9.23.2016

An Homage to the Taiwanese Karaoke Songs of Yesteryear

Guest Post by Wendy Wang



Hi, my name is Wendy Wang. I have a music project called The Sweet Hurt. I grew up listening to a variety of music, but one genre that is as strong as a scent to me is Taiwanese pop and folk songs of the 50s and 60s.

The funny thing is, I didn't listen to the original versions, but the karaoke versions that my parents would sing along to. My song "Spooked" from my new album LP2 is an homage to that. I loved those songs and they still take me away whenever I hear them.

I thought it would be fun to do something special for the Angry Asian Man readers and record a Mandarin version of "Spooked." I'd like to thank my cousin, Vickie, and my mom for helping me with the translation.



English Mandarin
It's creeping up my back up my neck它蠕動上我的背, 我的脖子
Crawling up my spine, so many feet爬上我的脊椎, 很多腳
Sandpaper steps marching over me砂紙踩過我
Pine cone blades are bristling松果鱗片豎立著
 
I don't have to look我不須看
I'm still spooked我還會怕
They won't leave me他們不會離開我
I just close my eyes我只能閉上眼
They're still here他們還在這
They won't leave me他們不會離開我
 
Needle legs running fast everywhere針到處跑
Black-beaded bodies everywhere到處都是黑色串珠
I can't move I'm frozen bad我不能動,我被凍結
Rather run from a giant bear 寧逃離巨熊


Wendy Wang's diverse original compositions have appeared in the movie Man Up (2015), trailers for Focus, The Heat, Olympus Has Fallen, Free State Of Jones, TV shows Girls, Private Practice, Parenthood, The Returned, and many more. A talented guitarist, bassist, and pianist, Wendy has appeared in commercials for the Apple iPad 2 and Apple iLife '11, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and The Ellen Show, as well as performed at the Hollywood Bowl and Carnegie Hall with The Bird & The Bee. In addition, she has played with the likes of Priscilla Ahn, Ry Cooder, M83, honeyhoney, Juliette Commagere and many more.



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