'I Am What I Am' by Leslie Cheung

April 1st was the 9th anniversary of famous Chinese singer Leslie Cheung‘s death from suicide. In 2010, a CNN poll placed Leslie Cheung as the 3rd most iconic musician of all time, behind Michael Jackson and The Beatles and ahead of Elvis Presley and Bob Marley.

Song and Music Video:

Composer: Leslie Cheung/Zhang Guorong
Lyricist: Albert Leung/Lin Xi
Singer: Leslie Cheung/Zhang Guorong

Lyrics (Original Chinese, Pinyin Romanization, and English Translation):

I am what I am

我永远都爱这样的我
wo3 yong3 yuan3 dou1 ai4 zhe4 yang4 de wo3
I’ll always love the way I am

快乐是快乐的方式不只一种
kuai4 le4 shi4 kuai4 le4 de fang1 shi4 bu4 zhi3 yi4 zhong3
Happiness is that there’s more than one way to be happy

最荣幸是谁都是造物者的光荣
zui4 rong2 xing4 shi4 shui2 dou1 shi4 zao4 wu4 zhe3 de guang1 rong2
The biggest glory is that everyone is the Creator’s glory

不用闪躲为我喜欢的生活而活
bu2 yong4 shan3 duo3 wei4 wo3 xi3 huan1 de sheng1 huo2 er2 huo2
No need to hide, I live for the life that I like

不用粉墨就站在光明的角落
bu2 yong4 fen3 mo4 jiu4 zhan4 zai4 guang1 ming2 de jiao3 luo4
No need to disguise, I’ll just stand in the bright corner

CHORUS:

我就是我是颜色不一样的烟火
wo3 jiu4 shi4 wo3 shi4 yan2 se4 bu4 yi2 yang4 de yan1 huo3
I am what I am, means being a firework of a different color

天空海阔要做最坚强的泡沫
tian1 kong1 hai3 kuo4 yao4 zuo4 zui4 jian1 qiang2 de pao4 mo4
The sky is wide and the ocean is broad, means being the strongest bubble

我喜欢我让蔷薇开出一种结果
wo3 xi3 huan1 wo3 rang4 qiang2 wei1 kai1 chu1 yi4 zhong3 jie2 guo3
I like what I am. May the rose blossom into what it wants

孤独的沙漠里一样盛放的赤裸裸
gu1 du2 de sha1 mo4 li3 yi2 yang4 sheng4 fang4 de chi4 luo2 luo2
Even in a lonely dessert, may it still blossom with no reservation

多么高兴在琉璃屋中快乐生活
duo1 me gao1 xing4 zai4 liu2 li2 wu1 zhong1 kuai4 le4 sheng1 huo2
How happy it is to enjoy life in a colored glass house

对世界说甚么是光明和磊落
dui4 shi4 jie4 shuo1 shen2 me shi4 guang1 ming2 he2 lei3 luo4
Telling the world, what is to be candid and upright, open and honest

CHORUS