If outer appearances mislead, then use love
How can I make you see the real me
Come look at me clearly for once!

Cry! Is it I who doesn't know how to manipulate?
Is it you who doesn't understand me well?
Still believing, the truth is that my mood has yet to change to fakeness

Come, look!
A poorest life is not scary
Not resenting, regretting, or hating this poor life
This is the price of love

Analyzing the verses
Verse #1 deals with perception and being able to "see." People won't believe something unless they see it "with their own eyes." However, not everything that we "see" is actually the truth. Appearances can be deceiving and this causes misunderstandings. We have to look beneath the surface in order to fully understand or appreciate something. The line "Sincerity hides within the heart" reveals that Ling Wan feels beauty is from within. This is in agreement with her philosophy. When we first see her in the first few episodes, we learn that she purposely made herself ugly because she didn't want to marry someone who would only "love" her for her face - she wanted someone who would look deeper and fall in love with her inner beauty.

Verse #2 brings Chor Chor into the picture and elaborates more on the issue of outside appearance. She wonders if Chor Chor can truly love because she seems to be so greedy and superficial. To Chor Chor, the most important thing is wealth. This is what drove her to steal her Ling Wan's face (and thus life) and later on - her son. Everything she does is for the sake of maintaining superficial possessions. Ling Wan wants the Emperor (Eddie Cheung) to be able to tell it's still "her" even though Chor Chor has changed her face. She tells him to use his feelings for her to recognize her. She wants him to look at her from the inside and understand and know who she is - the real her.

Verse #3 raises very sad questions. Ling Wan ponders if it's her fault or the Emperor's that she's in such a predicament. Why won't he believe that she really is Ling Wan? Even though she faces many setbacks, she keeps fighting and maintains her optimistic spirit. No matter how much she falls or how hard, Ling Wan always climbs back up. She also wonders if she's "wrong" for not knowing how to lie and cheat. Her nature is so trusting (she likes to see and believe in the good in people) and innocent that Chor Chor easily feeds off of it and uses her. What's also admirable about her is the fact that despite it all (the lies, backstabs, and so on), Ling Wan never once changes. Her mentality and morals are intact. Not once does she sink into thoughts of bitter hatred or plots for revenge. She stays on high ground and that's pretty great. [Yes, I recognize that Ling Wan is too "perfect" and sometimes it is frustrating that she's so "nice," but Mariane plays her so wonderfully that it's forgivable. Besides, it would be out-of-character for Ling Wan to start plotting for revenge since she's been taught to 'do upon others as you wish done upon yourself' and she just truly believes in kindness.]

Verse #4 concludes the song well and relates back to its title. It also ends the song on a very powerful note. Ling Wan bravely declares that she's not scared of anything and that she doesn't feel bitter at her poor fate. Loving is painful, but she is willing to pay the price and she accepts and deals with her fate.

Conclusions made from the themesong
Love's Price (Ching Dik Doi Ga) foreshadows all of the difficulties and hardships that Ling Wan must pass through as a result of her immense love for the people around her (her family and friends). Loving someone isn't an easy task - they can make us extremely happy, but can just as easily shatter our hearts. Love can and usually involves sacrifices and it can be very painful. It has a high "price" but it's the best purchase anyone can "buy" and worth it all. A life without love just isn't life. Ling Wan shows us how far some people are willing to go in the process of loving.

Thoughts
What an excellent themesong choice! I loved the song because of Love is Beautiful and loved it even more when I realized the person who sang it was the highly underrated Stephanie Che ("Man Gwai Fei" from Virtues of Harmony). Stephanie has impeccable comedic timing, priceless facial expressions, and a sweet singing voice. The lyrics of Love's Price are also very meaningful and I am so happy to be finally able to comprehend it. When I heard it in 2001, I only knew that it "sounded" good but had no idea what it meant. In 2007, I finally understand it (in fact, the lyrics are quite simple) and it is a great thing. It's sad that it's been six years, but there still isn't a full CD version available for this song. It's upsetting, but I can only hope that when and if Stephanie releases another CD, she will include this song, but that's very doubtful. In any case, the song is still great and is a classic TVB song - along with the series.

