Online Review: analyse of “六月飛霜”

六月飛霜 is a song of Eason Chan’s Extended Play (EP) called “Stranger Under My Skin”, which released in February of 2011. It is composed by Kool G and the lyrics is written by林夕(Albert Leung). The name of the song “六月飛霜”, (snow in June) is a traditional Chinese idiom which used to describe the abnormal phenomenon in the world. Some people argued the song criticizes the June Forth incident in China. However, I think it is more suitable to read it as a reflection of Hong Kong society which is full of unfair and irrational things.

當　未慣靜默靜得聽到心跳竟加倍緊張
未信自在在於天生天養　難以弱勝強　殺入戰場
最終　習慣為著獵取一身盔甲竟不怕損傷
為了夢幻日子得到保障　用惡夢結賬

At the beginning of the song, Lam states the situation in Hong Kong: we have to well-equipped ourselves such as getting certain educational certificates before getting a job or keep studying courses which related to career. These abilities are just like amours that allow us to get a better job and a better life. Living in the society is just like fighting in a battlefield. However, we would sacrifice a lot to achieve those “equipment”, such as time, health, or even our whole lives. Hence, Lam uses the word “nightmare” to contrast with the “dream lives”.

烏托邦　販賣血汗變棟樑　[誰被誰越抬越上]
烏托邦　那獵物也是獵人　踏破了樹林
浮在半空寄生貨櫃箱    誰明白這異象

Housing problem is another serious issue in Hong Kong. In order to buy an ideal flat, we have to work very hard to exchange for it; just like selling sweat and blood to exchange for a Utopia. Also, there is a myth that buying a flat at high floor is always better than those at low floor. We sacrifice a lot and the ultimate goal is to buy a flat which is as tiny as a container being hanged in the air. Lam criticizes this value as well as the unreasonable-high housing price that was being rise by property developer.

六月飛霜　個個笑得哀傷
誰又會鑑定誰正常　不知替哪個著想
欲求未滿　剩下砒霜　當菜汁分享
猶如吞仙丹上月亮　誰有膽設想這世間下場

In the first chorus, Lam states there is no such normal or abnormal as we have already lost our ability to judge and that is the reason why we “smile sadly”. We even lie ourselves and share wrong values with others.

當　習慣附和大家講的真理都得到獎賞
未慣十字路口挑選方向　離隊要膽量　拒絕跳牆

埋下理想栽種幻想

In the second verse, we get use to follow the majority in society with the same values and it is hard for us to get rid of the social norm and not dare to challenge it. We all resist changing just like we “resist jumping through the wall”. The last line says even if we have dreams, we need to abandon them eventually in order to fight for living as money always comes first in Hong Kong.

六月飛霜　世界怪得誇張
誰又去決定誰正常　不知哪個有異想
未曾盡興　剩下砒霜　當配方分享
誰來斗膽講仙丹會斷腸　誰有膽去相信過激立場
人人一把口一百種真相　誰說得漂亮

The last chorus states the society is extremely strange but it seems no one aware it. Besides, Lam keeps using the word: 砒霜 (arsenic) in all choruses to connote incorrect values, such as keep silence to injustice, focus on material life and follow the mass. Those wrong values are dominant and most people just follow them without any criticism, hence they become the panacea (仙丹) to public. If someone dares to break those values, that person would be seen as abnormal or radical.

最可笑的　喊亦正常
最悲壯的　笑亦正常
哪一個可　發育正常

The last three lines are the embellishments of the song and summarizes no one is normal in the abnormal society.

To summarize, I love this song not only because of the use of lyrics is so skillfully that audience need to read through those lines to get the meaning, but also it is truly reflecting the irrational situations in Hong Kong which can let us to rethink .

Reference: Cantonpop lyrics analyse group: decoding of “六月飛霜”
http://cantonpopblog.blogspot.hk/2012/04/blog-post_6695.html

Student Name: Tam Kin Shing
Student Number: 10321203