Ashes from Fireworks (烟火里的尘埃)
1. About the song
Released on August 26, 2014.
After listening to the demo for “Ashes From Fireworks”, Hua Chenyu felt that the delicate melody was quite suitable for his voice and decided to include it in this album. Xi Lou wrote the song in 2012 to comfort himself while going through a difficult time. The song was similar to the deeply personal song, “I Am What I Am”, covered by Hua Chenyu during the Super Boy 2013 competition. “Ashes From Fireworks” was not the typical kind of song that people were used to hearing.
When Bernard Zheng received the demo for “Ashes From Fireworks”, he felt it was a fortuitous coincidence as he knew the composer, Xi Lou. Zheng felt that he and Hua Chenyu shared a common understanding of music, so in order to preserve the original feeling of the song, he asked Xi Lou to help with the arrangement. Xi not only helped complete the second arrangement of the song, but ultimately stayed throughout the entire recording process. This process included five mixing modifications and Xi also recorded the harmony. In keeping with the conceptual ideas of the album, the theme of “smoke” was used throughout the arrangement and lyrics.
Albert Leung, a judge for the 2014 Spring Festival Gala, was deeply impressed by Hua’s singing in the competition. Leung was invited and immediately agreed to write lyrics for this album. In preparation for writing, he watched many videos and read many articles about Hua. Following the official recording, Leung changed the lyrics for “Ashes From Fireworks” an additional three times to ensure they represented the true feeling of Hua Chenyu’s inner world, and also to ensure they conformed to his high standards.
In order to achieve the desired psychedelic effect of time and space, Hua Chenyu recorded the song so many times that he became hoarse. The end result was that the song appeared to be much easier to sing than it actually was.
2. Videos
MV
“Mars Chapter” Symphony
Shanghai Zebra Music Festival 2018
3. Lyrics Translation
Lyrics: Albert Leung Albert Leung |
| 烟火里的尘埃 | Ashes from Fireworks |
|---|---|
| 看着飞舞的尘埃 掉下来 | Watching the dancing ashes falling to the ground |
| 没人发现它存在 | No one notices their existence |
| 多自由自在 | So free and unbounded |
| 可世界都爱热热闹闹 | But the whole world loves company |
| 容不下 我百无聊赖 | There’s no place for me to be listless |
| 不应该 一个人 发呆 | I shouldn’t be alone lost in thoughts |
| 只有我 守着安静的沙漠 | I’m the only one who guards the silent desert |
| 等待着花开 | Waiting for flowers to bloom |
| 只有我 看着别人的快乐 | I’m the only one who looks at their happiness |
| 竟然会感慨 | And sigh unexpectedly |
| 就让我 听着天大的道理 | Just let me listen to these great philosophies |
| 不愿意明白 | Unwilling to understand |
| 有什么 是应该 不应该 | What should be and what shouldn’t be |
| 我的心里住着一个 苍老的小孩 | In my heart, there lives an elderly child |
| 如果世界听不明白 对影子表白 | If the world cannot understand Confess to your shadow |
| 是不是只有我 还在问 | Am I the only one still asking |
| 为什么 明天更精彩 | Why will tomorrow be better |
| 烟火里 找不到 童真的残骸 | In the fireworks no remains of innocence can be found |
| 只有我 守着安静的沙漠 | I’m the only one who guards the silent desert |
| 等待着花开 | Waiting for flowers to bloom |
| 只有我 看着别人的快乐 | I’m the only one who looks at their happiness |
| 竟然会感慨 | And sigh unexpectedly |
| 就让我 听着天大的道理 | Just let me listen to these great philosophies |
| 不愿意明白 | Unwilling to understand |
| 只有我 就是我 好奇怪 | There’s only me who is only me How strange |
| 还在感慨 | I am still sighing |
| 风阵阵吹过来 | Gusts of wind blowing past |
| 为何不回来 | Why does it not come back |
| 风一去不回来 | The wind leaves and never returns |
| 悲不悲哀 | Isn’t it sad |
| 麻木得那么快 应不应该 | We become numb so fast Shouldn’t it be |
| 能不能慢下来 | Can it slow down |
| 笑得开怀 哭得坦率 | Laugh to your heart’s content Cry like no one else judges |
| 为何表情 要让这世界安排 | Why should my expressions Be arranged by the world |
| 我就是我 我只是我 | I am just me, I am only me |
| 只是一场烟火散落的尘埃 | Just falling ashes from fireworks |
| 风阵阵吹过来 | Gusts of wind blowing past |
| 风一去不回来 | The wind leaves and never returns |
| 能不能慢下来 | Can it slow down |