I know I look like a total wreck today, especially with my terrible mop of hair. That aside, here are some beats I'd like to share today :
This one's the rhythm that just flowed naturally into my head the other day. The one I said would suit a song better. And the problem is, that I only have the drum part, but neither the melody nor the lyrics. -__- Which brings me to the next question : is it possible to write a song when you've only got the drum part in your head ?
Oh, and I also realised that I was putting on that weird face for the first half a minute or so, and that the video and the audio are not aligned. So the audio is lagging one beat behind the video (considering that I played at 104 BPM).
And for this second vid, I told a few friends that I thought of experimenting with taiko. The experiment turned out pretty crappy (because, as you can see, I was hitting at the wrong places sometimes :P). This would've been a profound vid, if only I wasn't embarrased.
For both vids, I was playing on loud, so I was kinda scared of waking everyone up. Something inside me told me to play with considerable care (as in, take note if anyone screams because the drumming is way too loud). So there you go. Two practice vids. Feedback please ?
I was compelled to record myself on the drums. This was an hour ago. I think.
I was experimenting on more bass drum beats, but halfway through it all it turned out pretty crappy. :P I tried to put the volume on loud, but I was actually afraid of waking up my grandpa, who was sleeping. So the volume's on medium, and pardon me if my hitting the hi-hat (or even the ride cymbal) sounds like I'm whacking rubber ! At least the bass and snare can be heard.
I suppose that's one reason why the drum part in every song has to be recorded twice (the drum part is the hardest to record).
I'm still a beginner in this, but by all means, you can be critical if you wish.
For those of you who know how to get to me, I've got better audio drafts than this. Might as well ask me for them. :P
You know what seems to be the quote of the moment over here ?
"Whenever an internationally-renowned stage performer comes to Malaysia on a concert tour and some parties immediately condemn him/her for the dressing/performance, saying that it defies moral logic and whatnot, a puppy dies of a heart attack."
Bear in mind that I intentionally said "puppy".
The biggest flop right now is that Beyoncé's concert has been postponed over "personal reasons". Bah ! She's probably thinking "Why the hell are some people so stupid to even comment on dressing and morals ?"
Everyone knows full well that at certain points in time, we need to let our hair down. And in the media, there's no stopping showy clothes. But just where is the line between acceptable and indecent ? If you're going to call a simple tank top indecent, then I've seriously no idea what to say. If you're going to call for a ban because of all this junk, then I say, these aren't the only things to be banned. You'll have to :
*ban the Final Fantasy series.
*ban the Kingdom Hearts series, even if you know that it's rated Everyone 10+.
*ban several children's movies, particularly those from Disney and Nickelodeon.
*ban Grey's Anatomy and several other TV series.
*ban American Idol.
*practically place a ban on everything, because like it or not, people have the prerogative of wearing sleeveless tops.
At the end of the day, who loses out ? Our own nation does, because of a select few people who don't know what it means to flaunt it just for a stage performance. It's not like they wear these clothes everyday (unless you're talking about tank tops and sleeveless stuff - that, I wear everyday too). Instead of fighting over dress codes, which those artistes yearn so much to know about, why don't you guys focus on promoting Malaysia as THE concert destination of the world ? No, I believe, at this rate, we'd already be gone to the dogs.
Meanwhile, I haven't lost sight of returning to Malaysia on a concert tour if I do realise my greatest dream of becoming a recording artiste, touching hearts and moving mountains. I'm definitely not going to play explicit like Mylène Farmer, but I'm going to define the line of acceptable. And if there's anyone who wants to stop me, I'll tell them, here and now, shut your big potty mouth and move the hell aside.
If this is the kind of entertainment you get from two vocally-impaired people, imagine what phenomenal breakthroughs they'd give if they had vocal training.
No, seriously, even I was entertained, but I reacted just like Simon Cowell when he said
"What the bloody hell was that ?"
I mean, those shiny red outfits are striking. They're twins, and they're visually appealing, to top it all up. But oh goodness, their vocals. At least they patched it up with their dance moves, even if they weren't so coordinated.
