Once I mentioned Frank Sinatra to a lady from China. Who, she wanted to know is Frank Sinatra? I played her a record and, while it was new to her - and she’s a lady who has been travelling outside of China for 10 years - she liked the sound a lot. I mentioned lots of other names of people who are icons - Marilyn Monroe - no. James Dean - who?
Last week I was travelling with another Chinese girl who happens to have the best voice I’ve heard - in a Chinese girl and while she was learning to sing Sally Gardens - having only just learnt that the tune she’d fallen in love with on hearing it in China also had words - and by Yeates (who she had heard of) - I suggested we try a round - Frere Jaque and said I’d teach it to her.
Suprise! As soon as I began, she joined in - but in Chinese. I asked her where she knew the song from and she told me it was a children’s song and taught in schools in China.
We sang as I drove and then, curious, I asked her if she could translate the Chinese song and……..
Two Tigers are running
They are running very fast
One has no ears and the other one has no tail
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