If you are still unfamiliar with the name Yao Qian, you should be familiar with the following songs. From Faye Wong's "I Do" to Rene Liu's "Traveling Apart" and "So You're Here Too", from Tanya Chua's "Stranger" and "Stop Frame" to Chen Li's "When I'm Here".

Yao Qian. Visual China Information

If you are still unfamiliar with the name Yao Qian, you should be familiar with the following songs.

from Faye Wong 's " I am willing to " to Rene Liu 's " leave for travel " " So you are also here ", from Tanya Chua 's "Stranger" " stop " to "When I'm Here" by Chen Li . Yao Qian wrote, "Missing is a very mysterious thing that follows you everywhere like a shadow." He wrote, "Please allow me to let the dust settle and bury the past with silence." Encounter on the street.”

htmlAfter turning 150, Yao Qian slowed down his pace of life and spent more time looking at the world. "After all, we have the opportunity to live this life." All this stems from Yao Qian's constant curiosity about people and the world. In the year of his destiny, he chose to start a new life. After going to Antarctica, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, and repeatedly read "A Brief History of the Future" by Israeli historian Yuval Harari .

html In August, Yao Qian published a new book "If This Can Be a Song". In the book, he wrote about the places he visited, the things he bought, and his experiences with singers. The same warmth expressed in the lyrics.

When Yao Qian’s new book was released, The Paper chatted with him about writing lyrics, traveling and reading.

"If This Could Be a Song" book cover

[Conversation]

The Paper News : Gao Xiaosong When talking about writing lyrics for a certain singer, he would chat with the singer first. For example, he wrote "Happy Winter" for Li Yuchun "When you are singing, you will ask the other person how they want to spend Christmas, whether they want to be alone or with a group of people, whether they want the white snowfield or the gorgeous Christmas tree outside the window... Do you also communicate with the singer when writing lyrics?

Yao Qian: If the artist asks me to talk more, I will communicate with the singer before writing a song, but this situation is relatively rare. In the early days, it was more about communicating with the producer, because the producer has the best overall understanding of the record. Which songs are suitable for artists to sing, often the third party is more objective and the producer knows better. But artists themselves have their own expectations, and it’s good to listen to those things. Nowadays, new musicians, like Chen Li, fill their performances with content intercepted from reading experience, so her singing and creative sense are very rich, and you don't even have to talk to her to write lyrics for her.

The Paper : Is your lyric writing more a reflection of your own emotions and experiences, or is it tailor-made after understanding the singer's style and situation?

Yao Qian: The following three points need to be considered in a balanced way when writing lyrics: first, what the creator himself wants to express, second, the producer’s perspective on how the album is suitable for the album, and finally, the expectations of the performers. Maybe this way I can write a so-called work that is more objective and can accurately grasp the market. I say this from the perspective of industrial music. You must consider these when you are asked to customize music.

I used to be more active in the industry, but now I express my thoughts more. So I haven't written many songs recently, especially "When I'm Here", the theme song of "I Repair Cultural Relics in the Forbidden City" sung by Chen Li. What I injected into it is my understanding of the craftsman spirit, not the continuation of tradition. For those appearances, I would rather share my understanding of the craftsman’s mind that focuses on the present. The other one is the theme song of "One Person's Collection". What I want to share is the relationship between art and collectors in the business world, using personification to express it.

"When I Was Here"

"One Person's Collection"

The Paper: When "So You Are Here Too" you wrote for Rene Liu was released, it coincided with Rene Liu's participation in a TV series about Eileen Chang called "She Came from the Sea" ”, what was the situation like when writing this song?

Yao Qian: "So you are here too" is a word I wrote in response to Zhang Ailing's "Love". To sum up, "Love is a superstition of the right time and place."

At that time, Rene Liu was starring in the TV series "She Came from the Sea". I was actually asked to write a theme song, so I wrote this song. However, because it was to be broadcast in the mainland, the publisher used a mainland singer to sing it. Another song, the theme song is not used "So you are here too". But Rene Liu decided to record this song because she liked it very much and it fit in with her previous role as "urban girl" in Rolling Stone. Urban women should not only be light and artistic, but also have a gorgeous side.

This is a song with relatively no customization considerations, and Rene Liu did not get too involved at that time, leaving the positioning sovereignty of the entire album to me. What impressed me most was the album cover. She was wearing a red kilt. This was the first time she wore red on an album cover.

