After offending capital, my songs became more and more popular.

Chapter 179 Joyful songs fill the air: Perseverance in the ordinary, sublimation through dedication!

[This prelude...]

The second theme of the "Chinese Music Awards - Red Song Season" [August 1st Theme] was [Sense of Mission]. To be honest, when they heard the intro, the audience in the online live broadcast room couldn't help but give Shen Ming'en a thumbs up.

At that time, the comments were all saying:

Shen Ming'en's works truly demonstrate to everyone what a gifted individual is!

Seriously, you can tell a good song just from the intro!

[I feel that the intros of every song by Shen Ming'en are particularly remarkable; you can immediately tell which song it is just by listening to it!]

The composer's skill is truly remarkable!

……

For a song, the arrangement is about adding some instruments to a given melody, while the composition is what determines how the song is sung.

Without a doubt, in terms of "composition", Shen Ming'en has reached a pinnacle in everyone's eyes.

Just listen to this prelude...

Many people feel like they'll remember it as soon as they hear it.

Whether it's the current second round or the first round just now, to be honest, many viewers thought the performances by the other guests were pretty good, and they felt quite excited every time they listened to them. They also felt a surge of national pride when listening to many of the works.

but!

Strangely, after listening to them, if you ask them to recall the works of those people, their minds are like mush, and they can't remember how the song was sung at all...

This is what happens when something lacks memorability and distinctiveness!

Listen to Shen Ming'en's works again. Putting aside everything else, just take the first round of "One Two Three Four Song" as an example. Even now, many people still subconsciously think of lyrics like "One two three four, one two three four, like a song, green barracks, green barracks taught me" whenever they think back on it...

It's not that the others are bad, but Shen Ming'en is just too outstanding!
That alone is enough to make everyone flock to him.

What surprised everyone was that, in this round of songs about the theme of "sense of mission", Shen Ming'en used a slightly upbeat rhythm and melody.

He sang:

……

"The sun sets in the west, its glow a vibrant red."

"Soldiers, return to camp after target practice! Return to camp!"

"A red flower on her chest reflects the colorful sunset~"

"Joyful songs fill the air~"

……

As Shen Mingen sang on stage, the audience's emotions moved in rhythm with his melody. Although many people initially felt that Shen Mingen's song "Returning from Target Practice" was not closely related to the theme of "sense of mission," this did not prevent them from understanding the song.

As the rhythmic melody played and the resounding singing sang, images unconsciously appeared in everyone's minds.

Although the lyrics are only a few lines long, it's easy to tell that the song is actually about the scene of the soldiers returning from training.

The natural scene of sunset and rosy clouds not only highlights the passage of time but also suggests the continuity of training.

"Target practice," as a core component of military training, is given the symbolic meaning of "real combat rehearsal" in the song; while "red flowers on the chest reflecting the colorful clouds" integrates personal honor (red flowers) with collective honor (stepping on the target), reinforcing the sense of mission to "train hard to kill the enemy."

The song is cheerful, but the lyrics contain many suggestive elements...

Wow~~~

The viewers in the online live stream went wild, and the chat was flooded with messages:
[As expected of the man who can make netizens do reading comprehension like they're in a Chinese literature class when he writes songs, this work is really something!]

[Say nothing more...Let's begin!]

【stand up!】

Hello, students!

Hello, teacher!

[Students, please sit down! Now, which student can tell the teacher what thoughts and feelings are expressed in Shen Ming'en's song "Returning from Target Practice"?]

Teacher, I know!

[Hey you in the front row, you seem really enthusiastic, why don't you come over here!]

I think the lyrics of this song convey the concept of "realistic training for war, everything for actual combat," which aligns perfectly with our military's requirement of "being able to fight and win battles." The optimistic spirit of "joyful songs filling the air" inspires young people to maintain a positive attitude when facing life's challenges!

[That's a good answer, but it's not comprehensive enough. Could someone else please tell the teacher something else...?]

……

Just like with the previous song "One Two Three Four Song", the comments section started to discuss Shen Ming'en's "Returning from Target Practice".

