Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Sam Hui 許冠傑 - 半斤八兩 - bun gan baat loeng - Half kati 8 tahil



Sam Hui 許冠傑 - 半斤八兩 - bun gan baat loeng - Ban Jin Ba Liang - half kati 8 tahil



The lyrics to this song are just as relevant today as they were a quarter of a century ago.







  • The lyrics to this song are just as relevant today as they were a quarter of a century ago.




    -We are just a bunch of workers
    -rushing around when it doesn't matter
    - We earn so little, it is not enough
    (Chorus) Skinny as hell...
    -Is really wasting our time
    -Too bad boss is very mean, crazier than a rooster,
    - Always screaming at the littlest things,
    -Always giving such mean looks whenever we ask for a raise, For crying out loud, you really are in over your head
    - Half a Kan (a bit less than a pound) 8 bucks, work until you look like a Jack (the card)
    -Half a Kan (a bit less than a pound) 8 bucks, How could a wet firecracker go off




    -Half a Kan (a bit less than a pound) 8 bucks, brave enough to grab a gun to go out and rob someone?
    -Put out half a kan's effort and hope you get a few dollars,
    -The way the work is now, how could you hope to earn as much as that?
    (chorus) That's Bullshit
    Second Verse
    - We are just a bunch of workers,
    -We dedicate our lives to earning money,
    - With this life, even if we joke about suicide you'll say "oh well"




    -Half a Kan 8 bucks, even if there is something, you ain't getting it
    -Half a Kan 8 bucks, more pitiful than a boiled sausage,
    -Half a Kan 8 bucks, Even Chicken feed can be counted as food,
    -Put out half a kan's effort and hope you get a few dollars,
    -The way the work is now, how could you hope to earn as much as that?
    (chorus) That's Bullshit
    (repeat the second verse, first 3 lines)





     was the first ever cantonese song to be in the UK chart back in the late 70's.since than,cantonese songs became popular because of sam.

    It really reflects us! .. the lower class workers!
    I was born in the 80s and I know this song really well.




    s, it would be impossible to translate this into another language, or even another Chinese dialect, because of the colloquialism. The charm of this song is the slangs used to describe the life of the working-class in HK at the time.


    It's not easy to do a verbatim translation as the meaning would have been lost in translation. In a nustshell, the song means:


    We,a working class people,
    Always in a hurry to earn a living, not having a proper meal,
    Yet the money earned is such a shameful pittance
    And when your boss starts throwing his weight around, bark like a mad dog when you ask for a raise, life sucks.
    All yr whole life you slave for money, when you have amassed a fortune, you may not eventually get to enjoy it.




    Classic.




    Hahaha, still very relevant.
    Aren't most of us still slaving for the boss? :D









    devivortex, this song is about Hong Kong society, it has nothing to do with the mainland China.








    I hear this song all the time in my family's car, because we bought a disc of chinese songs from Hong Kong. It's my favorite song next to "No Money No Talk".








    I don't get it. "working hard like a Jack"? what does that mean?





    what does it mean? what does aJack have to do with working hard?




    -- work hard, no get money = look like Jack,.






    A jack's face is emotionless, so if you work that hard you will become emotionless like a jack.




    if anything i would say out of the deck of cards you would have to say jack is the lowest in the hierarchy of the cards i mean we know that 2 is the lowest but that is a number which has no face ... so can't really relate to a number which has no face. or maybe its meant as that anything below a jack is just bum and jack has to work like a dog cause its the lowest without being a bum? *shrug* who knows and cares Sam Hui's song rules.








    This is easily as good as any American rock song and I say rock song because he's totally going against the Chinese government in his lyrics. He's saying, "Why work hard? You will have the same life anyway." Which is true in a socialist government.
    This Sam character really rings true for the American spirit. But he was from Hong Kong which was British owned which explains a lot. He is a real person in my eyes. A real good person who threw in a little political statement in his music.