I'm actually shocked to see that Simon Cowell didn't cringe.
But hey, guys, if they're having fun, they're having fun, and that's what most of our performers lack these days.
I had listened to the song long before I watched the vid, but I never thought that Mylène Farmer would have sketched all this by herself. And it cost like, a whopping 120,000 € just to get it in its animated form, beat that... Also, this is a song which has a double meaning to it : one talks about literal sleep after a beautiful day, the other talks about suicide when nothing seems to be beautiful.
The title of the song literally translates to "It's a Beautiful Day". Wanna know more ?
Farmer sings :
Allongé le corps est mort Pour des milliers c'est un homme qui dort A moitié pleine est l'amphore C'est à moitié vide qu'on la voit sans effort Voir la vie, son côté pile Oh philosophie, dis-moi des élégies Le bonheur, lui me fait peur D'avoir tant d'envies Moi j'ai un souffle à cœur Aussi
REFRAIN : C'est une belle journée Je vais me coucher Une si belle journée Qui s'achève Donne l'envie d'aimer Mais je vais me coucher Mordre l'éternité À dents pleines C'est une belle journée Je vais me coucher Une si belle journée Souveraine Donne l'envie de paix Voir des anges à mes pieds Mais je vais me coucher M'faire la belle
Allongé le corps est mort Pour des milliers C'est un homme qui dort... A moitié pleine est l'amphore C'est à moitié vide Que je la vois encore Tout est dit puisqu'en amour Si c'est du lourd LeSi le cœur est léger Des élégies toujours Les plaisirs, les longs, les courts Vois-tu en amour Moi, j'ai le souffle court Vois-tu (au refrain)
Belle La vie est belle Comme une aile Qu'on ne doit froisser Belle La vie est belle Et je vais là Belle La vie est belle Mais la mienne Un monde emporté Elle, j'entre en elle Et mortelle, va (au refrain)
And here's a rough (albeit literal) translation of the lyrics :
Lying down, the body is dead # For thousands of others, it's a man who sleeps # The amphora (could it be the glass ?) is half-full # We see it half-empty # Rather effortlessly # Seeing life at the lower end # Oh philosophy, recite me elegies (now, this could very well be an indicator of suicide) # Happiness makes me afraid # To have many wishes # (I can't seem to be able to translate this line, Moi j'ai un souffle à cœur - even the French themselves are finding it difficult. It literally translates to "I've got breath to the heart" or summat.) # Also
CHORUS : It's a beautiful day # I'll lay me down # Such a beautiful day # Which meets its end # Give me the desire to love # But I'll lay me down # Take a bite at eternity # With the whole mouth # It's a beautiful day # I'll lay me down # Such a beautiful day # Sovereign ? (Now, I know souveraine was supposed to refer to the day, and they use the word "sovereign" if it's something like, really big) # Give me the desire to have peace # See angels at my feet # Now I'll lay me down # And give myself a beautiful thing
Lying down, the body is dead # For thousands of others, it's a man who sleeps # The amphora is half-full # We see it half-empty # Yet again # It all has been said since, in love # If it's too heavy # And if the heart is light # (You'll hear nothing but) elegies always # Happy moments, long ones, short ones # Do you see that in love # I have a short breath # Do you see that (repeat chorus)
BRIDGE : Beautiful # Life is beautiful # Like a wing # That no one should wreck/crumple (as in tissue crumple) # Beautiful # Life is beautiful # And I'm going there # Beautiful # Life is beautiful # But mine is # A world taken away # I enter into it # And go, a mortal (person) (repeat chorus)
This song, along with the video, gives me an idea for a song I had written some three or four years ago (music only, not lyrics) : I just codenamed it Sur mon petit livre (On my little book) - or should it be Dans mon petit livre (In my little book) ? Anyhow, here's what I can reveal for the moment on that song : it's in C minor, in triple time, and since it's talking about a book and drawings, it'd most likely feature a sketchbook. For those of you who have played Final Fantasy X-2, or listened to the soundtrack, look out for the song Eternity (or Kuon, or whatever it's called) : listen to the chords. I'll be using the same chord progression for the most part of the song, so that should make it easier.