deciphering themesongs #4

Forensic Heroes follows the workings of the Forensic Science Department, the Forensic Pathology Department, and the Hong Kong Police Force. Ko Yin Bok (Bobby Au-Yeung), Doctor Koo Chak Sum (Frankie Lam), and Madam Leung Siu Yau (Yoyo Mung) are the three leaders of the branches respectively. Forensic shows how the three branches work intricately to solve homicides and how forensic evidences are the keys to cracking the toughest murders. With these three around Hong Kong, criminals have a hard time escaping!

The themesong of Forensic, sung by Frankie, portrays the nature of their work and lives.

Heavenly Net by Frankie Lam
(Themesong from TVB series Forensic Heroes)




English Translation by MetalAZNWarrior
The truth comes out slanted. A theory having a hundred sort
As if it hasn't come to an end
In the middle of ten thousand things. A pair of eyes, as if understanding
Things happening in the dark
Things before the eyes, less suspecting
Past beauty reappears
Human affairs are intertwined
Within the heavenly net are visible traces
Heavenly justice will inform later

Chorus
*The forensic outlook, be it right be it wrong
Justice will prevail in the end
For evil, don't
Wiping away committed crimes. Haven't gone to the crime
In the end, the heaven bears excessively
Remaining traces make it hard to escape*

Haven't been beside a body. Everlasting love in the heart hasn't changed
Haven't informed with words yet
The heart isn't crazy yet. An early love will have development
Within feelings, love becomes present
Feelings before the eyes. Hesitating as if prolonging
With every day, love gradually reappears
A look joins together. A pair of eyes observing visible traces
In the heart, the truth matters

Repeat Chorus

Analyzing the verses & chorus
Before we discuss the lyrics, let's talk about the song's title. Why is it called Heavenly Net? It derives its title from a Chinese saying that says (translated roughly), "the heavenly net is vast, but it won't overlook anyone." I forget the last series I heard this in, but if you're an avid TVB viewer, you'll definitely have heard it before, especially in law or investigative series. Basically, a character will say this when a case seems hopeless. The "heavenly net" is the world. If you think about it, it makes sense. Because the earth is underneath the heavens, this "heavenly net" covers the whole world and enthralls everything. Going back to the saying, it means that although the world ("heavenly net") is large, the heaven still sees every crack and corner (in the net), so criminals cannot escape. That is what the title is referring to and it is very fitting.

The first verse talks about how difficult it is to investigate and uncover the truth. Truths, in pertinence to crimes, are not straightforward. They are often attempted to be concealed and when they do emerge finally, they come out slanted and in unexpected ways. Crimes happen everyday in every possible time and place. When a murder happens, only the culprit and the victim know exactly what happened in the scene. Murder is the greatest offence, so murderers will go to the greatest lengths to hide the crime and hope to escape justice... Forensic scientists must unravel traces that the murderer unknowingly leaves behind and find evidences to figure out the crime. This is a difficult task of searching, trying to understand, and theorizing. However, because the heavenly net won't conceal evidences, the forensic heroes won't give up on their quests for justice.

The chorus summarizes further the work of the forensic scientists and how they strive for justice. In the forensic field, particularly during the investigation, everything is based on theory and personal perspectives. Whether the forensic heroes' outlooks are true or false doesn't matter. They have to formulate and think of every possible way the crime could have happened in order to get to the truth. They weren't there during the crime scene, so no one knows the whole truth besides the people involved and the heavens. Justice will prevail eventually through the team's hard work and the heavens' help. The chorus ends with a strong declaration that criminals cannot escape because they always leave behind some evidence that will lead our forensic heroes to the truth since heaven is watching.

