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Home , Alan Tam, Anthony Lun, Below the Lion Rock, Candy Lo, Cantopop, Danny Chan

The Greatest Songs of All Time!

Forty years ago, Kong saw the birth of Cantopop, a style of music which would become one of the city’s most iconic cultural offerings. To mark its 40th anniversary, Arthur Tam looks back over the history of the equally loved and derided genre – and explores its evolution and importance through its most beloved songs, one year at a time…

30 timeout.com.hk The Fatal Irony The early years <<啼笑姻緣>> Sandra Lang (仙杜拉) In 1974, during the boom of HK media, 1975

a theme song to a popular drama, << >> The Fatal Irony <<啼笑姻緣>>, would change everything. It became a massive hit, arguably becoming the 獅 first ever Cantopop song, and starting 子 the procession of not only theme tunes 山 1974 to every TV drama, but a new music genre itself. It retains a resemblance 下 to traditional Chinese harmonies and melodies, but enters a new world of pop. bit.ly/fatalirony1974

The first Cantopop songstress Sandra Lang The Chinese-American of arguably the first ever Cantopop hit, Fatal Irony <<啼笑姻緣>>, reflects on that song, four decades on… “It was great to have had Cantopop then or else the language would have died. I was very (許冠傑) lucky to have Fatal Irony <<啼笑姻緣>>. It was a The Genius and the Idiot Featuring in the titular movie, which was gift from God. No one had ever done a song like this popularised due to its slapstick humour, before and it became popular because people are good listeners. I never claimed that Fatal Irony was the first Cantopop song, but that’s this song features a strong British rock just what people keep telling me. I had no idea this song would be so feel, reflecting the hangover of the popular popular. I’m just a singer and I just sang what I happened to come by. I’m Beatles-influenced HK music of the 60s and very blessed.” early 70s. Yet the colloquial, comedic nature of this song’s lyrics also struck a chord with audiences. bit.ly/geniusandidiot

1976 Surging Tide <<狂潮>> Susanna Kwan (關菊英) As was the trend in the early 1978 1977 years of Cantopop, Surging Tide was another theme Tycoon <<大亨>> A House is Not song, this time for popular a Home <<家變>> TV drama Hotel and acted as (徐小鳳) Kwan’s claim to fame. The Though Tsui was in (羅文) song depicts the ebb and flow entertainment for some time, it Yet another based on a TV of the tide as a metaphor for wasn’t until the release of Tycoon drama hit, this massive hit love. bit.ly/SurgingTide that she became popular. The by one of Cantopop’s greatest simplicity of the composition and singers was one of the first mega lyrics turned this into a pop hit pop tunes to make the step from – perhaps laying the foundation more traditional Chinese sounds for the Cantopop formula. to more Western-influenced bit.ly/tycoon1978 melodies. bit.ly/familychaos 1980 Francis Yip (葉麗儀) Tang << >> Popularised by the hit TV drama, 上 The Bund, this song combines 1979 海 traditional Chinese elements with Below the << >> Roman Tam (羅文) Yip’s dramatic Canto-centric 灘 interpretation, making it one of the has been called the most recognised Chinese melodies, 獅 unofficial anthem not only in , but in the 子 of Hong Kong. This greater Chinese speaking world. 山 song symbolises hope bit.ly/shanghaitang1980 下 and was originally used as the theme 1981 song for a drama of A Flicker of Candlelight the same name. If you <<一點燭光>> haven’t caught on by now, TV dramas (關正傑) played a large part With its overt message of support, this song in popularising has been used in many charity events for Cantopop. disaster relief over the years. Positive and bit.ly/belowlionrock optimistic, with an appropriate uplifting melody to boot. bit.ly/flickerofcandlelight

timeout.com.hk 31 The height of Cantopop

1982 Tonight’s Night <<今晚夜>> Elisa Chan (陳潔靈) With much of Cantopop already characterised by ballads, Tonight’s Night stood out with its upbeat, Latin rumba influences, becoming an instant dance floor staple with its hip shaking rhythms. bit.ly/tonightsnight

