"Amah Koon Beki" or [ 阿媽．ç¡æœªåŽ» ] is a newly-composed Taiwanese folk song about a grandma who cannot sleep at night, because she is worried about what kind of present to buy for her grandchild for the Lunar New Year party the next day. She is poor and does not have a lot of money. So all night, she tosses and turns.
The lyics are in Taiwanese, a bit of Japanese, since Taiwan was colonized by the Japanese from 1895 to 1945 and Japanese is still spoken daily in Japan by the older generation.
Lyrics here:
http://amahsong101.blogspot.com
YouTube Video of song here: 11,785 + hits from around the world so far, and more to come. EMI Records is planning to release a single CD of the song for the Greater China area.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muTRj0GP5wU
To learn more about what the lyrics mean and why the song was written and recorded email the EMI planning department at:
danbloom AT gmail DOT com
Audio here:
http://audio.isg.si/audiox/?q=node/6893
What Taiwanese fans of the ”Amah Amah Koon Beiki’ song are saying in their feedback emails:
http://whatsupintaiwan.blogspot.com/2006/11/grandma-cant-sleep-find-out-why.html
Yu-tzu: news reporter, Taipei: ""Actually, I grew up with my grandma in Taiwan. I and my brother slept with her on aJapanese tatami bed when we were little. Sometimes we woke up during thenight and found her sitting on tatami. If we asked her how come, the answerwas always ‘AMAH KOON BEIKi’." "I did enjoy listening to the song, ”Grandma couldn’t sleep”. When I listened to it for the first time, I was laughing loudly. Today I surprisingly perceived that I was humming "Chotto Matte, Chotto Matte……" when playing with my two stupid (but lovely) dogs. You have indeed written a good song!"
Jeff Hsieh, 16, high school student in USA, born in Taiwan, says: "The song is great! But I can’t understand it that well because I grew up speaking Mandarin. So, not knowing the words of the song, I think I can give you valuable feedback for those who can’t understand the language. I think that the song definitely has a bright, happy connotation to it. "
Anonymous email: "Dear Bikok-888,
the song is a real tour de force and a testiment to not only a foreigner’s talent but also his genuine love of Taiwan and its people."
Secretary for import-export firm, 28, in Taipei said: "The song put a big smile on my face, I love it. Thanks a million for the smile! By the way, I shared the file with my colleague Joseph, also Taiwanese, and he loved it and said it made him laugh and smile. Thanks a lot. You sing it. It is terrific, unique, and different. It is FUN, yes!"
American expat college professor in Taipei, 55, married to a Taiwanese man, said: "What a cute, funny song to make Taiwan smile again. This has a big future. The melody is hummable… By the way, Is that you singing? If so, you sing pretty good. I don’t know the current Taiwan pop music scene, so I can’t help you. If fact, I am tone deaf, but I can hear when music is right and I really loved your song. Keep up the good work and best of luck in placing it. "
A book publisher at book company, 45, in Taipei said: "Dear Bikok-888, I could not help smiling when I listened to your song, and your voice. I love it……But, I cannot figure out the meaning of a few Taiwanese sentences/phrases. I know they must be Taiwanese, but, mmm, the pronunciation…:)….Maybe you should ask friends in ChiaYi (Ka-gi) to pronounce them carefully for you to imitate again. "
A graphic artist in New York, from Taiwan, 29, said: "Hi Bikok888…I listened to your mp3 file and found it fun and vivid. Your Taiwanese is pretty good!. I only felt BUSASA about couple of lines in the song 🙂 Anyway, we are surprised to discover just recently that many individuals and several organizations are working in different ways and using their own medium and channels to promote, support, and change Taiwan. In a happy way. Like your cute song. Happy to know that your song is childlike, which also represents our best memories about Taiwan."
Dear Sir
This is Monica. I am 21 years old and I livein Pingtung. I know your song from the "What’s up inTaiwan?" blog. As a Taiwanese, I think your song is guitefit with Taiwanese culture. In this song, I hear thefamiliar spoken sentences in Taiwan, especially incountryside. That did touch me and made me happy.
So, would you mind to give me your the MP3 file andthen i could share with my friends.Thanks A LOT.
Monica
Dear Bikok-888,
Please send me the above mentioned song file. I read some comments of the people having listened to the song, and it "looks" funny. I appreciate your work to our(Taiwanese) language.
Sincerely,Miss Kuo
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