All-rounder Artist

Chapter 385: Chapter 364 Connection of Two Songs (End of the Month – Request for Monthly Tickets)_1

The discussion around “Next Year, Today” is overwhelming.

Some even believe “Next Year, Today” sounds better than the Mandarin version!

As a result, fans preferring “Ten Years” are not pleased.

There’s an undercurrent of a standoff brewing between both sides.

The real flurry, however, began late at night when many lyricists started to chime in.

Indeed, the unexpected rejuvenation of “Next Year, Today” through the mere evolving of lyrics and language caught everyone off guard.

And when it came to the impact of language change on the music, the most obvious change that the average person could see was the lyrics!

Lyrics—that’s the dominion of lyricists!

And so, whether out of a desire for attention or genuine admiration for Admired Fish’s lyrical skills, many lyricists began to analyze “Ten Years.”

Among them, one lyricist drew particular attention with his opening gambit:

“Many of you likely just noticed the big change in ‘Next Year, Today’ after the lyrics and language adjustments, but few have recognized the true intention behind Admirable Fish’s new version of lyrics!”

This lyricist’s name is “Rabbit Two Dot”.

Among his peers, Rabbit Two Dot is considered a top-tier lyricist. He’s even written lyrics for a King of Singing and a Queen of Singing, and his work is consistently well received.

And with the release of “Next Year, Today”, Rabbit Two Dot also revealed hisowl-like nature, unable to help but speak out.

Indeed, no sooner had he spoken than he attracted the attention of his fans and many internet users:

“Admirable Fish’s true intention?”

“What does that mean?”

“Is there any connectiMisn between the two songs?”

“Which song does Rabbit Second Teacher think is better written?”

“Go on, go on, I’m all ears for Teacher Rabbit Second’s views.”

“Rabbit Second Teacher staying up late just to study Admired Fish’s ‘Next Year, Today’?”

“Hahaha, Rabbit Second Teacher followed Admirable Fish a year ago, it’s just that Admirable Fish hasn’t followed anyone back, as we all know, the Three Bros loop is eternal.”

“.”

Rabbit Two replied to one of the netizens guessing about the connection between the two songs: “You’ve found the blind spot.”

Eh, what blind spot?

Well, say it then!

The netizens couldn’t take the suspense.

Because Rabbit Two is a professional lyricist and very well respected in the industry, people tend to listen to what he has to say. Famous people’s words always carry more weight.

Rabbit Two didn’t keep them guessing any longer, instead posting a long explanation:

[Putting other things aside, I’ll try to analyze from the perspective of the content of the lyrics, the emotions represented, and the thoughts conveyed.

Firstly, regarding “Next Year, Today”.

This song portrays a heartbroken person lying hopelessly sleepless at night, the uncontrollable grief leading to all sorts of wild musings, and struggling bitterly in the swamp of heartbreak.

In the beginning, he wonders if it’d have been better had he been crushed by the ceiling lamp prior to the heartbreak, effectively sparing him the torment of her departure. Following that, he contemplates the positive side of surviving whilst turning senile, at least then he’d become insensitive towards love, thereby not having to endure the current agony.

In the dead of the night, a myriad of thoughts wreak havoc in his mind. He knows he can’t go on like this and determines to bravely confront the heartbreak. Therefore, he attempts to convince himself that he shouldn’t be suffering from insomnia at this same date next year, that it’s about time he changed the shabby bedding after the person beside him is long gone…

However, as these ideas grow, he falls back into the emotional whirlpool, suddenly reluctant to make the changes, even desiring to meet up once again; perhaps even visualizing a reunion sixty years later, even on his last breath, wishing for one last encounter.

You’ve noticed, haven’t you? “Next Year, Today” describes the pain of heartbreak, but in the entire lyrics, only one word relates to pain.

Admirable Fish didn’t directly write about the character’s inner torment, but rather, in the first person, he creates several fictional scenarios:

Being hit by a ceiling lamp, turning senile, bumping into each other at someone’s wedding, reuniting sixty years later.

