David Tao Zhe (traditional Chinese: 陶喆 [sometimes 陶吉吉], simplified Chinese:… Read Full Bio ↴David Tao Zhe (traditional Chinese: 陶喆 [sometimes 陶吉吉], simplified Chinese: 陶喆 / born July 11, 1969) is a popular R&B singer-songwriter from Taiwan.

David Tao was born on 11 July 1969. He is the oldest singer among the three other major stars in the "Mando" media. He speaks English fluently and has a Master degree from UCLA. David Tao is a typical perfectionist who does everything to achieve perfection. His hobbies are watching movies & dramas, visiting museums and reading psychology books. David Tao studied in Taiwan from kindergarten to junior high school, then returned to America from high school onward. In 1997, David Tao entered the entertainment business.

"Airport 10.30" was the first song to catch people's attention, but it was the simply arranged, melodic "I Love You" that became Tao's signature tune. The album also featured an a cappella song, "Spring Wind", which was a new R&B cover of a classic Taiwanese song. David sang all the vocals in this song which remained one of the best a cappella songs in Mandarin Chinese. "Airport 10:30" was also nominated for MTV award for Best Chinese Video in 1998 along with Coco Lee, who was the winner. Tao became famous overnight; unable to cope with the media attention, he went back to Los Angeles. Other then releasing a remixed "Bastard" pop EP, writing and producing songs for Taiwanese singers such as A-Mei, and producing theme for Ford cm which was later to become one of Tension's hit songs, "I'll Be With You," David disappeared from the Chinese language entertainment scene.

In 1999, two years after his first album, Tao released his second album "I'm OK". Although this was his best selling album, many still considered his first album to be his best, despite the fact that "I'm OK" had more hit singles, from the rock ballad "Rain," the country flavored "Small Town Girl," the classic R&B "Ordinary Friends," the soulful "Leave", to the love ballad "Close to You." In this album Tao tried many musical styles, including his favorite, rock music. Each song is different in their style and music arrangement. David was nominated for six GMA awards - Best Album, Best Producer, Best Singer, Best Video, Best Song and Best Song Arrangement. He only won the Best Producer Award, but he had the last laugh as "Rain" went on to win Best Chinese Video at the 2000 MTV Music Awards. His critically acclaimed third album, "Black Tangerine," was not nominated for any GMA awards.

In the second part of 2002, Tao released "Black Tangerine," an album that cannot be easily categorised although it was a classic David Tao album. It has a hardhitting rock song, "Black Tangerine," an updated old Mandarin hit in R&B style, "Moon Over My Heart," a rousing song that makes you smile, "My Anata," a love ballad, "Angel," some great tunes, "22" and "Butterfly," and a few alternative songs, "Dear God" and "Lullaby," as well as a surprise hit in the English demo, "Katrina". What set "Black Tangerine apart" was the strong social commentary including a track consisting of news snippets. While "Black Tangerine" did not have the wonderful melodic feel of his first album or the hits of "I'm OK," it was an album that wanted to reach out to people's hearts and minds with the power of music. It's one of the few Chinese language albums that has no intentions of inducing hits for the karaoke lounge. "Black Tangerine" won a slew of awards in Asia but was overlooked for the GMA in Taiwan.

David has since held a series of successful concerts in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore in 2003. His concerts like his music are simple in concept but dynamic in delivering 100% of pure music to his audience.

After almost 3 years since David's last major album release, David Tao teamed up with producer Li Zhuoxiong to release his long awaited fourth album, "The Great Leap 2005". His latest principal track "Ghost" describes a person's fears among a mass media driven society that is getting too close for comfort. "Susan Says" is a track that skillfully combines Beijing Opera sounds with David's exceptional contemporary music style. "The Great Leap 2005" is David's most successful album so far.

The Promise
陶喆 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The Promise
作词：林夕作曲：陶喆
演唱：陶喆
总是对最亲近的人才最有性格地发火
只是想我有多失落没看到身边人寂寞
我让你失望我很难过
我也看不起这样一个我
不会再推说人总是软弱

不会让自己输给了生活
在赢回你赞赏之前起码要做我欣赏的我
总是欺负你包容我就把幽默变成了刻薄
总是自恃感情不错就把自尊看成了枷锁
我让你失望我很难过
我也看不起这样的一个我
不会再推说人总是软弱
不会让自己输给了生活
在赢回你赞赏之前起码要做我欣赏的我
我答应不再说什么为势所迫
承诺只为你而执着承诺不为自己开脱
我承诺不会再随便许下承诺
我让你失望我比你难过
我也看不起这样一个我
不会再推说是人性的软弱

不会让自己输给了我
我不要犯所有人也爱犯的错让你更爱我

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "The Promise" by 陶喆 (David Tao) portray a deep sense of self-reflection and remorse. The song revolves around the idea of disappointing someone close to you and the desire to mend the broken trust and regain their admiration.

The first verse expresses the singer's frustration with himself for always getting angry with those who are closest to him, highlighting his own character flaws. However, he also acknowledges his failure to notice the loneliness of the people around him, particularly the person he has disappointed. This realization leads to deep sadness and remorse for his actions.

The second verse delves into the singer's tendency to make fun of the person who tolerates his behavior, turning his humor into sarcasm and hurtful remarks. He confesses that his previous confidence in his emotional intelligence has blinded him, making him see his own self-esteem as a burden. Once again, he expresses regret for disappointing this person and feels lowly of himself for being this way.

As the song progresses, the singer promises to change his behavior and not be influenced by external pressures. He pledges to be devoted and persistent in his promises, specifically for this person. The promise is not made for his own benefit or to absolve himself, but rather as a genuine commitment to make things right. The singer vows to not casually make promises anymore but instead to be accountable for his words and actions.

Ultimately, the singer yearns to regain the person's trust and affection, expressing his determination to become someone worthy of admiration. He acknowledges his past mistakes and confesses that he doesn't want to repeat the common human tendency to make the same mistakes over and over again. Instead, the singer desires to be loved even more by the person he has let down, emphasizing his commitment to change and grow.

Overall, the lyrics of "The Promise" delve into themes of introspection, remorse, and the desire to mend broken trust. It portrays the singer's realization of his own flaws and his determination to become a better person for the person he has disappointed.

Line by Line Meaning

总是对最亲近的人才最有性格地发火
I always get angry with those closest to me, showing my true nature.

只是想我有多失落没看到身边人寂寞
I never realized how lonely the people around me were, only focusing on my own sadness.

我让你失望我很难过
It saddens me to know that I disappointed you.

我也看不起这样一个我
I also can't respect myself for being this way.

不会再推说人总是软弱
I won't make excuses anymore, acknowledging that people are often weak.

不会让自己输给了生活
I won't let myself be defeated by life.

在赢回你赞赏之前起码要做我欣赏的我
Before earning back your admiration, I must become the person I admire.

总是欺负你包容我就把幽默变成了刻薄
I always bully you for accepting me, turning humor into cruelty.

总是自恃感情不错就把自尊看成了枷锁
I always arrogantly believe my emotions are superior, treating my pride as a burden.

我答应不再说什么为势所迫
I promise not to say anything under pressure.

承诺只为你而执着承诺不为自己开脱
I promise to be dedicated to you, not making excuses for myself.