¿?sick beats?¿ LBTL 5

Designed by: Lay Kai En, Ashley (21-O1)

Even Tears Withered - TUYU

1. My future is nothing but dark

2. I don't care anymore

1. Dreams, how do I find them?

2. Please tell me, I thought I was being good

3. I had perfect attendance at school, I worked hard at club activities too

4. My test scores weren't too bad either

5. But the blindfold is too tight, it won't come off

1. look down on me with your frantic attitude

2. It's annoying

3. It's so bright how you're chasing after something

4. I'll just rot away like this at the very bottom of society

5. My vague life will just pass away

6. my tears have withered away

1. had lots of dreams when I was little

2. I wanted to become a patissier

3. A sports player didn't seem bad either

4. Remember the long past

5. They're all just "if I were to choose"

6. I didn't do anything special for them

7. Because they're "dreams"

1. I'd lived a life without any hardships

2. So I just believed without any doubts

1. Dreams, how can I talk about them?

2. Please tell me, I thought I was being good

3. "Compared Child" I listen to it but there's no point

4. She's more successful, even while being "inferior"

5. The blindfold is too tight, it won't come off

1. Don't look down on me with your earnestness

2. annoying

3. I'm so jealous of how you talk with passion

4. I'll just rot away like this at the very bottom of society

5. I'll jump in, dumbfounded

6. Even my tears have withered away

1. I was praised a lot when I was little

2. They all expected a lot from my future

3. I got New Years money and presents

4. I wish that could go on forever

5. But the numbers of them so obviously go down

6. And then, it's normal to not get anything at all

7. It's all like a dream

1. But still, I lived a life without any hardships

2. So I believed, without any doubts

1. My future is nothing but dark

2. I don't care anymore

1. Dreams, how do I find them?

2. Please tell me, I was being good, you know!?

3. I became an "adult" without problems, I've done what I've been told to do

4. My looks aren't especially good

5. I've lived a mediocre life

1. Don't look down on me with your frantic attitude

2. It's annoying

3. I hate your happy-sounding voice

4. I'll just rot away like this at the very bottom of society

5. My vague life will just pass away

6. Even my tears have withered away

1. They've withered away

Have you ever felt like you were not enough? Well, TUYU (this song's artist) certainly has. Growing up, she would be rewarded with 'presents' whenever she met the expectations of others by keeping up her 'perfect attendance at school, hard at club activities' and maintaining good 'test scores'. Thus, she was misguided into believing that her self-worth hinged on what others valued - her performance in school. TUYU’s singular concern for her grades was a ‘blindfold too tight’ to be removed as it had been engraved in her since young. Thus, she only ever cared about maintaining her grades to please others. This proved to be a detriment to her as she grew older as she began to notice how she lacked any talent or passion for anything else, making her feel insecure and ‘mediocre’ in comparison to others. Although those around her were ‘inferior’ (when compared to her in terms of academics), they had something to ‘ after’, be it their own interests or ideals, whereas she did not possess any. As an adult, one’s performance in school becomes irrelevant. This crippled TUYU as not only did she not have any dreams, but even if she did, she would be unable to achieve them as she felt utterly useless without her academics to prove her worth. Her unfaltering belief that she had a bright future awaiting her was completely shattered. Combined with the hopelessness she felt when left scrambling to find a goal to cling to, the messy combination of emptiness, insecurity, and loss that ensued suffocated her. She was trapped, unable to reopen the doors to her future that were slammed shut. TUYU is convinced that her life is worthless, describing it as something ‘vague’, lacking anything memorable and could ‘just pass away’ like it was insignificant. Thus, she sounds defeated when she submits to her fate of simply ‘ away like this at the very bottom of society’. Even as she waited and clung onto hope for so long that her initial sorrow had faded away, as seen in line 55, there was no light at the end of the tunnel, for she was only met with the fact that her ‘future is nothing but dark’.

Stupid for you - Waterparks

1. Hey, tell me what you want me to say

2. You know I'm stupid for you

3. Hey, can you come and come out and play

4. You know I'm stupid for you

5. I'm colour coding my moods

6. You're yellow, I'm natural blue

7. Let's get together and be green like my insides

8. At least I'll match your eyes

9. Jealous and hypnotized

10. Let's match our faces and be equally in love

11. Hey, tell me what you want me to say

12. You know I'm stupid for you

13. Hey, can you come and come out and play

14. You know I'm stupid for you

15. Let's trash our whole afternoon

16. Reciting recycled news

17. Until we meld and go back to your hotel room

18. I'll be your new favourite tune

19. I'll be your black cloud by june

20. But only when you miss the rain like I miss you

21. Just double dare me

22. And I promise now that I'll stay

23. It's not like you're married but I still got carried away

24. Hey, tell me what you want me to say

25. You know I'm stupid for you

26. Hey, can you come and come out and play

27. You know I'm stupid for you

28. You're playin' ring round my head

29. I'll wear you like a halo

30. You're a symphony, I'm just a sour note

31. I'll take what I can get

32. The best is hard to grip when everybody wants you

33. And everybody wants you

34. You're playin' ring round my head

35. I'll wear you like a halo

36. You're a symphony, I'm just a sour note

37. I'll take what I can get

38. The best is hard to grip when everybody wants you

39. Hey, tell me that you want me to stay

40. You know I'm stupid for you

41. Hey, can you come and come out and play

42. You know I'm stupid for you

43. You're playin' ring round my head

44. I'll wear you like a halo

45. You're a symphony, I'm just a sour note

46. I'll take what I can get

47. The best is hard to grip when everybody wants you

48. And everybody wants you

49. And everybody wants you

50. And everybody wants you

51. And everybody wants you

52. And everybody wants you

In general, this song presents a person who yearns to be together with his distant lover who does not reciprocate his love. He dwells on his imperfections, and the fact that they are complete opposites. This message is most strongly surfaced in the title “I’m stupid for you”, with “stupid” showing how much the person was unable to match up to his lover, and emphasised by its repetition throughout the song. This idea is also seen in the contrast between the atmosphere and the connotations which surround the lyric “I” and the lyric “you” - the former is always surrounded by self-degrading ideas on how the person is always lacking, while the latter is seen as a figure of perfection worthy of admiration. 

While reading the song lyrics, various patterns also convey how much the person felt like he did not deserve his lover. The first pattern is the use of colour imagery in the phrases “you're yellow, I'm natural blue”, “let's get together and be green like my insides” and “I’ll be your black cloud by June” as the person “colour codes moods”. The shift from “yellow” to “blue”, and the colours “green” and “black” convey an intensification in the negative connotation should the person get together with his lover, with the former symbolising positivity and hope, and the latter symbolising  sadness, disgust and the eventual end of their relationship. The person also takes ownership of the burden he’s bringing into the relationship, as seen in the lyrics “natural blue” and (green like) “my insides”, therefore showing the fact that he’s the source of failure in the relationship. Moreover, the addition of the detail “by June” in being a black cloud in the relationship also shows the person’s lack of confidence and how directly he insults himself. 

Interestingly, the persona also compared himself with his lover via musical jargon in the phrase “you’re a symphony, I’m just a sour note”, with “just” showing how being a sour note is nothing compared to the contrast in the harmony and order brought about by his lover. Lastly, the person exaggerates the unattainable perfection in his lover through the lyrics “I'll wear you like a halo”, with halos being circles of light above the angel’s head. The allusion to a holy image suggests the person’s massive lack in his attributes, while displaying his worship, frenzy, love and respect towards his lover. Overall, it’s so tellinghow the persona is head over heels and really “stupid for ”. 

情深往事 - 费玉清

Those Were the Days When My Heart Was - Fei Yu-Ching

1. 其实我不想离开　只是有太多无奈

Actually I do not want to leave, but I have too many worries.

1. 几时才问的明白　这结局谁在安排

When will I understand what caused such an ending?