The second verse shifts the song into a totally different gear. Instead of continuing on about investigations and crime, it talks about love. It seems a bit irrelevant to the rest of the song at first glance, but deeper analysis shows that it's fitting. The lives of the forensic heroes aren't just focused on solving cases. Like everyone else, they too love and want to be loved. Because of the busy nature of their work, it makes it hard for them to date normally. Regardless of the difficulty, they can and do overcome it to love. The human heart is always so pervasive in everything that we do. Hence, the forensic heroes are passionate about finding the truth because it matters to the heart.

Conclusions made from the themesong
Heavenly Net (Tin Mong) sets a righteous tone for Forensic. No matter how strenuous, the characters will fight to uncover the truth. It's pretty amazing the work that they do. To be able to find the truth from the most microscopic trace, to understand dark secrets and hidden workings of the criminal mind, and to form intricate theories, it is all so impressive. I find it interesting how the song talks so much about the importance and influence of heaven in the forensic heroes' work... it's almost like it's suggesting a bond between science and religion. It is the heavenly net that makes sure criminals cannot escape and it's heavenly justice that prevails. The penultimate line of the chorus even says that the "heavens bear excessively." Although science is pivotal to the forensic heroes in their search for truth, there's no denying that the heavens (according to this song at least) also plays a huge role. Whether or not there are heavenly sources acting is anyone's guess, but according to our forensic heroes, their work is guided and aided by the heavens. This adds an even more glorious aura about the series because the song implies that the heavens stand beside (or behind or even in front of) the forensic heroes.

Thoughts
For some reason, I become obsessed with every themesong that Frankie sings. It happened with The Herbalist's Manual and it happened now with Forensic Heroes. I don't know why, but his songs are really easy to sing and memorize for me and they sound so good! Needless to say, I love Heavenly Net. It suits the series well and is very catchy and memorable. The melody is awesome too and Frankie executes the song well.

deciphering themesongs #3

The Charm Beneath is essentially a family drama about the Chuks, who run and own the prominent cosmetic shop - "Flower Mirror Hall" (Geng Fa Tong). The series follows this extensive family's highs and lows. From the death of the family's eldest son to the conniving plots of the family's jealous uncle, the Chuks go through a lot of twists and turns. The most surprising revelation is that everything that happens seems to be the plot of desperate widow Sung Wan Sheung (Anne Heung)...

Charm's themesong uses its backdrop of cosmetics and mirrors as symbolism for human nature and "truth," dedicating the song to Wan Sheung.

Flower Mirror by Gigi Lai
(Themesong from TVB series The Charm Beneath)




English Translation by MetalAZNWarrior
Refined taste perceived by looks. Appearances transform a legend
Dolling up to be girly. Beauty follows a kind heart
Magnificence shines outside the mirror. Dark thoughts concealed within
An outstanding love, the heart lives in the mirror

Chorus
Life's story is endlessly long. Drowsily losing a genuine heart is to lose focus
Applying rouge again to be attractive. Dark insides show
Perhaps the flower mirror reflects a hundred kinds. The end no longer hides concealed truth
Only allowing love to shine brilliantly, us two

Within looks is a charming display. Supposing people are already separated from gods
Dolling up is lovely and beautiful. Worries are not beautiful
A vague dream that leaves an impression. People's affairs change frequently
Pursuing the truth, real love is utmost

Repeat Chorus

If stars' lights shine brilliantly, Wan Sheung

Analyzing the verses & chorus
Verse #1 opens the song brilliantly, using wonderful imagery and symbolism. Cosmetics are used to enhance beauty, but physical attractiveness is nothing without sincerity for beauty grows from within (the heart). The "flower mirror" represents the true self, or rather the "soul." Mirrors are confined to the sole ability of reflecting physical appearances. Hence, "magnificence" is on the other side of the mirror because real beauty is the person standing before the mirror, not the image looking back. The reflection is the facade and facades can hide anything, especially dark truths about people. However, what's interesting is that the heart resides within the mirror. Now, how can that be? If the person is outside of the mirror, why is the heart inside it? It's because the "heart" is concealed within the person. Even if we look at someone face-to-face, we cannot "see" the heart. Therefore, the heart is reflected in the mirror and "lives" in it.

