A Study of Hong Kong Cantonese Pop Lyrics: Mid-1980s to Mid-1990s Vol. I & II _ Taiwan Exclusive

Price: NT$1000 *** This product ships only to Taiwan Author: Professor Chu Yiu-Wai Publisher: Bright Culture Size: 150mm x 210mm Pages: 336 pages, 152 pages (2-book set) Publication Date: April 2016 ISBN: 9789888365302 [Synopsis] Hong Kong Cantonese pop lyrics are inextricably linked to Hong Kong's popular culture. Looking back at the themes and vocabulary of past lyrics offers a glimpse into the life and facets of Hong Kong at the time. Professor Chu Yiu-Wai, who has long studied Hong Kong Cantonese pop lyrics, believes that "studying Hong Kong pop culture is a long-term endeavor, an undertaking of cultural responsibility towards Hong Kong society." The original title of this book was "A Study of Hong Kong Pop Lyrics: Mid-1970s to Mid-1990s." When reissued more than a decade later, it was divided into two volumes for readers' convenience. The current new edition reorganizes the period from "Mid-1980s to Mid-1990s" into a two-volume set. (I) The first volume focuses on the diverse developments of the mid to late 1980s, examining lyricists such as Yan Kui, Lin Xi, Chan Siu-Kei, Lau Tak-Wai, Beyond, Chow Yiu-Fai, Andrew Lam, Man Kei, Tong Shu-Chan, He Siu-Ping, Hacken Lee, Alex To, Andy Lau, and many others. The band craze that emerged in the mid-1980s brought about revolutionary changes in the Cantonese pop music scene. Simultaneously, the wave of new lyricists led to significant innovation in Hong Kong's lyricism. Another major event in the music scene was Commercial Radio Hong Kong's Channel 2's comprehensive campaign to broadcast Chinese songs, which provided greater creative space for Cantonese pop music. Lyricists from the 1970s and early 1980s gradually reduced their output, allowing for more development space and greater diversity in the lyric scene. (II) The second volume concentrates on the new landscape that began in the 1990s, featuring lyricists such as Eric Kot, Jan Lamb, M.C. Cheung, Li Man, Cheung Mei-Yin, Yolanda Lin, Wyman Wong, and others. The band trend was no longer as prominent, and karaoke became a part of people's daily lives. The vast market led to a transformation in the record industry's production, with songs and lyrics leaning towards catchy melodies and innocuous sentiments. The era described by James Wong as "tides flowing from both shores" made the language of Hong Kong pop lyrics more "mixed" than before. It was no longer as varied as the 1980s and could be considered a transitional period. Fortunately, the unique ideas of individual new lyricists, along with independent record labels, non-mainstream artists, and a second wave of bands, injected new vitality into the lyric scene.