(638) MUSIC AND ME (Oct. 17, 2013) Jap. & Taiwanese Songs about "Moon"

KOU JOU NO TSUKI
    At the stand of the piano that I'm playing, I took a shot of the full moon which can be seen through the glass roof. The Japanese word "Tsuki" means "Moon".
                                                        (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)


In the last week of March 2007, we have a function of 150 persons (all Japanese). The Executive Chef Masaki Horie asked me 3 weeks earlier to give him the list of all Enka Japanese songs that I know. Enka means Japanese songs which lyrics are about the break-up of lovers or the quarrel of husband and wife.

Chef Horie said that the guests will choose from my list but they didn't choose any from it. Instead, they sent me a "Kou Jou No Tsuki" music score arranged in 'classical' form. I spent 22 hours practicing it.

When Sales and Marketing Director Yuji Bephu listened to what I have practiced, he's not satisfied. He said it's only about 20% of the song. I said to him, "This is what is written in the music score and I played it about 98%."

Realizing that he gave me the wrong version of the song, he searched the internet and come up with the one in the photo. I LEARNED IT IN 30 MINUTES!

On the day of the occasion (function), a group of maintenance crew pushed/lifted the piano to Breeze Bar. Realizing it will get out of tune due to shaking while they are pushing it, I tuned it for 2 hours after a Japanese guy listened to my version of Kou Jou No Tsuki according to the score. He said just to make it a little slower.

But before dark, it rained hard so the set up of tables, chairs, buffet table, sound system, etc. have to be moved at Waves Restaurant.

After playing Kou Jou No Tsuki during their dinner, I pushed the piano to the wooden area and played about 30 minutes to the guests (not the function guests) and got $2.00 tip from a young Taiwanese lady and a young Taiwanese guy. They requested "Hotel California" and other American songs.

                                                    (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)

 

                                                     (Photo by Roberto Hernandez)                                        
 

 YUE LIANG DAI BIAO WO DE XIN
      In English, it means
                                             "The Moon Symbolizes My Heart"

You ask me how deep my love for you is,
How much I really love you...
My affection is real, My love is real.
The moon symbolizes my heart.

You ask me how deep my love for you is,
How much I really love you?
My affection do not waver, My love will not change.
The moon symbolizes my heart.

Just one soft kiss is enough to move my heart.
Our profound love has made me miss you till now.

You ask me how deep my love for you is, 
How much I really love you?
Go and think about it. 
Go and have a look (at the moon).
The moon symbolizes my heart. 
   


TWO Chinese waitresses at Palau Royal Resort lend me a CD of all-Taiwanese/Chinese songs in 2009.

I learned first the "Du Jiau Shin", "Nu Ren Hua", another one that I don't know the title, "Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin", and 3 more that I don't know also the title. 

I want to know which one is the most popular so while playing it, I looked around to look if somebody knows the song or singing it softly (like lipsing).

It was proven many times during my 6 years of playing music at PRR that "Yue Liang Dai Biao Wo De Xin is the most popular of all that EVEN A 4-YEAR OLD TAIWANESE GIRL KNOWS THE LYRICS!!! 

During the inaugural Chinese songs singing contest where I am the one who  accompany live to all the contestants, that song was sung by all 9 contestants except the grand winner. 

I have a feeling on that night that whoever will sing a different song than that will be the winner. And I'm right!

I have learned 7 new Taiwanese songs during that event and another 7 new songs from the 2nd Chinese songs Singing Contest.

Maybe there will be no 3rd part of the event. I'm not been contacted yet.

At present, I know only 20 Taiwanese/Chinese songs -- good enough for 2 hours of non-stop playing.  

Mr. Namoto asked me to record this Japanese song "Tsuki" so that he can used to teach Palauan students the dance steps of this song. He is with his wife when we recorded it at Waves Restaurant (piano) and at Breeze Bar (keyboard). They gave me a bottle of shochu as a show of appreciation.

In return, a show of appreciation was published on the 410th post at http://palau-chess.blogspot.com and at Tia Belau newspaper with this picture:

In the next photo, Mr. Namoto is getting food from the buffet. I approached him and show him that at the place where I'm sitting and playing piano, I can see the moon. I showed him and tell him that I have the best job in the world -- I can see the moon even indoors!

Source: Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
            The Beginning of Chess In Palau
            October 2013
            To be published as a book in the future
            Tia Belau Newspaper (Music and Me)
            February 07, 2013  "Okama Bin Laden"