If you know anything about Asian music in the 90s, you'd know Faye Wong (王菲). This legendary 90s diva of Chinese music started out singing cover version of Teresa Tang songs on cheap cassette in China and moved with her family from Beijing to Hong Kong in 1987. She was soon discovered from appearing on a televised original songs contest. Cinepoly (a local subsidiary of Polygram Records, now Universal Records) signed her and gave her a generic stage name Shirley Wong (王靖雯) to make her seem less Mainland Chinese. Anything from Mainland China was unfashionable and labelled as backward, redneck and communist in British colonial Hong Kong.
She started out as a pop/r&b singer. Fortunately for her, her first single 無奈那天 (Regrettably that day) was well received on radio, a top 3 airplay hit and was pushed heavily by the Commercial Radio network (CRHK) in Hong Kong, getting the bronze prize newcomer award the following year. None of that did much for her sales though. The album was initially a flop despite having 2 relatively heavily played singles.
The song is predominantly a ballad with some Chinese keyboard harmonies and jazz flourishes.
It's an easy listening song, pretty saxophone, pretty melody and voice. It's a play it safe debut single. There are some pronounciation issues here and there, but pretty good overall and not very noticeable.
Here on the album cover, Faye looks sweet, mature and laid back, it wasn't until after her hiatus when she started building her own style and image to become the eccentric diva she is known for.
無奈那天 Regrettably That Day (1989)
From album: Shirley Wong
lyrics translated into English:
If one day, the past can reappear
pausing at a certain part
hoping to make amends, on the part where we broke up
and weep before you once more...
cuddle once more, let you discover me trembling
Like pleading for your pity, hanging on till this day
Chorus:
Regrettably that day I walked away on my own , no tears, no pleading
Staring at the long lonely road, thinking it might be better
Regrettably I find out today that you are the best one, because ultimately you're not mine, ooh...
If we meet again one day, I will surely be better to you
Even if today, we talk about the past
You still won't understand my thoughts
hoping to make amends, while you are still paying attention
make you say one more..
one more vow, so on the days after you're gone
when cuddling with your love, you will feel not so comfortable
No comments:
Post a Comment