Joseph Tong examines the meaning behind Fiona Sit`s latest ballad

Joseph Tong examines the meaning behind
Fiona Sit’s latest ballad
To Myself, Ten Years From Now
ROM Reply From Keanu Reeves (奇洛李
維斯回信) to There Is A Little Bird (有隻雀
仔), Fiona Sit Hoi-kei (薜凱琪) has established herself as a funny girl, winning
over teenaged fans.
In her latest album, Electric Angel, she tries
to re-invent herself with a few dance-beat songs.
Yet, you can still find a soft ballad in her work,
such as To Myself, Ten Years From Now (給十年
後的我). The music is composed by Chan Siu-ha
(陳少霞) with lyrics by Wyman Wong (黃偉文).
The Chinese characters, 稜角, in the song
serve as a pun. Generally speaking, they refer to
the tip or edge of an object. As the tip is the
most noticeable part, it also stands for one’s
F
這十年來做過的事
What you did in the past ten years
能令你無悔驕傲嗎
Makes you regretful or proud?
那時候你所相信的事
What you believed at that time
沒有被動搖吧
Has been shaken since?
對象和緣份已出現
The one you love has turned up
成就也還算不賴嗎
It’s a fair achievement
旅途上你增添了經歷
During the journey
又有讓稜角
You have gained more experience
消失嗎
Has the sharpness vanished?
軟弱嗎
Feeling feeble?
你成熟了
You have matured
不會失去格調吧
But have you lost your own style?
當初堅持還在嗎
Your insistence and principles, still there?
刀鋒不會　磨鈍了吧
Has the edge of a knife turned blunt?
老練嗎
Becoming tactful?
你情願變得
Would you rather become
聰明而不衝動嗎
Smart than impetuous?
但變成　步步停下三思
But thinking twice before you leap in every single step
會累嗎
Would it be tiring?
快樂嗎
Feeling happy?
你還是記得你跟我約定吧
Do you still remember you’ve made a pact with me?
區區幾場成敗裡
Just a few games of fate
應該不致　麻木了吧
Could not have made you numb
快樂嗎
Feeling happy?
你忘掉理想　只能忙於生活嗎
Have you forgotten your dream, busy with life?
別太遲
Don’t be so late
又十年後至想　快樂嗎
To think about your happiness ten years from now
intelligence or talents that has been recognised.
Since the song is about reflecting on one’s life,
the term refers to the latter meaning.
Has the edge of a knife have turned blunt? (刀
鋒不會磨鈍了吧) is another pun. It apparently talks
about a knife. But taking into account one’s own
style and insistence, the lyrist is also referring to
one’s passion, persistence and ambition.
Other than puns, a proverb – "Think twice
before you leap" – also appears in the lyrics. It
means you have to think carefully before making up your mind. E.g., You have to think twice
before you make such a big investment.
FEATURE
LYRICS
Monday, September 18, 2006
E09