I've kept a number of drawings of mine (and I've even digitised some of them) and I'm planning to do a few more. I'm thinking of featuring Espoir in that song. I dream big, don't I ? That thing shall be animated, yes, but it'll also go through lots of drawings - dark ones, sad ones, happy and hopeful ones, sceneries - I know it's going to cost an arm and a leg to get this thing done (look at Farmer's video !) But I'll keep every single drawing - because I never know. If the time comes that I can afford to pay for the cost of designing the music video, or if someone's willing to bear the cost, what a relief that'll be !
Speaking of which, here's my second sketch, which I did entirely using coloured pencils (no pencil sketches) :
I'm codenaming this "Crépuscule", meaning "twilight". Take a good look at the picture, and tell me what you make of it.
This is the introduction I wrote for my project page on the renditions of patriotic songs (notably, my ideas for Jalur Gemilang andLa Marseillaise) :
A sublime show of patriotism - on both sides
On both sides, you ask ? Malaysians are meant to show allegiance to one homeland alone. Yes, I pledge my allegiance to Malaysia, and that is where my allegiance shall be, full stop. But also, I'd like to do a special something for my French brothers and sisters.
And how might I do this ?
Give everyone a heart-stopping rendition of the anthems/patriotic songs.
You may think this sounds crazy, but hey, crazy ideas are always the ones which work, in the end. It all started in 2007 when I wrote a two-part score for Jalur Gemilang (a Malaysian patriotic song). Only two parts, because I was pressed for time - I could have written three if I were given two weeks, but I only had two days to complete the score. The parts are simple, but they can move anyone - even the hardest of hearts - to tears. And that was exactly what I did during the Independence Day Congress back in 2007, in Putrajaya. The 1000-strong crowd was moved, at least. It's become a staple song for my choir, Ressonnant Inc., ever since.
So if I can transform a pretty bland song into a song brimming with emotion (note : the radio edit of Jalur Gemilang sounds pretty boring despite its marching pace), I can surely do the same for lots of other works.
Like, Negaraku and La Marseillaise, for instance.
Well, my purpose for actually commencing this project is just the same as that of my other songs : to touch the hearts of the normal civilian. I don't have the power and the calibre to move kings and dignitaries, just as was proven in the Independence Day Congress. What I can do, however, is move the ordinary person walking on the street, riding the bus or the subway, handling the household chores, or even going through the rigours of everyday life - and there are thousands out there, regardless of rank, ethnicity, belief or social class, that need to be fed with something that gives them strength, courage to carry on. There are lots of people everywhere that need to be given a reason to live, and I truly want to address this.
In the case of the project, which I shall hereafter call "Patriotism and Gift-Giving", there are thousands of people in Malaysia who walk the same roads day by day, asking themselves bleak questions that run along the lines of, among others,
What am I doing here ? Why was I born here and not anywhere else ? Where is there a trace of boleh in Bolehland ?
I am sometimes categorised as one of these people, and I don't need to look too far for signs of despair. A programme of three months, such as the National Service (which I'm bound to go for, very soon), does not seem to suffice to instill patriotism amongst our beloved compatriots. And recently, our Prime Minister launched the 1Malaysia campaign to reunite the people of Malaysia, but I don’t see many people walking the talk. The select few people who do so should be lauded.
And so I write - or, technically, rewrite - these songs of patriotism, and from the way I see it, they should be sung in one voice by all the people of the nation. I rewrite these songs in such a way that the people will see traces of hope in our beloved country. I rewrite these songs so that everyone sings together and no one shall ever be marginalised. Bringing back unity and hope to the people is what the reasonable Malaysian would do if he goes the extra mile for his compatriots : that is a true show of patriotism. Sadly enough, I don’t see this happening. I want to make it happen.
I'm sure the same thing happens in France, whose culture I have grown to love.
The subpages that follow include every single idea that comes to mind as I think about the melody and chords of each chant, and the emotions that arise with each word. It's a profound process, and perhaps a crazy idea at that, but I know it will bring hope.
