Respawn Entertainment: Days of Glory

Chapter 927 Despair or Inspiration, That Is the Question
After the chorus finished singing "Who hasn't changed...", the background chorus began chanting "Ah..."

Then the last spotlight shone, illuminating Bian Lang: "Forgive me for my untamed and free-spirited life, for I also fear that one day I will fall... oh... No... Anyone can betray their ideals, why should I fear that one day it will only be you and me... oh... year..."

Bian Lang, who is a Sagittarius, sang this song with such authentic feeling that it was like his own inner monologue!
Hearing this, Guo Sichu, who was standing behind him, had a somewhat dazed look in her eyes: "This is probably the truest reflection of Bian Lang's heart."

The expected electric guitar solo didn't appear during the first short interlude; the piano remained the main instrument. However, the song's momentum gradually built up until a series of distorted notes from the electric guitar in Dili's hands truly gave it a rock feel.

The four kings and one queen, excluding Bian Lang, also began to leave their original areas and move towards the front row of the stage.

It was at this moment that Liu Jiayun and Tao Xingyue, who had been playing minor roles, also joined in, and the addition of strings gave the accompaniment a grand and majestic feel.

The four kings and one queen, standing in a row, began to sing together: "Still free and true to ourselves, forever singing our song, traveling thousands of miles..."

"Forgive me for my untamed and free-spirited nature throughout my life, for I also fear that one day I will fall. Anyone can betray their ideals, so why should I fear that one day it will only be you and me..."

The five voices, ranging from low to high, included Andy Lau's deep bass, Zhang Yaohong and Xie Xinyan's textured baritones, and Bian Lang and Guo Sichu's five sets of natural voices, all of which covered the complex emotions expressed in the lyrics.

After capturing the audience's attention, it became so rare that among the Chinese music fans present, those who didn't shed tears were truly exceptional cases!
This is still on the planet Water Blue. If it were on Earth, the entire audience would be singing along, and those songs would surely be filled with hoarse shouts and sobs.

Having experienced sighs and hesitations, endured pain and struggles, and faced adversity with unwavering determination, we have relentlessly pursued our ideals. Having undergone trials and tribulations, this moment's triumphant song is exhilarating and unrestrained, stirring the heart and bringing tears to the eyes.

Just as the audience was deeply immersed in this moving experience, the music suddenly fell silent, and the song plummeted from its climax to its lowest point. A hidden sorrow and resentment arose; at this moment, silence spoke louder than words.

The other four muted their microphones, leaving the next sentence to Bian Lang.

With only piano accompaniment and Bian Lang's almost a cappella singing, the lyrics went: "Anyone can betray their ideals, why fear the day when it's just you and me..."

Just as this round was ending, Da Yong brought in all the instruments once again with three simultaneous drum and cymbal strikes. Against this grand, epic backdrop, the four kings sang together once more:
"Forgive me for my untamed and unrestrained love of freedom throughout my life, for I also fear that one day I will fall and betray my ideals. Anyone can do that, so why should I fear that one day it will only be you and me..."

The song is propelled to a grand climax, its momentum is magnificent and unstoppable. It crushes, shatters and throws all the hardships, setbacks and hesitations to the ends of the earth.

Bianlang roared with unrestrained joy, "Oh... Oh," leaping out from the surging, magnificent waves and soaring freely and unrestrainedly into the heavens.

This is a cry for freedom, a declaration of an indomitable fighter. It is high-pitched yet not noisy, brilliant yet powerful, resounding through the sky like heavenly music.

Many music fans, whose eyes were already brimming with tears, could no longer hold back and let them flow freely.

Before the lyrics even finished, the Fender guitar, meant to inspire its audience, was raised, and the distorted electric guitar sound suddenly exploded like oil being poured on a hot flame. A fast, cathartic solo stood out from the other instrumental parts.

That sobbing solo was like a great owl constantly circling upwards, lonely and resolute...

At this moment, Olaf had already taken off his headphones, stood up, and stood on tiptoe to see the reaction of the fans in the audience. He felt that the outro, which sounded like crying in the wind, would surely allow the European fans in the audience who did not understand Chinese to truly understand the song.

