Charmaine Fong (方皓玟), Singer Options

[meteorangela]

Charmaine Fong

方皓玟

DOB: 1 May 1980
Place of birth: Hong Kong
Height: 160cm
Weight: 45kg





Websites:
http://charmainefong.no-ip.org:8080/5F0BEA...9E/Welcome.html

Yahoo Blog:
http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/charmaine-wonderland/

[themissingpiece]

hmm, nobody else knows about Charmaine Fong?? She's pretty good singer and unfortunately got overlooked last year by Vincy, but hopefully like Khalil, she'll get more and more famous! But she is with the crowded East Asia, so it's a little harder for her to get that promotional push..but still!

I LOVE her and Vincent Wong's duet!!! It's SOO GOOD! and really love Charmaine's singing in there, it's full of emotions..AND she wrote the lyrics!

[Perdita]

I agree with you on the duet with Vincent Wong. She sang it very well, full of emotion in every line. I really like her lyrics as well. I can learn a lot of Chinese from reading her lyrics because she uses a lot of terms that other lyricists don't use.

Since I had found other MVs of hers on YouTube, I've been listening to her songs a lot. They're okay. Hopefully, she'll get some better tunes and then she'll become more popular.

[meteorstar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu9ZzSuwtxc

I wow so this is actually song 聽話 I just noticed that Charmaine Fong's singing is pretty good. First found out about her from her duet with Vincent Wong but I thought her singing was alot better than his. Then I heard her sing live on the TeenPower Ladies Night radio show and really liked this song. I thought she was singing someone elses song cause the song sounded so familiar. For her fans, she was hosting the ladies night show for TeenPower here's the link.
http://teenpower.rthk.org.hk/program/big/archive_new.htm#

I'll upload the day where she sang live for her song. Her singing is actually really good. I like her alot more than Vincy cause her voice sounds much stronger and steady.

Was her first album any good? Any idea where I can preview her album?

I want to ask was she a 2002 new singer? cause on wikipedia it says her first album was released in 2002 and that's also what's on yesasia.

This post has been edited by Sport3888: Oct 15 2007 4 28 AM

[themissingpiece]

I agree with you on the duet with Vincent Wong. She sang it very well, full of emotion in every line. I really like her lyrics as well. I can learn a lot of Chinese from reading her lyrics because she uses a lot of terms that other lyricists don't use.

Yup, her lyrics for 拖字闕 are very unique..it definately does not use the typical Chinese that you do see in HK songs. Also, I did some research, seems like she wrote a few songs for other people as well, among her credits:

Stephanie Cheng 小龍女 in collaboration with Chan Siu Kei
Denise Ho 花迷戀

Sport3888
Definately, Charmaine's singing is strong! Well for me, Vincy's pretty low on my list of singers, it's not that she's bad..she's incredibly good esp at those high notes. But she doesn't have that spark nor and it bothers me that she uses the high notes all the time. I prefer to listen to Charmaine and Sherman over Vincy.

But anyway, back to Charmaine..here's a bit history:

She entered the industry as a singer in 2002, was signed under Paco and Cinepoly. But it seems the focus was on the Taiwan market. Her time at Cinepoly, she only released 2 Mandarin records. After 2004, she was no longer under Cinepoly and began to focus more on behind the scenes stuff. Reportedly, she had some hit songs in Taiwan. Until 2006, she signed under East Asia to release her first Cantonese album. I think her most famous Cantonese song to date is still 拖字闕 with Vincent Wong, pretty hit song in HK's Neway.

I really hope she gets more popular and well known..she really needs that promotional push behind her. I love her record company, but it's easy for her to get lost among all the popular singers in her company.

This post has been edited by themissingpiece: Oct 27 2007 5 25 AM

[enginesofhate]

Hmmm, I just saw her for the first time on JSG today. Must say she's the best looking HK female celeb I've seen in a LONG time. I hope she makes it big. I'll try to find some of her music right now.

[meteorstar]

Hmmm, I just saw her for the first time on JSG today. Must say she's the best looking HK female celeb I've seen in a LONG time. I hope she makes it big. I'll try to find some of her music right now.

