Lyrics Translation: [ 江湖 | jiāng hú | Vagabond Life ]

江湖 | jiāng hú | Vagabond Life
Back to album: 男人歌 | The Men's Songs


Singer: Anson Hu
Composer: Anson Hu
Lyricist: Anson Hu
English Translation: DeniseJF



The term '江湖' can mean many different things depending on context. The term originally started in Chinese literature in the more literal sense of 'rivers and lakes' to denote an unsettled geographic area. In modern days, the term is more or less used to describe a 'world,' which can be a society, secret groups, unions, organizations, gangsters, and much more.

In this song, Anson questions and teases his situation, or anybody's situation in the music industry by using a lot of random analogies. This song title is the official title of the song, however, if we were to translate this title for a meaning to match the song, it would be: "Music Society." 



( Is there anyone on the streets walking around with swimsuits? )
有沒有人穿著泳衣在街上走
yǒu méi yǒu rén chuān zhuó yǒng yī zài jiē shàng zǒu

( Is there anyone carrying pants to swim in the water? )
有沒有人提著褲子在水中游
yǒu méi yǒu rén tí zhe kù zi zài shuǐ zhōng yóu

( Is there anyone who has been using the same tricks over again? )
有沒有人最近常常用一種招數
yǒu méi yǒu rén zuì jìn cháng cháng yòng yī zhǒng zhāo shù

( Face paint yourself full of colours to attract people's attention )
把臉塗滿顏色引來大家關注
bǎ liǎn tú mǎn yán sè yǐn lái dà jiā guān zhù



( Red to represent the disclosure of people's privacy )
紅色把別人的隱私揭露
hóng sè bǎ bié rén de yǐn sī jiē lù

( Blue to represent the blurring of the right and wrong )
藍色把對錯是非變得模糊
lán sè bǎ duì cuò shì fēi biàn de mó hú

( I sigh at a vagabond life, and it really is "sticky" )
*Note: Anson used "sticky" to describe a tough situation, but he purposely used it since it has the pronunciation of "Jiang Hu" as well.
我感歎 江湖，就是真的 「漿糊」
wǒ gǎn tàn jiāng hú, jiù shì zhēn de “jiāng hú”



Chrous*
( I want to say: you don't have to care, nor to laugh or cry, )
我想說你不用去在乎 不要去笑去哭
wǒ xiǎng shuō nǐ bù yòng qù zài hū    bù yào qù xiào qù kū

( someone is always looking forward to see you fall )
有人盼著看到你麻木
yǒu rén pàn zhe kàn dào nǐ má mù

( I want to say: you don't have to be too helpless, even if people rub it in, )
我想說你也別太無助 不管放鹽加醋
wǒ xiǎng shuō nǐ yě bié tài wú zhù   bù guǎn fàng yán jiā cù

( go your own route )
自己走自己的路
zì jǐ zǒu zì jǐ de lù



( Freedom of speech has now become our road )
言論自由成為了大家康莊之路
yán lùn zì yóu chéng wéi le dà jiā kāng zhuāng zhī lù

( A grown forest will eventually have beautiful flowers and birds )
林子大了就會有花鳥畫樹
lín zi dà le jiù huì yǒu huā niǎo huà shù

( People who have talent in pen and ink will have sincere admirers )
*Note: "pen and ink" refers to people who have literacy skills 
文才筆墨真心讓人由衷佩服
wén cái bǐ mò zhēn xīn ràng rén yóu zhōng pèi fú

( However, I would rather believe you are temporary muddled )
可我情願相信你是一時糊塗
kě wǒ qíng yuàn xiāng xìn nǐ shì yī shí hú tú



Repeat ALL, Chrous*

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