Lo Kwok Tsim

More than 1,000 songs to his name? Heck, that's 1,000 more than me.

I am familiar with most of the songs on the above list. Not all though.

in a radio interview, james wong pointed out that his lyrical style is very different from lo kwok tsim in that while james likes to hone in on a particular point/subject/theme, lo kwok tsim likes to write big picture, plot-based things.  but beyond that, lo kwok tsim's works have a poetic lyricism to them that's very "chinese" in flavour.  this last point, of course, is almost impossible to convey when translated into english, and i won't even bother to try!  

the point of this particular post is to give some examples of mr lo's style--please forgive my shortcomings in translating!  


變色龍 - 關正傑 themesong for "Chameleon" sung by Michael Kwan
曲︰黎小田composer: Michael Lai
詞︰盧國沾lyricist: Lo Kwok Tsim


人生與命運　原是一天百變    life and fate--constantly in flux
成敗有如一個轉面　 wins and losses happen in a flash
莫記當年     forget the past
就算甘願平淡過一生 even if one willingly accepts a comfortable existence
或者遲早心中有悔　  one may eventually regret
有日我欲語無言  那現實何嘗改變
 if i should ever become speechless, this reality won't ever change


＊難拋棄夢幻　無奈講聲再見 it's hard to give up dreams; helpless in saying farewell
明白到埋首怕見現實　 though i know burying my head in the sand
未免可憐  is pathetic
讓我今後面對名共利  let me face fame and fortune henceforth
或者遲早心灰意冷　perhaps i'll eventually lose hope
有日我若再回頭  笑望著人寰轉變
 someday, i can perhaps look back and look upon change with a smile


插曲： 愛的懲罰 "Love's Punishment", subtheme for Chronicles of the Shadow Swordsman 
曲: 鍾肇峰 composer: Chung Kai Fung
詞: 盧國沾 lyricist: Lo Kwok Tsim
唱: 羅家良 sung by: Galen Law

懲罰我諸多思慮 punished for my constant apprehensions
錯不在愛得太醉  intoxicating love isn't the problem
不錯是情濃 loving passionately isn't the problem
錯於太被動 the problem is introversion
惹來痛苦不可以減除 causing incessant pain and suffering

無論我心想怎樣 no matter what my heart wants to do
更多夢再三破碎 there are perpetual shattered dreams
怎說是無緣 can't say fate doesn't exist
卻因愛受罪 suffering for love
有時我想急罵天一句 i sometimes want to curse the heavens

我伸手狂呼向天指 i point to the heavens and scream
悲憤後教人兩眼垂 after lamenting, i greet others with downcast eyes
難道必須因此流眼淚 and because of this, the tears never stop
提示我咎由自取 reminding me that it's my own doing

其實我身心早已累 actually, i've been physically and emotionally exhausted for a long time
我心願卻不散去 but my heart's desire hasn't diminished
雙眼在遙遙 my eyes glance over
向她再望望 staring at her
這時我心竟又再痴痴醉 and my heart is once again intoxicated




天蠶變 - 關正傑 themesong for "Reincarnated" sung by Michael Kwan
曲︰黎小田 song by Lai Siu Tin
詞︰盧國沾 lyrics by Lo Kwok Tsim

＊獨自在山坡　高處未算高 alone on the mountainside, the height not formidable
命運在冷笑　暗示前無路 Fate is laughing cruelly, implying it's a dead end
浮雲遊身邊　發出警告 the mists surround my body and issue a warning
我高視闊步 i look up and take big steps 

＃雖知此山頭　猛虎滿佈 although i know the mountain is full of tigers
膽小非英雄　絕不願停步 a coward's no hero, i cannot stop
冷眼對血路　寂寞是命途 calmly face the bloody path, loneliness my fate
明月映山岡　倍覺孤高 the moon lights the mountain and my upward glance

＋拋開愛慕　飽遭煎熬　reject love, embrace the arrows
早知代價高 i knew the sacrifice was high
絲方吐盡　繭中天蠶　 the silk is all emitted to make the cocoon
必須破籠牢 must break out of this prison

％一生稱英雄　永不信命數 a proclaimed hero never believes in fate
經的起波濤　更感自傲 conquering the waves boosts self-confidence
抹去了眼淚　背上了憤怒 dry the tears, shoulder the fury
讓我攀險峰　再與天比高 let me climb the dangerous mountain to once again challenge the skies

yes indeed! his lyrics were definitely streamlined and specific to the series. you know right away which one it is. and i absolutely agree that lo kwok tsim's lyrics have a greatness to them. just his use of the chinese language alone is wonderful--his grasp of the language is something that the new generation of lyricists absolutely lack (and was, of course, the subject of james wong's criticism in that radio interview). he can paint such an exquisite picture with just a handful of words. i've noticed that his lyrics for historical series are always more sophisticated than the wuxia ones, which is fitting, though, of course, it's hell for a translator.

and just like james wong and joseph koo were the great duo for themesongs, i think the pairing of lo kwok tsim and michael lai is equally well matched.  the lyricists worked with other composers, of course, but there's something that clicks that much better when thus paired.  there's an elegance about michael lai's music that makes it mutually enhancing when paired with lo kwok tsim's lyrics.

again, apologies to those who don't understand chinese, esp. cantonese.  some rare interviews with lo kwok tsim:






here's a recent interview of four different lyricists, including lo kwok tsim, but because he's so shy about interviews, i'm putting the interview in his thread.  the other three lyricists are cheng kwok kong, jolland chan, pun yuen leung.