介绍:
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep……
(当你老了 头发白了
睡意昏沉
当你老了 走不动了
炉火旁打盹 回忆青春)
This is the poem When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats, who is considered one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century. As Chinese singer-songwriter Zhao Zhao was trying to compose the right melody to match the mood of the words and presented this song to his beloved mother, he's never expected it would be so popular.
In fact, the song first skyrocketed to popularity at this year's CCTV Spring Festival Gala in February when Hong Kong actress and singer-songwriter Karen Mok Man-wai sung it.
Karen Mok recalls she coincidentally read the poem long ago when she pursued studies overseas. She also disclosed as she rehearsed the song before the evening gala, she shed tears several times since the song reminded her of how she witnessed her parents getting older and older.
The song has reached an even higher artistic level and a rise in value of appreciation as later Chinese veteran singer-songwriter Li Jian covered the song on entertainment reality show I Am a Singer, which was broadcast on Hunan Television.
Li Jian conjured an image in his mind of his elderly self minutes before he stepped onto the stage.
"I wish I would become more open-minded and tolerant when I'm getting older and older. And I would have no prejudice towards one's social position and remain to have a curious mind towards outside world."
Huang Shujun, a Taiwan musician, singer and producer, thinks the song is soulful as Li Jian sang it.
"Li Jian's singing performance is really a soulful treat in my view. The song he was singing then is the one that could strum people's emotional heartstrings."
The song recently appeared in the TV drama series Hey Daddy. Written by musician Zhao Zhao, who built his singing style on slow ballads and songs filled with nostalgia, "When you are old" has brought tears to many TV audiences across the country.
The TV drama, which debuted at the end of March, has high viewership ratings on TV channels in both Beijing and Shanghai.
Previous reports say the 36-year old musician Zhao Zhao has not only sung the theme song for the TV drama series but also composed the music for the TV series.
Music goes beyond boundaries and Zhao Zhao's song has not only popularized Yeats' poem in China but also introduced talented Chinese musicians to a wider audience overseas.
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