High Peaks Pure Earth presents four songs by the group called Yudrug (Green Dragon), all taken from their second and most recent album “A Song of Separation” which was released in August 2013. The English translations have been generously provided by Tibetan poet and writer Bhuchung D. Sonam.
Photo via Tibetan Music World
Yudrug, who hail from Machu in Amdo, have featured twice before on High Peaks Pure Earth. Who can forget their stunning, and now classic, 2010 rap video “New Generation”? And “Waterfall of Youth”, their tribute to Tibetan poet Dhondup Gyal, was also featured on High Peaks Pure Earth in 2011.
“A Song of Separation” contains twelve new songs and all the accompanying music videos can be found on video hosting sites such as Youku and YouTube. Here is the full track listing of the album:
1) A Song of Separation
2) Past
3) My dear
4) Hometown
5) Abstract
6) Destiny
7) If The Moon is Hurt
8) The Wandering Wind
9) Small bird
10) A Tale
11) Moonlight
12) The Soul
News of their first album in seven years appeared in June 2013 on Tibetan websites such as TibetCul.com in which the group promised a diverse range of musical styles including RnB, jazz, folk, pop and blues. A short statement from the group said, “In the process of talking about our music, our aim is not for others to worship us but to use the power of music to express our suffering, frustration, helplessness and anger, the anxiety which is also shared by our generation. We have to use our own expressions and our own language to speak of our reality and sing our dreams to life.”
Below are the subtitled videos and English translations of “A Song of Separation” (title track), “Destiny”, “If The Moon is Hurt” and “A Tale”. Many thanks again to translator Bhuchung D. Sonam!
“A Song of Separation” By Yudrug from HPeaks on Vimeo.
“A Song of Separation”
By Yudrug
At the start of a journey
The shadow of a vulture fixes itself across the entire land
At the start of a journey
The end of a mountain trail turns into a deceptive mirage
At the start of a journey
Tears fall from your eyes like rolling stones
The sunrays floating in the puddle around hooves of a horse
Are scattered in every direction
A little shepherd hiding among his flock of sheep disguised as clouds
I have mistaken him to be myself when young
At that time, I had no sad songs to sing
Maybe because I had no vision
Or because I had not experienced love
From here we go there, from there to where?
Who knew that this journey would be endless?
From here we go there, from there to where?
The wind makes the flag wave on the high hills
In the valley the moonlight is soft
When you travel talking, any place seems like home
At the start of a journey
The shadow of a vulture fixes itself across the entire land
At the start of a journey
The end of a mountain trail turns into a deceptive mirage
At the start of a journey
Tears fall from your eyes like rolling stones
The wind makes the eyes blink
And dries up the tears of sorrow
The little girl in the sheep pen glancing at the road
Looks like me when young
Today, she has sad songs to sing
Maybe she has thought about the future
Or maybe she has experienced love
From here we go there, from there to where?
Who knew that this journey would be endless?
From here we go there, from there to where?
The wind makes the flag wave on the high hills
From here we go there, from there to where?
From here we go there, from there to where?
From here we go there, from there to where?
From there to where?
[Translation by Bhuchung D. Sonam for High Peaks Pure Earth]
“Destiny” By Yudrug from HPeaks on Vimeo.
“Destiny”
By Yudrug
Lyrics by
Melody by Yudrug
That which has no physical form
Like a rainbow in the sky
This pain that never leaves
Is the longing for my native land
Travelling in alien countries
Is filled with challenges
I wish I were a bird
Flying toward my native land
Oh…
Each time I remember my land
Oh…
My eyes become filled with tears
Travelling in strange lands
Sorrows drop into my heart
I wish I were a cloud
Returning to my native land
Oh…
Each time I miss my land
A crack appears in my heart
Oh…
Each time I remember my land
Oh…
My eyes become wet with tears
[Translation by Bhuchung D. Sonam for High Peaks Pure Earth]
“If the Moon is Hurt” By Yudrug from HPeaks on Vimeo.
“If the Moon is Hurt”
By Yudrug
Lyrics by Moru Sherab Dorje
Melody by Yudrug
If in the month of June
Snows fall in my mind
Don’t ask how cold it feels
On this white foggy path
Ah…
To sharpen your memory like a picture
I have sung this song again and again
I have sung this song again and again
When the wind blows strong in autumn
The yellow butterfly in my heart
Flies away
And I have no one to ask where it soars
Ah…
In the beautiful garden
I strolled around three times
I strolled around three times
Hidden in the backward glance of the sun
There is a rosary of drops
But if it hurts the moon’s feelings
Who will be a friend in need?
Ah…
My beloved wild blue wolf
Which holy mountain do you own?
Which holy mountain do you own?
Which holy mountain do you own?
[Translation by Bhuchung D. Sonam for High Peaks Pure Earth]
“A Tale” By Yudrug from HPeaks on Vimeo.
“A Tale”
By Yudrug
Lyrics by Moru Sherab Dorje
Melody by Yudrug
Whose flag* at the door was set on fire?
Whose flock of sheep was scattered from the pen?
Long bloody hands. Invisible murderers.
I was shown the entire ritual of immeasurable suffering in hell –
The torment in my mind
This pain on my body
This terrible fear in my eyes
I cannot even give voice to my suffering.
Your flames that jump like a tiger disappear into space.
O, ancestors, my ancestors,
Where is our capital city I held high in my thoughts?
Where are the caves that shelter the ordinary people?
O, ancestors, my ancestors,
Where is our capital city I held high in my thoughts?
Where are the caves that shelter the ordinary people?
If I have ownership over my sunrays
If I have ownership over my moonlight
This waiting in silence is too long –
And there is no joy and sorrow in the land of fear.
*Go-dar (sgo dar) also mean a scarf attached to the door at time of a marriage or a scarf fastened to the gate.
[Translation by Bhuchung D. Sonam for High Peaks Pure Earth]
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