He meticulously delineates the microscopic changes in the heartbroken insomniac, letting listeners place themselves into the shoes of the heartbroken one, experiencing their struggle of a tough goodbye with their ex-partner.

Now let’s look at “Ten Years”.

It as well portrays heartbreak but differs significantly in its writing approach and the emotions conveyed compared to “Next Year, Today”.

And so, the protagonist of “Ten Years”…

Turns out to be the one breaking off the relationship with the protagonist from “Next Year, Today”!

This is the biggest connection between the two songs—they are monologues from the two sides of the ex-couple!

If you don’t believe it, let’s analyze.

In the first verse of “Ten Years”, she realizes that she is a little upset during the break-up; she describes their shared experiences as akin to those of a holiday, but that wasn’t fulfilling enough for her yearning. She wants to pursue a better life; then she calmly and rationally advises that emotional separation is inevitable given that they can’t continue, so why not just enjoy the emotional connection that still remains.

As the song transitions into the chorus, this character’s rationality shines through, like they’ve never been in love before, imagining events from ten years ago and ten years into the future.

Ten years prior, they were strangers, but haven’t they made it this far today? In ten years, although they would be broken up, to have known one another is still considered an encounter, a polite greeting upon running into each other is justifiable. It’s meaningless to have been in love before, anyway. ‘Lovers will inevitably become friends’—how cruel yet how starkly realistic it is! Faced with such advice, there’s virtually nothing left to be said, leaving no room for reconsideration, as if the reasons for sorrow have vanished.

The concluding line ‘my tears won’t flow for you, they’ll flow for someone else’ suggests that there will always be people who will come and go in my life, it just happened to be you. There’s nothing special about it, nothing worth lingering on. With that mindset, you could say she sees the bigger picture or that she’s coldly rational to the brink of numbness.

While “Next Year, Today” delves deeper into the abyss of heartbreak, “Ten Years” delivers rational persuasion. “Next Year, Today” expresses emotions through narratives whilst “Ten Years” emphasizes logical analysis; “Next Year, Today” is more straightforward, allowing listeners to empathize with the emotions upon placing themselves in the protagonist’s shoes, whereas “Ten Years” requires more pondering and contemplation.

If my hypothesis holds, these two songs are responding to each other, representing a dialogue between the emotional and rational facets of Admirable Fish’s inner self.

You are still asking which song is better?

I am not deliberately being evasive, but I just want to tell you all that which song is better written depends on which protagonist your personality aligns more with, and at different stages of your life, you may have different answers. ]

This interpretation suddenly opened another door for listeners!

Those netizens who were previously debating about which song was better immediately ceased the debate.

Considering this interpretation, arguing seems as though it’s entirely pointless.

“I see, so the two songs present different perspectives of the same couple?”

“It all makes sense now! I always felt there was some connection between these two songs every time I listened to them.”

“I love this [the dialogue between Admirable Fish’s rational and emotional sides], it clears everything up!”

“He really nailed it. Initially, I wanted to say that Rabbit Second Teacher might be over-interpreting with his article, but after reading through it all, I found it incredibly compelling. The imagination of lyricists really knows no bounds.”

“Eureka, so that’s how it is. Admirable Fish is so incredible!”

“Haha, how can I think so much when listening to songs, all I can say is: awesome!”

“Actually, Sun Yaohuo hinted that ‘Next Year, Today’ is the companion piece to ‘Ten Years’.”

“.”

By this point, someone in the comments asked Rabbit Two about his evaluation of Admirable Fish’s lyrical ability.

Rabbit Two responded with a bit of humor:

“The kind that leaves many lyricists tossing and turning all night long.”

Oh?

So this is the reason you’re up cultivating at this late hour?

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ps: Thanks to the great [Rabbit Two Dot] alliance hierarch! Sending flying kisses! biu! The bonus chapter will come next month, I owe quite a bit for this month, please spare me for now~

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