"EMBRACING YOUR TENDERNESS".
It has been that many long years since I first heard this Mandarin hit song in the 80s,
and now it's back to jolt my memory again.
The sad but powerful vocals, the lyrics sung with such lovelorn gusto about a girl pining for a love lost....were extremely touching in TSAI CHIN's searing heartfelt hit that spearheaded her to super stardom in the 80s.
Two decades later, this song is still going on strong.
Memories are made of these.
This Mandarin song is called 'EMBRACING YOUR TENDERNESS' and it was written by a dear old friend of mine from Taiwan, the late LIANG HUNG TZE who was then serving National Service for his country.
I was acquainted with LIANG in the early 80s through another famous artiste FEI XIANG from EMI RECORDS. I jested with LIANG about his decision to pen a ballad, specially for TSAI CHIN whom I noticed was "an ugly duckling with thick rimmed glasses" then.
But LIANG was adamant about promoting TSAI CHIN when nobody else would.
"Listen to her powerhouse of emotions when she sings," he enthused. "It's rare to find someone to sing the way I want my song to be sung. This lass is going places."
Alas, the famous song composer LIANG died prematurely of ill health in 2004 and at each and every of TSAI CHIN's concert, she has made a point of paying tribute to her mentor LIANG by singing this 'EMBRACING YOUR TENDERNESS' as the signature song.
Because, if LIANG had not written this song for TSAI CHIN, she would not have been atop the pinnacle that she is maintaining today
Let's take a walk down memory lane with the lyrics translated into English:
I CAN STILL RECALL THAT CERTAIN YEAR, MONTH AND DAY
WHEN WE PARTED,
I CAN STILL VISUALIZE YOUR CRESTFALLEN FACE,
'COS IT WAS HARD THEN TO SAY GOODBYE,
LETTING GO WAS NEVER EASY,
IT WAS SUCH AN EMOTIONAL DECISION,
YET WE BOTH NEVER SHED A TEAR,
OUR LOVE BLOSSOMED SMOOTHLY TILL THE VERY END,
YET DESPITE EVERYTHING,
DAY AFTER DAY, YEAR AFTER YEAR,
I STILL CANNOT FORGET THE LINGERING MOMENTS OF OUR LOVE
AND THE PAIN OF HEARTBREAK,
CAN YOU HEAR THE WAILS FROM THE CRASHING WAVES?
I WANT TO REACH OUT,
TO FEEL THE COLD SPRAYS
AND THE RHYTHM OF THESE WAVES AS THEY RUSH TO THE OPEN SEA,
CARRYING WITH THEM REMNANTS OF OUR LOST LOVE
A LOVE THAT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE,
THESE WAVES STIR IN ME YOUR TENDERNESS
THAT'S FOREVER ETCHED DEEP WITHIN THE SCARS OF MY HEART.
In real life, TSAI CHIN has her own gamut of personal problems.
She survived breast cancer and she divorced her renowned Taiwanese art-house film director EDWARD YANG when she discovered that he was cheating on her.
EDWARD YANG lost his fight to colon cancer in 2007 whilst LIANG HUNG TZE her mentor passed on a year before.
Such is the irony of life, where you gain some, and you lose some.
These days, TSAI CHIN is an exuberant and confident woman through her own trials and tribulations.
She is fully aware that "a nice car is not the key to success. The key is the DRIVER".
She is quick to mend broken friendships and relationships, because negative energy will keep one from being productive.
Patience is a virtue, so don't give up!
And if you don't believe in yourself, then who will?
From the famous singer of 'EMBRACING YOUR TENDERNESS', her final word is "There's no replacement for EFFORT."
All in all, her staunch faith has been a blessing guiding her life.
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