Sparrow Street Bamboo Twig

麻雀衔竹枝 MaQueXianZhuZhi － "我的朋友家，我的同学我爱过的一切" 电影原声带 That Girl In
Pinafore Soundtrack.

Song on iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/sg/album/ma-...
Album on iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/sg/album/wo-...

屬於我們的愛國歌。
Just in time for National Day 2013. This new version is a gift to our nation's 48th birthday!


The lyrics roughly talks about the writer's younger years, being born near Tekka, growing up in Queenstown and going to school at Middle Road (Catholic High). It also briefly mentioned the bombing of Singapore during the Japanese occupation and other singapore icons like the HDB flats. But the crux of the song, talks about how Singaporeans living abroad, still longs for their home back in Singapore. There's no place like home.

麻雀衔竹枝
作词：梁文福
作曲：梁文福
With Rough English translation of the lyrics

我们这里是新加坡 We live here in Singapore
我阿爹系海山街住过 My father used to stay at Hoi Shan Street (Upper Cross street)
1941年轰炸机经过 In 1941 a Japanese bomber flew by here
一枚炸弹在街头降落 And a bomb was dropped on this street
 

我们这里是新加坡 We live here in Singapore
我阿妈系竹脚生我 My mom gave birth to me at Tekka
虽然那时候霸王车很多 There were many unlicensed taxis back then
她却依然骑单车去工作 And she still rode her bike to work

 

我们这里是新加坡 We live here in Singapore
我的童年在女皇镇过 My childhood was spent at Queenstown
一房半厅的组屋背后 And behind the tiny HDB apartment block
小小的林子里 there's a little forest
曾经是孩子们的窝 where I used to play with my childhood friends
 

我们这里是新加坡 We live here in Singapore
我的小学从前在小坡 And my primary school used to be at Middle Road
平时不读书考试之前 When I didn't study hard enough,
跑到四马路的庙前 I would run to the temple at Waterloo street
说声哦阿弥陀佛 and pray at the Buddha's feet

 

 我们这里是新加坡 We live here in Singapore
我们都曾一无所有过 And we used to have nothing
现在拥有的不算甚麽 Though we are much better off now
但是比别人珍惜得多 But we treasure all that we have today
 

 

我们这里是新加坡 We live here in Singapore
我表兄金山回来罗 And my cousin is returning from San Francisco
小小麻雀担竹枝 Like a little sparrow carrying a twig
都系担番屋企好得多 Always returning to where the home is

(Old cantonese rhyme)
麻雀仔担竹枝 Little sparrow carrying a twig
担上街头望阿姨 Looking at the pretty lady at the head of the street
阿姨梳只玲珑髻 Pretty lady has a beautiful knot on her hair
插朵红花伴髻围 And it is lined with flowers on both sides

我们这里是新加坡 We live here in Singapore
我的童年在女皇镇过 My childhood was spent at Queenstown
一房半厅的组屋背后 And behind the tiny HDB apartment block
小小的林子里 there's a little forest
曾经是孩子们的窝 where I used to play with my childhood friends

我们这里是新加坡 We live here in Singapore
我的小学从前在小坡 And my primary school used to be at Middle Road
平时不读书考试之前 When I didn't study hard enough,
跑到四马路的庙前 I would run to the temple at Waterloo street
说声哦阿弥陀佛 and pray at the Buddha's feet

我们这里是新加坡 We live here in Singapore
我们都曾一无所有过 And we used to have nothing
现在拥有的不算甚麽 Though we are much better off now
但是比别人珍惜得多 But we treasure all that we have today