Chinese Song of the Week: Escape Plan – 夜空中最亮的星

from Escape Plan Facebook Page

I have been totally addicted to this song by Chinese rock band 逃跑计划 (táo páo jì huá) which stands for Escape Plan. The pop/rock/indie band was formed in 2007 in Beijing. Their first album “Take me Away” was released on August 8, 2008. They even won  the best new comer award of Tencent’s Starlight Awards 星光大典 in December of that same year. Their song “We get married in 2008” 《08年我们结婚》had been selected to be the theme song of that year’s Midi Festival. This festival is a yearly rock event in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen which attracts thousands of visitors. To me, this band is one of my favorites because I love rock music.

The song I have been addicted to for weeks now is called 《夜空中最亮的星》(i.e. Brightest Star in the Night Sky) and I love everything about it: lyrics, tune, the singer’s voice. It’s just incredible.

The song is about a lost love.
Maybe they broke up or maybe his loved one died or somehow disappeared. Let’s take a look at some vocabulary:

我祈祷拥有一颗透明的心灵      Wǒ qídǎo yǒngyǒu yī kē tòumíng de xīnlíng                   I pray to have a clear mind.

祈祷                                                                          qídǎo                                                                                            to pray, give a prayer

透明                                                                           tòumíng                                                                                     clear, transparent, open

心灵                                                                          xīnlíng                                                                                          soul, mind, heart

给我再去相信的勇气        Gěi wǒ zài qù xiāngxìn de yǒngqì                                         Give me courage to believe again.

勇气                                                                        yǒngqì                                                                                          courage

每当我找不到存在的意义   Měi dāng wǒ zhǎo bù dào cúnzài de yìyì                          Whenever I can’t find the meaning of existence.

每当                                                                        Měi dāng                                                                                      whenever, every time

存在                                                                        cúnzài                                                                                            to exist, existence

意义                                                                         yìyì                                                                                                reason, meaning

Here are the complete lyrics with pinyin:

夜空中最亮的星
Yèkōng zhōng zuì liàng de xīng

能否听清
Néng fǒu tīng qīng

那仰望的人
Nà yǎngwàng de rén

心底的孤独和叹息
Xīndǐ de gūdú hé tànxí

夜空中最亮的星
yèkōng zhōng zuì liàng de xīng

能否记起
néng fǒu jì qǐ

曾与我同行
céng yǔ wǒ tóngxíng
消失在风里的身影
xiāoshī zài fēng lǐ de shēnyǐng
我祈祷拥有一颗透明的心灵
Wǒ qídǎo yǒngyǒu yī kē tòumíng de xīnlíng

和会流泪的眼睛
Hé huì liúlèi de yǎnjīng

给我再去相信的勇气
Gěi wǒ zài qù xiāngxìn de yǒngqì

越过谎言去拥抱你
Yuèguò huǎngyán qù yǒngbào nǐ

每当我找不到存在的意义
Měi dāng wǒ zhǎo bù dào cúnzài de yìyì

每当我迷失在黑夜里
Měi dāng wǒ míshī zài hēiyè lǐ

夜空中最亮的星
Yèkōng zhōng zuì liàng de xīng

请指引我靠近你
Qǐng zhǐyǐn wǒ kàojìn nǐ

夜空中最亮的星
Yèkōng zhōng zuì liàng de xīng

是否知道
Shìfǒu zhīdào

那曾与我同心的身影
Nà céng yǔ wǒ tóngxīn de shēnyǐng
如今在哪里
Rújīn zài nǎlǐ

夜空中最亮的星
Yèkōng zhōng zuì liàng de xīng
是否在意
Shìfǒu zàiyì

是等太阳升起
Shì děng tàiyáng shēng qǐ

还是意外先来临
Háishì yìwài xiān láilín

我宁愿所有痛苦都留在心里
Wǒ nìngyuàn suǒyǒu tòngkǔ dōuliú zài xīnlǐ

也不愿忘记你的眼睛
Yě bù yuàn wàngjì nǐ de yǎnjīng
给我再去相信的勇气
Gěi wǒ zài qù xiāngxìn de yǒngqì

越过谎言去拥抱你
Yuèguò huǎngyán qù yǒngbào nǐ

每当我找不到存在的意义
Měi dāng wǒ zhǎo bù dào cúnzài de yìyì

每当我迷失在黑夜里
Měi dāng wǒ míshī zài hēiyè lǐ

夜空中最亮的星
Yèkōng zhōng zuì liàng de xīng

请照亮我前行
Qǐng zhào liàng wǒ qián xíng

Here’s a live version from 2013 MIDI festival in Shanghai.