Song Title: 画心 (Painted Heart)
Music Composer: 藤原育郎 (Ikuro Fujiwara)
Lyrics Composer: 陈少琪 (Keith Chan)
Performed by: 张靓颖 (Jane Zhang)
Published: Oct 20, 2008
Background: “Painted Heart” is the theme song of the Chinese drama, Painted Skin, which is an oriental ancient era romance and magic movie. I haven’t actually watched this movie, but the song is beautiful. The term ‘painted skin’ implies a disguise that transforms a monster into a beauty.
At the very start, there was no vocalise planned, but Jane Zhang added it of her own initiative after seeing the film when she saw that the movie was about the forbidden love between a human and a fox spirit. It exhibited the desire humans had towards the beauty of the world and their fascination for superficial loveliness. The vocalise was intended to express the misgivings, confusion, and sorrow in the hearts of the characters.
I skimmed over some of the wikipedia summary and it seems to be quite a heart-wrenching story…
Original Music Video:
Sung by the same person, but in a quadruplet(?). I personally prefer this version because the quality sounds a lot better to me:
Lyrics:
kàn bù chuān， shì nǐ shī lùo de hún pò
看不穿，是你失落的魂魄
cāi bù tòu， shì nǐ tóng kǒng de yán sè
猜不透，是你瞳孔的颜色
yī zhèn fēng， yī chǎng mèng， ài rú shēng mìng bān mò cè
一阵风，一场梦，爱如生命般莫测
nǐ de xīn， dào dǐ bèi shén me gǔ hùo
你的心，到底被什么蛊惑
What I can’t see through, is your disappointed soul.
What I can’t make out, is the color of your eyes.
A gust of wind, a night’s dream, love is as hard to predict as life,
What exactly is keeping your heart bewitched?
nǐ de lún kùo zài hēi yè zhī zhōng yān méi
你的轮廓在黑夜之中淹没
kàn táo huā， kāi chū zěn yàng de jiē gǔo
看桃花，开出怎样的结果
kàn zhe nǐ， bào zhe wǒ， mù guāng sì yuè sè jì mò
看着你，抱着我，目光似月色寂寞
jìu ràng nǐ， zài bié rén huái lǐ kuài lè
就让你，在别人怀里快乐
Your silhouette is drowned by the night.
Look at the peach flowers, what kind of outcome would they reveal?
As I watch you, hug me, my gaze is as still as the moon,
I can only allow you, to find happiness in another’s arms.
ài zhe nǐ， xiàng xīn tiào， nán chù mō
爱着你，像心跳，难触摸
huà zhe nǐ， huà bù chū nǐ de gǔ gé
画着你，画不出你的骨骼
jì zhe nǐ de liǎn sè， shì wǒ děng nǐ de zhí zhúo
记着你的脸色，是我等你的执着
nǐ shì wǒ， yī shǒu chàng bù wán de gē
你是我，一首唱不完的歌
Loving you, is as natural as a heartbeat, despite its intangible nature.
When I try to draw you, I’m unable to draw your bones.
I memorize your features, because I can’t give up waiting for you.
You’re the song, that I can never finish singing.
kàn bù chuān， shì nǐ shī lùo de hún pò
看不穿，是你失落的魂魄
cāi bù tòu， shì nǐ tóng kǒng de yán sè
猜不透，是你瞳孔的颜色
yī zhèn fēng， yī chǎng mèng， ài rú shēng mìng bān mò cè
一阵风，一场梦，爱如生命般莫测
nǐ de xīn， dào dǐ bèi shén me gǔ hùo
你的心，到底被什么蛊惑
What I can’t see through, is your disappointed soul.
What I can’t make out, is the color of your eyes.
A gust of wind, a night’s dream, love is as hard to predict as life,
What exactly is keeping your heart bewitched?
nǐ de lún kùo zài hēi yè zhī zhōng yān méi
你的轮廓在黑夜之中淹没
kàn táo huā， kāi chū zěn yàng de jiē gǔo
看桃花，开出怎样的结果
kàn zhe nǐ， bào zhe wǒ， mù guāng sì yuè sè jì mò
看着你，抱着我，目光似月色寂寞
jìu ràng nǐ， zài bié rén huái lǐ kuài lè
就让你，在别人怀里快乐
Your silhouette is drowned by the night.
Look at the peach flowers, what kind of outcome would they reveal?
As I watch you, hug me, my gaze is as still as the moon,
I can only allow you, to find happiness in another’s arms.
ài zhe nǐ， xiàng xīn tiào， nán chù mō
爱着你，像心跳，难触摸
huà zhe nǐ， huà bù chū nǐ de gǔ gé
画着你，画不出你的骨骼
jì zhe nǐ de liǎn sè， shì wǒ děng nǐ de zhí zhúo
记着你的脸色，是我等你的执着
nǐ shì wǒ， yī shǒu chàng bù wán de gē
你是我，一首唱不完的歌
Loving you, is as natural as a heartbeat, despite its intangible nature.
When I try to draw you, I’m unable to draw your bones.
I memorize your features, because I can’t give up waiting for you.
You’re the song, that I can never finish singing.
nǐ de lún kùo zài hēi yè zhī zhōng yān méi
你的轮廓在黑夜之中淹没
kàn táo huā， kāi chū zěn yàng de jiē gǔo
看桃花，开出怎样的结果
kàn zhe nǐ， bào zhe wǒ， mù guāng sì yuè sè jì mò
看着你，抱着我，目光似月色寂寞
jìu ràng nǐ， zài bié rén huái lǐ kuài lè
就让你，在别人怀里快乐
Your silhouette is drowned by the night.
Look at the peach flowers, what kind of outcome would they reveal?
As I watch you, hug me, my gaze is as still as the moon,
I can only allow you, to find happiness in another’s arms.
ài zhe nǐ， xiàng xīn tiào， nán chù mō
爱着你，像心跳，难触摸
huà zhe nǐ， huà bù chū nǐ de gǔ gé
画着你，画不出你的骨骼
jì zhe nǐ de liǎn sè， shì wǒ děng nǐ de zhí zhúo
记着你的脸色，是我等你的执着
wǒ de xīn， zhǐ yuàn wéi nǐ ér gē shě
我的心，只愿为你而割舍
Loving you, is as natural as a heartbeat, despite its intangible nature.
When I try to draw you, I’m unable to draw your bones.
I memorize your features, because I can’t give up waiting for you.
You are the only one, I’m willing to part with (cut out) my heart for.