However, this issue is actually more controversial than the last one...

Occasionally, comments like this appear in the comments section, saying:
[I don't feel like this song has any necessary connection to the theme or sense of mission...]

[Yeah, isn't this going off-topic?]

[You could say this refers to the previous round of training or the previous period of military life, and I think it fits the theme, but what does it have to do with a sense of mission?]

These fans are overdoing it with their exaggerated praise...

[Sparrow food...]

……

Like many fans, there were others who felt that Shen Ming'en's rendition of "Returning from Target Practice" was somewhat off-topic, including Hajiling in the audience and many other singers of patriotic songs backstage...

When they first heard the intro to Shen Ming'en's "Returning from Target Practice," many of them were already whispering among themselves, saying that the more they listened to the verses, the more they felt it was going off-topic...

When it comes to a sense of mission, many people subconsciously think that it must be very solemn and dignified. Therefore, almost all of their works in this round are in this solemn style, focusing on a grand and magnificent style.

But Shen Ming'en's song...

That's a bit too cheerful.

Among the group of singers, perhaps only the veteran singer Yue Huochuan didn't feel this way. Looking at Shen Ming'en's performance on stage, Yue Huochuan couldn't help but grit his teeth secretly, actually feeling somewhat envious...

I envy Shen Mingen; how come he always manages to find such great angles!

The layman sees the spectacle, the expert sees the essence. With the keen eye of someone like Yue Huochuan, how could he not see the deeper meaning behind the cheerful rhythm of Shen Ming'en's song?
Just look at the arguments those "Confucian scholars" are making for Shen Ming'en in the online live stream!
Just now, a group of trolls were jumping around wildly in the online live stream room. Even the "teacher" couldn't stand it anymore, so he slapped the ruler and personally stepped in, shouting:

What do you know!

The profoundness of Shen Ming'en's work lies in its revelation of the essence of a sense of mission!

In short: Persevere in the ordinary, and elevate yourself through dedication!

[It's not only by depicting the cruelty of war or the legends of heroes that a sense of mission can be highlighted. Focusing on the details of daily training, such as the sweat on the firing range, the glory of red flowers, and the fat sheep singing songs, this narrative technique of "seeing the big picture in small things" makes the sense of mission tangible!]

A sense of mission is never a distant, grand narrative, but rather the dedication and hard work of every officer and ordinary person in their respective roles!

Do you know what "training for war" means?!

[This is what it truly means to deeply embody a sense of mission!] Upon hearing this...

Many haters were completely baffled!
no……

Does Shen Ming'en's song "Returning from Target Practice" have such profound meaning?!

How come we didn't notice?!
That being said, if we examine the words of this "master" closely, it seems that they can all find their own reflections in Shen Ming'en's song...

They were completely unable to refute what the "Master" said!
For a moment, I was really taken aback!
With "Master" leading the charge, the comment section naturally became even more lively!

[The Master is leading the charge! Brothers, charge!]

[I always said Shen Ming'en would never just jump on any bandwagon; his songs need to be savored, savored slowly!]

Do you think just any song can be included in textbooks? Do you think songs whose meaning can be grasped without reading comprehension deserve to be included?

[Ming En, fly bravely! Your classmates will always be with you!]

……

In that atmosphere, Shen Ming'en continued singing:

……

“mi suo la mi suo~”

“la suo mi dao re~”

"Joyful songs fill the air~"

……

To be honest, after that "master's" explanation, everyone listened to Shen Ming'en's song again and immediately had a different feeling, and even a feeling of "reverence" for the song!

I understand now!

In the online live stream, some show-off stepped forward and loudly proclaimed:

The student understands, but is unsure if what he said is correct. Please enlighten him, Master!

Master: [Speak!]

Student: [The interjections "misuo la mi suo..." in Shen Ming'en's lyrics, seemingly musical embellishments, are actually an artistic transformation of military discipline!]

This technique of using simplified musical notation instead of traditional lyrics not only enhances the song's memorability but also subtly reflects the disciplined nature of the military!

Master: [Hmm~ This child is teachable!]

With this person leading the way...

Master, I understand now!

