Songwriter Wang Bo Photo: Courtesy of Wang Bo

"Should have been calm and in complete control, but now you're rushing and stumbling! Telling lies with a straight face, what are you choking up? What are you crying for? You're good for nothing!" In recent days, one of the most talked-about songs across the Taiwan Straits is evidently Good for Nothing - or Meichuxi in Chinese. 

The unlikely hit didn't originate from a recording studio, but from the fiery remarks by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Wang Shih-chien - his voice rising with emotion as he unleashes the above-mentioned words.

The State Council Taiwan Affairs Office took note of the phenomenon in a recent press briefing, with a spokesperson saying, "We are happy to see such natural, interesting and joyful interaction between people on both sides of the Straits." Wang Shih-chien himself also responded with: "full of vitality and creativity," and "truly astonishing," according to media reports.  

That intense, theatrical clip by Wang Shih-chien prompted countless online remixes. But it was songwriter Wang Bo, a 33-year-old musician from Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, who turned it into a song that went viral across the Taiwan Straits.

In an interview with the Global Times, songwriter Wang Bo discussed the inspiration behind his song, why it resonated so widely across the Straits, and how its sudden popularity has changed his life.

An unexpected hit

As of 10 pm on Thursday, on Douyin, Wang Bo's short version of Good for Nothing had gained around 1.67 million likes, while the extended version with added lyrics had garnered over 2 million. But for him, the song's explosive popularity was something he "never expected at all."

"I've seen a lot of Wang Shih-chien's inquiry clips on short video platforms in September," Wang Bo recalled. "His voice is high-pitched, almost on the edge of breaking, and paired with his serious suit and expressive gestures - it was full of contrast."

So he saved the clip in the folder, not yet knowing what he would do with it. Then, on October 5, right before leaving for a trip to Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, he decided to turn it into music. "I just wanted to update a video before I went traveling," he said, adding that he made it in about a few hours or half a day.

What happened next stunned him. Within days, the song spread like wildfire on Douyin. Netizens across the Taiwan Straits started sharing, remixing, and singing along.

Wang Bo attributes the song's success to a mix of factors. On one hand, he believes the lyrics strike a chord with many ordinary people. 

"Everyone can see themselves in it - young people just starting out in society, some middle-aged individuals, or those struggling in the workplace," said Wang Bo, "They see the difficulties in their own lives and the exhaustion and struggles that come from trying to make a living."

On the other hand, the song's unique background is rooted in a viral clip from the Taiwan regional legislature. Wang Shih-chien, a DPP legislator, may be better known by netizens from the island.

The song's easy-to-sing melody also contributed to its popularity. "When I first saw the video, one word came to mind: 'contrast,'" he said. In his view, Wang Shih-chien is a political figure in a suit, speaking seriously in a formal setting. But Wang Shih-chien's tone, facial expressions, and gestures are exaggerated and theatrical. 

When Wang Bo began composing, he introduced another layer of contrast, blending a lyrical arrangement with hints of light rock and orchestral elements. In the end, multiple layers of emotional shifts are stacked together within the song.

Shared resonance

Beyond its memorable lyrics and infectious melody, the song struck a deeper chord, resonating across the Taiwan Straits.

As the song spread, online users from across the Straits commented, joked, and connected in the comment sections of his videos. One comment under Wang Bo's video read: "Sometimes nostalgia is a song - the lyricist is here, and the composer is there." The comment refers to that the "lyricist," Wang Shih-chien, is on one side of the Straits, while the composer, Wang Bo, is on the other - a poetic way of describing the song's cross-Straits connection. During the interview with the Global Times, Wang Bo said this comment left a deep impression on him.

"We share the same roots, the same language and the same faces," he said. "We are all deeply influenced by Chinese traditional culture and share the most genuine emotions. These connections transcend time and space - I think nothing can divide that sense of kinship."

Wang Bo sees the song as a small window through which compatriots from the island of Taiwan can take a look and see that, in fact, "we are all the same." 

The song's influence now continues to grow. It has inspired Japanese and English cover versions, as well as AI-generated renditions. For Wang Bo, the journey from a humorous online meme to a wave of cross-Straits interaction, and now to a broader international audience, reflects the universal power of music. Meanwhile, the viral success of his song also brought changes to his life. He is now receiving more interview requests and opportunities for collaborations in the music industry, including the release of an extended version of Good for Nothing in partnership with singer Wang Rong.

A view of the Taiwan Straits is seen from Xiamen port in East China's Fujian Province. File photo: IC