    Thanks for this Video,
    and though it is old, the lyrics and its meaning is still so relevant in todays world like other sam songs.. things dont change
    clubmatt009 1 year ago








    This song talks about how wages were very low and hardships working in a factory. And about factory workers grew rich and powerful
    Darkheroeslord 1 year ago
    Darkheroeslord 1 year ago




    this song is about hong kong's common working class and their daily life. At the time it really fit the mainstream audience, because this song reflected their life style.








    Just a question out of curiosity, is he chineese and was active in china or hong kong?
    wondering since as far as i understand this song complains about work, considering that its relativly old, the chineese goverment at that time would probably not be that happy about a song with that kind of meaning.
    Or is there something im missing? <3
    dolippa 2 years ago 2
    dolippa 2 years ago 2




    Sam is Chinese. He is 60 now but still staging concerts in Hong Kong from time to time.
    The film is a comedy about how a poor guy makes it to the top.
    Hong Kong was under British rule when the film was made.







    Us Workers,
    get's treated like crap,
    making to little money bad enough.
    Don't need you guys to Yell at us like dogs
    Pretty much they are complaining how work sucks and how little money they are making.


    Actually watching this in completion for the 1st time. I was laughing in the video store at the scene of the boss barking. Sigh, makes me glad to be part of the mass, going through the hard times. Nice!
    WindCorsia 2 years ago
    WindCorsia 2 years ago







    This has been flagged as spam   show hide
    Beyond's version of this song is much better
    LiShuQing 2 years ago
    LiShuQing 2 years ago




    ye!!
    erictang199048 1 year ago
    erictang199048 1 year ago








    的而且確的天才,無人能代替.
    lamykandy032873 2 years ago
    lamykandy032873 2 years ago




    經典中ge經典呀-v-
    love0o0 2 years ago
    love0o0 2 years ago




    半斤八兩! i love it
    BabyLoverzzz 2 years ago
    BabyLoverzzz 2 years ago




    The recession of mid-70's made this song popular. When we face the possible global recession-depression since 2008~~~~~? The lyrics really  touched our heart!
    johnnytiger63 2 years ago 4
    johnnytiger63 2 years ago 4




    經典.
    Would someone post 許冠傑的 [男兒漢] ? I've been looking for it for 10 years now.
    tang1311 2 years ago
    tang1311 2 years ago




    10 years ago youtube wasnt even out
    bensonak47 1 year ago
    bensonak47 1 year ago




    There should have subtitles i don't understand this Chinese. Even though I don't understand this song sound good already.
    MartialArtNerd52475 2 years ago
    MartialArtNerd52475 2 years ago




    whats the name of this song? anyone know?
    NikgaitzDamon 2 years ago
    NikgaitzDamon 2 years ago




    its 半斤八兩 ...kinda translates to 1/2 pound 8 ounces.
    wu1038 2 years ago
    wu1038 2 years ago




    Real World HK music FTW!!!
    nextorion 2 years ago
    nextorion 2 years ago




    i love this song lol especially the dog part and the eating part lol
    holidayjohn 2 years ago
    holidayjohn 2 years ago




    best song ever!!
    animeshadow11 2 years ago
    animeshadow11 2 years ago




    i'll never get bored of this song XD
    the boss part was the funniest XD
    Guile1991 2 years ago
    Guile1991 2 years ago




    i LOVE SAM HUI!!! u should see his movie "The Contract" it's hilarious!!!!
    RoccoLaurie 2 years ago 2
    RoccoLaurie 2 years ago 2




    很喜欢听
    可惜不会说粤语。
    mnrjxbl 2 years ago 2
    mnrjxbl 2 years ago 2




    this song is great
    許冠傑 - 半斤八兩
    it gets stuck in my head so easily and it's good for actors/workers!
    Sam Hui songs usually get in the head easily and it's good to whistle which I can't!
    But most of his songs r awesome and it makes sense while telling the truth in a different way!o.O I love SAM HUI's Songs!
    lemonbeez25 2 years ago
    lemonbeez25 2 years ago




    neone know if they can get this song on myspace?
    AnJew432 2 years ago
    AnJew432 2 years ago




    lol i luv his songs
    joeygranger 2 years ago
    joeygranger 2 years ago




    the anthem for workers
    ningy91 2 years ago
    ningy91 2 years ago




    i would say its the anthem for HK! :D
    dayluze 2 years ago 2
    dayluze 2 years ago 2




    can some one send me dis  song so i can put it in my mp3 thx
    alexandstephy 2 years ago
    alexandstephy 2 years ago




