The Spring Festival of the Year of the Dragon is coming soon. The songs that appear on China’s official Spring Festival Gala every year are either the main theme of the “grand narrative” or an ode to “the party leads everything”. However, some tunes that resonate with the people often can only be circulated underground. Even the popular Internet is destined to have difficulty boarding a big stage full of “positive energy.” Do you know what these songs are? What sensitive points did they touch on the authorities?
“You Are Not Really Happy” remixed video goes viral
“The crowd is crying, you just want to become a transparent color, you will never have dreams or pain or heartbeat again, you have decided, you have decided. You endure it quietly, holding yesterday tightly in the heart of your fist Hold…”
[Take stock of those songs that couldn’t make it to the Spring Festival Gala]
The past year has witnessed online and offline battles between folk music creators and China’s censorship agencies. Many popular pop songs have been restricted from playing due to their strong political connotations.#大梦 In a general post-epidemic society, have we all become #罗沙海市 of #西楼儿女?… pic.twitter.com/z8JGyV3NBL— Radio Free Asia (@RFA_Chinese) February 10, 2024
This song “You Are Not Really Happy” is the lead song in the album “Poetry of Post-Adolescence” released by the Mayday band in 2008, and has been covered by many people. However, recently, this love healing song became popular again due to a unique remix video that resonated strongly with netizens. Some netizens said that it “expressed the aspirations of many people.”
At the beginning of the video, the reporter asked a young migrant worker: “Are you happy?” The answer: “Happy!”
Question: “Then what do you think happiness is?” Answer: “Happiness is repairing the car well and not letting your parents worry about it.”
Question: “This is not your happiness, I’m asking about your happiness?” Answer: “My happiness is…I don’t know…”
In this mixed-edited video with the song, there are workers rushing to grab work in the labor market, comedians in the karaoke bar who have fallen into prostitution, a boy delivering food in the wind and snow, and some who suddenly break down and burst into tears. middle-aged uncle. They shed tears in pain, but forced a smile from time to time.
Tang Jingyuan, a current affairs commentator in the United States, believes: “This film raises a question, which is why in the second largest economy, so many people, people from different classes, men, women, and children, live in such a difficult life, and they can’t even feel happy. ?”
Tang Jingyuan said that this video also shows that although many Chinese people live a difficult and painful life, they still have to put on a smile. This reminded him of the article “The entire country is permeated with an optimistic atmosphere” recently published by the People’s Daily. He said: “Why are they unhappy? Because they are all represented by this regime, or the entire privileged class. Not only do they live unhappy, their right to truly express their unhappiness is also denied to them. Deprived of it.”
Tang Jingyuan believes that such videos and songs are obviously incompatible with the social “brightness” that China’s official Spring Festival Gala wants to sing, because “this is a typical example of opening up the scars under the CCP’s glamorous appearance.”
Huang Mingzhi and “Descendants of the Dragon” Netizen: Anti-communist creations can also attract people
“We are all descendants of the dragon, lobster, longan, dragon and horse spirit. Everyone is a descendant of the dragon and a lifelong citizen of the motherland. (I will not regret this life after entering China)” Huang, a Malaysian singer famous for his song “Glass Heart” Mingzhi, before the arrival of the Year of the Dragon, released the New Year song “Descendants of the Dragon”. Less than two weeks after the song was released, it has already been viewed by nearly 7 million people on YouTube. But no matter how popular it is, this New Year song is destined not to be included in the Spring Festival Gala of “powerful countries”.
In the music video of the song, Huang Mingzhi sings with the “Little Bear for You” wearing a dragon robe (a metaphor for Xi Jinping), and follows the current political events in 2023, “Northern Myanmar”, “Lip-syncing”, “Milk Slippery”, ” Sensitive topics such as “Mother-in-law” and “Dynamic Clearing” are also not left out. In addition, the lyrics are also filled with 50-cent words such as “Mu foreign dogs”, “Rebellion against thieves”, “Leave the island but no one”, “All people out of poverty”, “Love the party and patriotism”. Netizens praised: “One song reproduces all the Chinese memes in 2023” and “Definitely the best New Year’s greeting song in the Year of the Dragon.”
In the introduction of this music video, Huang Mingzhi also wrote humorously: “We have grown up drinking water from the Yellow River and eating seafood from China. We must remember where our roots are and learn how to do subject three. Jump, don’t forget your ancestors! As a ‘descendant of the dragon’, you must always remember to love the party, the country, and the chairman!”
Tang Jingyuan pointed out that this song is based on the “Party” and Xi Jinping as its creative core. “It vividly depicts all the absurd words, deeds, and ways of thinking that these little pinks have shown under the brainwashing of the CCP’s party culture.” exhibit.”