The chorus gives the song its main essence and strips away the facade put on in the first verse. By giving into her evil thoughts, Wan Sheung loses her heart and ultimately her focus and goals in life. She tries to apply make-up again to continue her facade of being this "pitiful, kind widow" and hide her viciousness, but the make-up doesn't take and her true self emerges as the truth behind everything that she did comes out.

Verse #3 goes on to talk more about life and truth. Unlike the first verse, it is not so symbolic and there's no facade - just raw, straightforward, human thoughts. It further emphasizes the importance of "truth" and "love."

If you couldn't infer that the message behind the lyrics was for Wan Sheung, then the final line puts it out directly.

Conclusions made from the themesong
It's clear from the themesong that Wan Sheung plays a very crucial role to the series. If not, why would the song be talking about her and even include her name? A character has to be very special in order for a song to talk about him or her. Flower Mirror (Geng Fa) is basically a pleading message from the Chuks to Wan Sheung. They want her to change for the better and give up her dark thoughts (plotting against the family for revenge).

Who is the speaker of the song? The sustained imagery and symbolism of make-up rules out the male characters, but which female character is it? It is Chuk Ming Wai (Gigi Lai) or is it someone else? I believe there are two possible answers. It's either Ming Wai or Ng Yee Fong (Yoyo Mung).

It's possibly Ming Wai because of the fact that Gigi sings the song. Also, Ming Wai has rifts with Wan Sheung. Wan Sheung induced her miscarriage and plotted to destroy the relationship that she had with her husband (Cheung Chi Kwong) by making her think he was having an affair. Therefore, it's likely that Ming Wai, who gradually becomes the leader of the Chuk household, is the speaker.

Yee Fong is a stronger candidate as the speaker because she got to "know" Wan Sheung the most. While the other family members treated Wan Sheung with some bias or had an unpleasant word with her at one point or another, Yee Fong was the only person in the household who treated her with respect and dignity. She shed kindness onto Wan Sheung and befriended her. I think Yee Fong was the only person that Wan Sheung really warmed up to (besides her late husband) and possibly shared a little more of her genuine self. Therefore, it was so startling for Yee Fong when she realized all the evil things that Wan Sheung had done, including splitting her up with Chuk Yau Yip (Moses Chan). Because she had formed a bond with Wan Sheung, I believe she is the person who wants her to change back into her kind self more than anyone. When the truth is finally out, real love can finally radiate between Yee Fong and Yau Yip ("us two"). This could be said for Ming Wai and her husband as well, but the deleted scene of Yau Yip and Yee Fong hugging so sweetly in the themevideo while the line "Us two" is sung sways my thoughts towards Yee Fong.

Regardless of who the speaker is, Flower Mirror does its job at foreshadowing the series along with the themevideo and addresses Charm's central themes (beauty, truth, and love) very well.

Thoughts
At first listen, Flower Mirror sounds a bit weird. This is the type of song that really has to grow on you. The more I listened to it, the more I loved it, especially while I was watching The Charm Beneath. Gigi has a pretty nice voice and carries the song well, but this isn't surprising because singing is one of her talents. The first time I heard Gigi sing was for her performance numbers in Riches and Stitches. I love the many layers that this song has and how symbolic and fitting it is for Charm; it's great.

deciphering themesongs #2

The Dance of Passion is a tragic tale about the lives of two clan families in the mountains - the Yim's and Sung's. In the town in which they live, everything is based on law and tradition. There is no freethinking or reform. It is all about preserving the will and customs of the ancestors. They uphold men's superiority, women's inferiority and sole purpose to produce children, and condemn all who defy tradition. Their town was formed on a code of chastity, so faithfulness is an utmost for them. Women must protect their purity. Any woman is who impure (whether she was raped, in the hands of other men, or had an affair) is condemned and killed to preserve the purity of the town.

Living in such a town is Ka Chun Fan (Charmaine Sheh), a woman with the poorest of fates. Having Charmaine sing the subsong of Dance is wholly suitable as it is lucidly about Chun Fan.

