Lyrics Analysis— 漂向北方Piāo xiàng běifāng, Stranger In the North, sung by 黃明志 Namewee Ft. 王力宏Wang Leehom

The song was released in 2016, sung by 黃明志 Namewee Ft. 王力宏Wang Leehom. This song tells the story of non-Beijingers’ experiences of drifting north and relocating themselves in Beijing.

Before the lyrics analysis and the relevant translation, I would like to explain the background for this song and its related social issues. The first keyword goes to Beipiao(the Beijing drifters).

“Beipiao” is a term in Chinese that refers to young migrant workers who move from their hometowns to Beijing, the capital of PRC China, in search of job opportunities and a better life.

The term “Beipiao” comes from the Chinese characters for “north” and “drift,” and is often used to describe the difficult and uncertain lives of these young people in Beijing. They often face long working hours, low pay, high living costs, and limited social mobility. Many of them live in cramped conditions and struggle to make ends meet.

Despite difficulties and pressures of daily lives in Beijing, the Beipiao group makes countless stories in this city, and their unique lifestyle and struggles continue to attract attention and interest from both Chinese and international audiences.

漂向北方 別問我家鄉
Piāo xiàng běifāng, bié wèn wǒ jiāxiāng
(I’m) drifting north, don’t ask me about my hometown

高聳古老的城牆 擋不住憂傷
gāosǒng gǔlǎo de chéngqiáng, dǎng bù zhù yōushāng
The towering ancient walls can’t shield (my) sorrow

我漂向北方 家人是否無恙
wǒ piāo xiàng běifāng, jiārén shìfǒu wúyàng
I’m drifting north, is (my) family alright?

肩上沉重的行囊 盛滿了惆悵
jiān shàng chénzhòng de xíngnāng, shèng mǎnle chóuchàng
The heavy luggage on my shoulders is full of despair

RAP 1:
有人說他在老家欠了一堆錢 需要避避風頭
yǒurén shuō tā zài lǎojiā qiànle yī duī qián, xūyào bì bìfēng tóu
Some people say that his family owed a lot of money, and they needed to run away
有人說他練就了一身武藝卻沒機會嶄露
yǒurén shuō tā liàn jiùle yīshēn wǔyì, què méi jīhuì zhǎn lù
Some people said that they master martial arts, but did not have a chance to display them in front of people
有人失去了自我 手足無措四處漂流
yǒurén shīqùle zìwǒ, shǒuzúwúcuò sìchù piāoliú
Some people have lost ambitions and life goals, aimlessly floating around
有人為了夢想為了三餐為養家糊口
yǒurén wéi le mèngxiǎng, wèile sān cān, wèi yǎngjiā húkǒu
Some people (are doing this) for the sake of their dreams, for three meals a day, or in order to raise their families

他住在燕郊區 殘破的求職公寓
tā zhù zài yànjiāo qū cánpò dì qiúzhí gōngyù
He lives in the Swallow (Yan) Suburbs, an old apartment for job seekers
擁擠的大樓裡 堆滿陌生人都來自外地
yǒngjǐ de dàlóu liˇ, duī mǎn mòshēng rén dōu láizì wàidì
The crowded apartment are full of emigrants and migrant workers
他埋頭寫著履歷 懷抱著多少憧憬
tā máitóu xiězhe lǚlì, huáibàozhe duōshǎo chōngjǐng
He heads down to write his resume, holding onto hope more or less. 
往返在九三零號公路 內心盼著奇蹟
wǎngfǎn zài jiǔsān líng hào gōnglù, nèixīn pànzhe qíjī
(He) goes back and forth on 930th Street, desiring for a miracle

SUNG (& RAPPED):
忍著淚 (不聽也不想 不敢回頭望的遺憾)
rěnzhe lèi (bù tīng yě bùxiǎng, bù gǎn huítóu wàng de yíhàn)
Hold the tears (Regrets which people don’t listen and don’t think, don’t dare to turn around )
掩著傷 (扛下了夢想 要毅然決然去流浪)
yǎnzhe shāng (káng xiàle mèngxiǎng, yào yìrán juérán qù liúlàng)
Hide the scars (Bear the dream, strive to wander like a nomad)
抬頭看 (卸下了自尊 光環 過去多風光)
táitóu kàn (xiè xiàle zìzūn guānghuán, guòqù duō fēngguāng)
Lift your head and see… (Let go of self-esteem, reputation, the past was so brilliant)
著斜陽 (就算再不堪 敗仗 也不能投降)
zhe xiéyáng (jiùsuàn zài bu kān, bàizhàng, yě bùnéng tóuxiáng)
…the slanting sunset (even if there’s a shame, failure in competition, cannot surrender either)

