Rainy Day - Rhiannon Giddens / Wu Man
This piece was originally brought by our pipa player Wu Man. Based on a folk tune popular in Guangdong in southern China, the piece tells a historical story of the Chinese railroad workers, with a slow and soulful melody expressing how the wives and mothers miss their husbands and sons who were building the railroad on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.
The Chinese pipa originated in Central Asia, and the American banjo came from Africa, both descended from traditional instruments that belong to the plucked strings family. I like the deep powerful sound of the banjo, combined with the gentle and rich character of the pipa. The dialogue between the two instruments brings an artistic charm that is both similar and unique. Of course, the vocal part represents the wife,
mother, the storyteller. The magical female voice has always been in my mind when composing, I know that Ms. Rhiannon Giddens's voice will bring strong artistic appeal and imagination to the audience.
English Lyrics:
Rainy day, Rainy day oh
the rain falls on my side
without raincoat nor a hat on
drenched in rain oh
so pitiful
Chinese Lyrics:
落水天喽 落水天喽
落水落到
我身边喽
湿了衣裳 又无伞喽
光着头来 真可怜喽