A Lover's Concerto

Jay Chou - Faraway

I was organising my folders and found this.

The moment I heard this song, I knew I had fallen in love. It's a beautiful piece and it's these types of songs (Faraway, Hair Like Snow etc) that makes me love Jay Chou. I haven't been listening to him in recent years and I attribute that to his music experiments. I like the fact that he's trying to develop himself as an artist, but I firmly believe that these songs best showcase his talents.

Amazing how after all these years, I can still sing to this.

JJ Lin - Still Moving Under Gunfire

Guy Sebastian - Battle Scars (feat. Lupe Fiasco)

Junsu - Uncommitted

Maroon 5 - Payphone

My exam studying song.

I the Tri Tops - To My Girlfriend

I recently discovered that one of my favourite "groups" made a comeback in Korea. I still remember how I adored their debut album on my first listen back in 2007. However, there was quite a lot of controversies surrounding them. One member was accused of copying/imitating Jaejoong (lead singer in DBSK). Jaejoong's fans would harrass this guy, online and outside his house, because of his similiar looks. I still remember how they critised him for holding his microphone in a similiar style to Jaejoong. I guess they believed he was out to "replace" dear Jaejoong and they couldn't have that could they?

Even so, I still don't understand what was going through those girl's minds. So what if this guy looked similiar to Jaejoong? So what if he held his microphone in a similiar way? It still doesn't warrant you the right to harrass the poor guy. I remember a statement being released that he was scared to even leave his house. HIS OWN BLOODY HOUSE!! *breathes* I'll rant in another post *breathes*

Anyways, they haven't been consistently releasing material so I was surprised to learn that they went out of hiding this year. I had a listen to their new mini-album and was surprised to find a song that I love sleeping to - To My Girlfriend. However, they have tweaked the song a bit and added a rap in the middle. It seriously messed with my mind for a while. Why change something that was great to begin with? But I guess it was "necessary". It made the song more upbeat and more listeners would tune in to hear Csp rap.





Apparently I uploaded this to my sharing site a long time ago. Here's the link if you're interested: 내 여자 친구에게 (For My Girlfriend).

And here is the new version.

Flower - Still + Sakura Regret

I used to listen to Japanese music more than Korean. Eventually they balanced each other out, but Korean music has become more dominate these past few years. However, I would like to blame it on the availabity of Japanese music compared to Korean music. Despite how popular it is, there aren't that many sites dedicated to providing new Japanese music. The few that are, which I did follow, have now closed. I'm currently in the process of going through my bookmarks and realise that a lot of sites have died. Cleaning it up and finding new resources will be such a chore.

Anyway, I'v recently started listening to Flower. Yep, Flower. I've got nothing against their name, but finding anything related to them is kind of hard. They're one of EXILE's sister groups, three in total, and probably my favourite one. What's unique about these groups is that there are two singers and the rest are dancers. When I first started listening to EXILE and decided to check out their promotional video, I found it odd that only two people were singing and everyone else just danced. It was a foreign concept, acknowledging that these dancers were part of the group. Over time, I thought it was a brilliant idea.

Now I would like to present to you the two songs that I've had stuck in my head this week. Underneath is just a part of the translation that I liked.

Flower - Still

I’m still in love with you
Even if the scenery that I saw together with you that day changes
I continue to shake with love for you I still remember you
Surely I’m the way I am now because of those days
If possible, I want to tell you “thank you”
credit: verduistering @ LJ

(the song begins at around the two minute mark)

Flower - Sakura Regrets

If you live your life alone no one can betray you
Nothing is certain, I know, but I want something to believe in
credit: verduistering @ LJ

Lam Truong - Katy Katy

EDIT: Alright, I'm probably insane but I decided to sub it. It's really simple. I haven't subbed in a long time and just couldn't be bothered to put in too much effort...plus, it's 2 in the morning..



I don't tend to listen to Vietnamese music because it's really not my thing, well, the pop is anyway. While I was in Viet Nam, I spent quite a lot of time watching Vietnamese music videos. Some were just really lame, some were decent, some were trying way tooo hard to look cool. But I just generally didn't like the music I was hearing.

So when I do hear something I like, it tends to get stuck in my head. I had completely forgotten about this song until now. It took me a while to find the song because my only memory of it is at a night bar kinda thing where the pronunciation for the English name 'Katy' wasn't great... at all. But I always remembered the phrase 'Em hãy vui lên (Please cheer up)' After a quick talk with Tuyen, I've found my song!

