HuaYu97: Starting as a Singer

Chapter 22 [022] The Water Margin Director Team's Approval

After a few drinks, Liu Huan began to complain about being "made difficult" by the production team.

"The theme song for 'Water Margin' was really not something a human could do. It had to reflect the theme, the lyrics had to be closely connected with 'Water Margin' and show the heroic spirit of the Liangshan heroes, and it also had to be catchy and easy for the public to accept."

When the director and producer Zhang said they wanted to match the theme song of the CCTV version of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," I almost wanted to flip the table.

They didn't even open their eyes to see who wrote the lyrics to "The Mighty Yangtze Flows Eastward"—it was Yang Shen, the foremost of the three great talents of the Ming Dynasty.

Qi Yuan and Song Ke could clearly sense Liu Huan's resentment towards the director team's 'unreasonable' attitude towards the client.

The client can make anyone run themselves ragged with just a word.

Qi Yuan remembers that the theme song of this version of "Water Margin" was "Heroes' Song".

Has the "Heroes' Song" not been completed yet?
Liu Huan and the lyricist and composer are currently going through a painful adjustment period.

Just to be on the safe side, he probed a few times, asking Liu Huan what the previous versions of the theme song were like.

Liu Huan had come here to confide in his old friend, and he hummed a few lines on the spot.

Qi Yuan was relieved after hearing this; he was certain that "The Ballad of Heroes" had not yet been written.

"I heard from Lao Song that you wrote the anthem '1997 AD' that was sung by a group of stars last year. Are you interested in writing a theme song for me?" Liu Huan joked.

"Last year was just a fluke, I was lucky to be selected," Qi Yuan said modestly.

As a professional musician, Liu Huan naturally couldn't believe such an explanation.

Good luck? To stand out from so many competitors, it's all about ability, not luck.

"Ah Yuan, you can give it a try. Whether you succeed or not, it will be a valuable experience for you," Song Ke reminded her.

This is CCTV's adaptation of "Water Margin," one of the Four Great Classical Novels, a super production that has garnered immense attention.

Regardless of whether they get selected, being able to write the theme song for such a big production is a testament to their talent.

Even if it doesn't work out, at least I can become a familiar face to Liu Huan and the Water Margin production team.

This is a good thing with no downsides and only benefits.

Qi Yuan understood Song Ke's good intentions and agreed: "Okay, I'll give it a try. If it's not good enough, I hope Teacher Liu and the Water Margin production team won't mind."

"Once you've written the song, just have Lao Song hand it to me. Try to do it as quickly as possible; 'Water Margin' is expected to air in early January next year," Liu Huan added.

"I'll write the melody later. I just heard Teacher Liu say that it should express chivalry and heroism, and also be easy to understand and sing. I have a melody in my mind, and I've also thought of a few lines of lyrics," Qi Yuan said hurriedly.

You have to act fast, or it'll be too late.

Liu Huan said with great interest, "Hum the melody and sing those lyrics for me."

Qi Yuan didn't stand on ceremony; he cleared his throat.

"The great river flows eastward, the stars in the sky point to the Big Dipper, hehe, they point to the Big Dipper, and a bowl of wine is enough for a life-and-death friendship."

"Let's go when we say we're going, we all have what you have, we all have what we have, hehe, we all have what we have, we won't turn back even if it's through water or fire."

"When you see injustice, roar out! When it's time to act, act decisively! Bravely roam the land!"

Qi Yuan's singing skills are definitely far inferior to Liu Huan's, and his voice is not as bold and powerful as Liu Huan's.

But as someone whose singing skills are at a proficient level, he can fully capture the essence of this song.

When Qi Yuan finished singing this short section, Liu Huan and Song Ke were both amazed.

"Really, he just blurted it out?" Liu Huan excitedly downed three glasses of wine, carefully savoring the lyrics Qi Yuan had just sung.

These lyrics are well-written; they are very simple and unadorned, without any fancy words.

Yet, it is precisely this simple combination of words that evokes the heroism, chivalry, and lofty aspirations of these valiant men.

That's the charm of words.

What shocked Liu Huan even more was that the lyrics perfectly matched the director's requirements, capturing the chivalrous spirit of the Liangshan heroes while also being catchy enough.

"Good, very good. Your lyrics are very simple, but they have that heroic and fearless feel to them. They are powerful." Liu Huan was amazed by the young man's talent.

“Teacher Liu, actually this song was tailor-made for you. My singing skills and voice can’t capture that feeling, but you can.” Qi Yuan wasn’t lying; no one was more suitable for this song than Liu Huan.

As soon as Liu Huan opened his mouth, Song Jiang was able to arrange for him to sit in the 109th seat of Liangshan and make him a heavenly singer.

Liu Huan sang two lines in the same way Qi Yuan had sung, and found that it really was true; the song suited his voice perfectly.

He was quite impatient: "Quickly write out the melody and the complete song, and call me as soon as you're done."

Liu Huan had a great time drinking today, and even exchanged phone numbers with Qi Yuan before leaving.

"Your creative inspiration is like a torrent, I'm impressed." Song Ke, a former campus singer, admired Qi Yuan's ability.

He knew that there was a big difference between singer-songwriters.

Some people are like those with constipation; they've been holding it in for years and still can't come up with a new song.

Some people can create anytime, anywhere, even while eating a meal or going to the toilet, when inspiration strikes.

Qi Yuan belongs to the latter category.

Huang Zhan, one of the four great talents of Hong Kong, had diarrhea and went to the toilet while composing the song "Magic City Beach". He wrote the lyrics while sitting on the toilet.

This incredibly creative genius can be truly irrational at times, always finding inspiration in outrageous events and effortlessly crafting a classic song.

"If your song is actually selected by the Water Margin TV series production team, and the series airs on CCTV-1, people all over the country will be able to hear your song," Song Ke added.

Qi Yuan certainly knew how much it would help his career to secure the theme song for Water Margin.

After returning home, he wrote the lyrics and music for "Heroes' Song" in just two days and personally delivered it to Liu Huan's home.

Looking at the sheet music, Liu Huan praised it highly: "This song is well written. The melody is grand and powerful, and the lyrics are simple and vivid."

Liu Huan invited Qi Yuan inside for a glass of water, then rushed off to find the production team with the song in his arms.

……

A few days later, Qi Yuan received a phone call: "Yuan, congratulations! Your song 'Heroes' has been unanimously approved by Director Huang and Producer Zhang. The directing team has decided to use your song as the theme song for Water Margin. Come over when you have time to sign the contract, and I'll try to get you a reward of 30,000 yuan."

"Thank you very much, Teacher Liu," Qi Yuan said gratefully.

Liu Huan must have put in a lot of effort to get 30,000 yuan.

These days, a song doesn't sell for much money.

In the mainland music scene, a song typically sells for a few hundred yuan, and the lyrics and music combined can fetch around a thousand yuan, which is a normal price.

Prices are higher in Hong Kong and Taiwan, but not by much; a song can cost a few thousand dollars.

Qi Yuan has a certain reputation in the industry, and with the popularity of "You'll Be With Me All My Life," his lyrics and music prices have risen accordingly. However, without Liu Huan's help, it would still be difficult for him to get a price of 30,000.

(End of this chapter)