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

Chapter 264 Forgotten: She couldn't cross that river with her bound feet!

【?no the same?】

Are there other versions of "Grandma"?

[Yes, you know, the image of the "grandmother" portrayed in this song is indeed very tragic. The character and story itself have a lot of potential for development, and there's probably more than just this one possibility.]

[Looking forward to it! Hajime, get started on your performance!]

Looking forward to hearing a different version of "Grandma"!

……

As the final song of "Sparkling Melody" aired, Shen Ming'en finished singing the "patriotic version" of "Grandma," and the popularity of the online live stream reached its peak.

According to unreliable statistics, when Shen Mingen sang "Grandma," there were probably two or three small targets of viewers online at the same time across the entire network.

The data is terrifying. Although it wasn't as successful as the premiere, it was still enough to crush many so-called "top-tier" or "blockbuster" variety shows.

Originally, after Shen Ming'en finished singing the first "patriotic version" of "Grandma," many viewers thought it was over, that the show was coming to an end, that they had heard all of Shen Ming'en's work, and that they could leave...

But to everyone's surprise, just as many viewers were clicking the "X" to close the page, Shen Ming'en suddenly added that he had another song, "Grandma," to his repertoire...

This immediately attracted the attention of countless viewers!
Shen Ming'en managed to "pull" back the audience members who had already left, and those who hadn't had time to leave simply stayed.

That's all...

On this otherwise very peaceful night, Shen Ming'en once again presented the song "Grandma" to the audience in a different way.

In front of the camera, as the applause and cheers from the audience gradually subsided, Shen Ming'en, holding the microphone on the microphone stand, turned to nod to the band members beside him...

Because it was his own program, Shen Ming'en had rehearsed both versions of "Grandma". Although the lyrics of the two versions were different, there was no difference in the composition, arrangement, melody and tune. Therefore, this was not a problem for the band members.

The two versions are quite different in terms of arrangement because they convey different "contexts".

The intro has a different melody and uses different instruments. You can hear traces of classic Chinese instruments such as the erhu and flute, but the piano and keyboard instruments make up a significantly larger proportion.

This gave everyone a refreshing feeling...

As the music began, Shen Ming'en picked up the microphone and started singing:

……

"When I was a child, I often heard people say..."

"The one with bound feet~"

"She's an old lady trapped deep in the mountains."

"She and her grandfather were an arranged marriage couple, and she can barely read or write."

We'd never even met before we got married!

……

Shen Ming'en was singing, but when he sang these few lines...

Many viewers frowned slightly.

To know!
Just now!

Shen Ming'en clearly stated that the version of "Grandma" he was going to sing next would be completely different from the one he had just sung.

But looking at it now, from the arrangement, verses, lyrics, etc., it seems that there haven't been any changes.

Apart from the intro, which is noticeably different to create a different atmosphere, everything else seems to be exactly the same.

Especially the lyrics of the verse, they are exactly the same as before!

If you want your piece to evoke a different feeling in the listener, where is the most direct place to start?

First and foremost, it's the accompaniment, since we're listening to music, and different melodies can evoke different feelings.

Secondly, there's the lyrics...

Different lyrics tell different stories, and they certainly don't portray the same person.

but now……

Shen Ming'en's version of "Grandma" differs slightly from the intro, but once the verses begin, the melody, lyrics, and even the familiar percussion seem virtually identical...

It looks exactly the same as it did just now!
It's still the image of that "grandmother" from the deep mountains, with bound feet, illiterate, and suffering from "feudal persecution" due to an arranged marriage...

Yes!
indeed!

The characters are portrayed very vividly!

Even on the second listen, the audience still felt a strong sense of "immersion"...

But the problem is, you, Hajime, clearly said you wanted to bring everyone a different "Grandma", so what's the point of this when you just turned around and gave the exact same lyrics and accompaniment?