I've just realised how hard it is to translate Vietnamese to English (song-wise). Maybe it's because I suck at Vietnamese, but I've found that even as a child, it's quite hard to understand the meaning of a Vietnamese song (when interpreting it into English..does that make sense?). Okay, let me explain.

To help my Vietnamese, my uncle got me to translate into English song phrases of a song. (Back story, we were in a car, driving 4-5 hours to the airport. This was back in Western Australia) I could translate it easily, but understanding what it means was another story. It's because most of the time, the lyrics were all metaphors.

So anyway, this song is easier for me to translate... but why do that when I can find the translations online! So, without further ado, here's the english translation~

Credits go to libratbunny

The evening sun, the empty street
You, with a few of us,
sat down to chat
Oh, there's so much I want to sayhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

But your smile seem to hold some troubles
And a sadness from somewhere else hidden in your eyes
When in love, fighting and bickering will come and go
But still causing those tears to fall
And I want to (say)

Katy Katy
Please cheer up, try to cheer up and smile.
Your sadness will slowly fade away in your memory
And just love, don't worry or think about it too much

So I can always see,
Katy Katy, those bright smiles
upon your lips, like fully bloomed flowers
You are most beautiful when you smile
And please don't forget my words
And let the your youth slips away.

>> If I can be bothered, I think I'll sub this.

Maroon 5 - If I Ain't Got You

2011 Favourite Songs

I was planning this post since I was in Vietnam. I thought it was a great idea to list the top 3 songs (in accordance to language) that I've been listening to on repeat during the whole year. After doing these lists, it gave me an insight on my past year - the highlights, midlights and lowlights. When I listen to one of these songs again I tend to associate it with a particular memory. Most of the time, the memory that is linked to that song has no corrolation to the lyrics, so no need to find any hidden meanings for those love songs :P



Stay with Me has a peculiar origin. I watched a fanvideo for this
book-turned-to-TV-show and loved the song right off the bat.
I fall asleep to it now. I wish there was a MV for it though,
it'll definitely be dramatic.


Hehe, all these songs are from dramas I've watched...


Flying Get is from Hana Kimi 2011 whilst the
other two are from Detective Conan.



I LOVE O.K. It's such an energetic, happy-go-lucky song!

Fly Me to the Moon

Teresa Teng - Tian Mi Mi

Hope ft. Jason Mraz - Love Love Love

Claude Kelly - Love You to Death

If love was enough
Then why do I cry
Why do I hear myself
Saying goodbye

Along for the dates
When I was naive
When you'd say those 3 words
And I would believe

I wish that I could
Forgive and forget
But you've told so many lies
I've got nothing left

A dog is a dog
Can't teach him the tricks
You are who you are
And that's all that there is

[CHORUS]
I wanna believe you can change like you promise me
But I got keep on holding my breath
Coz I'm watching you break my heart, and it's killing me
So I refuse to stay and love you to death
I wont, love you to death
(I wont), love you to death
(I wont), no baby I can't
(I wont), love you to death
No matter how much you pay
(I wont), this is the end
(I wont), coz baby I can't
(I wont), love you to death

If all that there was
Was you working late
I'd understand
And baby I'd be okay

But I met the girl
And I know her name
Too late for apologies
You should be ashamed

I wish that I could
Forgive and forget
But you've told so many lies
I've got nothing left

A dog is a dog
Can't teach him the tricks
You are who you are
And that's all that there is

[CHORUS]

This time now I tried my very best
I gave myself one hundred percent
But I can't take this blatant disrespect
So maybe you love (you love) how much it hurts

[CHORUS]

New Kids on the Block - 2 In the Morning

Michael Buble - Everything

I love this man...and I love saying Buble as Bubley :D

Here, have one of my favourite songs by this awesome guy.

Chris Medina - What Are Words

This is such a beautiful song. Beautiful and bittersweet.

I first heard this song because of my sister; apparently it's "the song" for the year 12s of 2011. She told me that some parts of it was re-written so that it was in the female's point of view, and most likely (I'm guessing) changed to fit into their point of life right now.

The meaning behind this song is so sad yet lovely. Essentially, Chris Medina was a contestant for Americans idol, but didn't make it to the Top XX. This song is dedicated to his financee who is suffering from brain damage because of a car accident. It's essentially a song about keeping your word - but to me, it's so much more.

Here's the lyrics and below is the music video.

Enjoy.

