Soon the winter wind will be blowing over the country and bring with it chills, snow or sleet. While we huddle in front of the fireplace, think of the fishermen who must brave the cold and often stormy weather to make a living. “Fisherman’s Plight“ is the theme song of an old Chinese movie that was very popular a couple generations ago. It is a classic that has withstood the test of time. This version provides good pronunciation of the lyrics but at snail speed. I suggest that you play it at 1.25 times the normal speed to preserve the lilting quality of the music.
渔光曲
Yú Guāng Qū
云儿飘在海空，
Yún er piāo zài hǎi kōng,
Clouds are floating in the ocean sky;
鱼儿藏在水中.
yú er cáng zài shuǐzhōng.
Fishes are hiding under the water.
早晨太阳里晒鱼网,
Zǎochén tàiyáng lǐ shài yúwǎng,
In the morning sun we dry the fish net,
迎面吹过来大海风.
yíngmiàn chuī guòlái dà hǎifēng.
the ocean wind blowing in our faces.
潮水升, 浪花涌,
Cháoshuǐ shēng, lànghuā yǒng,
The tide rises and the waves billow;
鱼船儿漂漂各西东.
yú chuán er piāo piāo gè xī dōng.
The fishing boats drift here and there.
轻撒网, 紧拉绳,
Qīng sā wǎng, jǐn lā shéng,
Throwing the net out gently and pulling the ropes in tight,
烟雾里辛苦等鱼踪.
yānwù lǐ xīnkǔ děng yú zōng.
We wait arduously in the smoke and fog for traces of the fish.
鱼儿难捕, 租税重,
Yú er nán bǔ, zūshuì zhòng,
Fish is hard to catch, and the boat rental fee and taxes are high.
捕鱼人儿世世穷.
bǔ yú rén er shìshì qióng.
It’s the fisherman’s lot to be poor from generation to generation.
爷爷留下的破鱼网,
Yéyé liú xià de pò yúwǎng,
The patched fishing net left behind by grandpa
小心再靠它过一冬.
xiǎoxīn zài kào tāguò yī dōng.
we had better take good care of it to tide us over this winter.
N.B. 飘 and 漂 are pronounced the same. 飘 means to float in air, while 漂 means to float on water. Did you catch the error in the lyrics displayed in the video?
圣诞快乐, 新年如意!
Shèngdàn kuàilè, xīnnián rúyì!
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!
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