Oh....really? What episode was she on, is it on youtube?

Lol yea I know I like many of the singers that are in East Asia and East Asia's Amusic but she can be lost in there since there are so many big stars and she might not get enough focus. But hopefully her company would promote her more. I think I'll definitely buy her 1 cantonese album this December or during the summer when I'm working and have money cause there's so many albums I want to buy.

This post has been edited by Sport3888: Nov 6 2007 6 25 PM

[Perdita]

Hey, Everyone,
I just bought her Cantonese album titled "Welcome" last month off of YesAsia.com. It's the 2nd edition, which includes 拖字闕, the duet with Vincent Wong. I really like this album, especially the title track, "Welcome."



This is someone's recorded footage of her appearance on JSG from this past summer. Boy can she sing live! And this is a rock tune, with loud guitar accompaniment. And her voice is so strong.

Her new album was supposed to be released a couple of weeks ago, but there's still no sign of it. And now, there are other singers singing her songs at promotions, such as Barry Yip and Hotcha. I hope Charmaine isn't being put aside for the sake of promoting newer artists. She has talent and so she is the one who deserves the promotion.

This post has been edited by themissingpiece: Dec 4 2007 3 01 AM

[themissingpiece]

Perdita, embedded youtube links are allowed on AF, and I just fixed up your link! thanks for providing the vid. I just wish it was a better quality vid, but yeah you could definately tell Charmaine is just as great live!!

It's a nice song, love the rock elements!! Yeah, she's been writing songs for a while. I really hope she gets that promotion push, just 1 hit song and she will get more recognition! but perhaps a few more years??? It took Stephanie Cheng some few years too!

[meteorstar]

Hey, Everyone,
I just bought her Cantonese album titled "Welcome" last month off of YesAsia.com. It's the 2nd edition, which includes 拖字闕, the duet with Vincent Wong. I really like this album, especially the title track, "Welcome."

OMG really? You are so lucky! The 2nd edition is out of stock/print already I regretted so much for not buying it sooner. I hate how when an album goes out of stock, they don't restock it. Especially when you know there's a 2nd edition before but it's sold out with only the 1st edition left.

I don't think that's the case cause Barry Yip is part of Go East(under Universal) and Hotcha is definitely not East Asia. I think those singers probably liked her song so they were singing it. I'm looking forward to Charmaine Fong's next album, I hope the quality is as good as her first one.

Hehe I came here to give some good news to everyone. If you haven't heard of Charmaine Fong's most recent interview on RTHK's Made in HK. Here's the link to download it. I just uploaded it now.

2007-09-11 Made in Hong Kong 李 志 剛
嘉 賓 ： 方 皓 文
http://www.savefile.com/files/1251912

Also I like her new song, at first I didn't like the rock part and wished they left it at the slow melody pace but then I thought about it and the song would actually sound very boring if it didn't have the rock part. The combination of slow and rock elements is actually pretty cool. I do agree that the rock part definitely shows her skills cause it's so high and her voice has to be very strong.

This post has been edited by Sport3888: Dec 9 2007 6 57 AM

[meteorstar]

I want to ask does any fans here all the full video clip of the Xmas special of Charmaine and Vincent? there were two parts upload on youtube but the rest weren't uploaded and I really want to watch the ending.

[Perdita]

Hey, Everyone,
Sport3888, Thank you for the file! This was an eye-opening interview.

Thanks for fixing my link, themissingpiece. By the way, has anyone seen the clip of Charmaine singing Welcome live? If you've heard the studio version, you'll know that that song is not easy to sing. At one point, I wondered, can she sing this song live as well as she sings it in the studio? The answer is yes, and there's a clip on youtube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0MCrvB6c9r0

I still don't know how to do embedded links. Sorry.

This post has been edited by Perdita: Dec 13 2007 12 53 AM

[sport]

u wellcome and thanks for the youtube clip, I saw it already but. to learn how to embed the youtube links just go to http://faq.asianfanatics.net/ there should be something about that.

Have everyone listened to her hosting of RTHK TeenPower's Ladies Night with Yannes, the webJ? You learn alot more about Charmaine Fong and at the last day of hosting Charmaine sang live and that was the first time I heard her sing.