The Paper : Whether you write the lyrics first or the music first, in actual creation, it is a combination of both situations. A song like "Know or Not" is a traditional folk ballad, so you must write the lyrics later, and naturally you have In many cases where you write the lyrics first, when you compose the music later, will it be far different from the artistic feeling you originally created? What is the difference between the artistic experiences of "writing lyrics" and "composing lyrics"?

Yao Qian: "Know or Not" indeed has the music first and then the lyrics. I often want to collaborate with young musicians, so I don’t care who wrote it. I try to listen to the melody first and then write the lyrics. "Do You Know" is very special because I heard this northwest folk song when I was a child in Taiwan, so I was deeply impressed by it. When Feng Xiaogang suggested that he want to put this song in the movie, I supported it with both hands.

At that time, I wanted to write a work with contemporary vocabulary and imagery about the heroine and Rene Liu. Although the movie has a tragic ending, I didn’t want to write the lyrics too sad, but rather a more open-minded sigh. Traditional minor-key folk songs are more likely to fall into the lyrical love between men and women. I completely subverted the traditional arrangement of this song. For me, when writing songs and making albums on a regular basis, the only space I can stretch is that I can occasionally subvert myself in words and try to express my favorite reading experience or feelings.

is similar to "Know or Not". I have played the game once before. There is an important female singer in Taiwan named Jiang Hui, who sings in Hokkien . Her retirement concert was attended by almost everyone in Taiwan. I remember that when I collaborated with her on the second album, there was a Mandarin version of "When Will You Come Again". I thought it might be very effective if I wrote this song again in Hokkien, because Hokkien is close to the Heluo language of the Tang Dynasty. So I tried it in that direction, and it was very popular.

"Know or Not" is included in the soundtrack of "A World Without Thieves".

The Paper : In the Song Dynasty, Song lyrics were actually music lyrics before they became literati. Later, they gradually became a literary style that recorded the artistic creation of an era. What do you think of the creation of today's lyrics? Will it also be used as a poem one day? An artistic way that records the thinking, singing, and emotional expression of our era and has been passed down for a long time?

Yao Qian : Fang Wenshan has created a wave of ancient style craze, which is a reflection of his personal style. When I was young, around 1995, Gufeng was also very popular. Maybe Gufeng’s writing was more profound. But more often, I am still close to the new wave of Taiwanese literature in the 1980s, so I soon returned to writing in vernacular. I think creations must reflect this era, so that its power and value can be better reflected. I am not opposed to creations like Tang Qigongzi or Fang Wenshan, but I myself require that my vocabulary and writing be closer to this era. .

The Paper : How do you define lyrics? In addition to expressing emotions, can they also record the times?

Yao Qian: Looking back, maybe ten or twenty years later, its value may be more clearly reflected, because that era has passed. Just like the "writing class" I did recently on Douban, I analyzed past lyrics with everyone.What I was working on yesterday was "Home" by Luo Dayou . In 1984, he released his third album and suddenly changed from a rebellious singer to a singer who discusses emotions. At that time, he released "Home 1" and "Home 2". "Home 1" describes the home his parents once gave him, and "Home 2" is the home he expects his lover to have with him. Unexpectedly, I wrote "Family" 3 after thirty-two years, about the family after having a daughter.

I compared "Home" 1 and 2 to analyze "Home" 3, and suddenly I felt that I was moved by this song in 1984, when I just graduated from college. Even if I read it again 32 years later, the feeling is still the same. 1984 happened to be the last period of the New Wave film, literature, and journalism, and the New Wave music had just begun. "Meteor Garden" was filmed in Taiwan, and it was a time when everything was turned upside down. Listening to his music brings us back to that time we all lived through together. Looking at things from the bottom of my heart, and honestly responding to the times, may be the direction I want to pursue and what I feel is worthy of my efforts.

The Paper : In your words, you have to make various comparisons to love and sad feelings, and repeatedly explain some emotional experiences. How do you ensure that you are not short of words and always have fresh creativity? And real and accurate sensibility?

Yao Qian: My creations are mostly about emotions, including love and friendship. In fact, a lot of it comes from reading, and I also use music to record my reading experience. In addition, listening to the thoughts and stories of friends around me is also a great source of material for my creation. In fact, probably less than one-tenth of my lyrics in my creation are my own stories, and most of them come from reading.

The Paper : You have many long-term female singers, such as Liu Ruoying, Meiqi Jiang, Lin Yilian, Faye Wong, Tanya Chua, and the younger generation Chen Li, etc. These female singers all live their lives like a song. Like a song, ups and downs, or as quiet as water. From your perspective and actual contact, what kind of impression do they give you?

