Up springs the wind, down pours the rain,
Buckwheats getting brown, leaves turning grey.
Here spring fades away, there summer is on the way.
Restless in mind, twirling in time, over the turbulent years.
Don’t panic, don’t be afraid,
of the bitter cold, or of the sunburt days,
of the distress and misery, or of the sowrrow and pain.
Don’t panic, don’t be afraid.

Made popular by Jikejunyi,  this soulful Yi song is written by singer-songwriter Mo Xizishi 莫西子诗 . It was first sung by a Yi band here. You can also listen to versions by composer/writer Mo Xizishi as well as Zhou Shen and  M.I.C.’s Steelo Zhao, who says he wants to write more songs incorporating his heritage using Yi.  Steelo, man, you gotta focus. I’m still clamoring for those Peking opera rap songs that you never wrote.

I found this translation on YouTube and couldn’t figure out who it’s by, but it’s better than anything I could come up with.  Which version is your favorite?

 Acoustics version by Mo Xishizi , the original writer

Jikejunyi version, she’s sung this a couple of times so you can find other versions by her on YouTube.

Another The Voice star, Season’s Zhou Shen: