Farewell and Don’t Say Goodbye－Folk Song by Li Tai-Hsiang (告別與不要告別－李泰祥)
I. Lyrics (translated from Chinese)
I am drunk, my love,
In your glittering eyes.
So much I want, just fall into a deep sleep like this.
Crying in dream and I don’t want to recall it after I wake up.
After once going on the same trip,
Yours are still your, and mine is still mine.
Please listen to me, please lay next to me.
Please do not fear the silence at this moment.
Please have a look again, we’ll be old after the look.
Please smile once more, a smile then I’ll leave.
After once going on the same trip.
Woo~~ (La~~)
(Ups and downs respectively) We’ll be lonely by ourselves.
The past still belongs to the past and the future is going to be the futures.
Summary / Story:
“Farewell” was a derivative from the pop music style of “Tidings.” It was originally the work of “Don’t Say Goodbye” in 1970 in his early stage with lyrics written by Sanmao; at the time the work was sold to Columbia Records Company and was sung by pop star, Wan Sha Lang, into a Japanese style melody. Li Tai-Hsiang was not satisfied, so he took it back and rewrote it. Because of lyrics’ copyright problem, Li invited poetess, Lee Ke-Ti (real name: Hsia Yu; pen-name: Tung Ta-Lung) to rewrite the lyrics. To others’ surprises, Li Ke-Ti, who tried to compose lyrics for the first time, did not understand the difference of poem composition and lyrics writing. Thus, Li directly added Sanmao’s “Don’t Say Goodbye” to allow for the feelings of a little bit touching and helpless in the song. The two poems was integrated to be “Farewell,” and when the two melodies interlaced, the song says the feel of struggling, relief, forsaking, regrets, and also a lot of romantic feeling. “Farewell” was inspired by hymns; it is a solemn and peaceful six-eight time and the style has integrated both folk songs and American country songs. In recent years, Li Tai-Hsiang organized some major lyrics music in his early stage. For some songs that flaunted as unplugged pop songs, Li Tai-Hsiang removed the “pop music” part and re-arranged to return to the original appearance of lyrics songs. Although he has been working on cross-over music for many years, Li Tai-Hsiang still minds his classical music background. He hopes works that have been sifted out by time and his strict examination can be passed on by giving them new lives. The new version of “Farewell” is one of the lyric songs that have been given a new life by Li Tai-Hsiang. Using the arrangement of chamber music, Li Tai-Hsiang composed a duet in opera form and gave a new appearance to “Farewell,” a lyric song that contains story, has strong dramaticism, and can touch everyone’s heart.
III. Manuscript
Copied handwritten notes (page 1) of “Don’t Say Goodbye in E-flat major”
(1983)
Copied handwritten notes (page 2) of “Don’t Say Goodbye in E-flat major”
(1983)
Handwritten saxophone manuscript of “Don’t Say Goodbye in E-flat major”
(1983)
A Slice of Wonder