This post has been edited by sport388: Jan 4 2008 8 51 PM

[themissingpiece]

From Charmaine's blog, learned that she's going to be in the movie with a lot of (new) singers (Yumiko, Ken, Pakho, Sherman). She's going to be playing Pakho's ex-gf who does takes revenge on him for breaking up with her. Can't wait to watch it, Pakho and Charmaine would make a good looking pair!

Also, did any of you guys watch "Hooked on You"? Charmaine has a guest spot in it..she plays the fiancee of Feng Shao Fung (the bakery guy that was one of Miriam's suitors). At first, I didn't recognize her..it wasn't until I watched the movie again and was looking out for her that I recognize her!

[Perdita]

Unfortunately, Fairchild TV in Toronto doesn't air either of these shows. Hopefully, parts of it will make it onto YouTube eventually.

I don't know what to make of the news about her new movie. She hasn't acted that much, so people don't know her that well. If she plays a villain so early in her acting career, it could really make or break it. If she does a spectacular job, then that's great. But, if the script makes her out to be this super-villain, viewers might start to hate her. You know how it is with actors who play villainous roles. They get yelled at on the streets and stuff. Then again, villain roles are hard to play, so she's kinda lucky she gets to do it in this movie.

And forgive my ignorance, but who is Pakho?

[sport]

Unfortunately, Fairchild TV in Toronto doesn't air either of these shows. Hopefully, parts of it will make it onto YouTube eventually.

I don't know what to make of the news about her new movie. She hasn't acted that much, so people don't know her that well. If she plays a villain so early in her acting career, it could really make or break it. If she does a spectacular job, then that's great. But, if the script makes her out to be this super-villain, viewers might start to hate her. You know how it is with actors who play villainous roles. They get yelled at on the streets and stuff. Then again, villain roles are hard to play, so she's kinda lucky she gets to do it in this movie.

And forgive my ignorance, but who is Pakho?

he's a 2007 new singer who knows about music production. He released a EP and has been playing the piano since very young. He also wrote lyrics and a song for his EP. Oh and he's pretty tall. I think this pair would look pretty good together too. Can't wait to see Charmaine's performance. And it has Jason Chan Pak Yue so it's a must watch. It's a movie that consist of mostly 2007 new singers. I'm guessing the movie is filmed by the film company that's part of East Asia since Charmaine's in it.

2007 New Singers thread
http://asianfanatics.net/forum/-talk406040.html

some made a thread for the movie as well!
Love is else where 愛情萬歲 (2008)
http://asianfanatics.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=493142

Thanks for the info, I didn't know Charmaine was in Hook on You. I haven't watched it yet but when i do, I'll definitely look out for her.

This post has been edited by sport388: Jan 21 2008 11 28 AM

[Perdita]

Thanks for that info, sport888. Pakho is another singer-songwriter, eh? That's just amazing. HK needs a lot more of people like him and Charmaine. And he isn't bad looking, either!

同天空 is a really good song, too! Thanks for the link.

[Yunsias ♥]

Oh my, I know that she can sing, but I never knew that she can write songs too! Actually I only love her slower songs like "Obedient" and the duet with Vincent Wong.

Has anyone heard her latest song "I Love Paris"? It's absolutely awesome!

[Perdita]

From Charmaine's blog, ...

Also, did any of you guys watch "Hooked on You"? Charmaine has a guest spot in it..she plays the fiancee of Feng Shao Fung (the bakery guy that was one of Miriam's suitors). At first, I didn't recognize her..it wasn't until I watched the movie again and was looking out for her that I recognize her!

When you say blog, do you mean a fan blog or her own blog where she actually posts messages?

This past weekend, Toronto's CHIN station aired "Hooked On You," and I really liked the film. It was funny, but also very touching at times. I was on the lookout for Charmaine, and when she appeared, she really doesn't look like her. She doesn't look glamorous at all like in the MVs. She only had a few lines, though, which is too bad. I'd recommend this film not b/c Charmaine is in it, but just because the storytelling is very well done.

Oh my, I know that she can sing, but I never knew that she can write songs too! Actually I only love her slower songs like "Obedient" and the duet with Vincent Wong.