Lover On Golden Sand by Charmaine Sheh
(Subsong from TVB series The Dance of Passion)




English Translation by MetalAZNWarrior & Ah Yi
On golden sand, there was once a dream made
Golden land bury an apparent sworn and passionate road
Cannot decide the ending. Even going on, cannot return to the road
Not yet believe fate's rule is today's life destiny

Ahh... Ahh... Ahh... Ahh...

Getting separated inside storms and reuniting, always repeating
Be it resentment, be it predestined, not yet see half the part of the warning

Chorus
*Golden sands accompany my life
Pursues this one dream
Choosing justice half a lifetime for whose needs
A title is most important

Family - allows my body to be at ease
Knows heart lacks love
Is it fate to get hurt and pain*

Ahh... Ahh... Ahh... Ahh...

If fireworks can face violent storms
Deep love can overcome difficult oppositions
The situation hasn't settled yet. Fears let sandstorms conquer
My assigned fate, no matter what, sandstorms kill

Ahh... Ahh... Ahh... Ahh...

Getting separated inside storms and reuniting, fearing the repetition
Be it resentment, be it predestined, willing to have half the part of the warning

Repeat Chorus

Ahh... Ahh... Ahh... Ahh...
In the end, is it useless to take over responsibility?
Ahh... Ahh... Ahh... Ahh...
Do I have to endure all the misfortune only then is it not painful?

Repeat Chorus

Pinyin
Wong sa chung doh yau chang jo gwoh dik mung
Wong to maai jeuk yeuk sai yue ching lo
Bat nang ding git guk ya daap chut bat gwai lo
Mei shun ming gak si gam sang ming soh

Ahh... Ahh... Ahh... Ahh...

Fung lui sat saan lo lui chung fung fuk chit wooi chung to
Si yuen si yuen mei gin boon fan yue go

Chorus
*Wong sa boon ngoh yat sang
Jui yat goh mung
Jit yi boon sang wai sui sau yung
Ming fan gang cham chung

Ga yeung ngoh on san
Jee sam him fung
Naan do jue ding sing sau si seung tung*

Ahh... Ahh... Ahh... Ahh...

Yu yin fa juk yi nang min dui fung bo
Ching sam naan dik gwoh yin sai chaan huk
Foo cheung mei min juk pa bei fung sa jing fuk
Ling ngoh ming soh yam fung sa duen sung

Ahh... Ahh... Ahh... Ahh...

Fung lui sat saan lo lui chung fung fuk chit pa chung to
Si yuen si yuen yuen yau boon fan yue go

Repeat Chorus

Ahh... Ahh... Ahh... Ahh...
Sing nok jaak yam naan do jui jung yat lo si mo yung?
Ahh... Ahh... Ahh... Ahh...
Naan do ngoh yiu ging gwoh ham hoh jui hau choi bat yung cham tung?

Repeat Chorus

Analyzing the verses & chorus
The opening lines paint a very morbid and frightening image about the environment. The line "Not yet believe fate's rule is today's life destiny" is probably the strongest line in the whole song and accentuates where Chun Fan gets her strength. She is told repeatedly that her fate (as predicted by a fortune teller) is to bring bad luck to her husband, be an adulteress, childless, and sickly. Chun Fan knows this and even in the midst of everything coming true (her miscarriage, her growing affections and subsequent affair in the well with Sung Tung Sing (Moses Chan)), she still wants to believe that she has control over her life. She destroyed the lines on her palm (which led to the reading of her cursed fate) so that she will have power over how her life plays out. She hasn't and doesn't want to believe her "fate." Verse #2 recalls the sad events that she has (with her "family," friends, and Tung Sing) and how it seems to be repeating itself. She doesn't know if it's because she resents or because she was predetermined not see even the slightest part of it, but she fails to comprehend her forewarned fate.