1984 <<愛情陷阱>> Love Trap 1983

Alan Tam (譚詠麟) << Originally the theme song for the hit anime Megazone 23, Tam turned Kumi Miyasato’s Senaka Goshi ni Sentimental – a perfectly 80s synth-rock tune – into a Cantonese 風 favourite. bit.ly/lovetrap 繼 續 1985 吹 >>

Bad Girl <<壞女孩>> (梅艷芳) This song was cutting edge for its time. While the suggestive bluesy, horn- The Wind The Wind Blows filled synth arrangement was different, its lyrics – and Leslie (張國榮) particularly its rebellious By the early 80s, Japanese pop culture began connotations – got it banned having a major influence over Hong Kong, from radio airplay, which including in our music. This tune by the late made it even more tantalising legend Cheung is a cover of Momoe Yamaguchi’s to listen to, and confirmed J-pop song Sayonara no Mukougawa and ended Anita Mui as Asia’s . up being Cheung’s quintessential song. Arguably, bit.ly/badgirl1985 it was at this time that Cantopop began its rise to become the dominant musical genre in Asia, where it would rule for a decade. bit.ly/thewindblows

1987 Priscilla Chan (陳慧嫻) Silly Girl Silly Girl << >> Silly Girl is a remake of the Spanish My Favourite Song song La Loca by Maria Conchita 傻 Alonso. The unique melody, combined 女 with Priscilla Chan’s voice, beautifully conjures up the memories of a past 1986 lover. This is still Priscilla Chan’s most popular song to date. Loving You Despite the Odds bit.ly/sillygirl1987 <<偏偏喜歡你>> (陳百強) In this song, Chan ponders 1988 One of Hong Kong’s most iconic why he still loves his lover composers, who has written despite their tumultuous countless hits for mega stars, relationship. He goes as The Aura of Friendship especially for divas like Anita Mui, far as comparing love to <<友誼之光>> Faye and . committing a crime, all to a Maria Cordero (肥媽) composition that’s simple The Aura of Friendship is the theme song What’s your most iconic but extremely catchy. bit.ly/ for the movie Prison On Fire, which depicted Cantopop song ever? lovingyoudespitetheodds a close band of friends helping each other “’s Star <<明星>>. As through tough times – like Hong Kong’s a composer, I myself always feel that version of That’s What Friends Are For. the most difficulty in writing a pop Aura became a symbol of friendship and song is to use the least complicated it is Filipino singer Maria Cordero’s most phrases to express a most haunting popular song. bit.ly/auraoffriendship sound. Maestro James Wong did it. Salute to the song Star!”

32 timeout.com.hk My Favourite Song Wong Chi-chung He is hailed as HK’s pop culture 1996

maven. Having been the host of << the immensely popular CR2 radio

show Chi-chung’s Choice in the late 80s and 90s, Wong has gone 你 on to help develop Hong Kong’s music and art scene. 的

What’s your most iconic Cantopop song ever? 名 “Beyond’s Goodbye Ideas <<再見理想>>. This DIY 1989 字 cassette release back in the 80s rocks my heart and

我 soul. This song is one of the pioneering Cantorock Who Understands and Cantoblues tunes that opened up a lot of 的 possibilities. The creative genius and the iconic voice the Player’s Heart of the late Wong Ka-kui is also timeless.” <<誰明浪子心>> 姓

氏 >> (張學友) Dave Wong (王傑) The mellifluous melody 1990 If you’re a man with too much << >> love to give, this is the song combined with Cheung’s for you. Dave Wong’s Who dynamic voice turned this 光 Understands the Player’s song into an instant hit. But 輝 Heart is a poetic ode to a man 歲 who just can’t help but love what solidified it as a major 月 more than one woman. favourite were the lyrics, bit.ly/playersheart which suggests a proposal for marriage, tugging at the Your Last Name and My Surname Your sentimental heartstrings of the city. bit.ly/yourlastname The Glorious Years