Because expectations for Shen Ming'en were so high, many viewers actually felt a sense of disappointment when they saw that the song wasn't that different from the one they had just heard...

Shen Ming'en seemed oblivious to this, and continued singing:

……

"Smoke drifts by~"

"The firewood used for cooking bent my back."

"It wasn't just the firewood that bent her down."

"Sunset at dusk~"

Grandpa sang while tapping on his bowl and chopsticks~

……

Same……

Same as always...

Exactly the same lyrics!

The exact same singing style!

Not only do they give off the exact same feeling, but even the characters they portray are exactly the same.

【...How is this different?】

Many viewers in the online live stream couldn't help but say:

These are clearly two identical songs!

[I'm crude, I just couldn't tell the difference.]

Is this a re-singing, so I can figure out the difference myself?

Are these singers nowadays teaching listeners how to listen to music?

What the heck is this...?

So what exactly is the difference?!

……

It's no wonder the audience complained, mainly because Hajime clearly sang "the same song" in both performances, yet he just now very "righteously" told everyone that he was singing "a different 'Grandma'"...

That's a bit of a slap in the face!
The funniest thing is that a bunch of self-proclaimed "Confucian scholars" who usually defend Shen Ming'en appeared in the comments section, frantically explaining the differences between the two songs in terms of singing style, context, and the emotions conveyed by the arrangement...

These people usually shower Hakim with compliments, and since it usually seemed reasonable, no one said anything...

But today's...

I'm not deaf!

I can hear the difference between the two songs!

I don't need you to teach me how to listen to music!

These two songs are clearly identical. Don't try to morally blackmail me by saying "I don't understand it, so I don't know how to appreciate it!"
What the hell!
In short... at this moment...

In the live stream, a bunch of trolls would seize any opportunity to stir up trouble.

At this moment, Shen Ming'en was still singing...

……

"She counts the days on her fingers every day!"

"Wait for the car coming from afar!"

"The bench by the door has never been moved!"

"His eyes are still full of expectation!"

……

This is a rap lyric that left a deep impression on many viewers. Many audience members particularly liked this part in previous performances, and although singing it again now still evokes strong feelings, however…

Isn't it exactly the same?

The case is solved...

In the online live stream, many trolls continued to stir up trouble, mindlessly spamming:

He's singing it again, letting us experience it all over again.

[...Are you really treating singing a song like a reading comprehension exercise in a language arts class?!]

This is singing, not reciting poetry. Do you really think you're a poet?!

Even Li Bai's "Quiet Night Thoughts" wouldn't dare let me experience two different feelings after reading it twice!

[Damn, I've never been forced to do reading comprehension exercises since graduating from school...]

……

To be honest, this generation of audiences isn't actually that "impatient." Even if they don't follow those people's advice to "do reading comprehension," they should at least listen to the entire verse and chorus before judging the quality of the work, right?
Unfortunately, Shen Ming'en has just too many haters...

Shen Ming'en already had a poor relationship with many entertainment industry investors due to past events, and the explosive popularity of "Sparkling Melody" only made those people in the industry even more envious...

Companies like Yingyue Media, which is behind "Chinese Music Awards," are definitely Shen Ming'en's "rivals."

The "internet trolls" they control are usually silent, but when something happens, they really make a big splash!

The atmosphere in the live stream is incredibly lively right now!
This has led many viewers to be misled...

The directing team for "Spark of Music" also noticed this scene, and the chief director, Zhou Chuan, couldn't help but ask Feng Yucan about it:
Are his two songs exactly the same?

It's worth noting that Shen Ming'en's performance of "Grandma" in this episode received a very positive response. He portrayed the image of a "heroic mother" very well, and the song's arrangement, lyrics, and his live performance were all commendable.

Under such circumstances, the performance will end normally, and the popularity of this episode, as well as the reputation of subsequent programs and works, will definitely explode.

But Shen Ming'en insisted on singing "Grandma" again...

