兩首老歌 -- Old Taiwanese Songs

#2025-1024

In my short story Echoes of a Distant Melody, I mentioned three old popular songs in Taiwanese: Twilight Hometown (《黃昏的故鄉》), The One I Long For (《思慕的人》), and Green Island Serenade (《綠島小夜曲》).

In fact, there were many more songs that were popular during the decades when I was much younger. Here are two that I used to hear often and would like to revisit for some leisurely viola practice. Let me share them with you:

1. 《心所愛的人》 (Sim só͘-ài ê lâng) — "The One My Heart Loves"

1. Adapted from the 1957 Japanese song おさらば東京 (Osaraba Tokyo, “Farewell Tokyo”).
2. Original composer: 中野忠晴 (Nakano Tadaharu); Taiwanese lyrics by 文夏 (Wen Hsia).
3. Released in the late 1960s during Taiwan’s postwar wave of Japanese melody adaptations.
4. Sung in Taiwanese Hokkien, expressing tender love mixed with homesickness.
5. First and most famous version by 文夏 (Wen Hsia), the lyricist-singer himself.
6. Later revived by 葉啟田 (Ye Qi-Tian) and 蔡小虎 (Tsai Hsiao-Hu), known for emotional power.
7. A classic symbol of Taiwan’s sentimental pop era — simple melody, heartfelt tone.

2. 《難忘的愛人》 (Lân-bóng ê ài-jîn) — "The Unforgettable Lover"

1. Adapted from the 1965 Japanese song 南国エレジー (Nangoku Elegy, “Southern Elegy”).
2. Original singer: 高石かつ枝 (Takaishi Katsu-e); Taiwanese lyrics by 阿丁 (A-Ting).
3. Entered Taiwan’s music scene in the late 1960s as part of the “Japanese melody, Taiwanese lyrics” trend.
4. A Hokkien ballad of lost love, longing, and lasting emotional memory.
5. Popularized by 鄧麗君 (Teresa Teng), whose soft voice gave it enduring charm.
6. Other well-known versions by 尤雅 (You Ya) and 蔡幸娟 (Tsai Hsing-Chun).
7. Still cherished today as one of the most touching love songs in Taiwanese pop history.

3. Comparison: 《心所愛的人》 vs. 《難忘的愛人》

Both “心所愛的人” (The One My Heart Loves) and “難忘的愛人” (The Unforgettable Lover) belong to Taiwan’s golden era of sentimental Hokkien songs, yet they differ in tone and form. “心所愛的人” follows a simple A–A–B pattern, with a melody that repeats gently before a soft bridge, giving it a lyrical, memorable flow. “難忘的愛人” adopts a slower A–B–A structure that rises and falls in emotion, creating a stronger sense of drama and longing.

In mood and theme, “心所愛的人” conveys tender affection touched by distance — a love that remains hopeful though apart. The feeling is quiet and reflective, like a gentle voice calling across time. “難忘的愛人,” however, turns that tenderness into sorrow. It speaks of love already lost yet impossible to forget, where memory becomes the only bridge between two hearts.

The emotional focus deepens this contrast. “心所愛的人” sings of love that still lives across distance — longing with hope. “難忘的愛人” remembers love that time has taken away — longing without return. One faces the future softly; the other faces the past with unending pain.

Both songs grew from the same postwar tradition of adapting Japanese melodies into Taiwanese Hokkien lyrics. Yet their emotional tones differ: “心所愛的人” glows with nostalgic warmth, while “難忘的愛人” carries a deeper melancholy. Together, they show two sides of the same feeling — the sweetness of remembering and the ache of never letting go.

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相關文章 (See also)：

1)  Echoes of a Distant Melody     (2025)

2)  托塞利《小夜曲》聆聽札記     (2025)

3)  浜辺の歌 (Hamabe no Uta)     (2025)

4)  月光小夜曲     (2025)

5)  From "北国の春" to "榕樹下"     (2025)