Soon to post my crazy musical idea over here. Anyone feeling lucky and wanna take a guess? ;-)
Petra, à 22:01 le 30 mai i guess....i don't know.but it'll be a blast,like a bomb! :D
Annette, à 22:52 le 30 mai You could've commented from Twitter, couldn't you? :) Okay, I'll just give you a hint (I told Patrick, by the way) : it's bound to make people cry, and it's got something gotta do with nationalism and gift-giving.
Petra, à 00:13 le 31 mai hmm..1Malaysia?..i like facebook.:D
Annette, à 10:57 le 31 mai I like Facebook but I hate it when it turns into a Twitter replica, hence all my status updates come from Twitter.
Well, 1Malaysia is only a linked keyword to my plan. I've already posted a link to the plan : just so you know :
1) heart-wrenching renditions of our patriotic songs (so at least people won't find them boring anymore, but will stop to think of what they've done for the nation). This entire plan all started when I rendered Jalur Gemilang in its 2-part form in 2007.08, and in 3-part form six months later. All I do know is that people DID cry. I want to continue moving the normal Malaysian, even the most hard-hearted normal Malaysian, with these songs. And I know I can....
Also,
2) a gift for our French brothers and sisters too : a rendition of their anthem, La Marseillaise - the most touching thing I can think of. :-) I've put up a plan in that link to the Blogspot article : there were three screenshots of the works I took.
Large red text represents updates from Twitter, blue text for Petra's responses and red text for my responses. Since my Facebook profile is in French, the date/time format is... different. Well, a little.
Ever since yesterday night, when I started posting my Facebook status updates on Twitter, I've been getting more positive feedback. This conversation with Petra and me began yesterday (last names blanked out for privacy). Well, at least more people can be kept abreast of my musical developments - my friends, in particular, and not just my Twitter followers.
Oh, I'm yearning to share with you the fruit of these ideas ! I wish I can find a way to record this in full. Click the link (see the words "Take a look" above) to access to that crazy musical idea. And do tell me what you think !
Over the past few days I've been brimming with energy. Not in the physical sense, though.
I've been brimming with this certain drive to compose and play music.
And I think it all fired up after the French-Speakers' reunion on the 23rd of May. Or after my lunch meet with Patrick K. I'm not sure. But meeting people with a similar passion has given me the drive, the courage to continue doing what I love, and what I do best.
First, a composition out of the blue (which I'm currently codenaming Impromptu 5.30, or Impromptu Cinq Trente), then a set of completely revamped versions of Malaysian patriotic songs, and now, a heart-wrenching rendition ofLa Marseillaise !
I'm beginning to feel like a musical powerhouse. At this age, it's just a wonderful feeling. It's wonderful when God puts ideas into your mind, from even the most elusive and most insignificant of things - and that's how it is with me. I'm constantly being inspired. Right now I'm working on La Marseillaise and I'm not sure how to stuff my ideas up here for everyone to give feedback. Then again, it's one of those things which eases my worries over the examinations and National Service I've managed to gather screenshots of my OneNote file. Click on the thumbnails to see what I've gathered for now. Not sure if you might understand, but try to imagine it. First off, I'll have to provide a link to... well, somewhere where everyone can listen to La Marseillaise... In their respective order : 1) Introduction and first line, 2) A cappella fourth verse, and 3) Bridge and children's verse.
There. Wonder what people might think about La Marseillaise now that it's all covered in gibberish and technicalities. Wish I could find a clearer way to demonstrate these ideas to the general public... :-(
I wonder if I'll ever be the same powerhouse again after I complete my NS stint. Maybe I still will be - maybe I'll have different stories to tell, in different tones. All in all, I have one goal - to touch people's hearts. And deep down in my heart, I believe I'm on my way.
EDIT (2009.06.01) : I was thinking long and hard about this - if I get a laptop, with a functional soundcard, recording capabilities and a webcam, I could go a step further by putting videos up, instead of having to redirect you to a totally different page. And right now, I don't want to do any redirects.
