Emma Yong's gone, 1/3 of the Dimsum Dollies [the others being Pam Oei and Selena Tan]. Didn't know she was suffering from some form of sickness, cancer, perhaps - but now she is gone and I hope, in a better place. Poor husband, dated her for 6 years, married her [she claimed it was the 'happiest day of her life'], and now, having to miss the one he loves for a lifetime. Parting is such sweet sorrow, but eternal parting [until the next life if one believes in that] is even more painful.


Mr Purvis used to talk about Emma and her talents in performing, the way he'd talk about the luminaries of the Humanities Programme - Aaron Maniam, President Scholar, yadayada. But I remembered her name. I didn't even know she was the winner of the Angus Ross prize. And I didn't know she could sing, but well, in retrospect I should have known, huh.


Here's a link to her performing Dick Lee's "When all the tears have dried", from the musical Sing to the Dawn. It's a lovely song that speaks about the decisions in one's life. Dick Lee is actually such a talented songwriter; apart from this song, the ubiquitous 'Home', he also wrote Leslie Cheung's "zhui", among others: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OviyNptln9Y


The lyrics of the song are rather memorable, and I have decided to insert the chords so that you may play along. Here goes (chords below):


A (with a A5-A6 motif]
I trusted every morning sun -
A

Taught me how to rise

A
To stretch beyond the darkest night –
        F#m

and reach the open skies

D                                 A/C#
Perhaps I shouldn’t trust so much –

             F#m                      B
should learn to close my eyes

        D                              A/C#
The sun still shines on wooden bars –

      F#m                    D
the bird that never flies

Chorus:

       A            E/G#                            F#m     A/E

But if I turn away from what I’ve started

           D                   A/C#                 Bsus4 B   E7
Then will I always wish that I had tried

      A                          G#mb5 C#7    F#m    A/E
By breaking free will I be broken-hearted

           D                        E7                           A
What will I see when all the tears have dried?

A (with an A5-A6 motif)
I know how much it means to him -

A
It means the same to me

A
But if I keep him from his dreams,

         F#m
what will the ending be?

       D                          A/C#
Perhaps it’s time to step aside,

       F#m               B
and lose my only chance

       D                          A/C#              
It’s always men who play the tune,

          F#m               D
while girls can only dance

       A            E/G#                            F#m     A/E

But if I turn away from what I’ve started

           D                   A/C#                 Bsus4 B   E7
Then will I always wish that I had tried

      A                          G#mb5 C#7    F#m    A/E
By breaking free will I be broken-hearted

           D                        E7                           A
What will I see when all the tears have dried?

     F                        G/F       C/E         Am
Is this the price I have to pay for winning?

    F                            G/F        C/E       Am
I never thought that I could hurt his pride

         D                       E/D        C#m   F#m
This shouldn’t be an end, but my beginning

          D        Bm           D          B7              E7       F7 
What will I see when all the tears have dried?

      Bb           F/A                             Gm      Bb/F
But if I turn away from what I’ve started

          Eb                 Bb/D                  Csus4 C F
Then will I always wish that I had tried

      Bb                    Am7b5     D7       Gm      Bb/F
By breaking free will I be broken-hearted

           Eb             F                                      Gm   F Em7b5
What will I see when all the tears have dried?

Eb    Bb/D     Cm
What will I see…

F7                                     BbWhen all the tears have dried?