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April Fool's Day • Only Fools Rush In｜愚人勇进
1. About this Issue • 愚人节随想
1. About this Issue • 愚人节随想
中文翻译稍侯。
Think of the most foolish thing you've done. What drove you to it, and would you do it again?
As we celebrate April Fool’s Day, we listen to an English song by Sarah Chen featuring the line, "Wise men say only fools rush in." We revisit three of her "foolish" musical endeavors and examine why they were critical to her success.
For now, let us celebrate our site's new mission: "Honoring Sarah Chen, finding wisdom foolishness through her music."
2. Song of The Issue • 本期歌曲
2. Song of The Issue • 本期歌曲
"Wise men say only fools rush in" is a line in "Can't Help Falling In Love" by Sarah Chen (1987), originally performed by Elvis.
“聪明人说，只有傻瓜才急着勇进，” 这句歌词出在陈淑桦1987年的歌「控制不住的爱」中，原唱是猫王。
If you are looking for evidence of Sarah Chen's "foolish" musical endeavors, you need look no further than her English song “Can't Help Falling in Love.” The song opens with the line, "Wise men say only fools rush in," a fitting introduction to Chen's daring decision to cover an Elvis classic.
Miracle of Love (1987) was a collection of touching ballads originally performed mainly by male singers1,2. Notable tracks include “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “There’ll Be Sad Songs,” and “Because I Love You.” Making English covers for the Asian market might seem like a straightforward task, but this project carried risks, especially since it came soon after she had been crowned Taiwan’s “Best Female Singer”3. Few things posed a greater risk to that reputation than recording songs that might be judged inferior to their originals. Singing gender-reversed songs also meant that Chen had few suitable models to follow. In addition, she had to overcome the audience’s expectations of how these songs should sound – in Elvis’s deep, flowing voice, for example.
Rejecting the wise men’s advice, Chen rushed in and released Miracle of Love to an audience eager to hear her. The album sold well4, but unfortunately, it soon lost label support when EMI restructured. Over time, its songs gradually faded from circulation even as the album remains Chen's personal favorite (1992 interview).
Zotero entry of a 1987 magazine report. 1987年「爱的奇迹」报道的文献总结。
3. She Who Rushed In • 陈淑桦三番勇进
3. She Who Rushed In • 陈淑桦三番勇进
Sarah Chen, the singer who battled on through repeated defeat. 屡败屡战的陈淑桦
She Who Rushed In
She Who Rushed In
What were some of Sarah Chen's most "foolish" musical endeavors? To answer this, we examine magazine entries through 1987 (mid-career).
(1) Playing the lute to a cow 对牛弹琴
By the time Sarah Chen debuted in 1976, she had already received a decade of musical training, much of it in English and Japanese songs3–5. Her musical taste was ahead of its time, creating a mismatch between what she liked and what audiences wanted. Stubborn by nature, Chen stuck to her Western singing style, even recording three full English albums4. Few appreciated what she did6. Even as her technique and style fully matured, she remained only "almost famous”6,7.
(2) Battling on through repeated defeats 屡败屡战
When she received her first major music award – the 1985 Golden Bell Award for Best Female Singer in Taiwan – Sarah Chen had already built a reputation as a singer familiar with failure3. Love's Sun, her first album at age 15, did not gain traction; Farewell, My Love, her coming-of-age album, left little trace. Neither the three years with Big Ocean Records nor the next four with Haishan Records brought stardom8.
By 1981, when Spring Comes Again failed to sell3, Chen had recorded over 150 songs without a major hit. Most would have given up, but not the “foolish” Chen.
(3) The diva who tried new things 不断更新
Perhaps the most "foolish" thing Sarah Chen did was to try new things after she had finally gained recognition as a great ballad singer. While the younger Chen could rush in without consequence, the established Chen had a reputation and legacy to protect. Yet the first album she made after becoming a Mandopop diva was the rock-heavy Waiting for the Storm (1987)9. Critics liked it10, but the market reaction was lukewarm11. Unfazed, Chen went on to produce Taiwan's first R&B album, Forever (1995).
As for reputation and legacy? Chen was not foolish enough to worry about them.
陈淑桦三番勇进
陈淑桦三番勇进
中文翻译稍侯。
4. The Mother Of Success • 成功之母
4. The Mother Of Success • 成功之母
The Mother of Success
The Mother of Success
It is often said that "failure is the mother of success." Yet Sarah Chen’s career suggests something different: the key to success is not failure itself, but the willingness to make foolish attempts despite likely failure.
