Ellie Mao: An Anthology of Chinese Folk Songs

In this charming collection of Chinese folk songs, Ellie Mao surveys the vast landscape of China’s music with her strong voice, from the Himalayas to the Pacific coast. These songs are often passed by word of mouth from generation to generation, sung in the fields, farmhouses, and festivals. Based on her understanding of Chinese culture, Ellie Mao works carefully to preserve the authenticity of the songs. Many of the songs featured in this anthology have appeared in various collections, but often have had no “public” performances, as “professional” folk singers had just begun to emerge in China at the time of this production. These songs were translated into the traditional Chinese dialect so that they could be more easily understood, but Ellie Mao provides listeners with the authentic Sichuanese dialect in several songs [Disc 2, tracks 1, 2, and 3]. The tracks of these albums provide small snapshots of the joy of life that pervades the spirit of the Chinese people, which can transcend the barriers of language.

在这张令人耳目一新的中国民歌合辑中，旅美音乐家毛爱立（注：曾用名：Ellie Mao，现用名：Ellie Mao Mok）用她震撼人心的嘹亮歌声展现了中国音乐从喜马拉雅山脉到太平洋沿岸不同的广袤图景。这些歌曲通常以口头传唱方式代代相传，主要演唱于田地、农场和节日中。毛爱立老师基于她对中国音乐的理解，努力展现了这些歌曲的原真性。这张选集中的许多歌曲曾出现在一些专辑中，但当时的中国才刚刚出现民歌歌手，所以这些歌曲从未在被公开演出过。为了让人们更好地理解这些音乐，它们曾被翻译成不同的方言，这里毛爱立老师用地道的四川话诠释了第二碟中的1、2、3曲目。它们跨越了语言的障碍为我们展现了中国人民精神深处对生活的歌颂。

Track Listing

101	The Sweeping Wind (Kanshu)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:13
102	In a Far-Away Place (Tsing Hai)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:57
103	The Funny Old Man (Tsing Hai)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:36
104	Heartache (Ho Tao Region of Inner Mongolia)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	00:34
105	Festive Song (Ho Tao Region of Inner Mongolia)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:01
106	The Embroidered Purse (Shansi)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	02:40
107	Digging Potatoes (Shansi)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:08
108	Wu-Ke Tends the Sheep (Yulin-Shensi)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	03:33
109	Hanging Red Laterns (Yulin-Shensi)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	02:05
110	Lo-Ho-Ho (Chekiang)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:50
111	The Nine-Ring Puzzle (Hupei)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	00:55
112	Clear is the River (Hupei)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:11
113	Kite-Flying (Hunan)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:33
201	When the Gardenias Bloom (Szechuan)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:56
202	Bean Sprouts, Scallions and Garlic Cloves (Szechuan)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:38
203	The Washerwoman (Szechuan)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:32
204	My Love Is Like a Dragon in the Sky (Yunnan)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:20
205	The Mule-Driver's Song (Yunnan)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	02:06
206	The Guessing Song (Yunnan)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:47
207	Riding up the Hill (Hsi Kang)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	02:02
208	The Little Birds (Tsing Hai-Uighur Folk Song)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:15
209	Song of the Wagon Driver (Sinkiang-Uighur Folk Song)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	00:49
210	The Little Swallow (Sinkiang-Khazak Folk Song)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:42
211	Majira (Sinkiang-Khazak Folk Song)	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:26
212	The Happy Fisherman	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:35
213	The Little Cabbage	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:39
214	The Bamboo Flute	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	00:56
215	Flower Drum Song	Ellie Mao with Anna Mi Lee	01:23