Cantopop Songs of All Time!
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THE GREATEST CANTOPOP SONGS OF ALL TIME! Forty years ago, Hong 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 early years The Fatal Irony <<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 下 genre itself. It retains a resemblance >> 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 singer 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 Cantonese language would have died. I was very Sam Hui (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 Paula Tsui (徐小鳳) Kwan’s claim to fame. The Though Tsui was in Roman Tam (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) Shanghai Tang << Popularised by the hit TV drama, 上 The Bund, this song combines 1979 海 traditional Chinese elements with Below the Lion Rock Below << Roman Tam (羅文) Yip’s dramatic Canto-centric 灘 Below the Lion Rock >> interpretation, making it one of the has been called the most recognised Chinese melodies, 獅 unofficial anthem not only in Hong Kong, 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 Michael Kwan (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>> Anita Mui (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 Cheung (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 Madonna. 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 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 lover. This is still Priscilla Chan’s 1986 most popular song to date. Loving You Despite the Odds bit.ly/sillygirl1987 <<偏偏喜歡你>> Danny Chan (陳百強) Anthony Lun 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 Wong and Sandy Lam. 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 “Leslie Cheung’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 Jacky Cheung (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 Nelson Mandela 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>> Andy Lau (劉德華) This is this pop legend’s 1995 Hacken Lee (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.