It’s late in the night, and as I sit down and contemplate on the one year and a half that has just gone by, it’s been the most eventful period of my life. And I pray God that I may never go through such a harrowing experience ever again.
I don’t know whether to feel excited or to fear the worst – for now. I beat my drums in solitude yesterday, knowing full well that this could very well be the last time I beat out the rhythm inside me before having to go for my National Service stint.
My Contract law exam is on Thursday morning, and despite having gone through the book like, three or four times, I’m still anxious as to how they might word the questions. Will it be difficult like 2008 ? Or will they relent ?
I’m still thinking about the few memorable events that define this period of one and a half years.
Being in the teachers’ room in the Alliance Française, going through my spoken test, and ultimately doing it well. Seeing mom seated by my side as I played the drums. Singing my heart out during the French-speakers’ reunion on Saturday night. Composing Impromptu Huit Vingt-Sept. Meeting two new friends. Classes with Ms Meera, Ms Barclay and Soleil. The concert with Ms Susan’s students at that concert hall in Kelana Jaya. Lunches at KL Sentral. My very first coloured journal.
I’d never want to erase these thoughts from my memory for a long time.
I want to be a recording artiste and songwriter, and allow my knowledge in law to make us in the know of the law here, as well as to speak about justice in a way no one has ever used before.
Two of my friends want to be video game designers.
Another one wants to open a production house.
And here I was, thinking of this very wild dream :
Why not hold everything together into one single production house, and call it La Maison TNE ?
There, we wouldn't have copyright issues over theme songs anymore, and because both departments focus on creativity, ideas can be transferred from one department to the other. Also, when, say, there's an upcoming concert, we can join our ideas together ! Video games aren't just about battle systems - they're also about aesthetic ideas. I can let them do the credits and the extra bits, for example.
I'll talk to these partners about La Maison TNE. It is true that we're not gonna start off smooth sailing : the entertainment industry over here is an oligopoly - there are a few key players dominating the scene, and with them, money talks. The only company which has been able to break through thus far is Les Copaque Productions, because of their impressive CGI rendering, and they are now the rising stars in the market. Over here in La Maison TNE, we are problem children.
Deep down in my heart, I know, that if there's one person to overcome the likes of Nobuo Uematsu, Yoko Shimomura, Laurent Boutonnat, Jean-Pierre Pilot and Andrew Lloyd Webber, it's me. And if there's one company to be among the likes of Square-Enix, it's gotta be La Maison TNE. I dream of writing, performing on stage and releasing singles/albums alongside this, and being able to have a say in the creative process. I yearn for the implementation of constant improvement, and I want to make it such that all who participate in La Maison TNE enjoy their work.
I will be the epitome of the Boleh spirit.
It's a wild dream, but by the grace of God, it will happen.
Meanwhile, I've shared my audio drafts with quite a few people, and that's one way I'm using to gain support from the people around me, near and far. I've even let my friends on board Kingdom Hearts Wiki listen to them. Also, I'm contemplating making a name for myself during the soirée à la française on May 23rd : I'll make a cover of a song of my choice (I'm yet to choose, and tomorrow is already the 1st of May)... and I pray God that He may give me the courage to get up there, as well as the humility.
Today is just one of those days where I really feel like screaming. And not just any scream, a Gallic scream.
Yesterday, in class, DK announced a happy piece of news :
Our group of French-speakers (who chose to drop the previous name, and thus hasn’t been named yet) is having an annual dinner onSaturday the 23rd of May, at a French restaurant called Ma Maison, along Persiaran Ampang. Admission isn’t entirely free (as each person is bearing the cost of his food and drink). The theme for the night is “La Belle Époque” (the time in the 1900’s where France became the hub of high life and all things fashionable), so we've gotta try and dress (and behave) accordingly. And better still, there’s one thing I’m looking forward to : each person who comes will have to prepare a French song (chanson française) ! I'd love to sing ! - of course, I'll have to pick and practise a song.
However, here’s the main drawback.
The dinner takes place some five days before my A-Levels exams.
