Song t.i.tle: 時間都到哪兒去了 Where Did All The Time Go?

Music Composer: 董鼕鼕 (Dǒng Dōngdōng)

Lyrics Composer: 陳曦 (Chén Xī)

Performed by: 王錚亮 (Wáng Zhēngliàng)

Published: 2010

Background: Old Niu's Family War, a TV show about the Niu family's internal struggle for obtaining inheritance, requested for the musicians Dǒng Dōngdōng and Chén Xī (who are a married couple) to compose a theme song for the TV show. Chén Xī was inspired to write the lyrics by her mother's 60th birthday. When she saw her mother's appearance, how after 'experiencing the daily struggles of life for a half a lifetime, in the blink of an eye all that was left was all the winkles that filled her face,' she became overcome with the feeling that time seemed to slip past so fast without us noticing. After Chén Xī finished writing the lyrics, Dǒng Dōngdōng immediately composed the accompanying music.        

Original Music Video:

MV created in Dec 23, 2013:

Performance by 張靚穎 (Zhāng Jìngyǐng) which introduced me to this song:

MV Words:

1 year old - Mama

3 year old - Mommy, I love you

5 year old - I want to hurry and grow up. Mama will forever be beautiful.

10 year old - Mom, whatever.

14 year old - Mom, you're so annoying.

16 year old - I don't need you to mind my business!

18 year old - I'm leaving this family.

20 year old - Mom, I miss you.

24 year old - Mom, back then, you were right.

27 year old - Mom, I'll miss you.

29 year old - Only those who have been mothers understand the meaning of 'mother.'

33 year old - Time, please slow down. Don't make Mom age anymore.

In this world, there is only one person you always owe.

Mom

Lyrics:

mén qián lǎo shù cháng xīn yá

yuàn lǐ kū mù yòu kāi huā

bàn shēng cún le hǎo duō huà

cáng jìn liǎo mǎn tóu bái fā

New sprouts were growing on the old tree in front of the house,

In the courtyard, the withered tree was beginning to bloom again.

During this half lifetime, a lot of words were stored,

Hidden in this head of white.

jì yì zhōng dí xiǎo jiǎo yā

ròu dū dū de xiǎo zuǐ bā

yī shēng bǎ ài jiāo gěi tā

zhī wéi nà yī shēng bà mā

The small little child in our memories,

With that chubby little mouth.

We gave our entire lifetime of love to him,

Solely for that cry of 'mom, dad.'

shí jiān dōu qù nǎ'ér le

huán méi hǎo hǎo gǎn shòu nián qīng jiù lǎo le

shēng ér yǎng nǚ   yī bèi zǐ

mǎn nǎo zǐ dōu shì hái zǐ kū le xiào le

Where did all the time go?

Before we even properly enjoyed our youths, we had already become old.

Giving birth to sons and raising daughters. This lifetime,

All our memories are filled with scenes of when the children cry, when they laugh.

shí jiān dū qù nǎ'ér le

huán méi hǎo hǎo kàn kàn nǐ yǎn jīng jiù huā le

chái mǐ yóu yán   bàn bèi zi

zhuǎn yǎn jiù zhī shèng xià mǎn liǎn de zhòu wén le

Where did all the time go?

Before I could even get a good look at you, my eyesight is already beginning to fade.

The daily struggles, after half a lifetime,

In the blink of an eye, all that's left is this face full of wrinkles.

(added lyrics in Zhāng Jìngyǐng's performance, from Young and Beautiful by Lana Del Rey)

Will you still love me

When I'm no longer young and beautiful

Will you still love me

When I got nothing but my aching soul

I know you will

I know you will

I know that you will

Will you still love me

When I'm no longer beautiful

(end added lyrics)

jì yì zhōng dí xiǎo jiǎo yā

ròu dū dū de xiǎo zuǐ bā

yī shēng bǎ ài jiāo gěi tā

zhī wéi nà yī shēng bà mā

The small little child in our memories,

With that chubby little mouth.

We gave our entire lifetime of love to him,

Solely for that cry of 'mom, dad.'

shí jiān dōu qù nǎ ér le

huán méi hǎo hǎo gǎn shòu nián qīng jiù lǎo le

shēng ér yǎng nǚ   yī bèi zǐ

mǎn nǎo zǐ dōu shì hái zǐ kū le xiào le

Where did all the time go?

Before we even properly enjoyed our youths, we had already become old.

Giving birth to sons and raising daughters. This lifetime,

All our memories are filled with scenes of when the children cry, when they laugh.

shí jiān dū qù nǎ'ér le

huán méi hǎo hǎo kàn kàn nǐ yǎn jīng jiù huā le

chái mǐ yóu yán   bàn bèi zi

zhuǎn yǎn jiù zhī shèng xià mǎn liǎn de zhòu wén le

Where did all the time go?

Before I could even get a good look at you, my eyesight is already beginning to fade.

The daily struggles, after half a lifetime,

In the blink of an eye, all that's left is this face full of wrinkles.

(added lyrics in Zhāng Jìngyǐng's performance)

Will you still love me

When I'm no longer young and beautiful

Will you still love me

When I got nothing but my aching soul

All that grace

All that body

All that face makes me wanna party

He's my sun

He makes me s.h.i.+ne

Like diamonds

shí jiān dū qù nǎ'ér le

時間都去哪兒了 Where did all the time go?

shí jiān dū qù nǎ'ér le

I know you will

I know you will

shí jiān dū qù nǎ'ér le

Will you still love me

When I'm no longer beautiful

(end added lyrics)

#comment: I think, most people have to rebel at least a little in order to define their own s.p.a.ce in this world. But, we can rebel more gently, without rejecting the people that care about us, it's just a matter of remembering, trying, and keeping some stuff that they don't need to know secrets for as long as necessary. =_="