    I can xD
    tonyborbony 2 years ago
    tonyborbony 2 years ago




    can u send it to me too?
    joeygranger 2 years ago
    joeygranger 2 years ago




    sure, i'll need your email adress, send it to me in a message
    tonyborbony 2 years ago
    tonyborbony 2 years ago




    i remember singing to this when i was four. early 90's. I heard it again at this old chinatown optical shop a few days ago. good stuff
    fraiche01 2 years ago 2
    fraiche01 2 years ago 2




    the movie was so hilarious, never gets bored
    PhotosOfCeleb 2 years ago
    PhotosOfCeleb 2 years ago




    omg, I saw the movie long time ago n omg it was soooo gooooood
    8DeRaven 2 years ago 3
    8DeRaven 2 years ago 3






    haha yeah the band name is called the lotus and my dad was the drummer :]] (the one with the yellow hat)
    98014 2 years ago
    98014 2 years ago






    Very interesting to see people dress up in the 70s , bell bottoms, long hair and tight shirts. A very interesting era.
    HangJebat1976 3 years ago
    HangJebat1976 3 years ago




    A very meaningful song with lots of humour in it. This song really picks fun on the capitalist world today. Basically I think this songs talks about exploitation of the low income earner.
    HangJebat1976 3 years ago 8
    HangJebat1976 3 years ago 8







    Part4
    8 ounces 1/2 a pound! Even there are happiness in the end, you won't last long enough to enjoy it.
    8 ounces 1/2 a pound!  Worse than boiled pig intestine. <-- I guess he mean paycheck shrinkage
    8 ounces 1/2 a pound! You still have to pick it even it is almost nothing <-- like chicken picking food off the ground
    Give 8 ounces effort and expect 1/2 pound pay.
    Making a living is hard and you are naive to think to can get 1/2 pound pay. ( Geez
    Thanks man, I always wanted to know what this song is about. It's a pretty good song.. good beat and lyrics.
    Thanks again.





    Part3
    Salaryman like us.
    Be a slave for money all our live.
    This kind of suffering can even scare ghosts. ( might as well be dead! )
    Don't say you don't care.



    Part2
    8 ounces 1/2 a pound! Working like a dog!
    8 ounces 1/2 a pound! Wet firework will not work!
    8 ounces 1/2 a pound! Take a gun and rob if you have guts.
    Give 8 ounces effort and expect 1/2 pound pay.
    Making a living is hard and you are naive to think to can get 1/2 pound pay. ( Geez




    Translation. Part1
    Salaryman like us.
    Hustle for a living. Who can afford to care about health?
    Dinky paycheck can't even last till the end of the month.
    Really not going anywhere.
    The worse part is when my boss need to show his power. ( Crazy than a chicken)
    Always bark in the office like a dog.
    Give me a bad look everytime when I ask for a raise. ( you need to work it )







    To make it short its pretty much about putting forth effort but not getting paid the amount of effort you put in. Its a song everyone could agree to, Sam is a genius in song writing cause his song tells the tale of those who are in the "lower class"




    watch my ATV programm about 100 years hongkong at my channel




    This is the best song to do for Chinese Karaoke. Everybody sings with you!
    As a foreigner, this was a great ice breaker for me at HK Karaokes...




    sam hui speaks the words of the labour class. and this song still reflects the working class.






    omg same thing for me, im 19 but i love this song. The good old days......
  • 1 comment:

    1. Merkur Futur Adjustable Safety Razor - Sears
      Merkur Futur Adjustable Safety Razor jancasino is the perfect balance 출장마사지 of performance, safety, and comfort. Made in Solingen, gri-go.com Germany, this razor has https://septcasino.com/review/merit-casino/ a perfect communitykhabar balance of

      ReplyDelete