The leisure trade in Hong Kong through the 90s was dominated by the 4 Heavenly Kings, a bunch of entertainers who commanded immense affect in music, movie, and extra. Among the many 4, Jacky Cheung was arguably the most well-liked, boasting a few of the highest gross sales of any Cantonese singer. But by the late 90s, Cantopop’s dominance on the Chinese language market would decline attributable to political and cultural elements that favored Mandarin over Cantonese. Add to this the acquisition of Polydor Data by Common Music Group in 1999, and Cheung’s profession was rife with rumors of uncertainty by the tip of the last decade.
These rumors could be dispelled with a world tour and his Mandarin album 走過1999 (Passing By 1999). Regardless of largely performing in Cantonese, Cheung had established a big following amongst Mandopop listeners together with his 1993 album, 吻別 (Kiss Goodbye) – one of many highest-selling albums of all time in each China and Taiwan. 走過1999 was extra formidable. Opener “心如刀割” (“Torn with Grief”) may need recalled the tenderness of 吻別, with its dramatic swells of romantic strings and Cheung’s stirring vocals, however a more durable facet of the performer was showcased in its extra alternative-leaning tracks.
Take heed to Jacky Cheung’s 走過1999 now.
Heartbreak was virtually all the time the subject material. However that feeling was rendered complicated and conflicted on “二分之一的幸福” (“One Half of Happiness”), with its impassioned lament of powerlessness. “好呆” (“So Dumb”) zones out in a wobbly vibrato on its loungey swing. And whereas the electrical guitar solo of “壞X5 (壞壞壞壞壞)” (“Bad X 5”) was a thrill, Cheung’s angsty rasp was an enormous distinction to his typical sentimentality. “心如刀割,” in the meantime, grew to become a karaoke staple for the heartbroken by centering on a generalizable expertise and an idiomatic expression that roughly interprets as “feeling as though one’s heart has been cut out.”
Essentially the most enduring observe from 走過1999 is “她來聽我的演唱會” (“She Came to Listen to My Concert”). It sketches the rising distance in a relationship with wealthy specificity. Cheung croons by means of a primary love at 17 to 40 with another person’s youngster, watching his live performance with tears in her eyes. Cheung proved that detailed lyricism may nonetheless be relatable, and 走過1999 was seen as a part of a broader Mandopop second. Following the diminishing reputation of Taiwanese campus folks, audiences had been clearly prepared to listen to pop artists step away from sappiness and experiment with richer feelings and extra trendy sounds. It nonetheless sounds simply as transferring right this moment.
Take heed to Jacky Cheung’s 走過1999 now.
