Popular Songs
Almost everyone in our class can sing the song "Little Grass". It runs like this:" Not so fragrant as a flower, nor so tall as a tree, I am a blade of obscure (unknown) grass. Never lonely, never worried, I have friends all over the world. Oh spring wind, you blow me green. Oh, sunlight, you shine on me. Mountains and rivers, you nourish me. The eartb, our motber, holds me tightly in her arms." Whenever I sing it, I feel serene(calm) and comforted. The words make me satisfied with the surronndings wbere I work and study. The music reminds me of the beautiful scenery of our country. When I sing this song, I recall my ten years＇ country life. I feel as if I could hear the sound of water running down the stream in front of the country school. I smell the sweet flowers even now. The birds are twittering in the grein mountains. The children come to me, their first and only woman teacher with flowers and smiling faces. Everything is so beautiful. I feel like a big queen in a small country I Iove the song. It gives me strength and warmth and happiness.
There is another song which is popular among the young. It has a sad note, which makes one feel sad and lonely and disappointed. The song, The Deep Sea, goes:" Oh, the deep sea. Why are you so uneven, just like my lover＇s wavering heart? Oh, young frtend, please tell me frankly. Do you know my lover? Where is he now? Where has he gone?" The plaintive melady makes one cry. As you sing, you feel as if a lonely girl, deserted by her lover, is ouring ont her heart in tears. She is standing by the seaside. The ea water is rolling wave upon wave, in unison with the beat of the ad song. The wind is tearing at the girl＇s hair and skirt; you feel Biseouraged. Although the mountains and rivers are beautiful, she is not in a mood to enjoy the sights. All her attention is focused on herself. She thinks only of her own loss and gain; she is sad and lonely and completely isolated. I would rather not sing this song.
The little blade of glass is obscure, but she doesn＇t feel lonely because she takes root in the earth. She is not angry nor frustrated when she is not noticed. She needs nothing and can endure everything.
The girl who stands by the seaside may be attractive and has many acquaintances, but she is sad and isolated. She wants to be loved, to be sought after, and when she fails to get what she needs, she is discouraged, and maybe even wants to commit suicide. It＇s dangerous for her to stand by the seaside.
Both are lyric songs. Yet one is an image of modesty and generosity, the other is an image of loss and sorrow. The former gives confidence in life, the latter causes one to lose courage and strength. The grass feels indebted to everything around her, the mountains, the rivers, the wind, the sunlight and The earth, while the girl feels her lover owes her love and comfort.
From the songs I come to this conclusion: forget yourself and you will be happy; think always of yourself, and you will feel lonely. Personal gains and losses are nothing when you immerse yourself in the masses. There are two kinds of musie, optimistic(乐观的) and pessimistic(悲观的). Optimistic music stimulates people to do more for the publie. Pessimistic music dampens one＇s spirits (打击人的情绪). That is why I prefer "Little Grass" to "The Deep Sea".
流行歌曲
我们班每一个人几乎都会唱“小草”这首歌。歌词是：“没有花香，没有树高，我是一棵无人知道的小草。从不寂寞，从不烦恼，你看我的朋友遍及天涯海角。春风啊，春风你把我吹绿。阳光啊，阳光你把我照耀。河流啊，山川你抚育了我。大地啊，母亲把我紧紧拥抱。”每当我唱这首歌，就感到宁静舒适。歌词让我安于自己的环境；音乐使我想起乡村美景。每当我唱这首歌时，便回忆起10年的农村生活。我仿佛听到乡材中学门前的溪流声，闻到甜蜜的花香，听到鸟儿在青山里歌唱。孩子们带着鲜花和笑脸向我——他们的第一位也是唯一的女教师——走来。一切是多么美好。我感到自己像一个小国的大王后。我爱这首歌，它给我力量、温暖和幸福。
有另外一首歌也在青年中流行，其歌调忧伤，使人感到凄凉、寂寞、失望。这首“深深的海洋”的歌中唱道：“深深的海洋，你为何不平静，不平静得像我爱人那一颗动摇的心。年青的朋友，请你真实地告诉我，可知道我的爱人他如今在何方?”忧伤的曲调催人泪下。当你唱它时，就好像一个被遗弃的女孩在寂寞地哭述。她独立于海边，翻滚着的海浪伴着那忧郁的节拍。风扯着她的头发和衣裙，她感到沮丧。山河虽美，她无心欣赏。这时，她以个人为中心。只想到了个人得失，她只是忧郁、寂寞、孤独。我宁愿不唱这首歌。
小草无名，但不寂寞，因为他扎根在大地上；无人问津，他不气愤，也不沮丧。它什么都不需要，可却能忍受一切。
站在海边的姑娘也许很美，有很多朋友，可是她忧郁、孤独。她需要人们的爱，她期待着。而当她得不到所求时，便会沮丧，甚至会自杀。这对独立于海边的她是很危险的。
两首都是抒情歌曲。然而一首是谦虚、洒脱的形象，另一首是失落、忧伤的形象；前者给生活以信心，后者使人丧失勇气和力量。小草感激周围的一切：山河、风、阳光、大地；而姑娘感到爱人欠她的爱情与安慰。
从歌曲中，我得出这样的结论：忘记自己、就会愉快。总念着自己，就会孤独。当你与大家融为一体时，个人得失就无足轻重。有两种音乐；乐观和悲观的。乐观的音乐激励人为社会多作贡献；悲观的音乐打击人的情绪。这就是我为什么喜欢“小草”而不喜欢”深深的海洋”的原因。