I can go there if I’m prepared, but how do I convince dad ? All I do know is that I’ll have to confirm by the 30th of April and that I’ll have to pay for the food and drink by then. Paying isn’t really an issue ; I’ve got some cash in hand. I really want to sing. See, if there’s anything gotta do with singing (particularly in a moderately small crowd, to begin with), I get motivated. And I want to be motivated before my exams. I wanna feel fresh and say YEEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHH ! This is the feeling I need when I enter the exam hall !
Also, this might be the only chance for me to make a name for myself. If, say, I end up going to the UK next year (well, that’s just a projection… we’re not sure if it’s for real anyway), then where will I ever have the chance to do all this ? It’s time to do it now. I’m sure Mom would’ve allowed me.
I’ll try ask dad tomorrow afternoon.. I have nine – er, make that eight – days left.
I have two options for songs at the moment :
+ Dessine-moi un mouton (Mylène Farmer) - Video coming soon. This one's the all-time famous line from Saint-Exupéry's novel "The Little Prince" (Le Petit Prince), literally translated to "Draw me a goat".
+ Cœur Déjà Pris (Alizée) - Watch the second video. Literally meaning "Heart already taken", this song served as an elegy to a loved one. Well, I could use it as an elegy to mom and my two siblings...... to add on to the solemnity of the night.
I had this idea whilst I was changing. I had put on a white, translucent pair of shorts and a T-shirt, just to feel comfortable. Then I took hold of my drumsticks... and looked at the mirror. And as I looked at the mirror, an idea just flowed into my head like that !
Imagine that this is a performance to celebrate children, or to raise awareness on reaching out to them. I'd grab a few people my age, a few teens and more kids, and we get them to practise their dance moves beforehand. I'll also require a few people to sing the lyrics. Everyone - the kids, the musicians, everyone - will join in the chorus. I haven't written the song yet, but I know it'll be something about children. On stage, everyone will dress like kids of below-average earners, with simple home clothes (never mind if there are holes). The rest of the musicians - basses, keys, frets - will be on, but lights are dimmed. The percussions are not entirely those of the standard drum set - there'll be pots and pails and stuff, things that the kids grab from home... imagine Stomp. Of course, I'll include the bass drum and cymbals - lots of cymbals - for the timbre. Two people - the percussionists - make their entry into the stage while "discussing" amongst each other. Suddenly, one of them steps on something, and a woody, "CRACK" sound is heard. (S)he picks it up... it turns out to be an old pair of drumsticks. Both of them look at each other and nod. They head over to the set..... and they begin drumming. Lights are on them, but dim. The bassist follows after. The kids enter the stage with their moves. Then the lead singers come in. As mentioned earlier, everyone is simply dressed. The lights alternate, with whites in between. Spotlight on the lead singers. At the chorus, all lights come on and everyone joins in. Everyone in the audience joins in by clapping in time. Somewhere in the middle, the people on stage will do a trademark chant (I'll come up with that too !), and this will induce the audience to join in. The musicians will do their stuff. Particularly the percussionists. This is bound to make everyone's heart race. Here, the lights alternate (or, we could have a spotlight). Then finally, we come to the part after the bridge, where the chorus will be repeated twice, and then the trademark chant again...... short music sequence, heavy percussions... and final crash. Lights alternate quickly, with lots of whites in between....... and off. Song ends. Thunderous applause from the floor.
And whilst I conceived that idea, I was air-drumming, holding my old pair of drumsticks in reverse and trying to figure out the beat. The only thing that's in my head now is the rhythm. I have to come out for the rest of the parts - and quickly, too !
This entire performance might sound hard (and believe me, it is - it's already hard to coordinate dances, now what about the percussionists themselves ?), but it is possible. I know, from the bottom of my heart, it is. Say if we're going to use keyboards instead of the standard piano for this, then I can pre-record at least two tracks for the song. The rest of it... methinks it'd come with a lot of practice and a lot of prayer.
This guy, a music student, whom I wish to refer to as Pat, met me on troisnyx* officiel and we exchanged e-mail addresses. He needed to excel in an assignment. It seems that he might get it in June or something. And the due date is a month from the date of the assignment. I saw it as a chance to sing... a chance to touch others.
