Songs that are not cheesy?

[simonf]

Hi,

I'd like to learn some songs to help my Mandarin (I'm at a beginner level), but after following the links posted here it seems that most recommended songs are pretty cheesy. Can someone recommend songs that have music at the level of an intelligent indie-rock song in English, eg, Red Hot Chili Peppers? I probably can't handle complicated lyrics now, but at least I want to find some music I can enjoy.

Thanks,

Simon

[gato]

You can try 崔健, who's one of China's earliest rockers.

花房姑娘

http://cqdzhy.net/soft/mp3/flowerGirl.mp3

Music

http://mp3.baidu.com/m?tn=baidump3lyric&word=%BB%A8%B7%BF%B9%C3%C4%EF&ct=150994944&lm=-1&lf=3

Lyrics

一无所有

http://218.22.166.104:729/listen/ywsy_cuijian.mp3

Music

http://mp3.baidu.com/m?tn=baidump3lyric&word=%D2%BB%CE%DE%CB%F9%D3%D0&ct=150994944&lm=-1&lf=3

Lyrics

Or try some songs by 老狼 (Old Wolf), who's much younger. His songs might be categorized as neo-folk.

睡在我上铺的兄弟

http://www.shaodong.gov.cn/info/editor/UploadFile/200582395532788.rm

Music

http://mp3.baidu.com/m?tn=baidump3lyric&word=%CB%AF%D4%DA%CE%D2%C9%CF%C6%CC%B5%C4%D0%D6%B5%DC&ct=150994944&lm=-1&lf=3

Lyrics

同桌的你

http://ctthb.stu.com.cn/music/xiaoyuanminyao/tongzhuodeni.mp3

Music

http://mp3.baidu.com/m?tn=baidump3lyric&word=%CD%AC%D7%C0%B5%C4%C4%E3&ct=150994944&lm=-1&lf=3

Lyrics

See also some earlier threads on Chinese alternative music:

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/968-koxinga-%e5%9c%8b%e5%a7%93%e7%88%ba9&highlight=indie

An amazing indie/pop female singer 陳綺貞

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/12176-indie-fans-%e7%81%b0%e7%87%bc%e5%91%a8%e4%b8%89-%e7%81%b0%e7%83%ac%e5%91%a8%e4%b8%89&highlight=indie

Indie fans: 灰燼周三 (灰烬周三)

[simonlaing]

I haven't got the links to the mp3 s but baidu is pretty good for finding them.

The one singer who I like a lot is Xue wei. He is a bit old but his songs are good. They were on the sound track to the Chinese Sex and the city show. 我好想好想谈连爱。 虚伪

there's also a ball guy that rocks quite a lot. He does chinese versions of aerosmith and others. Short fat ball guy, you should see him if you view the record stores.

Ｔｈｅｓｅ　ｍａｙ　ｂｅ　ｔｒｉｃｋｙ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈ．　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅｎ＇ｔ　ｌｅａｒｎ＇ｔ　ｔｈｅｍ　ｗｅｌｌ　ｅｎｏｕｇｈ　ｔｏ　ｄｏ　Ｋａｒａｏｋｅ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅｍ．　

ｓｏｍｅｔｉｍｅｓ　ｔｈｅｙ　ｓｅｌｌ　ｍｉｘ　ｄｖｄ＇ｓ　ｏｆ　ａｒｔｉｓｔｓ　ｓｏ　ｙｏｕ　ｃａｎ　ｓａｍｐｌｅ　ｔｈｅｍ．　Ｔｈａｔ　ｓｏｍｅｔｉｍｅｓ　ｗｏｒｋｓ．　

Ｉ　ｌｉｋｅｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｔａｉｗａｎ　ｃｈｅｅｓｙ　ｓｉｎｇｅｒ　ｒｉｃｈｉｅ　ｏｒ　ｒｉ　ｓｈｅｎ　ｑｉ．　ｅａｓｉｅｒ　ｆｏｒ　ＫＴＶ．

Ｈｅ　ｈａｓ　ｓｏｎｇｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ｇｏ　ｌｉｋｅ　＂ｈｏｔ　ｇｉｒｌ　ａｃｒｏｓｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｍｅ　ｌｏｏｋ　ａｔ　ｍｅ＂，　　Ｄｕｉ　ｍｉａｎ　ｄｅ　ｎｕ　ｈａｉ　ｋａｎ　ｇｕｏ　ｌａｉ＂　

ａｎｄ　Ｈｕａ　ｈｕａ　ｙｉ　ｄｕｏ　ｄｕｏ　（ｏｒ　ｓｕｍｍｅｒ　ｔｉｍｅ）．　Ｗｉｔｈ　ｌｙｒｉｃｓ　ｌｉｋｅ　＂Ｉ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｔｈａｔ　ｏｎｅ　ｄａｙ，　ｔｈａｔ　ｙｏｕ，　ｗｉｌｌ　ｆａｌｌ　ｉｎ　ｌｏｖｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｍｅ，　ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ　ｙｏｕ　ｋｎｏｗ　Ｉ　ａｍ　ｎｏｔ　ｔｈａｔ　ｂａｄ，　ｏｈ　ｎｏ．＂