Liga, a new Chinese immigrant in Australia, told this station: “Now there is a new trend, which is that anti-communist creations can attract people and be monetized. This means that people who are dissatisfied with the Communist Party are now It has formed a political force that cannot be ignored. Even if they do not have the right to vote, with the help of the Internet, their influence can reach a very terrifying level.”
Rutou Club Songs and “Baby Humiliation Culture”
“Welcome to the next term and continue to be arrogant; the protagonist of the joke remains the same, it is still Winnie the Pooh; the prison door is always open, and the hero is waiting for you; if there is a problem with the bad government, you will come here.” This is The song “Qincheng Welcomes You” was released by the well-known overseas “Rutou Society·Xiaofanqi” channel.
In recent years, the “baby humiliation culture” represented by “Leotoushe” has attracted widespread attention in overseas social media. They often launch works with the theme of spoofing Xi Jinping, challenging Beijing’s authority through humor. However, in the past two years, two channels owned by Rutoushe, Xiaofanqi and Xiaochichi, have been repeatedly blocked by YouTube, causing netizens to question that overseas social media platforms have also been “tainted”.
Liga told this station that he likes to listen to Rutoushe’s songs, especially those “red songs” that have been adapted, such as “Qincheng Welcomes You” (original song: Beijing Welcomes You); Qingfeng Arrival (original song: The God of Wealth Arrives) ); Qingfeng dialect (original song: Chinese-SHE) and so on.
Not long ago, a spoof version of “Singing the Motherland” released by “Fragile Chronicle”, a Hong Kong netizen who has been exiled to the United States, also made Liga laugh out loud: “The fifty-star flag is fluttering in the wind, and the children of high-ranking officials are all crossing the ocean. Sing. Our dear party-state is accelerating into the cemetery from now on. Sing to our dear chairman, lead the Communist Party to its demise…”
“Change the lyrics, it’s still the same melody, but it has a completely different meaning. At this time, everyone feels that it can relieve some of the pressure in life, vent some dissatisfaction, and it may have a certain effect on China’s political reform. Otherwise, there is no need for the Chinese government to block the Internet,” Liga said.
A-share version of “Rakshasa Sea Market” and Yue Yunpeng’s version of “Children of the West Tower”
“Twenty-six thousand miles east of the Rakshasa Kingdom, across the seven-inch yellow mud land that crosses the scorched sea, there is only a river flowing through Gougou Camp.” In July last year, the singer, who had been silent for many years, Daolang released a new album “Folk Song Liao Zai”, one of which “Rakshasa Haishi” not only shocked the music world, but also attracted public attention. In just a few days, this song has received billions of views across the entire Internet, which can be described as a phenomenal spread.
“Rakshasa Sea” is based on the novel of the same name by the Qing Dynasty novelist Pu Songling. It depicts a world where right and wrong, beauty and ugliness, and good and evil are completely reversed. It is regarded as a sharp criticism and innuendo of today’s Chinese society. Tang Jingyuan commented: “As his lyrics suggest, the entire Chinese mainland society has become a cesspit of flies and dogs, and those in high positions are basically the same. There is actually a kind of reversal of beauty and ugliness in the entire society. It’s a very absurd, evil environment.”
After “Rakshasa Haishi” became popular, many people changed and sang it. A few months ago, the A-share version of “Laksha Haishi” sung by netizen “Dabao” was also popular among Chinese investors and was even named “Single of the Year”.
“Dow Jones goes east, twenty-six thousand miles, three thousand minus five hundred, three thousand points on the yellow mud ground, just because there is a bowl of noodles with the lights turned off. After eating the noodles, the dog wins. The dog wins the master’s fork pole, calling There is a reputation for making new stocks and raising money to make money.” After the song was released, it was quickly blocked on the Chinese Internet, but investors loved it.
After the epidemic is lifted in 2023, China’s economy will be weak and the stock market will be even more depressed. Recently, the Shanghai Composite Index even hit a new low of more than 2,600 points, making investors miserable. Some netizens said: “Stock investors can hear the heartache, blood and tears in it, how much they have lost to have such a feeling! The more investors listen, the more enjoyable it becomes.”
In addition to the A-share version of “Rakshasa Sea”, Chinese crosstalk actor Yue Yunpeng recently sang another popular song “Children of the West Tower”: “I also had a dream many years ago. I thought about returning to my hometown with full honors. This wanton Begonias were bent by the strong wind. My eyes were filled with tears when I mentioned stories about old friends, and my heart was broken when I talked about old loves and old hatreds.”
This song, originally written by Chinese singer Hai Lai Amu in 2022, seems to have been moderately popular after its release. However, as the pessimism caused by China’s economic downturn spread among the people, and the New Year was approaching, Yue Yunpeng’s soulful singing made this song quickly “dominate” many music charts.
