Life in Chinatown
https://audius.co/sidshovel/life-in-chinatown (right click then open link in new tab,) to open song.
lyrics SS music/vocals Ai
N.B. Quipao's are traditional chinese dresses, ...........Ganbei=cheers
[intro]
[verse 1]
Grandma gets to sit down first,
Frankie Wang never got the memo.
His Dr Dre's hangin' round his neck,
He's been workin' on his demo
[verse 2]
The family's gathered round,
to wish her happy birthday.
Chopsticks rattle and glasses clink,
To loud a loud chorus of "Ganbei".
[chorus]
Tradition clashes with today,
neither one is goin' away
Blondes in Qipao's, wear a frown
That's life in Chinatown
[verse 3]
Grandma has money and power,
she owns half the town.
The other ain't worth nothin,
so she left that alone.
[chorus]
Tradition clashes with today,
neither one is goin' away
Blondes in Qipao's, wear a frown
That's life in Chinatown
[verse 4]
Who knew were the money came.
enough that she had lots of it.
Seventy years ago in Shanghai,
She sold her body for a profit.
[chorus]
Tradition clashes with today,
neither one is goin' away
Blondes in Qipao's, wear a frown
That's life in Chinatown
[verse 5]
Every rich man in the County,
has passed through her doors.
She's has somethin' on them all,
without her they would fall.
[chorus]
Tradition clashes with today,
neither one is goin' away
Blondes in Qipao's, wear a frown
That's life in Chinatown
[bridge]
She ran every house in the County,
no one has ever bothered her.
Anyone who tried just disappeared
There was nothin' she didn't see.
[chorus]
Tradition clashes with today,
neither one is goin' away
Blondes in Qipao's, wear a frown
That's life in Chinatown
[outro]
Blondes in Qipao's, wear a frown
That's life in Chinatown
That's life in Chinatown
Comments
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I love the storytelling. Why am I getting a brothel feeling, though? Grandma is into a lot of illegal activities and the town knows who has money and power and knows not to cross the line.
I wish I understood the meaning behind the chorus:
"Tradition clashes with today,
neither one is goin' away
Blondes in Qipao's, wear a frown
That's life in Chinatown"
I always love your melodies. Great work and keeps pace with the other songs you have posted.
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Thanks @TammyB, for your benefit and others following, (maybe!), the chorus relects the juxtaposition of the old and the new within modern life of the Chinese diaspora. The young embrace the new but cannot escape the old. "neither one is going away". 'Blondes in Quipao's", there are no natural blondes in China, everyone has black hair. Modern girls, to stand out, dye their hair a different colour, however they are restarained by being made to wear the traditional quipao in the presence of elders. That's life in Chinatown!
The brothel element is correct, from her own humble beginnings in Shanghai, she uses this sad experience to develop and enrich herself. Revenge comes by using this knowledge to leverage those who make use of the service.
Hope that helps,
Sid
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@sidshovel - Wow, thank you for the explanation. That was a clever line, and you're right, I've never seen Blondes in Chinatown!!!
Good stuff!
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Love the intro and the mesh of traditional chinese melody with modern pop - so appropriate!
I love "Blondes in Qipao's, wear a frown". Showing the contrast like that hits hard. If you can, I would lose the narrative "Tradition clashes with today, neither one is goin' away" and try to demonstrate it with similar examples. Or maybe move that to the end of V1 so it's in your head when the examples follow. Easier said than done of course!
My preference would be to have the chorus after every 2nd verse, the way you did at the start, which I think would only be 1 less given the bridge.
It's a really intriguing song and Grandma Wang sounds formidable!
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Thanks @RainyDayMan, re chorus; I wrote this middle of last year, have since moved to drop off one chorus in latest songs.
Appreciate the feedback as ever.
Sid
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well crafted sid. I wish I could write conversationally like you. :)
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Once again, Sid, you tell a story like no one else on this site can. I don't know how you manage to capture all of these different perspectives, it's amazing to me. Well done is all I can say. I really felt like I got to know the characters a bit, and the world they live in. That's how you know it's well written.
On a side note, I like how I kind of instinctively knew what "ganbei" meant even without looking up, because I'm currently learning Japanese, and "kanpai" is very similar.
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Thanks Tommy, @BeatlesFan64, appreciate your comments, always. A lot of Japanese and Chinese words are very similar.
Good luck with that, I heard it was one of the hardest languages to learn. I've been to Tokyo many times and the people in Japan are wonderful.
Sid
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I enjoyed this. The visuals are so vivid. I can picture Grandma - someone I'd better not cross. I got what you were saying with "Blondes in Qipao's." You say it all with one image and three words. Nice! That's what songwriting should do.
The melody works really well for me for the most part, although AI's limitations are on show when its phrasing misses the rhyme of "of it" and "profit" in verse 4. It has a kind of eastern feel to it with a slightly ominous atmosphere like an old-time western movie.
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I lived in China town for 2 years , it's a complicted society . They don't follow white rules . I wonder happened to that girl in Chinatown , hard to say
Good song Sid
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Thanks guys appreciate your comments. I kinda leave any small faults in Ai to reinforce that I only use its output as a coat hangar for the lyrics. I got that old western vibe too Gavin, strange that one!
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Very affecting composition - the music sounds authentically Chinese and the narrative is compelling.
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This was a very absorbing story especially as the main character wins out (eventually ) in a Patriarchal environment. In addition there is a neat contrast in the present and the past and the way they co-exist ( uneasily ).
I am fascinated by China, Japan and S Korea so this song really hits the mark. I once had an idea for a song based on the "unseen" Chinese workers who made a massive contribution to the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1860's. Your song has inspired me to start it again.
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