蔓莉 Manli Màn lì

Màn lì 蔓莉

作詞：陳漫思  作曲：朱然 Composition: Chen Mansi Composition: Zhu Ran
zuòcí: Chén màn sī  zuòqǔ: Zhū rán

我們的過去 我們的情意 怎麼能忘記，How can we forget our past, our affection,
wǒmen de guòqù wǒmen de qíngyì zěnme néng wàng jì,
蔓莉怎麼妳 這樣的忍心 靜靜的就離去，Man Li, how can you be so patient and leave quietly,
màn lì zěn me nǎi zhèyàng de rěnxīn jìng jìng de jiù lí qù,
我很傷心 從今以後 不能夠見到妳，I'm sad i won't be able to see you from now on,
wǒ hěn shāng xīn cóng jīn yǐhòu bùnénggòu jiàn dào nǎi,
只有留下的 往日情景 使我常回憶，蔓莉。Only the past scenes left me to remember often, Manli.
zhǐyǒu liú xià de wǎngrì qíngjǐng shǐ wǒ cháng huíyì, màn lì.

美麗的青山 美麗的綠水 只有我和妳，Beautiful green mountains, beautiful green water, only you and me,
Měilì de qīngshān měilì de lǜ shuǐ zhǐyǒu wǒ hé nǎi,
蔓莉可記得 我們時常 快樂地在一起，Manli can remember that we are always happy together,
màn lì kě jìdé wǒmen shícháng kuàilè de zài yīqǐ,
我很傷心 今天一定 永遠就離開妳，I am sad today I must leave you forever,
wǒ hěn shāngxīn jīntiān yīdìng yǒngyuǎn jiù líkāi nǎi,
只有希望 在夢中能夠 時常看到妳，蔓莉。I only hope to see you often in my dreams, Manly.
zhǐyǒu xīwàng zài mèngzhōng nénggòu shícháng kàn dào nǎi, màn lì.

一樣的青天 一樣的平原 只是少了你 The same blue sky, the same plain, just missing you
Yīyàng de qīngtiān yīyàng de píngyuán zhǐshì shǎole nǐ
蔓莉怎麼 妳這樣的年紀 輕輕的就死去，What is Man Li? You are so young, you die gently,
màn lì zěnme nǎi zhèyàng de niánjì qīng qīng de jiù sǐqù,
我很傷心 不能和妳 生活在一起，I'm sad I can't live with you,
wǒ hěn shāngxīn bù néng hé nǎi shēnghuó zài yīqǐ,
只有等待我死後 我們埋葬在一起，蔓莉。Only waiting for me to die, we are buried together, Manly.
zhǐyǒu děngdài wǒ sǐhòu wǒmen máizàng zài yīqǐ, màn lì.

Update 23/July/2020

Manli – Chinese Lyrics

我们的过去 我们的情意 怎么能忘记

蔓莉怎么你这样忍心静静的就离去

我很伤心 从今以后不能够见到你

只有留下往日的情景 使我时常回忆蔓莉

美丽的青山 美丽的绿水 只有我和你

蔓莉可记得我们时常快乐在一起

我很伤心今天一别永远就离开你

只有希望在梦中能够时常看到你 蔓莉

依样的青天 依样的平原 只是少了你

蔓莉怎么你这样年纪轻轻的就离去

我很伤心不能和你永远在一起

只有等待我们来生才能在一起 蔓莉

English Translation

Our past, our feelings, how can we forget

Why are you leaving like that?

I'm so sad I won't be able to see you from now on

The only thing left of the past is that I often recall

The beautiful green hills, the only You and me

Do you remember when we were always happy?

I'm so sad that I won't leave you today

Only hope can see you from time to time in a dream.

The sky, just like the plains, appears to miss you are as much as I do

Why are you leaving so young?

I'm so sad that I can't be with you forever

Only waiting for us to be together in the afterlife.

An excellent version of legendary Wang Luobin's 1939 Kazakh Folk Song, adapted by Luò Míngdào and Sūn Yí. You see Wang in the video with guitar and hat, and at the end you see his statue. Wang Luobin (1913-1996) was a renowned Han Chinese songwriter who collected hundreds of Folk Songs. He specialized in composing Mandarin-language songs based on the music of various ethnic minorities in Western China. Man Li tells the sad story of two lovers in Mongolia during the time of the Sino-Japanese war. It was part of an unstaged musical drama "The Mongolia Youth Anti-Japanese War march".

 

Lily's version comes from her 1969 LP "The Best Folk Songs" on Four Seas Records ‎– GMS-1078. This is a vinyl upload, though her 1968 LP "Chinese Folk Songs" was re-issued in 2015 on the French record label Akuphone AKU-1001, a 15 song cd with extra tracks. Tammy Lim's extensive sleeve notes https://akuphone.com/catalog/1EI3CIqJ tell the terribly tragic story of Lily's life. Pat Padua's review, same link, has this quote " Chinese Folk Songs is the record of an exotic pop talent; if you listen closely enough, it’s the sound of a tragedy." See Lily live at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_co... singing "Who Can Know My Heart." Lily, my heart goes out to you ... you deserved better than this life gave you.

Zhao Xiaojun (Lily Chao), was born in Taiwan in 1948. At the age of 18, after a strict upbringing, she came into singing quite unwillingly, postponing college to support her family. After passing an audition at the Taipei Cabaret in Taiwan, she soon attracted producers’ attention. Her appearances at the Taipei Cabaret shows soon earned her a reputation. Despite the immediate success that her stage performances and TV appearances won her, Lily Chao led a painful private life. As she smiled very little and appeared 'distant', the audience dubbed her the "Ice Queen". Within a few months, she emerged as a very popular singer in Singapore too, warmly welcomed by audiences. Her 9 month success in Singapore, caused her an invite back to Taiwan to make "Star Meetings." It became a great hit. In 1969, her singing the theme song for the  China Television series "Love Journey" was particularly well received.  

In 1972, after 12 LPs between 1968 and 1971, plus the constant demands on her time and money, she accepted a proposal of marriage, and moved to the United States to make a new start. When her husband was severely injured in an accident, Lily returned to singing, working so hard that she was back on stage just days after giving birth. Sadly, the marriage failed, and she returned to Taiwan where she found debts needed to be settled, debts run up by her family. More trauma for Lily, and more late-night work. She married again only to discover that her husband was not only unfaithful but he also ran up debts! There seemed no end to people taking advantage of her. She was left a broken woman with 2 children to look after and still with debts to clear. By day,she worked at an insurance company and by night in a Taipei Cabaret. After losing her home due to yet more advantages being taken of her, Lily could take no more and relocated to a remote Malay village near Singapore. For 18 years, she lived in 'darkness', and wondered if life was worth continuing. Further research suggests that it was! Spiritual and Religious assistance helped her discover that.

Please see her TV interview in 2012 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tkze... for more details of her life ... a transcript can be found at http://w2.goodtv.tv/newsletter/upload... – then use Google Translate.