親愛的 (再見了南方 眺望最美麗的家鄉)
qīn’ài de (zàijiànle nánfāng, tiàowàng zuì měilì de jiāxiāng)
(My) dear ones… (goodbye to the South, seeing the most beautiful hometown)
在遠方 (椰子樹搖晃 夢境倒映著的幻象)
zài yuǎnfāng (yē zǐ shù yáohuàng, mèngjìng dàoyìngzhe de huànxiàng)
…In the far place(coconut trees are swaying, in the hallucinations brought on by dreams)
這城市 (霧霾太猖狂 不散 都看不清前方)
zhè chéngshì (wù mái tài chāngkuáng, bú sàn, dōu kàn bù qīng qiánfāng)
This city… (the fog is too crazily thick, it won’t fade away, unable to see what’s ahead)
太迷網
tài mí wǎng
…got lost in the direction with perplextion

REPEAT SUNG VERSE 1

RAP:
空氣太髒 太混濁 他說不喜歡
kōngqì tài zāng, tài húnzhuó, tā shuō bu xǐhuan
The air is too dirty, too polluted, he says he doesn’t like it
車太混亂 太匆忙 他還不習慣
chē tài hǔnluàn, tài cōngmáng, tā hái bù xíguàn
The traffic is too chaotic, too bustle, he’s not used to it
人行道一雙又一雙 斜視冷漠眼光
rénxíngdào yī shuāng yòu yī shuāng, xiéshì lěngmò yǎnguāng
The walkways are full of pair after pair of cold eyes
他經常將自己灌醉 強迫融入 這大染缸
tā jīngcháng jiāng zìjǐ guàn zuì, qiǎngpò róngrù, zhè dà rǎngāng
He often gets drunk to force himself to adapt to this big dye basin(contaminated society)

走著腳步蹣跚 二鍋頭在搖晃
zǒuzhe jiǎobù pánshān, èrguōtóu zài yáohuàng
Wobbling around with, a bottle of Erguotou (one kind of alcohol) is swaying in his hands)
失意的人啊偶爾醉倒在那胡同陋巷
shīyì de rén a ǒu’ěr zuì dào zài nà hútòng lòuxiàng
Those who are frustrated collapsed at the backlane

咀嚼爆肚涮羊 手中盛著一碗熱湯
jǔjué bàodǔ shuài yáng, shǒuzhōng shèngzhe yī wǎn rètāng
Chewing beef tripe with boiled mutton, while holding a bowl of hot soup.
用力地 溫暖著 內心裡的不安
yònglì dì, wēnnuǎnzhe, nèixīn lǐ de bù’ān
(He’s) trying hard to warm (his) heart (which is) full of unease and uncomfort

REPEAT SUNG (& RAPPED) SECTION

REPEAT SUNG VERSE 1]

SUNG 2:
就像那塵土飄散隨著風向 誰又能帶領著我一起飛翔
jiù xiàng nà chéntǔ piāosàn suízhe fēngxiàng, shuí yòu néng dàilǐngzhe wǒ yīqǐ fēixiáng
Just like dust drifting in the wind, who can lead me to fly high along in the sky?
我站在天壇中央閉上眼 祈求一家人都平安
wǒ zhàn zài tiāntán zhōngyāng bì shàng yǎn, qíqiú yījiārén dōu píng’ān
I stand in the middle of the Temple of Heaven with my eyes closed, praying for the bliss of my family

REPEAT SUNG VERSE 1 WITH RAP 3:
我站在天子腳下 被踩得喘不過氣
wǒ zhàn zài tiānzǐ jiǎoxià, bèi cǎi de chuǎn bùguò qì
Standing here in Beijing, I was stomped with pressure and I am almost breathless
走在前門大街 跟人潮 總會分歧
zǒu zài qiánmén dàjiē, gēn réncháo zǒng huì fēnqí
Walking on Qianmen Streets, not aligned with the public
或許我根本不屬於這裡 早就該離去
huòxǔ wǒ gēnběn bù shǔwū zhèlǐ, zǎo jiù gāi lí qù
Perhaps I don’t belong here, and have to leave
誰能給我致命的一擊 請用力到徹底
shuí néng gěi wǒ zhìmìng de yī jī, qǐng yònglì dào chèdǐ
Who can give me a fatal blow? Please do it forcefully, completely

這裡是夢想的中心 但夢想都遙不可及
zhèlǐ shì mèngxiǎng de zhōngxīn, dàn mèngxiǎng dōu yáo bùkě jí
This is the center of dreams, yet dreams all seem out of reach. 
這裡是圓夢的聖地 但卻總是撲朔迷離
zhèlǐ shì yuánmèng de shèngdì, dàn què zǒng shì pūshuòmílí
This is the holy land of dreams, but it’s all so bewildering
多少人敵不過殘酷的現實 從此銷聲匿跡
duōshǎo rén dí bùguò cánkù de xiànshí, cóng cǐ xiāoshēngnìjì
How many people are unable to survive in cruelty of reality, and therefore disappeared?
多少人陷入了昏迷 剩下一具 空殼屍體
duōshǎo rén xiànrùle hūnmí, shèng xià yī jù kōng ké shītǐ
How many people fainted here, leaving a lifeless and empty body?

Rest In Peace.

Drift to the North, and be away from the hometown is the challenging thing. Nobody is willing to leave home and move to the unfamiliar places alone. Everyone of Beipiao group has their own different stories. This song really resonates with anyone of Beipiao group, and makes this song very powerful and popular!