EVA TSAI
1. 濁水溪公社, “農村出事情”
1. LTK Commune, “Noncun Chu Shiqing” (Shit Happens on the Farms)
From the 1999 album, Taik’s Eye for an Eye, CD Album, Taiyu.
Lyrics (in Chinese)
Punk/noise band LTK Commune was the first musical act from Taiwan to explicitly compose in the name of taike long before taike became a media buzzword or lifestyle commodity in the mid-2000s.
2. 謝金燕, “練舞功”
2. Hsieh Jin-Yen (Jeannie Hsieh), “Liān bú-kong” (Life Is So Difficult)
From: 練舞功/Lien Wu Gong/Dancing Queen, Water Music, 2005, CD, VCD.
Tonny: composer; Wu Fan: lyrics; Sebastian Leong+Jerry: arranger.
International Standard Recording Code
Probably Hsieh’s most successful Taiyu (Hokkien-Taiwanese) EDM. It is also consistently performed song in Hsieh Jin-yen’s concerts in the 2010s.
3. 謝金燕, “嗆聲”
3. Hsieh Jin-Yen (Jeannie Hsieh), “Qiang Sheng” (Dissing)
From: “嗆聲/Qiang Sheng”/Water Music, 2006, Tape, CD.
Andy Chua: composer; Wu Fan: lyrics; Sebas: arranger
Lyrics (in Chinese)
This Taiyu EDM song incorporates the dissing aesthetics of hip hop music.
4. 謝金燕, “嗶嗶嗶”
4. Hsieh Jin-Yen (Jeannie Hsieh), “Bi-bi-bi”
From: 愛你辣/CK Record 乾坤唱片, 2010.
Lu Hsiao-tung: composer; Hsieh Jin-Yen: lyrics; Sebas: arranger
Lyrics (in Chinese)
In this Taiyu EDM song Hsieh engages in a rap battle, bragging about her dance skills:
On the count of three, you better get outta here
On the count of three, or else it’s gonna look bad
On the count of three, my dance moves were famous in the south
. . .
Whether it’s a dance battle, singing match, or car race
You can go fi rst
Ain’t afraid of your dissing
Ask around and I am number one
5. DJ Jerry Lo, “FIRE”
DJ Jerry Lo is a Taiwanese-American musician who introduced diverse electronic music styles to Taiwan’s Mandarin pop scene in the 1990s. Standard elements in the music he produced were Asianized techno, spoken interludes, and speeded- up pop ballads. The feature music, “Fire,” is considered the anthem of Taiwanese clubs that embrace “taike” sensibility.
6. Taike Dance showcased on Taiwanese TV program
From the Taiwanese variety show, Kangsi Coming, 2006.07.21, 康熙來了完整版 台客DJ大車拚－羅百吉、貓董俱樂部、芭比.
On this episode, DJ Jerry Lo (see previous item) was invited, along with representative famous taike clubbers and taimei girl group Bob. The beginning of the show attempts to recreate a typical scene at a club (circa early 2000s) in which clubbers do their signature, synchronized “white glove” dance to the music (“Fire,” specifically, mixed by DJ Jerry).
7. 謝金燕, “跳起來”
7. Hsieh Jin-Yen (Jeannie Hsieh), “Tiaoqilai” (Jump Up)
From: Hsieh Jin-Yen (Jeannie Hsieh)’s album, Hsieh Jin Yen 2013 Groove Skipping Dance Music (謝金燕2013跳針舞曲), CK Records 乾坤唱片, CD.
Hsieh Jin-yen, Tung: composer; Hsieh Jin-yen, Chocho: lyrics; arranger: Starr Chen.
Lyrics (in Chinese)
International Standard Recording Code
After 2010, Hsieh began to take a more independent approach to music making. She released EDM singles (in Mandarin predominantly now) through well-timed social media and live events. She also sought more creative control, working with new musicians and writing lyrics herself. See also the next item.
8. 謝金燕, “姐姐”
8. Hsieh Jin-Yen (Jeannie Hsieh), “Jiejie” (Sister)
From: Hsieh Jin-Yen (Jeannie Hsieh)’s album, Hsieh Jin Yen 2013 Groove Skipping Dance Music (謝金燕2013跳針舞曲), CK Records 乾坤唱片, CD.
Lyrics (in Chinese)
International Standard Recording Code
The popularity of this song iconicized Hsieh as a vocally artful diva with a hint of androgyny. Her braggadocio resonates with the taike sensibility she champions: sexy, fashionable, and over-the-top.
9. 謝金燕, “級棒”
9. Hsieh Jin-Yen (Jeannie Hsieh), “Ichiban” (First Rate)
From: from the 2014 New Year’s Countdown Concert, Taipei.
Video (Song only):
Video (complete solo show, 30 min):
This video shows Hsieh Jin-Yen’s strategy to release a new song at the New Year’s countdown solo show. Specifically, the song expresses female body confidence in inventive Taiyu:
Tighten up the waist, stick out the boobs
I’ve got a hard ass
Made in Taiwan— that’s me.
10. Solo Performance (30-min) of 謝金燕 (Hsieh Jin-Yen, Jeannie Hsieh) at the 2018 New Year’s Countdown Concert, Taoyuan, Taiwan
11. Performing “舞曲大悲咒” (The Great Dharani Dance) using soramimi
From: Hsieh Jin Yen’s Concert in Kaohsiung, June 4, 2016.
In concert, Hsieh sometimes performs K-pop songs using Mandarin words that sound almost identical to the original Korean lyrics. Soramimi, the homophonic Chinese characters corresponding to the intentionally mistaken lyrics, or soramimi, would be projected on the big screen. In the video, she performed “The Great Dharani Dance” using the soramimi technique at her 2016 solo concert.