Childhood 童年
《童年》 or “Childhood” is the title song of Sylvia Chang’s (张艾嘉) album released on 19 September 1981.
童年 is a folk song with lyrics and music penned by songwriter Tayu Lo (罗大佑).
It is said that Tayu Lo wrote this song for Sylvia Chang. While composing 童年, Lo was still a medical student. The place where he wrote it was neither by a pond nor under a banyan tree, as the lyrics suggest. It was all in his mind, which was also filled with images of chalk, blackboards, bento boxes, school desks, and so on.
Much of the appeal of the melodious 童年 lies in its lyrics, and the words of this song give voice to the various experiences and uncertainties of growing up. It is no surprise that 童年 resonated with Taiwanese people whose childhoods were in the 1950s and 1960s, never mind that there is mention of immortals in the lyrics.
These lyrics convey a child’s world mostly through a few representative objects and events. Between the lines, childhood is portrayed as mostly a blur — a state of being muddled and utterly bored. There are so many questions and doubts about this world; it is a world controlled by adults, and some children can’t wait to grow up and be just like them. The process of growing up is more like the mere passage of time, with the lyrics making hardly any mention of anything bitter or sweet — just the mood of that period.
I hope the translated English lyrics convey that same feeling as the Mandarin lyrics.
This English lyric is singable to the original melody.
CLICK the link below to view the music video on YouTube:
By the pond on the treetops high
The insects buzz under summer skies
池塘边的榕树上知了在声声叫着夏天
On the swings at the playground site
Butterflies are the only ones in sight
操场边的秋千上只有蝴蝶停在上面
The teacher's chalk on the board’s expanse
Always make squeaking noises when it dance
黑板上老师的粉笔还在拼命叽叽喳喳写个不停
Eager for class to end, only if it can
We’ll have the games of childhood then
等待着下课 等待着放学等待游戏的童年
In town halls, the games are plenty
In my pocket, I could not find a penny
福利社里面什么都有就是口袋里没有半毛钱
The two heroes in comic strip
He who wins, the sword becomes his whip
诸葛四郎和魔鬼党到底谁抢到那支宝剑
The girl next door with eyes so bright
When will she come to grace my window light
隔壁班的那个女孩怎么还没经过我的窗前
Comics and treats, it’s a nostalgic feat
And puppy love is always sweet
嘴里的零食 手里的漫画心里初恋的童年
As day is done and bedtime nears
Incomplete homework brings us so much tears
总是要等到睡觉前才知道功课只做了一点点
When exams are o’er, the woes gone
We know we studied little so we mourn
总是要等到考试以后才知道该念的书都没有念
Time is like gold, ooh, it is so dear
But gold never can buy another year
一寸光阴一寸金老师说过寸金难买寸光阴
Simple days and years always amuse me
Logic’s confusing, soon I’ll see
一天又一天 一年又一年迷迷糊糊的童年
As the sun sets, it paints the hills red
Why it sets there, no one ever said
没有人知道为什么太阳总下到山的那一边
Nobody knows the secret they keep
Maybe gods in the hills, oh, they do sleep
没有人能够告诉我山里面有没有住着神仙
Such long days I used to while away
Gazing so blankly at the endless gray
多少的日子里总是一个人面对着天空发呆
Always in wonder, always in fantasy
Sometimes I just feel lonely
就这么好奇 就这么幻想这么孤单的童年
‘Neath sunrays, dragonflies take wing
And the rice fields look so green in spring
阳光下蜻蜓飞过来一片片绿油油的稻田
Watercolors and crayons glow
But could not paint a colourful rainbow
水彩蜡笔和万花筒画不出天边那一条彩虹
When can I be like my school senior
And see my older self in the mirror
什么时候才能像高年级的同学有张成熟与长大的脸
Hoping for a rest, maybe tomorrow
Time after time, I know I’ll grow
盼望着假期 盼望着明天盼望长大的童年
Now day after day and year after year
I still miss those joys and tears
哦 一天又一天 一年又一年 盼望长大的童年
* * * * *