王力宏牛津大学演讲 第9期

 　　And why shouldn't it be? 为什么不呢？

　　Look at Korean pop, look at K-pop for example. 看看韩语流行音乐的例子。

　　Korea is an export-based economy and they are outward looking and they must be outward looking. 韩国是一个基于出口的经济，他们向外看，而且他们必须向外看。

　　Chinese pop on the other hand can just kinda stay domestic tour all over China, stick in territories and comfortably sustain. 另一方面，华语流行歌曲只呆在国内，在中国范围内流传，舒舒服服地呆在领土内部。

　　So when you're that big and powerful，there are over 160 cities in China with a million or more people, you tend to kind of turn inward and be complacent¹. 中国有超过160个城市有人口超过百万，所以，当一个国家如此强大时，它就变得有点封闭和自足了。

　　So this certainly can be an argument made for Chinese pop being not marketed with international sensibilities in mind. 这当然是华语流行歌曲无意打入国际市场的一个托词。

　　But the other side of the argument I think is more interesting, and thought-provoking and even more true that Western ears aren't familiar with and therefore don't really understand how to appreciate Chinese music. 但是还有另一个托词我认为是更有趣的，更发人深省的，而且是更对的，那就是西方人的耳朵不熟悉中国音乐，因而不了解应该如何欣赏中国音乐。

　　Ouch! OK, the reason I think that the argument holds water though is because that's exactly what I went through. 哦！好，我认为这个理由站得住脚，因为这正是我经历过的。

　　So I happen to know a thing or two about learning to appreciate Chinese pop as a Westerner. 所以我恰好对西方人如何学习欣赏中文流行歌曲略知一二。

　　Because I was 17 years old when I went from being an Asian kid in America to being an American kid in Asia, and the entire paradigm² suddenly got flipped³ on its head. 因为我17岁的时候从一个在美国的亚洲孩子变成了一个在亚洲的美国孩子，整个世界都倒过来了。

　　I grew up listening to the Beastie Boys, Led Zeppelin, Guns and Roses, and I found myself in Taiwan listening to the radio and thinking, where's the beat? 我听着野兽男孩，齐柏林飞船，枪花乐队长大。当我在台湾听着广播时，我心想，节拍呢？

　　Where are the screeching⁴ guitar solos? 那些尖声的吉他独奏在哪里？

　　Here I am as an American kid in Asia, listening to Chinese music for the first time and thinking that this stuff is lame⁵, I don't like it! . 这就是我，一个在亚洲的美国孩子第一次听华语歌觉得这歌很弱，我不喜欢！

　　I thought it was cheesy, production value was low, and the singers couldn't belt like Axl Rose or Mariah Carey. 我觉得这很差，没有产品价值，歌星也不能像艾克索·罗斯或者玛丽亚·凯莉一样放声大唱。

　　But then one day, I went to my first Chinese pop concert. 但是有一天，我第一次去了华语流行音乐会。

　　And it was Harlem Yu performing in the Taipei Music Centre. 庾澄庆正在台北社交馆表演。

1 complacent   

adj.自满的；自鸣得意的

参考例句：

• We must not become complacent the moment we have some success.我们决不能一见成绩就自满起来。
• She was complacent about her achievements.她对自己的成绩沾沾自喜。

2 paradigm   

n.例子，模范，词形变化表

参考例句：

• He had become the paradigm of the successful man. 他已经成为成功人士的典范。
• Moreover,the results of this research can be the new learning paradigm for digital design studios.除此之外，本研究的研究成果也可以为数位设计课程建立一个新的学习范例。

3 flipped   

轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥

参考例句：

• The plane flipped and crashed. 飞机猛地翻转，撞毁了。
• The carter flipped at the horse with his whip. 赶大车的人扬鞭朝着马轻轻地抽打。

4 screeching   

v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫

参考例句：

• Monkeys were screeching in the trees. 猴子在树上吱吱地叫着。
• the unedifying sight of the two party leaders screeching at each other 两党党魁狺狺对吠的讨厌情景

5 lame   

adj.跛的，(辩解、论据等)无说服力的

参考例句：

• The lame man needs a stick when he walks.那跛脚男子走路时需借助拐棍。
• I don't believe his story.It'sounds a bit lame.我不信他讲的那一套。他的话听起来有些靠不住。