So we talked. And after some talking, I shared some of my AMR drafts with him.
That talk with him was a glimmer of hope for me. He wants to do his best. So do I. If I can liaise with people like this, it'd be great - I might soon have with me a league of compassionate people who wish to touch hearts everywhere in the world.
Please, Lord, let this be a chance for me to shine. Amen.
I listened to the radio and the albums that they were offering every week - or every fortnight, or every month (goodness knows) - they were current air-wave hits. From artists in all other places but here.
The attitude of most people around here, if not all, is such - Malaysians can't make really good air-wave hits.
I'm sick and tired of that attitude !
There are people who sit down and pen their thoughts, or type them in blogs, because they want to share them with the world. There are people who sing songs in their minds, and even out in the open, and don't mind being labelled "crazy" - just because they want to use their gift of music. There are people out there who are not being given chances but who truly want to excel in the field. It's only when we recognise them that we can bring change to the Malaysian music scene.
I believe I've said enough. I'm not going to lose hope. I'm not going to lose on this one. Especially not now. It's my dream to make the Malaysian music field a formidable force, and I know I'll live it.
J’ai enfin décidé – Chant Duchemin ! Non……. En tout bien réfléchi : Matinée ! See how indecisive I can be. Till now I haven’t decided whether to work on Chant Duchemin first, or Matinée first. Anyway. Time to nap.
And if the video in the previous post depicts my Literature/Language class, this video is my ideal of a college performance.
The moral of the story ? If all else fails, why wage war ? Unity works best ! While all the individual works were unsatisfactory, the combined singing act turned out to be the best for the night.
This performance reflects the days where there was no racism, where people understood other cultures and lived peacefully.
This is one of the options in the poll on the sidebar (as in the songs for next Sunday’s concert) – Mylène Farmer’s “Rêver”, meaning “to dream”. The message of peace is so strong, it’s become so popular, it’s even replaced the French national anthem in terms of popularity and strength (or at least, that’s what I hear from some people, I’m not sure). Even I was taken up by the words and the music that I practically cried when I first heard this song. However, if I do pick this for Sunday, I’ll be at a risk : will people see through the lyrics and find a message of peace, or will people just stand at the surface and dismiss “Rêver” just because it’s a French chant ?
The video above is Mylène Farmer’s performance of “Rêver” in her 2000 concert, Mylenium Tour.
Mylène sings :
D’avoir mis son âme dans tes mains Tu l’as froissé comme un chagrin Et d’avoir condamné nos différences Nous ne marcherons plus ensemble Sa vie ne bat plus que d’une aile Dansent les flammes, les bras se lèvent Là ou il va il fait un froid mortel Si l’homme ne change de ciel Pourtant, j’ai rêvé---
REFRAIN : J’ai rêvé qu’on pouvait s’aimer Au souffle du vent S’élevait l’âme, l’humanité Son manteau de sang J’irai cracher sur vos tombeaux N’est pas le vrai, n’est pas le beau J’ai rêvé qu’on pouvait s’aimer…
À quoi bon abattre des murs Pour y dresser des sépultures ? À force d’ignorer la tolérance Nous ne marcherons plus ensemble Les anges sont las de nous veiller Nous laissent comme un monde avorté Suspendu pour l’éternité Le monde comme une pendule qui s’est arrêtée (au refrain)
J’ai rêvé qu’on pouvait s’aimer… J’avais rêvé du mot « aimer »…
And here’s a rough, somewhat literal translation of the lyrics :
She placed her soul into your hands # You crumpled it like sorrow # And for condemning your differences # We will no longer walk together # Only one wing flutters in her life # The flames dance, hands are raised # (Where it passes, there’s a mortal chill ?) # If Man doesn’t change (I can’t say “sky” in this case, it surely means something else) # But then, I dreamt----
CHORUS : I dreamt that we could love each other # At the puff of wind # Soul and humanity are raised # And its coat of blood # I will spit on your tombstones # Isn’t the right (thing to do) # I dreamt that we could love each other
What good is there in taking down walls # To place sepulchres on them ? # For ignoring tolerance # We will no longer walk together # The angels are lax in watching over us # (They) leave us like a battered world # Suspended for eternity # The world (is) like a pendulum stopped in its tracks (repeat chorus)
I dreamt that we could love each other # I dreamt of the words “to love”
This rendition was just done with synth and bass, and screaming fans singing the chorus. I thought I saw Farmer crying at one instant.