Sure enough, even foreign music fans who don't understand Chinese are finding it hard to remain undefeated!
In the smooth solo that was hardly a display of skill, some musicians who previously thought the song wasn't rock and roll were completely silenced.

Especially for those from overseas, even if they can't understand the lyrics, they can still feel the strong sense of resilience and regret contained in this solo performance.

This electric guitar solo is one of the best and most classic solos by the original Earth A Paul. The mournful and choked guitar sound is like the lament of a lone goose, making listeners sad and bringing tears to their eyes.

In a two-minute solo, Paul poured out his heart and soul through the piano.

We promised to walk together to the end, but now you've left alone. To whom shall I play my zither from now on? This parting is forever. After you left, I have no one left to understand me in this world.

After yesterday's rehearsal, Olaf, who has already achieved some success in the Chinese music scene, went to ask Bian Lang, "Is this song meant to inspire people?"

Faced with Olaf, Bian Lang felt it was truly remarkable that he could understand it this way, so he didn't refute him: "Your understanding is also acceptable!"

After all, this song was known as the "underground national anthem" on Earth!

During the Macau general election, a group of people took to the streets to sing this song, which was once banned in Macau. Wong Ka Kui commented on Weibo, saying to the Macau government: "Go ahead and ban it if you dare. This song is of great significance. Foreigners sing it. Can you really ban it?"

Guangzhou Evergrande won the AFC Champions League for the first time, and the whole stadium automatically sang this song.

Liu Xiang withdrew from the competition, and the Bird's Nest stadium was filled with the vastness of the sky.

But! In fact, in the hearts of Wong Ka Kui and his friends, this song is a song that tells a tragic story.

So when Liu Xiang withdrew from the competition, Paul was interviewed and his answer was: "Why play 'Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies'? He was already injured and in a terrible state, why play such a sad song? At this time, we should play 'I Am Angry'."

Despite this, it hasn't stopped the song from being sung for decades and being imbued with all sorts of meanings.

Bian Lang won't offer much guidance on this point. He's actually quite looking forward to seeing what the song is meant to convey and how people will interpret it.

As the music faded away, Bian Lang and his three companions embraced. Meanwhile, the Rolling Stones musicians behind them also put down their instruments and slowly gathered together.

The images on the big screen changed from frames of Rolling Stones photos to close-ups of the stage at that moment.

Everyone had tears welling up in their eyes, but the thoughts in each person's heart were different.

The tears shed by Andy Lau, Hsieh Hsin-yen, and Chang Yao-hung at this moment were mainly due to their excitement.

They felt honored to be able to sing a song they believed could be recorded in the annals of Cantonese song classics on such a grand stage abroad.

Putting aside the quality of the song itself, this was something they had once wanted to accomplish. However, as time passed and various reasons intervened, they were unable to achieve it, and they had long since buried this wish deep in their hearts, regarding it as an unattainable dream.

But no one expected that this dream would be realized in such a stunning way at a Rolling Stones concert. It's no exaggeration to say that tonight was an unforgettable highlight of their musical careers!
As for Guo Sichu, this is her first Cantonese song after reuniting with Rock Records, so naturally she poured some different emotions into it.

But regarding her view of Bian Lang, it seems that after sharing the stage with him this time, she has shed a little more mystery on this man who was already quite enigmatic. The feeling she got from Bian Lang in this song was that he wasn't as perfect and strong as he usually appears.

They also have a side that wants to vent their frustrations.

Nietzsche once said, "Of all literature, I love that written in blood. The poems of the Later Lord are truly written in blood."

Wong Ka Kui himself once said that writing must first move oneself before it can move others.

Therefore, Guo Sichu, very willfully, like Chen Sheng, the former manager of Beyond, believed that "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" was a true reflection of what Bian Lang himself was thinking at that moment.

As for Bian Lang himself, besides his current situation being reflected in the lyrics of this song, it is also a way of remembering Wong Ka Kui and Beyond.

"Freedom," "Self," and "My Song" are songs about compromises without looking back or considering the consequences.

Bian Lang himself felt very happy when he sang this song.