Yao Qian: Everyone thinks that I am close to many female singers, but this is not the case. Especially when I am working, I have to maintain a distance. On the contrary, after the contract is over, there are more opportunities to chat. After Milk Tea had a baby last year, I wrote a song "Company". I think the fate between people is companionship. Now that she is a mother, she has entered another stage of companionship.

Every female singer I have worked with is different. In fact, Chen Li and I only spoke twice. She especially likes to read. When cooperating on "The Big Dream", she had to disguise herself as two European princesses from the 17th century. The job was very complicated because similar scenes had to be shot many times. The work lasted nearly twenty hours, and she picked up the book almost as soon as she left work. This is something that few people can do.

There was a time when Yuan Quan and I talked a lot, but it wasn’t like we often met for coffee, but because we sometimes bumped into each other because of work or taking the same flight. Yuan Quan is a very charming friend. There is even less communication with Lin Yilian. She is not very used to expressing herself in words. She focuses more on recording songs, putting on makeup and dancing. So there are not many opportunities to communicate through language, but she is a thoughtful and friendly friend. I particularly like her in this regard and it is easy to get along with her.

Coco (李玟) I have known her for a long time. She has always treated me like a family member. I have a very good relationship with her mother. So whenever she needs something, she will take the initiative to come to me. On holidays and birthdays, she would also take the initiative to leave me messages. I always encourage her and deliver some pleasant messages. She appears to be open-minded and open-minded on the outside, but she is actually a very sensitive person on the inside. To this day, I still think of her as a fragile and sensitive little deer. This is different from everyone's impression of her.

The Paper : When I searched for your name on Baidu, a message immediately popped up: "Yao Qian knows women best."Looking at your creations, it is true that there are more lyrics written for female singers. So how can you empathize with women from a woman's perspective when writing lyrics? Or do you think that some joys and pains are common to both men and women?

Yao Qian: "Nandou People Weekly" interviewed me not long ago. I found it particularly interesting, and even surprisingly agreed. The article said that Lin Xi and Fang Wenshan both have a certain characteristic that everyone thinks of, while Yao Qian's lyrics are considered to be "the ones who understand women's hearts best", but this is an opinion without opinion. I completely agree. I rarely write about myself in my lyrics. I usually extract gender roles from reading, transfer my feelings to a singer, and think counterpoint. Objective counterpoint thinking is very important when creating. Some lyrics nowadays are very romantic and poetic, but I am a more rational person. Of course, there are some differences between men and women. When a singer performs, everyone can visually feel his gender, but the emotions deep in our hearts are actually the same: the desire for love, friendship, and freedom. What is different is each person’s character, or his possible words. This is something I think about more.

The Paper : "If This Could Be a Song" is more like an essay on your travels and life. When were these words probably written?

Yao Qian: This new book is more about art and travel in the past two years of my life, as well as some of my observations of the music industry. Over the years, I have written fewer lyrics and written more columns, because I decided not to do administrative work after I turned 50, and I hope this will change. I enjoy traveling, I'm going to climb Kilimanjaro next week and my previous trip was to Antarctica. Before I got old, I tried my best to touch it as long as my physical strength allowed. I don’t know why after middle age, my curiosity about the world remains unabated. I want to see more about the people or creatures living there, as well as the culture or living conditions. So this book just records some of my longer travel columns after I turned 50.

The Paper : What is your current living situation like?

Yao Qian: I am now more into reading, reading about the world. Not long ago, I read "A Brief History of the Future" carefully for the second time. The reason why the author was able to propose such discussions as "A Brief History of Humanity" to "A Brief History of the Future" all came from his curiosity and broad-minded view of the world. read.

The Paper : Your writing in "If This Could Be a Song" still maintains sensitivity and long-term affection. From travel to music to art to singers, you have always led a literary and artistic life. You How do you maintain your delicacy and sensitivity?

Yao Qian: I think my better point is to always retain curiosity. I am curious about people and the world. My curiosity also makes me read obsessively. Recently, I have spent a lot of time in Douban's writing class, reading songs written by others, and then analyzing them through reading. This kind of interweaving of rationality and sensibility makes me feel very at ease. And the same thing, because of the change of time, my feelings after reading have a few more layers. This may be the literary life you are talking about. I don't think it is sensitivity, but curiosity that must be maintained. After all, we have the opportunity to live this life.