The chorus does a great job of pinpointing Chun Fan's sorrows and wishes. No matter where she goes, her past ("golden sands") will follow her and play a big part in her life. Her greatest hope is to have a family. She just wants to fulfill her "duty" as a woman to be a loving wife and mother; only then can she be at ease with herself. However, she constantly finds herself with heartache. She also raises an interesting question. Why must the women in the village be so virtuous and pure? Why must they die even at the slightest hint of impurity (even if it's not her fault)? For whose sake is it that they must be so pure? This "purity" is the very cause of the pain and grief that strikens the village. Purity just isn't realistic because humans are messy and sinful, prone to temptation and seduction.

Verse #3 has Chun Fan gaining confidence, but still wallowing in dismay. She believes her love can conquer all, but then she realizes that fate ("sandstorms") is still ever the more powerful. Verse #4 is a reformed version of verse #2, reflecting a growth on Chun Fan's part. She's now afraid of the cyclic parting and reuniting and this time, she wants to understand the warning. Instead of being oblivious to it (her predicted fate), she wants to embrace it.

Chun Fan questions her fate in the final verses (before the final repeat of the chorus). Should she just give up and give into fate because she's so powerless or can she fight and go through all the pain for a better future? This question is answered in the final episode of Dance when Chun Fan faces the bandits. She has a choice; she can jump to her death and accept her fate... or she can defy it, get raped, and continue to live. This scene is very powerful with Chun Fan repeating her doomed fate ("Destined to bring bad luck to her husband, never to grow old together, committing adultery, unable to have children, bound to bed by sickness") and then ripping off her shirt to expose her undergarment. She empowers herself by allowing the bandits to rape her (as oddly as that sounds) instead of them forcing the shirt off of her.

Conclusions made from the themesong
The "lover" that the title (Wong Sa Chung Dik Luen Yan) alludes to is not Tung Sing, but is Chun Fan. She is referring to herself as a lover (one who loves) among the golden sands. Chun Fan is an optimistic and compassionate girl who loves deeply and purely. She gives her heart out to everything that she does so that her fate doesn't come true and perhaps it is her fantastical way of thinking that saves her. This is a very depressing and ominous song that compliments the tragedy of Dance perfectly. You get a sense of how "doomed" and sad everything is in the series by listening to this song.

If we "ignore" the fact that it is Chun Fan who is singing the song, then we can see that it applies to all of the Dance characters. They are all lovers of something and they are all cursed by some fate that they have to/want to overcome. It can be a universal song, but because it was written for Charmaine, its interpretation is best applied with Chun Fan in mind.

Thoughts
Lover On Golden Sand is a meaningful and appropriate subsong for The Dance of Passion. It has a very "eastern" feel to it, which again is suitable since Dance takes place in a very hot and dry land full of desert. I don't exactly "love" this song and it gets a bit tiring after repeating listening (it's a bit too long), but I still think it's a nice track and far better than the themesong (Bowie Lam's Sandstorm). Charmaine's voice sounds nice as well and I like how she sings with a mysterious/dark tone. This song gets me into a disheartened mood because the lyrics are so sad and the overall feel of the song is much like Dance - overly dramatic. Still, I like the song.

Screenshot Credits: Sere

deciphering themesongs #1

Introduction: Almost every TVB series opens with a themevideo that highlights scenes from the series. While not every series has a themesong, most do. The themesong that plays during the themevideo (and sometimes during the actual series) is most of the time very meaningful and fits the series like a glove. Deciphering Themesongs is a new feature at TVB Musings that will take a look at the themesongs (and sometimes subsongs) of series (one series/song per installment) and analyze how they reflect and fit the series. In-depth English translations of the songs are not guaranteed for every feature, but when possible, they will be included.

I present the first installment...

The Herbalist's Manual tells the story of the young Li Sze Chun's (Frankie Lam) life and how he came to write his valuable medical book, Compendium of Materia Medica. He is a very gifted doctor and while he is great at treating patients, he's at a lost to resolve the love triangle that he has with his wife Ng Mo Yung (Selena Li) and Tung Ching (Michelle Ye), which is the source of much heartache for all parties involved.

The themesong of Herbalist's highlights Li Sze Chun's medical ambition as well as his relationship problem.