Has anyone heard her latest song "I Love Paris"? It's absolutely awesome!

Welcome to the thread, blue maniac. I love the duet she did with Vincent Wong. That is one of my favourite duets of all time. I would, however, like to see her singing more rock songs a la "I Love Paris (Hilton)". In these songs, she can show off her singing skills. Plus, not many HK pop stars sing this type of song, and then Charmaine would have a more unique style to boot.

[Yunsias ♥]

Welcome to the thread, blue maniac. I love the duet she did with Vincent Wong. That is one of my favourite duets of all time. I would, however, like to see her singing more rock songs a la "I Love Paris (Hilton)". In these songs, she can show off her singing skills. Plus, not many HK pop stars sing this type of song, and then Charmaine would have a more unique style to boot.

Oh, I didn't know the song was about Paris Hilton! I thought it was the city Paris...haha...actually I think she continued with the rock songs because there was quite a pleasant review from people when she tried rock songs like the duet with Vincent and 献技. I got a surprise when I first heard "I Love Paris" because nobody have ever sang that kind of song before (that was before Eunix Lee appeared). I hope her album is coming out soon!

This post has been edited by blue maniac: Feb 29 2008 6 41 PM

[themissingpiece]

When you say blog, do you mean a fan blog or her own blog where she actually posts messages?

Welcome to the thread, blue maniac. I love the duet she did with Vincent Wong. That is one of my favourite duets of all time. I would, however, like to see her singing more rock songs a la "I Love Paris (Hilton)". In these songs, she can show off her singing skills. Plus, not many HK pop stars sing this type of song, and then Charmaine would have a more unique style to boot.

It's Charmaine's blog. She posts frequently but all in Chinese. Here is the link: http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/charmaine-wonderland

ditto blue maniac, had NO idea, the song was about Paris Hilton..I thought it was the city Paris. "I love Paris," I love how it starts, you had no idea that it would turn into rock. I don't think Charmaine only does rock though. The best thing is that her voice allows her to do rock and ballads.

Can't wait to see her movie with Pakho, though a little disappointed cuz it doesn't seem as if Pakho and her would end up together.

[Perdita]

Can't wait to see her movie with Pakho, though a little disappointed cuz it doesn't seem as if Pakho and her would end up together.

Thanks, themissingpiece.

I saw the links that were posted up about the press conference for the film with Pakho, and you're right, it looks like Charmaine is going to play a supporting role instead of the lead role.

For those who haven't seen the promo video, there was one part where the male leads were asked to take pictures with their female counterparts, and Pakho was taking pictures with another actress. That's supposedly the girl that he ends up with, I guess.

Oh well, the artists I like usually have to work a while before they get "up there" and are able to enjoy superstar status. Part of my enjoyment is watching their careers grow and watching the artists themselves improve.

[Yunsias ♥]

Oh well, the artists I like usually have to work a while before they get "up there" and are able to enjoy superstar status. Part of my enjoyment is watching their careers grow and watching the artists themselves improve.

Me too! I found that I like all those who are underrated or nobody knows about. It may be frustrating but to see them grow and become more popular is definitely the reward. At first I don't know who is she, only know that she did a duet with Barry Yip. But now I'm happy that more people like her with her second album!

[Perdita]

Charmaine did a duet with Barry Yip, the DJ? I didn't know that. The only duets I know of is 拖字闕 (Dragging Tune) and a Mandarin one with a Taiwanese singer.

[Yunsias ♥]

Charmaine did a duet with Barry Yip, the DJ? I didn't know that. The only duets I know of is 拖字闕 (Dragging Tune) and a Mandarin one with a Taiwanese singer.

Yup, I never took notice of the title since I wasn't a fan of him. Oh yah, I remember, it's the Cantonese duet version of "Ho Sum Fang Sou".

Do you know what the song 拖字闕 is about? It sounds so sad.

[Perdita]

"Ho Sum Fang Sou?" Ah...I found it on Wikipedia Chinese. It was only released in a greatest hits album for a record company (East Asia?) The only version of this song that I've heard is the original solo version by Candy Lo, and later the duet with Wang Lee Hom. I didn't know that Charmaine had also sung this duet.

