北京一夜
by justine
i’ve been doing a chinese-english translation of this song i got from mr. music today. not a good sign. the twice i ever did this in my life, i was emo’ing heavily. i’ve read that it’s split into male/female parts (hence the falsetto) to tell the story. listened to two versions: the original by bobby chen and a cover by shin band. lyrics under the jump. if you spot any mistakes/discrepencies/fuck-ups, please, give me a damn break (or a comment).
one night in 北京我留下许多情
不管你爱与不爱都是历史的尘埃
one night in 北京我留下许多情
不敢在午夜问路怕走到了百花深处
人说百花地深处住着老情人
缝着绣花鞋面容安详的老人
依旧等待着出征的归人
one night in 北京你可别喝太多酒
走在地安门外没有人不动真情
one night in 北京
我留下许多情把酒高歌的男儿
是北方的狼族
人说北方的狼族
会在寒方起站城门外
穿着腐蚀的铁衣呼唤城门外
眼中含着泪
呜…..我已等待了千年
为何城门还不开
呜….. 我已等待了千年
为何良人不回来
one night in 北京我留下许多情
不敢在午夜问路怕触动了伤心的魂
one night in 北京我留下许多情
不敢在午夜问路怕走到了地安门
不想再问你你到底在何方
不想再思量你能否归来嘛
想着你的心想着你的脸
想捧在胸口能不放就不放
one night in 北京
one night in beijing, i left behind so much emotion
regardless of whether you love me or not it’s all dust
one night in beijing, i left behind so much emotion
i dare not ask directions at midnight for fear of getting lost in the depth of a hundred flowers
they say within the depths of the hundred flowers lives my old love
mending flower shoes, a friendly woman
waiting for her man who will return
one night in beijing, please don’t drink too much
i walk outside dianmen where people show no feelings
one night in beijing, i left behind so much emotion
the men singing drinking songs are the relentless northerners
they say the relentless northerners will stand outside the gates
wearing rusted armour, calling from outside the gates
tears streaming from their eyes
i’ve been waiting for a thousand years
why are the city gates still not open
i’ve been waiting for a thousand years
why has my husband not returned
one night in beijing, i left behind so much emotion
i dare not ask directions at midnight for fear of stirring up the lonely spirits
one night in beijing, i left behind so much emotion
i dare not ask directions at midnight for fear of arriving at dianmen
i no longer want to ask you where you have been
i no longer want to think if you will deny your return
thinking of your heart
thinking of your face
thinking of being held against your chest
i’ll continue holding on as long as i can
one night in beijing
I have a friend who is obsessed with this song. it gets annoying but the song quite addictive!
为何良人不回来
why has my husband not returned, not wife – I think – it makes more sense because the husband went to beijing, and the wife stayed behind
Oh paiseh. Thanks!
edit: listening to the song again, i think i got conned by the lack of falsetto. didn’t realise it was still the female part ;p
是北方的狠族 – not fierce – you got a Chinese typo – it’s lang, not hen – “wolf”
狼 – wolf
Your translation is awesome by the way :D
Haha cool. This is such an old post, didn’t know people still read it. Wanna do a mayday song now. ;)
I did a cover of this on my facebook…here is my translation
1)One night in Beijing, I left many emotions(tag with memory)
2)No matter if you are in love with it or not, you cant deny that it is all the dust of time(history)
3)One night in Beijing ,I left many emotions and memory
4)Afraid to ask for the way in the middle of the night, to get to a deep place where hundred flowers blossom
High pitch part
5) As people say about the deep alley(place) where hundred of flower blossoms
6)Live a friendly old woman sewing flower shoe(安详的老人 can be friendly old man or woman)
7)Still waiting for the person that left to return
8)One night in Beijing, you shouldnt drink too much(HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH)
9)As you step infront of the gate of the earth DI AN MEN, all your true emotion(love) reveal themselves
10)One night in Beijing, I left many memories and emotions
11)The young men who raised their glass of wine high up are the wolvepack of the North
High Pitch Part
12)As people say about the wolvepack of the North they will wait infront of the gates
13)will howl and call as they wear an armour covered in rust and decay
14)Holding tears in their eye as they howl
High Pitch Part
15)I already waited for thousands of years why arent the gate open
16)I already waited for thounsands of years why have not the man return
17)One night in Beijing, I left many emotions and memory
18)Afraid to ask for the way in the dark, as it might awaken the soul of depression(like discovering his own depression in the dark)
19)One night in Beijing I left many memories
High pitch part
20)afraid to ask for the road again as we may arrive at the gates of earth DI AN MEN(see becuz u will reveal true emotion there)
21)I no longer wanna ask you where you are heading
22)I no longer wanna consider will you ever return
23)Thinking of your heart and thinking of your face as i grabbed it close to chest(like helding it on close to your heart)
24)If you can’t let it go , than just don’t let it go (i think it here means Beijing or Something).