World Has No Troubles by Frankie Lam
(Themesong from TVB series The Herbalist's Manual)




English Translation by MetalAZNWarrior
Floating clouds pass swiftly through blue skies. Holding wine, watching stars change
Living obviously will be a beautiful affair
Treading through many long and trying roads, distance can strengthen the bond
A grand story by itself powerfully begins
Because the determined heart drives the act

Illnesses and wounds, should simply turn to the doctor
Heartache, treatment has to be gentle
Who can do it, choosing to love just one person
From life to death, just depending on one another?

Chorus
*Love and gratefulness, I care about both
I loved her, but because of your wellness
I don't want you to know. I haven't forgotten my great ambition
Just have to be brave and attempt. Believing the world has no troubles
Have this struggle history, leaving behind my name*

Floating clouds pass swiftly through blue skies. Holding wine, watching stars change
Living obviously will be a beautiful affair
Realizing the ideal heart resembles wild horses running about
Each new seed of knowledge
Willing to question, not ashamed to ask even a hundred thousand times
A good Chinese man is faithful and also righteous
Striking at the center. Haven't forgotten my worries yet
Lower half of my body. She's in my heart
The side of my body has you to depend on

Repeat Chorus

Every person has one lifetime, there's no next time
Wrongs already passed, wrongly lost. Need to learn to let go
Broken heart reaches this point

Short of time to recollect my great ambition. Endured lots of pain, also hopes to
Believe the world has no difficulties
I want this life of mine to reach a point of meaning

Analyzing the verses & chorus
Verse #1 basically sets up the situation, saying that he doesn't mind how difficult the path that he has chosen is. He also alludes to the journey that will be his life (in love & his medical career).

Verse #2 talks about how straight-forward it is to treat a disease or wound, but when it comes to heartache, it's more difficult. He then muses about the question of being faithful to just one person in a lifetime. It's clear from this verse that he loves more than one.

The chorus sums up Sze Chun's dilemma. He cares about both loving and being grateful. He used to love Tung Ching ("her"), but for the sake of Mo Yung ("you"), he wants to keep the love affair a secret so she doesn't get hurt. He then talks about his ambition and how he hasn't forgotten it, despite the relationship difficulties that he has. He wants to believe the world has no problems and he's determined to achieve his dream and become historically renowned for his work.

Verse #3 delves more into his situation. He states that he isn't afraid to investigate and wants to seek knowledge for his medical book. He acknowledges that Tung Ching ("she") is in his heart, but it is Mo Yung ("you") who is by his side.

Verse #4 & 5 make him finalize his thoughts. He realizes that he has but one life and that what's in the past has passed. He has to let go and forget about Tung Ching, ending the sadness. He laments that he fears he can't accomplish his ambition because of lack of time, however, he has gone through a lot already, so he hopes his efforts will be beneficial.

Conclusions made from the themesong
From the themesong, it's clear that Sze Chun will choose to remain with his wife. There's been too much hurt and pain that has already occurred because of the love triangle. The only way to end it is by letting go and living for the present and working on his ambition, thus giving his life meaning. He loves both his wife and Tung Ching, but he has to let go of Tung Ching and just love Mo Yung.

The title (Sai Seung Mo Nang See) is quite intentionally ironic. Sze Chun's world is far from void of worries and problems. Not only does he have to resolve his love triangle, but the road to writing his medical book is not easy at all. However, he believes (or wants to think that) his world has no problems/difficulties because no matter how big his problems are, he believes he will be able to overcome them.

Thoughts
I absolutely love this song! I was obsessed with it for awhile (especially during the time I was watching Herbalist's). I memorized the lyrics and used to sing along with Frankie. The melody is good, I like the lyrics, and I've always been fond of Frankie's singing since I heard it on Happy Together. World Has No Troubles is quite meaningful and represents the series very well.

spotlight: "swear" by linda chung

Swear - Linda Chung
(Subsong from TVB series Legend of the Demigods)

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English Translation by Sandy & MetalAZNWarrior
Swear from now on there'll be no childish games
Letting love follow the heart
Rest of my life loving you
Like being deathly afraid of forgetting. With whom to enter the game?