As for 拖字闕, it's about two lovers who have reached that point in their relationship where there is nothing more that they can do to salvage the relationship. The imagery is really lovely. She starts by singing about her walking bear feet searching for snow (purity in love?). It's a very noble act, but it's also very painful. He responds that the wounds you get from such a trek in the snow leaves bloodstains behind, and that's what makes the journey that much more attractive (glorious?). And then the rain starts to pour and his wounds hurt even more.

The chorus is where she talks about how if a song is too hard to sing because the notes are too high, then don't kill yourself over trying. He agrees with her, saying that being in a relationship is like being on vacation together. You're traveling together, but you feel like you're strangers.

If they cannot sing in harmony, even if they sing it again and again, they still would not make a good pair. Hence, the Dragging Tune, such that if you drag your voice to hit the high note, it will sound atrocious.

What I really like about these lyrics is that it if you listen to just one singer's lyrics, you only get one side of the story. That's when you can see that they each feel like they're giving a lot in this relationship, while the other one isn't. They're both saying the same thing, except they're saying it about each other, and they don't even know it.

[Yunsias ♥]

"Ho Sum Fang Sou?" Ah...I found it on Wikipedia Chinese. It was only released in a greatest hits album for a record company (East Asia?) The only version of this song that I've heard is the original solo version by Candy Lo, and later the duet with Wang Lee Hom. I didn't know that Charmaine had also sung this duet.

As for 拖字闕, it's about two lovers who have reached that point in their relationship where there is nothing more that they can do to salvage the relationship. The imagery is really lovely. She starts by singing about her walking bear feet searching for snow (purity in love?). It's a very noble act, but it's also very painful. He responds that the wounds you get from such a trek in the snow leaves bloodstains behind, and that's what makes the journey that much more attractive (glorious?). And then the rain starts to pour and his wounds hurt even more.

The chorus is where she talks about how if a song is too hard to sing because the notes are too high, then don't kill yourself over trying. He agrees with her, saying that being in a relationship is like being on vacation together. You're traveling together, but you feel like you're strangers.

If they cannot sing in harmony, even if they sing it again and again, they still would not make a good pair. Hence, the Dragging Tune, such that if you drag your voice to hit the high note, it will sound atrocious.

What I really like about these lyrics is that it if you listen to just one singer's lyrics, you only get one side of the story. That's when you can see that they each feel like they're giving a lot in this relationship, while the other one isn't. They're both saying the same thing, except they're saying it about each other, and they don't even know it.

Wow, did she really write the lyrics? It is really deep, never thought that love can be compared to singing a duet, with the inability to match each other notes. Gosh, so deep.

[Perdita]

Yep! I really wish she would write more of her own music, both song and lyrics. So far, I've heard two songs that she's written: "Welcome" and "Mulan's Disaster." I love both of them very much, and they are my favourites of all her songs. Wu Zhongheng (伍仲衡) is a very good songwriter, but I find his melodies a bit too predictable. Charmaine has her own style, and I'd love to see more of her songs in the future.

The only area where I think she could improve is to write topics besides romantic love. "I Love Paris" is one example of that.

[Yunsias ♥]

Wow, did she also wrote 花迷戀? That song has a really deep meaning which I have yet to figure it out yet. Her songs are even more deep than Pong Nan which sometimes gives me a headache trying to figure out what he is talking about. I still think she can go on writing about love since she quite a unique way of presenting and representing love, just like Kay. But writing about things other than love can show her versatility as a lyricist and a singer (if she sings her own works).

[Perdita]

You're right. Even though she has only mostly written about love in her lyrics, she does present it in a different way. She likes to use extended metaphors, like being in love with someone means you have to enter the battlefield for him to fight off all your other competitors.

I'm sorry I don't know who Pong Nan is. I don't know who Kay is either.

[Yunsias ♥]

Yup, it will be so interesting to study her lyrics translanted in English. If you like Charmaine's songs and lyrics, you will probably like Pong Nan 藍奕邦 and Kay 謝安琪. Both are them are HK singers, even though Pong Nan is probably not part of the mainstream culture.