Beyond The late 80s and early 90s represented one of the few eras where rock bands had a foothold in HK music. And in The Glorious Years, the immortal band Beyond praises for his selflessness and courage in his fight to challenge Apartheid, with the lyrics – an ever important part 1991 of Cantopop – matched by raw rock chords and The Days We anthemic melodies. bit.ly/thegloriousyears Spent Together <<一起走過的日子>> 1992 The Red Sun <<紅日>> (劉德華) This is this pop legend’s 1995 (李克勤) most famous song to date. The Red Sun – a cover The dramatic melody, which <<春光乍洩>> of Sore Ga Daiji sung by mixes heavy percussion, Flirtations the Daijiman Brother’s traditional Chinese erhu Anthony Wong (黃耀明) Band – is one of the most and Lau’s signature voice, This is Wong’s most iconic song to date – an edgy encouraging songs in captures the devastation of song for its time due to the sexual connotations Cantopop history. The losing a loved one. present in the lyrics. It was also a song in Wong message to listeners is to bit.ly/daysspenttogether Kar-wai’s filmHappy Together, starring Tony Leung never give up at whatever and Leslie Cheung. bit.ly/flirtations they are striving for. bit.ly/redsun1992

1994 1993 Let Me Go with You Boundless Oceans <<讓我跟你走>> Vast Skies Cass Pang (彭羚) <<海闊天空>> Following in the footsteps of their Western counterparts like Mariah and Whitney, Beyond Cantopop saw the emergence of the Hong Boundless Oceans Vast Skies characterises Beyond’s Kong diva in the early 90s. And few other journey to stardom, and the way they proved many songs epitomise the strong, emotionally detractors wrong in finding massive success as a band. wrought female ballad of the time like this An epic rock ballad, this song was the last huge hit song from Cass Pang. bit.ly/letmegowithyou for Beyond before the tragic death of frontman Wong Ka-kui, which saw the end of the band at the height of their popularity. bit.ly/boundlessoceans

timeout.com.hk 33 The Post-Handover years

1998 The More We Kiss the More it Hurts 1997 <<越吻越傷心>>

<< William So (蘇永康) A classic Cantopop karaoke song. It meets the

requirements of a sing-song melody, catchy lyrics 約 and the theme of heartbreak. bit.ly/themorewekiss

定 >>

Faye Wong (王菲) is, perhaps, the most loved Chinese singer of all time, and 1999 this song is her most iconic Cantonese Incidental Music 2000 classic. This ballad’s lyrics talk about <<插曲>> star-crossed lovers who shared an The King of Karaoke Promise (鄭秀文) incredible moment together that This song, released at <> they will cherish forever, elevated by the peak of the diva’s (陳奕迅) Wong’s singular voice and elegance. career, departs from the This song, which pays tribute to usual karaoke fodder, Hong Kong’s karaoke culture, became bit.ly/promise1997 with a dark, shuffling an instant classic, taking lyrics and arrangement and pleading melodies from the most iconic past Canto atmosphere, which hits for full nostalgic effect. It was also catapulted it Eason’s first megahit, starting him on the to mega popularity. path to becoming The King of Cantopop, bit.ly/incidentalmusic a crown he undoubtedly still wears 2002 today. bit.ly/thekingofkaraoke Let’s Breakup <<好心分手>> 2001 (謝霆鋒) Jade Butterfly (盧巧音) << During Tse’s relationship The simple and addictive >> with Faye Wong, he released melody has made this one 玉 this song as a symbol of love of the most identifiable 蝴 for her. His and her fans alike 2003 Cantonese karaoke songs of 蝶 found it to be a touching all time. The lyrics glorify story and, combined with My Pride heartbreak and reinforce the the haunting music, this <<我的驕傲>> idea that suffering can be song became a hit. triste. bit.ly/letsbreakup bit.ly/jadebutterfly Joey (容祖兒) Coming just as the SARS epidemic brought Hong Kong to its knees, ’s My Pride became an anthem of the city, galvanising people with its positive and uplifting message. The pretty melody and Yung’s crisp, clean voice elevated it to be the song of the 2004 year. bit.ly/MyPride Small City, Big Problems My Favourite Song <<小城大事>> Lin Ruoning What’s your most (楊千嬅) Known as Lin Xi’s iconic Cantopop This song, which features protégé, Lin Ruoning is song ever? throwback hints to traditional one of the head honchos “Eason Chan’s Dancing Chinese melodies, was a at CR2 and has become in the Dark <<黑暗中漫 stand out from other overly one of Hong Kong’s most 舞>>. The reason why I saccharine ballads. bit.ly/ prolific lyricists because like it is simple. It makes smallcitybigproblems of his pogniant words. me cry.”