Master, please enlighten me!

【Ahhh, I get it too!】

The following are all famous scenes of "enlightenment"!
The scene was absolutely hilarious, and at that moment, "Master" also made a high-profile statement:
Since this student mentioned music theory, let's analyze Shen Ming'en's song from that perspective!

[Can someone tell me, teacher, what aspects of the musical structure of Shen Ming'en's song reinforce the sense of mission?]

【Me! Teacher, it's me!】

Hey there, you with glasses next to the mops in the last row!

[It's my turn! It's finally my turn! Ahhh!]

[I heard echoes of Northern Shanxi folk songs in this piece, a clever fusion of ethnic style and military characteristics. This down-to-earth approach gives the song both the approachability of folk music and the solemnity of the military, enhancing the emotional impact of the chorus and allowing the sense of mission to resonate deeply through the power of music!]

The song's musical structure presents a narrative logic of "training—triumph—sublimation," transitioning from the tranquility of "the setting sun" to the exhilaration of "joyful songs filling the sky." The melody's rise and fall echo the lyrics, fully recreating the soldier's psychological journey from training to gaining recognition!

This emotional progression not only enhances the song's dramatic effect but also allows listeners to experience a journey of "mission identification" during the listening process!

[Good, very good! This student answered that they didn't sit! Absolutely didn't sit!]

……

"The sun sets in the west, its glow a vibrant red."

While the teacher next door was giving a lesson, Shen Ming'en continued singing on stage. To be honest, the lyrics of "Returning from Target Practice" are not many. It emphasizes the context of the performance, which places higher demands on the singer.

It is worth mentioning that Shen Ming'en's performance of "Returning from Target Practice" in this round, like his previous songs "One Two Three Four Song," "We Soldiers," and "Me and My Motherland," all employ the bel canto singing style.

However, in terms of singing, he did not adopt the previous style of singing that was as turbulent as waves, with one powerful wave after another. Instead, he adopted a gentle and light approach.

The bel canto singing style is formal and serious; the lighthearted approach perfectly highlights the sense of honor and mission of "returning from target practice".

Although the lyrics are the same, Shen Mingen’s singing has a different feel each time. It can be said that Shen Mingen really “goes all out” in terms of “details”.

The scene here is quite interesting...

At first, when Shen Ming'en sang "Returning from Target Practice," many people, like those critics, didn't understand how the song had anything to do with the theme of this round, "sense of mission." But later, perhaps they were drawn into that glorious imagery by Shen Ming'en's singing, and gradually came to understand that sense of mission of "training for war."

It is precisely because of this understanding that everyone was once again amazed by the "angle" that Shen Ming'en chose...

As those "scholars" in the live stream said, it is precisely this down-to-earth singing style that makes it more acceptable to the general public, and it is this kind of melody that resonates with everyone.

When Shen Ming'en sang the last chorus, many audience members couldn't help but cheer and applaud for him.

Shen Ming'en's stage experience was on full display at this moment. Except for the first round, he interacted with the audience in every round, and a pleasant and joyful atmosphere gradually filled the studio. When singing the last chorus, he even stood in place and did the "one two one, one two one" rhythm...

At that time, many people were already speculating about how Shen Ming'en's song would end...

It was at this time.

"Joyful songs fill the air~"

When Shen Ming'en sang the last line, he held the microphone, stomped his feet, and said:
"One, two, three... four!"

Powerful and resounding!
After finishing the song, he put the microphone away cleanly and efficiently!

"Oh!!!"

At that moment, the entire audience was ignited!

You're handling it with ease!
At this moment, Shen Ming'en truly gave everyone the impression of being "completely at ease"!
Throughout the song "Returning from Target Practice," no one heard any soaring high notes or dazzling technical skills. Shen Ming'en simply presented the song to the audience in a very "down-to-earth" way by combining a cheerful, pleasant, and relaxed singing style with a solemn melody.

He sang with ease, and the audience listened with ease.

That's it!

you say!

Why aren't you giving him the tickets the audience has?!
This second round...

As expected, he had to pass the level again!

……

(End of this chapter)