This post has been edited by blue maniac: Mar 18 2008 6 24 AM

[Perdita]

Oh, those two! Yes, I'm familiar with them. In fact, I'm also a fan of Kay Tse. I'm just not used to seeing people use her name in English. Pong Nan I haven't heard much of, but I do know he writes his own music. I'll pay more attention to them.

[Yunsias ♥]

Do let me know what you think of Pong Nan after you have listened to him.

The movie that Charmaine is in is coming out soon, March 23. I'm really looking forward to seeing her acting. If she really can act, then she is pretty amazing considering she can compose and sing. Do you think she will be able to win "Best Singer-Songwriter" award?

[Perdita]

I think Charmaine still has a long long way to go if she wants to win a song-writer award. First of all, she has to make a name for herself as a songwriter. Currently, besides her fans, not a lot of people know about her as a singer, much less as a singer-songwriter.

I'll look forward to reading your review of her new movie.

p.s. Pong Nan is an amazing live performer, especially on piano. I hope he makes a name for himself as well. Maybe he can collaborate with Charmaine?

This post has been edited by Perdita: Mar 14 2008 1 09 AM

[Yunsias ♥]

I think people think of her as a singer and not as a songwriter too. I just wish that she was marketed as a singer-songwriter from the start, like Ivana Wong. It is a bit unfair that she has as much talent as Ivana but she is being overlooked just because no one knows that she write songs too. (I love Ivana, by the way)

Oh yes I definitely love to see her and Pong Nan work together like she sings while he plays the piano. Or they can play the piano toether while singing. But he doesn't really work with others in terms of singing (except Candy Lo). Maybe write songs for each other?

[themissingpiece]

^ Yeah I don't think many ppl know that Charmaine writes songs. But it could also be attributed to that Charmaine is a lyricist..and not a composer..if you notice all the popular singer - songwriters (Ivana, Hins, Khalil) write music and not lyrics. Not many singers write lyrics..which is why Charmaine should be marketed that way..While I think composers are talented, I don't get why lyricists get overlooked! First off, you need a very good knowledge of Chinese to write something meaningful and matches with the music.

thanks Perdita for the explanation of Vincent & Charmaine song. I didn't really get the lyrics to the song myself, Charmaine writes very deep lyrics!!! But after reading the lyrics, I love the song EVEN more.

Was going through old Charmaine songs..I LOVE 如果想我哭 !

[Yunsias ♥]

^ Yeah I don't think many ppl know that Charmaine writes songs. But it could also be attributed to that Charmaine is a lyricist..and not a composer..if you notice all the popular singer - songwriters (Ivana, Hins, Khalil) write music and not lyrics. Not many singers write lyrics..which is why Charmaine should be marketed that way..While I think composers are talented, I don't get why lyricists get overlooked! First off, you need a very good knowledge of Chinese to write something meaningful and matches with the music.

No wonder she doesn't get much attention being a lyricist. I think it is very hard to write good lyrics. Like there are very few lyricist in HK that can write a string of hit songs. No wonder Zac Ko doesn't get much attention too.

As much as I love her slow songs, her fast songs are a big turn off for me cause they sounds like what Britney Spears will sing in Cantonese which is a big no-no. Anybody feel that way or am I the only one?

[Perdita]

You're welcome, themissingpiece. 如果想我哭 is such a sad song.

Re: Fast songs
I like rock songs, not the fast songs, necessarily. I don't know if they sound like Britney Spears' songs, but they do sound very "Pop." And yes, I don't like that either.

You're both right in saying that lyricist should get as much attention as songwriters. Writing lyrics is really hard!! You have to rhyme, you have to write about a topic in a way that is unique from others, and every line has to make sense, somehow. blue maniac, you brought up a comparison with Ivana Wong (whom I love as well), and I really like both their lyrics, even though they write in very different styles. Ivana likes to create a story, and she builds it up to a climax and then the ending is often a plot twist. That is very hard to do. What Charmaine does is she uses metaphors, like a soldier in a battlefied or a song that's hard to sing. This is also very difficult to write. Both women have their strengths in writing, and I wish they would get more recognition for it.