**The person who wrote this song, Rodney Jerkins, also wrote JYJ's Empty and Be My Girl...which happen to be my favourite songs on their The Beginning album. I should really check out more of Rodney Jerkins' work.

Anywhere you are, I am near
Anywhere you go, I'll be there
Anytime you whisper my name, you'll see
How every single promise I keep
Cuz what kind of guy would I be
If I was to leave when you need me most

CHORUS
What are words
If you really don't mean them
When you say them
What are words
If they're only for good times
Then they don't
When it's love
Yeah, you say them out loud
Those words, They never go away
They live on, even when we're gone

And I know an angel was sent just for me
And I know I'm meant to be where I am
And I'm gonna be
Standing right beside her tonight
And I'm gonna be by your side
I would never leave when she needs me most

CHORUS

Anywhere you are, I am near
Anywhere you go, I'll be there
And I'm gonna be here forever more
Every single promise I keep
Cuz what kind of guy would I be
If I was to leave when you need me most

I'm forever keeping my angel close

latin pop

I'm really getting into Latin pop music right now. Been youtube-ing non-stop! I feel so familiar with the genre - maybe its because there was a period of time when all I did listen to was Latin pop. Of course, this was back when I was in year 5 and 6. I constantly played the tape whenever I could - in the car, in my room etc. It got to the point where I made duplicates just in case something happened to the primary one. Thank goodness I was smart, keke. My primary cassette didn't work anymore, all the tape had gone out of its case.

I remember that most of the songs in the tape were sang by Marc Anthony. Funnily enough, there was a Backstreet Boys song as well - Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely. I loved all the songs on that tape. Never skipped a song, though it was kind of hard to skip a song to begin with. I would usually end up in the middle of the next song or lose my attention and wound up at the end of the tape.

Anyway, here's one of the songs that I've been listening to on repeat.

David Bisbal - Buleria


ENGLISH TRANSLATIONhttp://lyricstranslate.com/en/buleria-buleria.html

[CHORUS]
Buleria, buleria, so deep inside my soul
It's the blood of the land I was born in
Buleria, buleria, I love you more every day
I live being in love with you since the moment I saw you

Come, like a madman through life
With the heart beating
Because it knows that you are there

Ah life! It throbs with joy
it inebriates my feelings
with your kisses more and more

Ah skin! The moon's curse
the beauty of a rose
and the warmth of the sea

Ah you are! sweet wine from the grapes
where I drink, with your lips,
from the fountain of love

[CHORUS]

I want, to live here by your side
chained to your body
charmed by passion

Ah nothing! Without your love I'm nothing
I'm a drifting ship
that is shipwrecking because of the pain

The perfume from your breath I want to breathe
and that magic there is in your gaze
(I want) to be the hero of your dreams and so much more
I want to be your calm and your storm

[CHORUS x2]

Come near very slowly, allow yourself to be felt
Start already this fire that is inside me

(Ay, ay, ay, Don't leave me without your love)
Without your kisses I'm nothing but a pitiful heart
(Ay, ay, ay, Don't leave me without your love)
By your side there is no sorrow, there is no pain
(Ay, ay, ay, Don't leave me without your love)
For your memory is always walking the same path I walk

[CHORUS x2]

Ah Virgin (Mary) in heaven, you know how much I love her
she is the moon, she is the moon, without her I die
on my knees I beg you. Tell her that I love her
I don't want to live alone anymore. Tell me how long

[CHORUS x2]

Disney - Somewhere Out There

Somewhere out there,
Beneath the pale moonlight,
Someone's thinking of me,
And loving me tonight.

Somewhere out there,
Someone's saying a prayer,
That we'll find one another,
In that big somewhere out there.

And even though I know how very far apart we are,
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star,
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby,
It helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky!

Somewhere out there,
If love can see us through,
Then we'll be together,
Somewhere out there,
Out where dreams
Come true...

I've got very fond memories attached to this song. In year 3, the choir (which I was apart of) sang this song for a competition. We travelled for about 4 hours from Albany to Perth. The bus had its quirks, like an awesome TV :D, but it was hanging out with my friends that was best. It's been 8 years since I've last seen them...I wonder how they're going.

I've thought about stalking them on Facebook.. HAHA..but remembered that the Internet may not be...errr...highly accessible? I don't think most people in Albany use the Internet. Heck, I only found out what it was when I came back to Melbourne. I remember we used to just go to the beach, go to people's houses, play cricket, go fishing etc. Typically Aussie stuff :D

But yeah..I love this song.