Ｇｏｏｄ　ｌｕｃｋ，　

ｈａｖｅ　ｆｕｎ，

Ｓｉｍｏｎ：）

[Huang Jialuo]

Hey Simon,

I don't know if you should rely on lyrics for improving your chinese. Though it may seem helpful and fun, I have been told by many people (especially chinese people), that when chinese people sing, they tend to change the actual tone of the words so it adjusts to the rhythm. Even I have noticed when hearing chinese songs, and also you can hear it in House of Flying Daggers, when Xiao Mei (Zhang Ziyi) sings in front of Feng (the japanese guy) - she doesn't use the correct tones for the words. Hence, learning from chinese songs will not likely help you as much as you think or want, when practicing words and how to pronounce them.

This post is not to discourage you, but to warn you.

[venture160]

you can also try Xu Wei, one of my favorites 许巍

ｍｙ　ｆａｖｏｒｉｔｅ　ｓｏｎｇ　ｂｙ　ｈｉｍ　ｉｓ　夏日的风　“Summer Breeze"

午后一场雨让这个城市更清爽。。。。。

and my favorite part is the very last line... 你让我。。。恍若隔世

[elina]

I also like 许巍 very much.

蓝莲花 - 许巍

礼物 - 许巍

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V10r1AE-Z08

曾經的你 - 许巍

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb880heCyPw&mode=related&search=

那一年 - 许巍

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQIwRYUTg98

我的秋天 - 许巍

More of his songs:

http://www.haoting.com/special/msp_307.htm

[tallynole]

I like Hang Hong a lot, as well as a mongolian lady that goes by the name of "si Qin Ge Ri li", both have really nice songs that i enjoy listening to and are not too cheesy.

[rezaf]

I think the main problem of the chinese songs is that the chinese have not yet discovered there is something called the minor key. all of their songs are just toooo happy:cry:

[Lu]

You haven't discovered the 'my love has left me/died/is terminally ill/married to someone else' genre yet?

[rezaf]

please write their chinese names. i want to listen to them.

[HashiriKata]

please write their chinese names. i want to listen to them.

Here is my attempt to translate what Lu wrote into Chinese:

'my love has left me/died/is terminally ill/married to someone else'

我爱人抛弃我了/死了/患了不治之症/嫁给别人了

Hope it helps!

[rezaf]

http://mp3.baidu.com/m?tn=baidump3&ct=134217728&lm=-1&li=500&word=%B0%AE%C7%E9%D7%AA%D2%C6+%B3%C2%DE%C8%D1%B8finally I found what I was looking for. 爱情转移 (陈奕迅) It is not rock and roll but still very good music. It has enough sadness:D .

[rezaf]

http://mp3.baidu.com/m?tn=baidump3&ct=134217728&lm=-1&li=500&word=%CB%C0%C1%CB%B6%BC%D2%AA%B0%AE+%D0%C5%C0%D6%CD%C5 this one is perfect死了都要爱 同名专辑

looks like some shirley bassey song

[smalltownfart]

There is a wealth of "hidden" rock and and indie Chinese music, that you will only find if you spend a bit more time digging around for a bit.

There is a pretty decent compilation series from China called "Modern Sky", that focuses on the more mainstream kind of rock and indie rock.

Beyond the godfather 崔健 and other older rock acts, some newer bands that I find interesting (off the top of my head):

mainland:

新裤子 -(new pants) smarty-pants electro indie-pop

木马(muma) indie rock

瘦人 （thin man) rock/metal

二手玫瑰 (second hand rose) rock mixed with beijing opera theatrics

郑钧 － melodic catchy rock, a popular favourite

超载 － a well-known metal act that has somehow gone kinda pop-disco in the last couple of albums

Taiwan:

杨乃文 Faith Yeung (britpop with an edge － incidentally, she is v. gorgeous)

伍佰 wubai Very famous asian rock singer, wrote many well known songs that were covered by many artists, he also sings in taiyu.

1976 - college rock band, these guys sound like they grew up listening to joy division & new order

You might like to check out niubi's pages at niubi.com, you can see the album art and links to where you can get these albums outside Asia:

http://www.niubi.com/shop/index.html

http://www.niubi.com/shop/yesasiamusic.html

wade

[Lu]

I posted a list with rock and other alternative music some time ago somewhere else in the music forum, you can try and find that. There are several threads like this one.

Rezaf: I was just kidding, that's not the name of the genre or band. There are a lot of sad cheesy Chinese songs, don't know many titles as I don't particularly like cheesy songs. One that comes to mind is 童話, by Michael, forgot his Chinese name. If you are in China, just watch some Channel V or MTV and you'll know what kind of song I mean.

[skylee]

One that comes to mind is 童話, by Michael, forgot his Chinese name.

That is 光良 / Michael Wong ->

[rezaf]

they certainly don't have any talent in rock music.