Fake Monk (假行僧)
Hua Chenyu sang Chinese rock star Cui Jian’s masterpiece “Fake Monk (假行僧)” in his debut show “Superboy 2013” in 2013 and in the singing contest “Singer 2018” EP10 in March, 2018. Both times he made subversive arrangements of the songs.
1. About the song
Five years ago, in “Superboy 2013”, Hua Chenyu, who was still an amateur, stood barefoot on the stage and expressed this 90s song in the form of psychedelic rock.
Five years later, Hua Chenyu adapted this song again and presented a shocking experimental music piece with a completely different atmosphere in “Singer 2018”, showing his growth.
“Singer 2018” backstage interview (excerpt)
A small child, the ones they need to be closest to are the ones that provide food to them. And these people are their parents.
If the parents aren’t by their side for long periods of times, they will think that if they can’t even receive love from the people they trust the most, then it will be harder to receive love from others.
All of these elements led me to a situation where although I really longed for someone to love me, but I will reject those around me at the same time. It’s actually really painful.
When I first started composing, it was a way to relieve my feelings
Staying in my own room, crazily playing the piano and singing on and on.
It felt good.
But all my venting, I won’t let others listen to it.
Because I’ve experienced it first hand, this self-contradiction, the self-struggle.
I want to use my feelings at that time to express the emotions of the song. I can resonate with the lyrics of the song a lot, so I was in pain when rearranging this song, because I had to constantly recall
the unpleasant memories from before.
I added a lot of shouts and screams, and the audience might feel slightly uncomfortable when they hear it. But the screaming represents the final struggles.
Since there was no one cared for me, I needed to save myself.
This singer told me that this way of expressing.
But thankfully I was very lucky, and I received a lot of love later on
such that I was able to jump out of that environment.
So I used a reversed way to let the audience to attention to those around them in the same situation.
You need to try and understand them.
In their hearts, they might need someone to love them and care for them.
2. Videos
“Singer 2018” EP10
“Superboy 2013” TOP7 to TOP6
3. Lyrics Translation
Lyricist、Compose: Cui Jian |
| 假行僧 | Fake Monk |
|---|---|
| 我要从南走到北 | I want to walk from south to north |
| 我还要从白走到黑 | And walk from dawn to dusk |
| 我要人们都看到我 | I want to be noticed by everyone |
| 但不知道我是谁 | But not known by anyone |
| 假如你看我有点累 | If you see that I’m a little tired |
| 就请你给我倒碗水 | Please fetch a bowl of water for me |
| 假如你已经爱上我 | If you have fallen in love with me |
| 就请你吻我的嘴 | Then please just kiss my lips |
| 我有这双脚 我有这双腿 | I have this pair of feet and legs |
| 我有这千山和万水 | I have these rivers and mountains |
| 我要这所有的所有 | I want all of all there is |
| 但不要恨和悔 | But not hate nor regret |
| 要爱上我你就别怕后悔 | Do not regret it if you want to love me |
| 总有一天我要远走高飞 | There will be a day when I’ll go far away |
| 我不想留在一个地方 | I do not want to stay in one place |
| 也不愿有人跟随 | Nor to be followed by anyone |
| 有人跟随 | Followed by anyone |
| 要爱上我你就别怕后悔 | Do not regret it if you want to love me |
| 总有一天我要远走高飞 | There will be a day when I’ll go far away |
| 我不想留在一个地方 | I do not want to stay in one place |
| 也不愿有人跟随 | Nor to be followed by anyone |
| 我只想看到你长得美 | I only want to see your beauty |
| 但不想知道你在受罪 | But not the pain you are suffering now |
| 我想要得到天上的水 | I want to have waters from the sky |
| 但不是你的泪 | But none of your tears |
| 我要从南走到北 | I want to walk from south to north |
| 我还要从白走到黑 | And walk from dawn to dusk |
| 我要人们都看到我 | I want to be noticed by everyone |
| 但不知道我是谁 | But not known by anyone |