DESCRIPTION:
Zhou Xuan had just turned either 14 or 16 at the time of this recording, and Li was 17. What a wonderful moment of musical history, as the girls ask the swallow, butterfly, magpie, and crow to take a look at 'your flowers'. It was a cold Friday night on Feb 3, 2012, that I discovered Zhou Xuan on one of my USA Rock cdrs, compiled 4 years earlier. I don't know why she was there, but once I looked into her music and life, I was profoundly moved. The next day I started to make videos of her songs, and my You Tube channel changed overnight. A year on, and I am still enjoying Zhou's music, as well as exploring the music of her Chinese contemporaries, and those of later generations. And what a beautiful experience it has been. Thank you Zhou for opening that door.

Zhou Xuan was the voice of Old Shanghai, China's 'Golden Voice'. She made more than 40 movies and recorded 200 songs. She was born Su Pu into a poor family in Changzhou, on August 5, in either 1918 or 1920. At the age of 3, she was taken to a family named Wang in Jintan Country. Her name was changed to Wang Xiaohong. Later, she was sent to a family named Zhou in Shanghai and renamed Zhou Xiaohong. At the age of 13, she took Zhou Xuan, which means beautiful jade, as her stage name. She spent her entire life searching for her biological parents but her parentage was never established until after her tragic death in 1957 in a mental asylum. A possible cause of death may be encephalitis following a nervous breakdown. Her personal life had been a sad one but she left a timeless legacy - a true legend.

Li Mingjian (1916-1979), formerly known as Si Yong, was in the Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble from 1929, which also included Bai Hong and Xu Manli. It was her foster parent, Li Jinhui, who renamed her Liming Juan. He was also the composer of this song. Li Mingjian was neither prolific in films or music recordings, but there is another track with her and Zhou Xuan on CD 15 "Moon Star" of the Shanghai 1931-1949 20 cd set called "Bell", in which Zhang Jing completes the trio.
What a joy it is to hear these unique recordings from Shanghai's early days. As I listen to "Your Flowers", I can't stop smiling, and singing along.The 'wei wei' you hear simply means 'hey' or 'hello'.

English Translation:
Children: Hey, Swallow flying
Hey, Swallow flying
Take a look at
What flowers to open it
Swallow: look
Swallow the flowers to bloom!
Children: Swallow!
Swallow!
Your flowers open open!
Flying down
Flying down
Take a look at your flowers!
Swallow: buzzing, buzzing, drink
Chorus: flowers
Good flower
Grilled with a home


Children: Hey, little butterfly flying
Hey, little butterfly flying
Take a look at
What flowers to open it
Butterfly: look
Butterfly flowers open friends
Children: a small butterfly!
Small butterfly!
Your flowers open open!
Flying down
Flying down
Take a look at your flowers!
Butterfly: lovemaking, lovemaking, drink
Chorus: flowers
Good flower
Pulling a take home

Children: Hey, magpie flying
Hey, magpie flying
Take a look at
What flowers to open it
Magpies: look
Magpies flowers open!
Children: small magpie!
Small magpie!
Your flowers open open!
Flying down
Flying down
Take a look at your flowers!
Magpies: Cha Cha Cha, Cha Cha Cha, drink
Chorus: flowers
Good flower
Pulling a take home

Children: Hey, Laogua, children flying
Hey, Laogua, flying
Take a look at
What flowers to open it
Laogua: look
Laogua flowers open!
Children: Laogua!
Small Laogua!
Your flowers open open!
Flying down
Flying down
Take a look at your flowers!
Laogua: Guagua Gua, Gua Guagua, drink
Chorus: flowers
Good flower
Pulling a take home

Mandarin
小孩：喂喂，小燕子飞来
喂喂，小燕子飞来
看看
什么花儿开啦
燕子：看看
燕子花儿开啦
小孩：小燕子呀
小燕子呀
你的花儿开开啦
飞下来吧
飞下来吧
看看你的花儿呀
燕子：唧唧唧，唧唧唧，喝
合唱：好花呀
好花呀
扒一颗带回家

小孩：喂喂，小蝴蝶飞来
喂喂，小蝴蝶飞来
看看
什么花儿开啦
蝴蝶：看看
蝴蝶花儿开啦
小孩：小蝴蝶呀
小蝴蝶呀
你的花儿开开啦
飞下来吧
飞下来吧
看看你的花儿呀
蝴蝶：啪啪啪，啪啪啪，喝
合唱：好花呀
好花呀
拔一颗带回家
小孩：喂喂，喜鹊儿飞来
喂喂，喜鹊儿飞来
看看
什么花儿开啦
喜鹊：看看
喜鹊花儿开啦
小孩：小喜鹊呀
小喜鹊呀
你的花儿开开啦
飞下来吧
飞下来吧
看看你的花儿呀
喜鹊：喳喳喳，喳喳喳，喝
合唱：好花呀
好花呀
拔一颗带回家

小孩：喂喂，老鸹儿飞来
喂喂，老鸹儿飞来
看看
什么花儿开啦
老鸹：看看
老鸹花儿开啦
小孩：小老鸹呀
小老鸹呀
你的花儿开开啦
飞下来吧
飞下来吧
看看你的花儿呀
老鸹：呱呱呱，呱呱呱，喝
合唱：好花呀
好花呀
拔一颗带回家