1. 忍不住再走回来　回头路一片沧海

I cannot help but to think back in time.

1. 轻轻把窗门推开　往事又涌进胸怀

Slowly, the memories came flooding back.

1. 曾经是个不到最后关头绝不走的人

(He was) once a person who never gave up on the journey

1. 曾经是盏不到蜡炬成灰绝不熄的灯

(He was) once a candle flame that never extinguished until the wax completely melted

1. 如今残梦已早晨　清醒有几人　还不是为了情深太难舍

Now, we have awoken from a dream we cannot remember, yet how many are actually aware? It’s all because of love that is too deep to let go of.

1. 情不自禁　重新撬开心中这把锁

Can’t help but to try unlocking the lock to my heart.

1. 想起当初决定离开的时候

Recalling the moment when the decision to leave was made,

1. 也是心痛难忍　深情难舍　路难走

It was very heart-breaking and hard to give up the deep love.

1. 情不自禁　多年以后还是走回来

Can’t help but to return after many years elsewhere

1. 想起当初决定留下的时候

Recalling the moment when the decision to stay was made,

1. 也是为了无怨　为了无悔　为了爱

For the sake of having no resentment, no regrets and for love.

1. 曾经是个不到最后关头绝不走的人

(He was) once a person who never gave up on the journey

1. 曾经是盏不到蜡炬成灰绝不熄的灯

(He was) once a candle flame that never extinguished until the wax completely melted

1. 如今残梦已早晨　清醒有几人　还不是为了情深太难舍

Now, we have awoken from a dream we cannot remember, yet how many are actually aware? It’s all because of love that is too deep to let go of.

1. 情不自禁　重新撬开心中这把锁

Can’t help but to try unlocking the lock to my heart.

1. 想起当初决定离开的时候

Recalling the moment when the decision to leave was made,

1. 也是心痛难忍　深情难舍　路难走

It was very heart-breaking and hard to give up the deep love.

1. 情不自禁　多年以后还是走回来

Can’t help but to return after many years elsewhere

1. 想起当初决定留下的时候

Recalling the moment when the decision to stay was made,

1. 也是为了无怨　为了无悔　为了爱

For the sake of having no resentment, no regrets and for love.

1. 忍不住再走回来　回头路一片沧海

I cannot help but to think back in time.

1. 轻轻把窗门推开　往事又涌进胸怀

Slowly, the memories came flooding back.

1. 轻轻把窗门推开　往事又涌进胸怀

Slowly, the memories came flooding back.

Released in 1992, this song is about love, relationship, and the subsequent unfortunate break up. It dictates the dilemma faced by the singer in his relationship (about ten years before the release of this song) - while he loves his partner very deeply, he is faced with an impossible circumstance that forced him to break up with his girlfriend. Now, he just cannot resist thinking back about her and whatever that they had enjoyed then, showing just how much he loves her both then and now.

Interestingly, this song was written in a Major (E flat major) key, even though the feelings that he was trying to convey was that of sadness and nostalgia (most composers do so using a minor key). This probably has something to do with what he is trying to convey as well - even though it was indeed very painful for him to break up with his girlfriend, every cloud has  a silver lining. This is especially so given that he had no other choice and that breaking up was the best possible decision that would cause the least harm to all the parties involved, as can be seen in the metaphors of the lyrics of lines 5 to 6.

Ten years later, he still thinks about her, willingly or otherwise. In a way, this proves a few points. Firstly, love is timeless, in the sense that even after so many years and after whatever has happened, it is still there. Secondly, it also goes to show that a myriad of factors are involved in enabling relationships to transition to marriages - love alone is simply not enough. Other external factors are at play as well.

Nonetheless, he still cannot  fully come to terms with the break-up. The second line in the first verse illustrates his sentiments of still being unable to  fully understand the reason behind the break up, even though subsequent lines indicate that he is probably aware that doing so is the best option,  given the situation. Such a depiction also shows that while love can be exciting and enjoyable, it can also be complicated.