The Gramophonic lead singer for the bilingual ballad Deng Xiaoping has finally allowed me to tell you about it. The ballad tells the story of Deng Xiaoping and China’s reform and opening in American folk song idiom. “Deng Xiaoping” works as both art and as Chinese modern history. It may even help students cramming for their modern Chinese history exam. Or at least get them to relax.
A snatch of lyrics from “Deng Xiaoping” to stir your interest:
“Deng Xiaoping, Deng Xiaoping
Five foot tall but a tough little thing
Let cats catch mice all through the land
Deng was mighty sore
When the posters called for more
Demand for change just wouldn’t be condoned!
Tao your guang and yang your hui
We’ll have a xiaokang shehui someday
Gramophonic Sings “Deng Xiaoping”
The band Gramophonic plays regularly to audiences in the Washington, DC area.
Watch the Deng Xiaoping ballad on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rWchurb-Xfs
The website:
http://gramophonicmusic.com/
On https://www.facebook.com/Gramophonic
Twitter handle is @gramophonicdc
高大伟 David Cowhig's Translation Blog 