If I had to guess at why lyricists aren't as well-respected as songwriters are, it's because of a false belief that if you know a language, you can write lyrics. Sure, that's true to a great extent, but I have to ask, are those lyrics any good? People like Andy Lau and Charlene Choi have "won" awards for songwriting (more like lyric writing), but have people considered the quality of those lyrics? It seems like a lot of the music fans don't really pay attention to lyrics like they do the songs. That's why lyricists like Charmaine don't get as much respect as a songwriter.

Love is the most commonly-written about topic in song lyrics, but not a lot of people can present it in a new way, or an insightful way, or even an interesting way. That's what Charamaine does (as does I.W.).

This is why I want to see Charmaine write more of her own songs because she can write good melodies, too, not just lyrics.

While I'm on the topic, I'll talk about another song by Charmaine called 聽話. When I first heard this song, it sounded very ordinary, about a girl who wants to leave her boyfriend because he doesn't feel that she's able to please him as well as he would like. In the last verse of the bridge she says: 如今不愛著你放手不理為何害怕 That translates into "if I were to stop loving you, and to let go, why do I feel so afraid?" To me, this sounds like the thinking of someone who is in an abusive relationship, who acknowledges that their partner mistreats them, and they want to leave the relationship, but they're afraid. Charmaine's song doesn't sound like it's physical abuse, but rather emotional abuse. And in such cases, being alone after a break-up is what the victim of abuse fears the most because at this point, they've been made to believe that they cannot survive on their own. These feelings are very complex and not something that people like to talk about, yet Charmaine wrote about it. It's the subtlety that inspires me to read her lyrics more closely and to find a deeper meaning.

People have told me that one should not read so deeply into lyrics or stories or novels because the meaning that I get out of it may not be the meaning that the writer had in their own minds. True, but interpretation is what makes reading it fun.

This post has been edited by Perdita: Mar 16 2008 9 22 PM

[themissingpiece]

^ Charlene only composed one song, she did NOT write the lyrics. While Andy Lau has tried writing lyrics, he's done several and wrote the lyrics for a Gigi Leung song.

However, I do think a lot of music fans do not pay attention to the lyrics as they do to the melody, which is a shame. But on the other hand, if you look at the HK market, there are like 3 lyricists, Lam Jik, Wyman, and Riley Lam (only really starting to get famous now). Personally, I try very much to get what the lyrics mean, and it really adds to the songs that I enjoy..ie. Twins' 幼稚園 and 飄零燕 are examples.

But Perdita, I'm gonna go to look deeper at 聽話 before I post my views. Wow, you must be an expert in Chinese to get Charmaine's lyrics! I really did have a tough time with 拖字闕. Charmaine composed before?? I thought she was only lyricists??!?

This post has been edited by themissingpiece: Mar 17 2008 3 45 AM

[Perdita]

Hi, themissingpiece,
Thanks for the correction on Charlene Choi's songwriting.

Your praise is very generous, and I'll have to say that I'm no expert on Chinese. I just love reading and learning the language, and reading lyrics has been a big part of that process ever since I was a child. Also, since I majored in English literature at university, I've trained myself on how to analyse poetry and novels. That's why I read so much into the lyrics of pop songs.

I would love to discuss lyrics with you. You can find all of Charmaine's lyrics here: Charmaine@LyricDock If you need to check the meaning of words, this is my favourite Chinese-English dictionary website: Lin YuTang Dictionary

Lyrics are hard to get a meaning out of because there's so little space for the lyricist to say to many things. Often times, a line might not make a whole lot of sense in the context of the entire song. This is where discussions with others is really interesting because then we can compare our ideas. There is no right or wrong, just how close you think you are to what the lyricist meant. And of course, we'll never know what Charmaine really meant in this line, or what she was trying to say in that line. However, that should not deter us from having fun interpreting and sharing our ideas, right?

I look forward to reading about your interpretation of "Obedient."

And yes, Charamine has not written very many songs, only 2 in fact. In both songs, she wrote the lyrics as well. They are "Welcome" and "Mulan's Disaster (or Hardships)."

This post has been edited by Perdita: Mar 18 2008 2 29 AM