Imagine, on the real day, I could do it with synth, slow strings, perhaps throw in a solo violin. I’ll also have to lower the key because I’ve only just begun training my voice (and then again, I’ve lost my hearing in the left ear due to blockage and I need to get it back !) and I can’t pitch the first note that Mylène sings. I’ll probably bring it back to original pitch during the last chorus. All this will happen, IF “Rêver” gets picked.
I mean, the reason why I put the video and lyrics up here is because I truly love this song, and I’d like to share it with all of you.
This time, there're even more options (not only does this show my democratic nature, it also shows my indecisive nature). Ms Susan's concert is next Sunday, in the afternoon, and I can't be waiting till the weekend ! The sooner I get responses the better.
The current options I've taken for the poll are as follows :
Watch/listen to every single one (particularly the titles that you aren’t familiar with), and vote at the sidebar. Which one has the most power to move people’s hearts ? Keep in mind that for all my versions of each song, I'll be omitting the percussions, I'll be singing alone - perhaps - and I generally prefer slower songs because everyone can relish in the music (and perhaps, the lyrics).
Hurry, you only have three days to do so, for the poll closes on Tuesday !
I just realised that I have a severe case of lyrics fail.
Not one case, but many cases of lyrics fail.
I know I have a tendency of telling others "please stop saying 'there lies the problem' over and over again" because many problems can be easily resolved. But for this, I have no choice but to go ahead with it. Here lies the problem - I can write songs, but I find it rather difficult to write lyrics. Especially in French. A good friend of mine went through my best song, Le Paradoxe and found the lyrics to be incomprehensible. If that can happen to my best song, imagine the rest ! I yearn to touch the hearts of people but if no one can understand the hidden meaning behind these songs, then I have to bid an early farewell to success...
Also, I started writing in French in 2006. My second French song, Le Paradoxe, came in 2007. It's now 2009. How long more is it going to take me to write as well as Zazie and Pascal Obispo ? Years, perhaps ? I can't have this happening. If they started like me, then what they're doing now deserves applause. But I reckon that they wouldn't have started like me. They're francophones, after all, and I'm just a...... plain lousy KL kid with almost five years of French.
I'm on the verge of despair. One more lyrics fail and I won't be able to hold these tears back anymore. Help me.
French-speakers and those of you who are curious to find out what Thierry and I talked about with regards to the lyrics, click here.
There has never been a better time to dare to be great. What the hell more have we to lose? The economy is terrible, business as we know it is falling apart...
Pick something. Pick something you’re good at, pick something that makes you feel good, pick something you WANT to be good at and DO it.
We are limited only by our imaginations. Let’s make magic. What do you want to do with it?
Ever since the previous Thursday's episode with DK, I felt so down. Demotivated. I had never filled myself with self-pity but while some of his accusations may be true, he himself is a tyke. A tyke with no proper belief of his own.
I'm not gonna just rush there and say, "Here I am ! Take me !" because they're not gonna take me that easily. I know the Lord is with me, and with Him I can do anything. And I know I will live my dream of beocming an acclaimed singer-songwriter. I have the capability. No one but the Lord can tell me what to do with it.
There are other things placed in front of me that I have to accomplish too - and the Lord tells me that all these things, if affronted, will make me stronger. That, I will do.
I have prayed about the Charité album project and I’m still praying. I want to get this show on the road this year, and I will do anything to see to its success. I know the hurdles ahead but I'm not gonna shy away from them. I have a mission, and I want to accomplish it.
I'm not gonna take the right road to extreme light or the left road to extreme darkness.
I'm gonna take the middle road. The road to dawn.
And on this Federal Territories Day, I'm making a pledge :
