A song has drawn fire over lyrics that critics said have imagery related to murder and cannibalism, prompting the official music video on YouTube to be temporarily removed.
The Chinese-language song, With You (把你), written and sung by Shao yu (邵羽), generated negative comments after it debuted on June 2, with some netizens calling the song “pathological” and “repulsive.”
Others described the video as “spooky,” due to the singer’s smiling face along with lyrics insinuating murder.
The first section of the song has several verses that begin with “I want” followed by “to keep you in my pocket,” “to hide you in the refrigerator” and “to bury you in sand.”
“Tell me that no one can ever steal you away from me again. Let me pinch your ears and hold your cold hands. Let me cut it gently. One for you, one for me, and we will never grow apart,” the first part of the chorus says.
“Let me kiss your forehead and drink the porridge made with you. Despite your weaker and lighter breaths, don’t be afraid, as you’re right next to me,” the chorus says.
After receiving inquiries about why he used “scary” lyrics in a song with an upbeat melody, Shao yu said that the idea was that people often over-beautify a romantic relationship when its essence is nothing more than possessiveness.
“One would please another for their own selfish ends,” he wrote on Facebook.
“Jealousy, threats, controlling, expectations and disappointment — these are the true appearances of love,” Shao yu wrote, adding that he hopes that the song would give people an opportunity to calmly examine their values in a romantic relationship.
Shao yu’s management company, Sofamusic, apologized and removed the video from YouTube after online criticism that the music would negatively affect teenagers and children who cannot think critically.
Musician Ian Chen (陳建寧), a former keyboardist in local band F.I.R, said that Shao yu’s lyrics are merely metaphors.
Although Chen had not seen the video, he said that visual representations could result in misunderstanding or incorrect associations by viewers.
Freedom of creation should be respected, but songwriters should exercise extra caution when it comes to religious, political, racial and gender-related issues, as well as drugs, violence and eroticism, because pop music influences young people, Chen said.
It is better for a song to bring positive values to society than cause disputes, he said.
Additional reporting by Liu Ching-hou
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