This is a translation of the song by Mayday , 《顽固》. A song that has been my anthem for the past few years.
I’m present in, what you in the past
Fantasised about, the future
Where burning enthusiasm and impulsiveness
Has long cooled off now
Your stubborn expression
Has vanished from your reflection in the mirror
Leaving only traces left behind by the passage of time
The belief in every heart
The fortune of every person
The self in every story
Repeatedly asking yourself
All these years of compromising
Does it make you sigh?
Is there anything that you can never give up?
Time after time, you swallow your tears
Time after time, you piece back your broken self
Day after day, do you still believe
The stubborn you who lives deep your heart
You pursue, you breathe
Your arrogant wilfulness
Cried with a bloodied nose and swollen face
Then forget it as though nothing happened
Even if you could foresee
The pitfalls along this road
I believe you would still make mistakes to your heart’s content
Where you have been are your footprints
Where you can’t reach are your longings
You learnt to rein in your rebellious streak
You learn to hide your emotions
Remove your mask
I want to say, thank you
Thank you for keeping me company all the way
Time after time, you swallow your tears
Time after time, you piece back your broken self
Day after day, do you still believe
The stubborn you who lives deep your heart
Time after time, you swallow your tears
Time after time, you piece back your broken self
Day after day, do you still believe
The stubborn you
Who believed back then, those things
That today become a beautiful sight
Whenever I hesitate, I never forget
The stubborn me who lives deep in my heart
-End-
I translated 顽固 as “stubborn” instead of “tough”. I believe the official translation of the song title is Tough because Mayday’s earlier song 倔强 was already officially translated as Stubborn. Both song titles mean the same thing, but 顽固 Tough is more of a self-reflection, whereas 倔强 Stubborn is self-affirmation.
This song is a little tricky to translate because of Ashin’s many wordplays and antithesis.
Enjoy the song and music video. Unfortunately, I can’t find my favourite Life Live version from their concert movie. But there’s a live version with a cameo by Tony Leung Ka-fai.
Music video:
Live video:
Original lyrics in Chinese:
我身在 当时你
幻想的 未来里
这个狂热和冲动
早已冷却的如今
你顽固 的神情
消失在 镜子里
只留下 时光消逝的痕迹
每颗心 的相信
每个人 的际遇
每个故事的自己
反覆地问着自己
这些年 让步的
你是否 会叹息
有什么 是你永远不放弃
一次一次你
吞下了泪滴
一次一次
拼回破碎自己
一天一天你
是否还相信
活在你心深处
那顽固自己
你追逐 你呼吸
你嚣张 的任性
鼻青脸肿的哭过
若无其事的忘记
如果你 能预知
这条路 的陷阱
我想你 依然错得很过瘾
走过的 叫足迹
走不到 叫憧憬
学会收拾起叛逆
学会隐藏了表情
卸下了 这面具
我想说 谢谢你
谢谢你 一路陪我到这里
一次一次你
吞下了泪滴
一次一次
拼回破碎自己
一天一天你
是否还相信
活在你心深处
那顽固的自己
一次一次你
吞下了泪滴
一次一次
拼回破碎自己
一天一天你
是否还相信
活在你心深处
那顽固的
你当时相信
的那些事情
会在如今
变成美丽风景
每当我迟疑
从不曾忘记
活在我心深处
那顽固的自己