For much of her career, Sarah Chen worked in an environment conducive to failure. The late 1970s were a difficult time for Taiwan's music production8. Chen's own history as a child singer5, while important for her artistic development, took away the novelty factor so critical for a new singer’s breakthrough. Although artistically sophisticated, Chen failed to gain recognition with a Mandarin repertoire that fit poorly with her Western style of singing6,7.
Her first break came in 1982, when she performed at the 13th World Popular Song Festival in English and Japanese12. She became a finalist in a highly competitive field that included Celine Dion and Anne Bertucci, drawing the attention of EMI Singapore, which needed a singer who could bridge the East-West musical divide13. EMI gave Chen the support she needed14 – music that fit her style, promotion that centered on her, and resources that made her competitive for the Golden Bell Award.
All this grew out of her history of singing English songs. What once seemed like foolishness eventually led to fame, major hits, and an enduring musical and cultural influence. More importantly, it gave Sarah Chen her unique artistic identity, a style that blends the best of Eastern and Western music11,15,16.
成功之母
成功之母
中文翻译稍侯。
5. Blog - A Fool's Confession • 傻人傻事
5. Blog - A Fool's Confession • 傻人傻事
You thought wise people built Sarah Chen Memory Gate?
A Fool's Confession
A Fool's Confession
Sarah Chen Memory Gate was built by fools – new fans who encountered her music recently and began piecing together her career from fragmented sources found online. We are not qualified to build a central hub for Sarah Chen. That role belongs to an official institution or longtime fans with deeper knowledge of her work. But as fools who underestimated the complexity of the project, we rushed in anyway, beginning by sorting out her scattered discography and then hunting down contemporaneous sources about her.
Like many fans, we were initially drawn to Sarah Chen’s music by her beautiful singing. But it was not her voice, nor her charisma, that kept us here. It was her foolishness.
There would have been no "Memory Gate" if Sarah Chen had not performed in English, if she had quit after early defeats, or if she had built her legacy by resting on her laurels. The three “foolish” endeavors that gave Chen her artistic identity are also what keep us committed to this expansive project.
On April Fool’s Day, let us celebrate Sarah Chen's music, her Memory Gate, and the kind of foolishness that made both possible.
中文翻译稍侯。
References 参考文献
References 参考文献
1. 陈淑桦再换新造型 （Miracle of Love）. (1987).
2. 新加坡记者. 商人重利轻别，陈淑桦最憎恨生意人（Miracle of Love). 新加坡报刊 (1987).
3. 辜振滨君. 揭开“金钟歌后”陈淑桦的星路历程：“浪迹”歌坛多年，伴侣仍在“天涯”，她要“打开失去钥匙的心锁”. 台北航讯 (1985).
4. (陈淑桦西洋歌历史）. (1987).
5. 七星唱片事业有限公司. 七星唱片宣传文案: 七星唱片最新国语连动歌曲. (1970).
6. 新加坡记者. 陈淑桦（霉运）. (1984).
7. 《海洋之歌》评述：陈淑桦破网而出. (1983).
8. 尔媃. 明星专辑：陈淑桦心中有个结. 电视周刊 101–115 (1983).
9. 陈淑桦借「光阴的陷阱」大突破，怪杰钮大可制作，日本编曲家助阵.
10. 伟毅. 最佳的一次（光阴的陷阱专辑短评）. 新加坡报刊 (1987).
11. 综艺杂志. 陈淑桦一华一英出击. 综艺杂志 (1987).
12. 蕭容慧. 屡败屡战的歌手——记金钟奖得主凌峰、陈淑桦. 台湾光华杂志 (1985).
13. 陈淑桦不再忌讳和黄露仪并提. (1985).
14. 百代唱片. 陈淑桦三年努力，在新马闯出佳绩. 百代唱片 (1986).
15. 新马地区. 陈淑桦问鼎星马. (1985).
16. 任翔. EMI 红头巾 意犹未足. 新加坡报刊 (1986).
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
This site was enriched by the generosity of a long-time Sarah Chen fan from Malaysia, C.Y., who shared her personal collection of clippings and magazine articles spanning much of Chen's career (1983-1996).
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