Never been in dreams before
But I could hide my feelings
Still haven't let myself out of this
Ended up having romantically sad feelings
Is it bad, why can't we repeat
Wanting to nurture them, but the flowers won't bloom
Later, when it has more care, but then don't have the strength to love, but still wanting to

Chorus
*Swear from now on there'll be no childish games
What's making me keep this promise is you
Because this relationship will bid farewell to tomorrow's sorrowful pain
And you love me deeply, no one can compare
Letting love follow the heart
Knowing clearly that I love you
Finally can be again with you, who's the one making this beautiful*

Like coffee that's too bland
Bitter, rough, sweet - willing to try the sadness
Actually, you've already prepared
The feeling was once dead
Never wanted to hide. Even both of your arms
Wanted to spread open and fly high
Made the most until you didn't have the energy, but was still unwilling to hide

Repeat Chorus

Swear from now on there'll be no childish games
What's making me keep this promise is you
Because this relationship will bid farewell to tomorrow's sorrowful pain
And you love me deeply, no one can compare
Letting love follow the heart
Rest of my life loving you
Like being deathly afraid of forgetting. With whom to enter the game?

Pinyin
Faat sai chung chi juet mo yi hei
Yeung ngoi luen chui sam sai mei
Yu sang ngoi jeuk nei
Yu sei pak mong gei gung sui yap hei

Chung mei doh fong gwoh mung noi
Bat gwoh sum see ying hoh jong joi
Waan mei ji san je see ngoi
Woon loi maan tin chan aai
Naan do yau hoi hoh yi bat joi
Chuen yi choi fa ying bat hoi
Ta chiu yeung fan joi doh bat gwoh mo lik ngoi ying yit chit joi kei doi

Chorus
*Faat sai chung chi juet mo yi hei
Ling ngoh gin sau ya chuen si nei
Yan je duen ching go bit ming yat tung bei
Yi nei si ching sam yik mo yan bei
Yeung ngoi luen chui sam sai mei
Ming jee ngoi jeuk nei
Naan dak joi gung nei si sui jo mei*

Yu yeuk ka fe taai fat mei
Foo sap gam yuen seong dak chai mei
Kei sat nei jo yi yue bei
Gam gok chang ging sui sei
Chung mei hip bei lin nei seung bei
Chuen yi jeung hoi loi go fei
Jik si jui hau nei ging chaang doh mo lik hei ying yuen yi moot to bei

Repeat Chorus

Faat sai chung chi juet mo yi hei
Ling ngoh gin sau ya chuen si nei
Yan je duen ching go bit ming yat tung bei
Yi nei si ching sam yik mo yan bei
Yeung ngoi luen chui sam sai mei
Yu sang ngoi jeuk nei
Yu sei pak mong gei gung sui yap hei

Opinions
I fell in love with Linda's voice after hearing her sing at the TVB Extravaganza banquet. I just loved how sweet her voice sounded and how much melody she had singing Sandy Lam's Honesty, so I couldn't wait to hear her song on Lady In Red. The first time I heard Swear was from a clip of Linda's live performance at the Lady In Red concert. It was just a snip of the chorus, but just from that preview, I knew I would love the song.

Swear is easily my favorite song on the Lady In Red album. I can listen to it whenever and wherever and it will put me in a nice, calm mood. I just love the harmony of the melody, Linda's voice, and the lyrics. Everything flows so well and Linda's singing doesn't disappoint. She doesn't have a lot of range, but her singing still sounds nice and very refreshing. Swear is a feel-good and super sweet song.

I love this song so much that I listen to it on a daily basis and have it set as my ringtone! Linda's music video for the song is the best MV out of all the ones included in the bonus Lady In Red DVD that came with the CD. She looks very sweet and beautiful in it and I love the clips from her upcoming series in which the song serves as the subsong.

Linda did a great job in making Swear her own and I look forward to hearing her sing some more in the future.