‘新流氓’：崔健与80年代灰色文化。（‘The New Hoodlums：Cui Jian and the 80's Grey Culture)

miantiao

July 26, 2009, 02:50 AM posted in General Discussion

Matt_c introduced me to the music of Cuijian not long ago. At first I thought his music was ok and much like other rock 'n' roll outfits to be found in China. That was until my ears began to prick as his lyrics penetrated my as yet not finely tuned ear for Mandarin.

To be sure, his music did much to influence the rising tide of young people largely disassociated with the past and unsatisfied with official culture. As with many counter-culture states of mind,  Gray Culture implied an anti-authoritarian, non-conformist rebellious streak. As such, the term 流氓 began to take on a whole new meaning, cool or hip. As Orville Schell explains:

"...it has expanded to embrace almost any kind of alienated urban rebel who aspires to distance himself or herself from official culture....It has even taken on some of the romance associated with the jianghu haojie (江湖豪杰)...who have embodied China's 'outlaw ideal' for hundreds of years" (Schell, O,1999; 'The China Reader: The Reform Era ,pp 284).

Cuijian 崔健 became the voice of these poeple. It's not for me to regurgitate Orville Schell's work any further, instead I'll provide the lyrics to one of 崔健’s  many ambiguous but poignant tunes that represented the thoughts of many millions of young, and some not so young,  Chinese during a period of profound change and polemic opinion as to the future direction of the middle kingdom.

歌名：一无所有
演唱：潘美辰
专辑：傻小孩

我曾经问个不休
你何时跟我走
可你却总是笑我
一无所有
我要给你我的追求
还有我的自由
可你却总是笑我
一无所有
噢... 你何时跟我走
噢... 你何时跟我走
脚下的地在走
身边的水在流
可你却总是笑我
一无所有
为何你总笑个没够
为何我总要追求
难道在你面前我永远是一无所有
噢... 你何时跟我走
噢... 你何时跟我走
music
脚下的地在走
身边的水在流
脚下的地在走
身边的水在流
告诉你我等了很久
告诉你我最后的要求
我要抓起你的双手
你这就跟我走
这时你的手在颤抖
这时你的泪在流
莫非你是正在告诉我
你爱我一无所有
噢... 你这就跟我走
噢... 你这就跟我走
噢... 你这就跟我走
噢... 你这就跟我走
噢... 你这就跟我走
噢... 你这就跟我走
噢... 你这就跟我走
噢... 你这就跟我走
噢... 你这就跟我走
噢... 你这就跟我走
噢... 你这就跟我走