“I feel quite sad after listening to it. Maybe there are more people living outside who have not made any money and their careers have not been successful. They are a little frustrated and lost. It feels like this.” Ray from Shanghai feels that this song It fits his mood very well: “It’s just like 2023. In fact, I’m not doing well either. To put it worse now, I think I’m unemployed. Listening to this song, it quite resonates with me.”
Ray said that 95% of the people around him are now in a pessimistic, depressed or even depressed mental state. This song is undoubtedly an irony for the People’s Daily’s statement that “the entire society is permeated with an optimistic atmosphere.”
“The Big Dream” condenses many people’s lives
When taking stock of the music scene in 2023, I have to mention this song “Big Dream”. In the Chinese music variety show “Summer of the Band 3”, the song “Big Dream” sung by Wayna Band and Ren Suxi not only received the highest number of votes in the audience, but also received a whopping 442,000 retweets from netizens on the day after the game, overwhelming the screen. Video numbers for each circle.
“I’m eighteen years old and haven’t been admitted to college. Should I continue or work part-time? What should I do?” “Her sister asked me if I don’t have a formal job and want a house or children. What should I do?” “I I am seventy-eight, and suddenly I collapse and lie on the hospital bed, and the time becomes very long, what should I do?”
This nine-minute song uses simple lyrics and soulful melody to describe the lives of Chinese people from the age of six to eighty-eight. The lyrics show the social reality problems and worries that Chinese people face at different stages of life. The 18 “what to do” throughout the song resonated with many listeners.
Many netizens commented that the song made them “cry”; some said, “One song condenses the lives of many powerful people”; and others said, “In that place, we are tired of dealing with all kinds of sufferings every day, and we are never able to Solution. When you leave that place and find that the suffering only exists in that place, it is really a nightmare.”
“We Are the Last Generation” touches Shanghainese
“Don’t approach the dog at the door, don’t drink the celebratory wine; today, when the medals are flashing, don’t let go of the unavenged revenge; don’t trust their words, don’t forget the tears that have been shed; today, when the flowers are blooming, don’t forgive the sins of last night …”.
On June 1, 2022, Shanghai announced a comprehensive “resumption of work and market” after an unprecedented two months of “dynamic clearing.” Many people celebrate the end of lockdown in various ways. Netizen “The Gudao whose contribution is not in vain” released a song “We Are the Last Generation” on the Internet that day. The video uses black as the background and displays the lyrics in conjunction with the singing, reminding people not to forget the pain caused by the lockdown. Although the song was almost immediately censored and deleted by network administrators, it is still circulating online. Netizens paired this song with a video of Shanghai’s lockdown and made different versions of the MV.
Ray, who lives in Shanghai, said that he was very touched when he heard the song: “Aren’t those scenes really happening around me? It’s quite sad.”
Slap Band was banned for “Red Boy Eighteen Wins”
The Slap Band, which combines rock music with Chinese folk opera and folk arts, is unique in the Chinese music scene. A song they created in January 2023, “Red Boy Eighteen Wins”, became a hit on the Internet, but was immediately taken down; by June, the Slap Band was also banned by the authorities. Netizens praised the Slap Band as “lonely brave men who sing the truth.”
“The name of the Red Boy Holy Infant King is Niu Shengying. The Bull Demon King Princess Iron Fan is spoiled and pampered to him, so he is still an older child at more than three hundred years old. He often messes with the mountain gods and the land of Huoyundong.” The song begins with ” The “Red Boy” in “Journey to the West” is a metaphor for the Chinese authorities and provides a profound satire and reflection on the current social situation under its rule. The lyrics cover many major news events in the past two or three years, including dynamic clearing, the China Eastern Airlines incident, the disappearance of Hu Xinyu, the chained girl in Fengxian County, the BMW crashing into the crowd in Guangzhou, the thunderstorm in the village bank in Henan, the Guizhou bus, the Urumqi fire, and the second uncle. , Gu Ailing incident, etc.
Tang Jingyuan said that there are many underground songs like “Red Boy’s Eighteen Wins”. If there were no authorities’ ban and strict creative restrictions, there would even be a music trend among the people. “However, now the Chinese Communist Party continues to strengthen its control Control of speech, including the blocking of literary and artistic works, may be very popular among the people, but it is almost impossible for it to enter the mainstream media or the mainstream entertainment atmosphere.”
In response to the phenomenon that the above-mentioned folk songs touched Beijing’s sensitive nerves, Akio Yaita, director of the Taipei branch of the Sankei Shimbun, once posted on Facebook: “It is impossible to block the mouths of people in the world through cruel politics and literary prisons. Pay tribute to the Slap Band. “
Reporter: Kaidi Editor: He Ping Online editor: Ruizhe
2024-02-08 18:36:00
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