Luo Dayou - 罗大佑

[leather_strap]

Lately I have come across a couple of sites oriented towards learning Chinese using music, however most of it is just pointless pop music dribble. Can anyone make any suggestions about a place I could find the same service, only with music like that of Luo Dayou, with artistis who write and perform their own art?

http://www.learn-chinese-through-music.com/

http://www.chinese-tools.com/songs

I am also looking for any online resources for learning to watch Beijing (or any other) Opera.

[gato]

You might be interested in Xu Wei, who I think is probably the best Chinese rock musician that's ever existed.

The Sina yueku site will show the lyrics as it plays the songs. A very good way to learn.

http://music.sina.com.cn/yueku/m/294926.html

许巍 《礼物》

http://m.iask.com/g?k=%D0%ED%CE%A1+%CA%B1%B9%E2.%C2%FE%B2%BD&ss=album&from=res

许巍 albums

[leather_strap]

Thank you for the suggestion gato, the site is really handy but sometimes it won't access the music. I'll put Xu Wei second on my list of artists to explore.

Right now I'm trying to translate Luo Dayou's album 之乎者也 and am having a tough go at it between his wording and my lack of experience. If anyone has any background on this song, any song on the album, or the album as a whole, please tell me so I can better grasp the implied meanings. Here is what I've come up with on the first song so far:

1.错误 - Mistake

我打江南走过

I passed through Jiangnan

那等在季节里的容颜 如莲花的开落

Waiting until the seasons bring the appearance of lotus that seem to bloom and fall.

东风不来 三月的柳絮 不飞

If the East wind fails to come for three months, the willow cotton won’t fly

你的心是小小的寂寞的城

Your heart is a small, lonely castle

恰似 青石的街道巷 弯

Just like a green stone winding alley

秋雨不下 三月的春辉 不减

Three months of no rainfall in Fall, doesn’t reduce the splendor of Spring

你的心是小小的寂寞的城

Your heart is a small, lonely castle

还有每次你那如泣如诉 的琴声

Also every time you have that musical voice of complaint

可曾 挽 住你那永远哀伤 的梦

But once I pulled your eternally grieved dreams

还有每次你那如泣如诉的琴声

Also everytime you have that musical voice of complaint

可曾唱出你那永远哀伤的梦

But once I sung forth your eternally grieved dreams

我嗒 嗒的马蹄 是个美丽的错误

My desparing horseshoe (print?) is a beautiful mistake

我不是归人 是个过客

I’m not returning home, I’m a traveler

还有每次你那纤 纤温柔 的玉手

Also everytime those slender, gentle, white hands or yours

可曾挽住你那似铁冷却 的心

But your heart once seemed to be able to cool iron

还有每次你那纤纤温柔的玉手

Also everytime those slender, gentle, white hands of yours

可曾挽住你那似铁浪子 的心

But once your heart had the pull of an iron prodigal son

我打江南走过

I once passed through Jiangnan

那等在季节里的容颜如莲花的开落

Waiting for the lotus’s of the season to bloom and fall.