Ultimately, however, these cries are irrational, even somewhat manic, desperate outbursts erupting after long-term suppression. And the "traveling thousands of miles" sung so enthusiastically here is nothing more than the flickering flame in the little match girl's hand.

Because when I woke up from my dream, I was still a caged bird.

"Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" is undoubtedly a very despairing song. Who has ever seen an inspirational song that teaches you to abandon your ideals?
But as I said before, after the test of time, even if Wong Ka Kui were reborn, he might not be able to say what kind of meaning this song will be given by music fans and society!
But if you were to ask Bian Lang himself, the answer would be simply "passion"!

What does passion taste like? "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" is the best answer.

When a musician infuses their brutal, firsthand experience into the melody, pours years of pent-up resentment into the lyrics, and expresses their most passionate emotions through the instruments, what heights will such a song reach?

It will surely break through the constraints of music genres, exist in a unique form, and influence and change the fate of those who resonate with it through word of mouth!

The song's influence is enormous, and online comments are everywhere. However, many music fans deliberately avoid these comments because they are filled with comparisons, insults, self-deprecation, mutual attacks, blind exaggeration, and malicious denigration. The atmosphere in the comment section is far removed from the song's noble artistic conception.

Some Beyond fans only listen to and sing "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" their entire lives. Some Beyond fans started with "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" and ended with "True Love." Some Beyond fans use "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" as their weapon, dominating everything in their world.

Some people, with a fawning nature, listen to Western rock music that attacks Ka Kui's music with its "vast and boundless" themes...

We may not love music as much as we say, we may not like Ka Kui as much as we think, and we may not cherish Beyond as much as we say in our online comments.

At the same time, some Beyond fans were quietly listening to all of Ka Kui's works. Other Beyond fans were re-examining and planning their lives because of "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies".

Some Beyond fans gained a broader musical perspective through Ka-Kui. Other Beyond fans don't argue about the quality of the music, but only about their feelings about the songs.

There are also some fans who never say a word, but silently inherit and practice Ka Kui's spirit.

None of that matters. No matter how long the arguments go, or how far the words travel, in the end we still have to return to music. It is the only medium through which music fans and Ka Kui got to know each other.

There are many versions of "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies". The version that Bian Lang used was arranged by Beyond and Liang Bangyan in Japan.

The piano is undoubtedly the main character from beginning to end. The piano in the prelude, interlude and coda are very catchy, truly a piano song. When the slow and heavy piano begins at the beginning, it matches the snow scene very well, clearly carrying a bit of loneliness and desolation. After that, it always changes in line with Ka Kui's singing emotions.

For the first minute and 44 seconds, there is only the piano; not only is the singer lonely, but the instruments are also lonely. The drums only quietly enter after the first chorus, followed by the rhythmic sound of the bass, while the electric guitar appears last.

At 4 minutes and 20 seconds, the electric guitar suddenly bursts into action, accompanied by a fast, cathartic solo and a perfectly synchronized piano performance.

Singing a song that starts low and ends high is not easy, and "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" is one of those songs.

In the song, he fully showcased the vocal characteristics of 1993, with highly infectious vibrato and trailing notes, clear low notes and tragic high notes, expressing disappointment, sorrow, and resolute emotions thoroughly. Especially that unruly and resolute feeling, which has been difficult to reproduce since.

There are many live versions of "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" on Earth, and almost every time the entire audience sings along. Unfortunately, Ka Kui was not destined to witness such a moving scene.

At Beyond's 1996 concert, their rendition of "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" was like a powerful tearjerker, especially Wong Ka Kui's electric guitar solo at the end, which was so poignant and heart-wrenching.

Every time "Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies" plays, I don't want to listen to it as just a song. It's as if Wong Ka Kui himself is standing in my ear, laughing, talking, and singing...

Bian Lang hopes that every live performance of this song from now on will have the same effect as the original Earth!

Because this song is absolutely worth it!

So after leading everyone in a final bow, Bian Lang picked up the microphone again and addressed the Chinese music fans in the audience in Mandarin: "When I return to the domestic stage, I hope..."

Before he could finish speaking, the audience erupted in a chorus of oaths:

"no problem!"

"I guarantee a perfect submission!"

(End of this chapter)