This song popped up as a recommendation for me on YouTube a couple of days ago, a duet sang by Malaysia’s queen of love songs, Fish Leong (梁靜茹), and Taiwanese singer/songwriter Eve Ai (艾怡良). I thought the title sounded familiar, so I played it, and yes, I have heard the song years before and really like it, so it is a remake. Then the heartfelt music video made my eyes tear up…
I then checked the background to the song, it is actually a campaign song in Taiwan to push for the legalization of same sex unions between Taiwanese nationals and people from places that ban the practice. I mentioned I have heard the song years before, I checked again, the song was from 1991, written by one of the most well-known Taiwanese songwriters, Jonathan Lee (李宗盛), and originally sang by WaWa (娃娃), and the song has been covered by many artists over the years. I then looked for the original song’s music video as I have never seen it before (I have included it below), I got another surprise, the music video from 1991 actually featured a lesbian couple and I have never linked the song to LGBT-themed all these years, LOL… Now looking at the lyrics again, I suddenly realize the lyrics may have double meanings. Ocean could be a metaphor for social prejudice, and the two verses about “sending you to a faraway place so I can be with you for the rest of my life” implying a place where there is no prejudice… No wonder it is such an appropriate song chosen as a remake for this campaign!
These music videos have English subtitles… The English subtitles in the second video (the original video from 1991) has more accurate translation.
Update May 12, 2020: Found this most recent live version from the reality singing competition show Chinese Idol – Our Song (中國夢之聲·我們的歌) from November last year, where a well-known singer is paired with an up-and-coming new singer for a song. Here Hong Kong-born Taiwanese singer Wakin Chau (周華健) is paired with new comer from Mongolia, Ayanga (阿雲嘎)…
Update November 11, 2022: A new violin version of the song…
I Came Over The Ocean To See You 飄洋過海來看你 – AnViolin 林子安
Corner Café 
Hi! I also stumbled upon this beautiful music on Youtube, and the video touched me. I wanna ask, is the video of the two guys taken from a movie or a tv series, or is it just an ad? Would love to know the title of the movie/series if it’s the former. Thanks and heaps of blessings to you!
Comment by K — June 17, 2021 @ 5:45 pm |
The story is shot for the music video only.
Comment by SeaDragon — June 17, 2021 @ 6:27 pm |