34 timeout.com.hk 2005 2006 Riffraff << (鄭中基) Too Late to Love >> Cheng’s first big hit <<愛得太遲>> 無 sees the singer play the Leo Koo (古巨基) 賴 worse kind of riffraff, The popularity of this song is mostly due to the questioning why his karaoke-friendly characteristics of the melody, at girlfriend still loves him. a time when the formulaic elements of Cantopop The introspective nature were going into overdrive and seeing the genre of the song resonated lose popularity. It’s easy to sing along to and, with with listeners. the appearance of Hong Kong darling Vivian bit.ly/riffraff2005 Chow, it became a popular MV. bit.ly/toolatetolove

2009 If I Was Eason Chan <<如果我是陳奕迅>> Mr. After lying dormant for 15 years, bands returned to Hong Kong’s mainstream in the late 2000s, led by the likes of Mr. and 2007 2008 Rubberband. This hit, ironically a reference to Cantopop’s biggest name, heralded the Growth Rings Wedding Card Street rebirth of the city’s ‘band sound’, which has 2010 <<木紋>> <<囍帖街>> spawned several other promising outfits since. bit.ly/IfIWasEasonChan HOCC (何韻詩) (謝安琪) Tourbillion Besides the wistful and To the dismay of the <<陀飛輪>> gripping melody, the lyrics public, historical areas like of Growth Rings describe the Wedding Card Street have Eason Chan (陳奕迅) progression of a relationship been demolished in the Tourbillion criticises Hong through the symbolism pursuit of modernity. This Kong’s unrelenting materialistic of a tree’s growth rings – song accurately reflects and profit driven culture. something a person doesn’t those sentiments, striking Listeners are left questioning seen until a tree is chopped an emotional chord with what they value in life and down. A deep song from an listeners concerned about whether or not their possession artist who sought a different the destruction of the and achievements define their way to approach Cantopop. heritage of the city. bit.ly/ happiness. bit.ly/tourbillion2010 bit.ly/growthrings weddinginvitationstreet

2012 Negative Space <<留白>> (王菀之) samey ballads – particularly The appearance of an artist with this song. Electro and like Ivana Wong, a respected dubstep influences, a quirky multi-instrumental and arrangement and a haunting with experimental atmosphere all elevate this song, inclinations, has shown making it the obvious standout 2011 the changes in Cantopop in star of the year while elevating recent years, with audiences Wong’s popularity. Whoever <<那誰>> looking for alternatives to the bit.ly/negativespace2012 (蘇永康) After not releasing a song for years, William So’s return to the pop fold saw Whoever propelled to the top of the charts. It’s simple, unashamedly karaoke-driven and 2013 clichéd in its lyrics – hit material, clearly. The Wanderer bit.ly/whoever2011 <<任我行>> Eason Chan (陳奕迅) Christopher Chak’s composition is the perfect marriage to the poetic lyrics of this song that expresses the human need for other human beings. bit.ly/thewanderer2013

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