If the last song we did on here got 11 out of 10 for cheesiness, this one gets at least that for melodrama. Our teachers sang it last time we went to karaoke.

死了都要爱 / Even in Death I’ll Love / sǐle dōu yào ài

Shin (信乐团) is a popular rock band from Taiwan. “Even in Death I’ll Love” (死了都要爱) is a popular Korean song (“Love Over 1000 Years”) that Shin rewrote in Mandarin, thereby giving young internet-surfing East Asians yet another opportunity to argue about whose culture is derived from whose. The lead singer, A Shin (阿信) — who, as you’ll see in the video, is apparently quite the diva — left the band last year to launch a solo career in which he’s shamelessly selling out to the pretty-fied Asian pop market with syrupy Josh Groban covers. I have two Shin CDs; they sound like Evanescence with an 80’s rocker streak, and list Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin among their musical influences.

Here’s the epic live version (lyrics and guitar chords are below):

And here’s an mp3 of the album version:

Lyrics & Guitar Chords

Download: SileDouYaoAi.pdf (lyrics & guitar chords with pinyin/English cheatsheet). The guitar chords match the album version; the live version is in a different key.

歌词 / gē cí / Lyrics (the English needs help):

把每天当成是末日来相爱 / bǎ měitiān dàngchéng shì Mòrì lái xiāngài
Take every day like it’s the last day you have to love each other
(“Take every day like Armageddon has come to your love for each other”)

一分一秒都美到泪水掉下来 / yì fēn yì miǎo dōu měi dào lèishuǐ diào xiàlai
Each minute and each second are all so beautiful that tears fall down

不理会别人是看好或看坏 / bùlǐ huì biérén shì kàn hǎo huò kān huài
Ignore whether other people will think good or think bad

只要你勇敢跟我来 / zhǐyào nǐ yǒnggǎn gēn wǒ lái
So long as you’re brave follow me

爱不用刻意安排 / ài búyòng kèyì ānpái
Love doesn’t need a meticulous plan

凭感觉去亲吻相拥就会很愉快 / píng gǎnjué qù qīnwěn xiāng yōng jiù huì hěn yúkuài
Rely on feelings, go kiss and embrace each other, it’ll be delightful

享受现在别一开怀就怕受伤害 / xiǎngshòu xiànzài bié yì kāihuái jiù pà shòushānghài
Enjoy the present, don’t open up your heart and then just be afraid of injury

许多奇迹我们相信才会存在 / xǔduō qíjì wǒmen xiāngxìn cái huì cúnzài
Many miracles we believe there can be

Chorus:

死了都要爱 / sǐle dōu yào ài
Even in death I’ll love

不淋漓尽致不痛快 / bù línlíjìnzhì bú tòngkuài
Not joyful unless totally unrestrained/saturated

感情多深只有这样 / gǎnqíng duō shēn zhǐyǒu zhè yàng
Only deeper affection can in this way

才足够表白 / cái zúgòu biǎobái
be enough to vindicate

死了都要爱 / sǐle dōu yào ài
Even in death I’ll want love

不哭到微笑不痛快 / bù kū dào wēixiào bú tòngkuài
Not joyful unless crying until smiling

宇宙毁灭心还在 / yǔzhòu huǐmiè xīn hái zài
The universe perishes but my heart is still here

End Chorus:

穷途末路都要爱 / qióngtúmòlù dōu yào ài
Even at the end of the road with no way out I’ll love

不极度浪漫不痛快 / bù jídù làngmàn bú tòngkuài
Not joyful unless extremely romantic

发会雪白土会掩埋 / fā huì xuěbái tǔ huì yǎnmái
Hair will turn snow white and dust will bury

思念不腐坏 / sīniàn bù fǔhuài
but longing doesn’t rot

到绝路都要爱 / dào jué lù dōu yào ài
Even at the dead end road I’ll love

不天荒地老不痛快 / bù tiān huāngdì lǎo bú tòngkuài
Not joyful unless heaven and earth pass away

不怕热爱变火海 / búpà rèài biàn huǒ hǎi
Not afraid for passion to become a fiery sea

爱到沸腾才精采 / ài dào fèiténg cái jīng cǎi
After love comes to a boil it’s magnificent

If you didn’t like this one, the last song was much cuter. If you see a problem with the translation (the chorus especially needs help) please point it out in the comments.

More for your karaoke repertoire:

• Nothing to My Name – 一无所有
• Liang Shanbo & Juliet – 梁山伯与茱丽叶
• Mouse Loves Rice – 老鼠爱大米