樓上來的聲音 / Sounds from Upstairs

Thoughts on Lyrics

This seemed to be a song about someone who was under a lot of stress, and was pondering about his life alone at home. However, he was in denial so he let the various noises to distract him, as depicted in verse 1 and 3. I bet most of us must have done this a lot. We choose to crank up the music volume or listen to a heavy rock song so that we avoid thinking about our troubles. If we don’t think about it, it’s not there. Of course lyricist林夕didn’t encourage that as a permanent option; hence the chorus took a sharp turn in tone, and started asking questions and proposing solutions.

林夕beautifully packed a lot of things into the chorus while maintaining the use of simple, everyday phrases that rhymed nicely (退, 趣, 淚, 去, 侶, 虛 all ends with sound ‘oey’). Most people have two worries, career and family/love, and both can be a mundane thing. We do the same work every day, and we do the same thing with our loved ones over and over again. The subject was exhausted from these routines as depicted by the see-sawing metaphor (chorus 1) which “rhymed” with the “back and forth”, and his endless search for his other half (chorus 2). The first line of each chorus can be either a proposal or question on how, but the idea was the same: To take the motivation from one and apply it to the other, to treat love as work and work as love. For the idea to make sense, we assume people are willing to work hard at work, but are less willing to do the same on relationship. People are willing to do the same routine with the same person in love, but are frustrated at doing the same thing at work. At the same time, 林夕suggested us to take it easy and not stress ourselves out. It is okay to cry and take a break.

The outro revealed the fundamental cause of the subject’s or our problems. People tend to place unnecessary burden on themselves, trying to fit into the society in expense of their true identity.

Thoughts on Melody

The melody was composed in a very relaxing manner, as if the singer was thinking to the tune of the song. The arrangement was completely acoustical to avoid unnecessary noises from drums or electric guitars. The combination allows listener to listen and at the same time ponder. A very good song with strong, meaningful lyrics.

Video

樓上來的聲音
Sounds from Upstairs

Singer: 張學友 (Jacky Cheung)
Composer: 藍奕邦 (Pong Nam)
Lyricist: 林夕 (Lam Jek)

Verse 1
樓上來的聲音 樓下來的聲音
誰共誰現在做甚麼 不要緊
喧嘩作樂 為何如此吸引

Sounds from upstairs, and sounds from downstairs.
Not caring about who is currently doing what with whom.
Sound and music, why is it so fascinating?

Verse 2
寧靜時的聲音 彷彿飛不走的蚊
混雜著內心的噪音
今天假日 為何毫不吸引

Sounds from quiet moment, are like mosquitoes that would not go away.
Blending together with the noise from my thoughts.
Today is a holiday, why is not a bit interesting?

Verse 3
靜處在家中竟有壓力 就似擔心失去價值
寧願日日夜夜大聲播 情歌 真不真實也好過

I unexpectedly feel pressured while sitting quietly at home, as if worried that I am losing my worth.
So I prefer blasting love songs day and night. It makes me feel better regardless of whether their stories are real.

Chorus 1
如何能將工作當戀愛進了又退
從早午晚都拉鋸那有樂趣
何不躲進浴缸裡痛快地流淚

How does one treat work as love to keep going forth and back tirelessly?
How can there be joy at see-sawing from morning, noon and till dawn?
Why don’t we just hide in the bathtub and cry to our heart’s content?

Chorus 2
如何能將戀愛當工作奮鬥下去
如早午晚找不到半個伴侶
何不休假 像清水一般空虛

How does one treat love as work to keep on fighting?
If we cannot find our significant other after searching through morning, noon and dawn,
Why don’t we take a break and be as empty as a glass of water.

Outro
人為何不開心 想一天到晚興奮
但願做甚麼都滿分
討好眾人 換來自己 抖震

Why do people get unhappy? From trying to be happy day and night,
Wishing everything to be perfect,
Pleasing everyone, in return we give ourselves shivers (from frustration).