If there's even a slight difference between the two performances, that's fine. But if there's no difference, and you still "sing" it twice with such seriousness, as those haters said, you're letting the audience experience the differences for themselves...

That would be considered "playing the awkward game"!

If they are exactly the same, then this player has really messed up the game!

The gain outweighs the loss!
"This one……"

Feng Yucan looked somewhat troubled.

To be honest, he didn't know what was different about Shen Ming'en's second rendition of "Grandma." During rehearsals, Shen Ming'en rehearsed alone with this band, keeping an eye on himself and not letting anyone else see, mainly because he was afraid of "leaking" it out...

The quality of his work is well-known to those in the know. Now, many people are eyeing his work to "steal" it. If someone listens to it in advance and "copies" it, wouldn't that be a huge loss?
The production team understood this, so they didn't say anything and cooperated with him...

The problem is, you can't just sing a song twice and let the audience "experience it for themselves," can you?
This is so awkward!

After a moment's deliberation, Feng Yucan finally gritted his teeth and said, "...Trust him."

They can only trust Shen Ming'en now...

Throughout his journey, Emperor Ming'en seems to have indeed not let anyone down.

Director Zhou grinned but didn't say anything. He knew very well that for their show, Teacher Ming En was the boss. If they couldn't appease anyone else, they had to appease Teacher Ming En. He was prepared that even if Teacher Ming En's two versions of "Grandma" were the same, the production team would pay for Teacher Ming En's "whitewashing" afterwards, saying that the two songs were just different! It's your problem if you don't understand!
Even if it's "The Emperor's New Clothes," the "Spark of Music" program team is determined to make sure Teacher Ming En understands it clearly!
And it was at this time...

Amidst a frenzy of online trolls stirring up trouble and many questioning whether Shen Ming'en's two songs were identical,...

Shen Ming'en's next lyric begins the "twist".

He sang:

……

"She gave birth to one after another~"

"But they were all blown away by the wind from afar~"

……

When I heard this...

【…】

The rhythmic, blackening sound of the countless tiny black dots flying through the air suddenly stopped.

Because it's quite obvious that Shen Ming'en's lyrics here are suddenly very different from those in the previous song, "Grandma".

In the previous version of "Grandma," Shen Ming'en sang, "She gave birth to one child after another, but they were all blown away by the call of the bugle."

Here is the line: "She gave birth to one child after another, but they were all blown away by the wind from afar."

Both "the call of the bugle" and "the wind from afar" use the word "blowing" to express meaning, but the contexts they convey are clearly very different.

The lyrics above, combined with the sound of the bugle call, almost instantly create a "tragic" atmosphere in the main theme style.

same……

Before this lyric in the previous version, many people complained that Shen Ming'en was so focused on creating the image of "grandma" that he forgot that this was a "main theme" of a revolutionary song.

And it was after this lyric that everything began to turn around!
Through a single lyric and the subsequent chorus, Shen Ming'en transformed the image of a "grandmother" suffering from feudal oppression in the deep mountains into a "heroic mother."

The character is already portrayed with great detail, and this lyric makes him even more three-dimensional...

same!

The second performance seemed to "reverse" from this point as well.

Prior to this, many people complained that Shen Mingen sang the exact same lyrics twice, aiming to make everyone hear different feelings from the same lyrics, forcing everyone to do "reading comprehension"...

But after this lyric, it's clear that those haters will be proven wrong!
Immediately afterwards, Shen Ming'en directly presented the image of the "grandmother" from the deep mountains, whose life was filled with misery and who was "forgotten" by others, to everyone.

He sang:

……

"What's on the other side of the mountain?"

"It is the children who sit in high-rise buildings,"

"Forgot her in a corner of the deep mountains."

"What's on the other side of the river?"

"It's my maternal village,"

"She couldn't cross that river because her feet were bound!"

"It's getting dark again, and the food's getting cold..."

"When will the person she's waiting for return..."

……

(End of this chapter)