Faye Wong (1997 album)
Encyclopedia
Faye Wong is a self-titled album by C-pop
singer Faye Wong
. Her first recording with EMI
, it was recorded in Beijing
and released in 1997, around the time that she relocated to Beijing after several years of success in Hong Kong
.
All tracks are sung in Mandarin. This album is filled with feelings of lethargy, languor, drowsiness and disengagement, yet most of the songs sound warm and sweet.
The album continued Wong's collaboration with the Cocteau Twins
, which began with Random Thoughts
in 1994 and Fu Zao
in 1996. They wrote the fourth track on this album, "Amusement Park", especially for Faye Wong. Track 8 "Reminiscence" (or "Nostalgia") is a cover of "Rilkean Heart" from their 1996 album Milk and Kisses
.
Track 5, "Mortal World", was composed by Miyuki Nakajima
. Nakajima had also written Wong's 1992 breakthrough song "Fragile Woman". "Mortal World" was also a hit single and became the closing song with which Wong would end her concerts thereafter. Nakajima re-recorded the song in Japanese as "Streams of Hearts" (清流 , Seiryū) on her 1998 album Be Like My Child
.
This album has several covers, including a limited edition 3D cover.
The album sold better in Taiwan
and mainland China
than in Hong Kong
, which was hit at that time by the Asian financial crisis, and where Wong's old company Cinepoly
released a compilation of her old songs to compete with EMI.
C-pop
C-pop is an abbreviation for Chinese popular music , a loosely defined musical genre by artists originating from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Others come from countries where the Chinese language is used by a large number of the population, such as Singapore and Malaysia...
singer Faye Wong
Faye Wong
Faye Wong is a highly successful and influential Chinese singer-songwriter and actress who is usually referred to as a diva . Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong . Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and rose to stardom in the early 1990s by singing...
. Her first recording with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, it was recorded in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and released in 1997, around the time that she relocated to Beijing after several years of success in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
All tracks are sung in Mandarin. This album is filled with feelings of lethargy, languor, drowsiness and disengagement, yet most of the songs sound warm and sweet.
The album continued Wong's collaboration with the Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins were a Scottish alternative rock band active from 1979 to 1997, known for innovative instrumentation and atmospheric, non-lyrical vocals...
, which began with Random Thoughts
Random Thoughts (Faye Wong album)
Random Thoughts is a 1994 album recorded by Chinese Cantopop singer Faye Wong when she was based in Hong Kong. It confirmed her move into alternative music and covers songs by the Cocteau Twins, whose influence she readily acknowledged....
in 1994 and Fu Zao
Fu Zao (Faye Wong album)
Fu Zao is a 1996 album by the C-pop singer Faye Wong; the Chinese title is variously translated into English as Restless, Impatience, Anxiety and other similar words. The Japanese release included the English translation Anxiety on the obi strip.Many consider it her boldest and most artistically...
in 1996. They wrote the fourth track on this album, "Amusement Park", especially for Faye Wong. Track 8 "Reminiscence" (or "Nostalgia") is a cover of "Rilkean Heart" from their 1996 album Milk and Kisses
Milk and Kisses
Milk & Kisses is an album by Cocteau Twins issued in 1996. It proved their last; a meeting two years later to record a new album ended with the breakup of the band....
.
Track 5, "Mortal World", was composed by Miyuki Nakajima
Miyuki Nakajima
is a Japanese vocalist, guitarist, lyricist, composer and radio personality. As a principal Japanese female veteran singer-songwriter she is often compared to Yumi Matsutoya, she has released 37 studio albums, 40 singles, 2 live albums and multiple compilations to date, and whose sales have been...
. Nakajima had also written Wong's 1992 breakthrough song "Fragile Woman". "Mortal World" was also a hit single and became the closing song with which Wong would end her concerts thereafter. Nakajima re-recorded the song in Japanese as "Streams of Hearts" (清流 , Seiryū) on her 1998 album Be Like My Child
Be Like My Child
is the 25th studio album by Japanese singer-songwriter Miyuki Nakajima. The album came out a month after a single "Another Name for Life", which was featured as a theme song for TV drama Seija no Koushin aired on TBS and became a smash hit on the charts....
.
This album has several covers, including a limited edition 3D cover.
The album sold better in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
than in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, which was hit at that time by the Asian financial crisis, and where Wong's old company Cinepoly
Cinepoly Records
Cinepoly Records is a Hong Kong-based record label founded in 1985. It was a subsidiary of PolyGram Records and the film company Cinema City. Ownership of Cinepoly Records switched to Universal Music Group after Universal acquired PolyGram Records in 1998 and albums are now distributed by...
released a compilation of her old songs to compete with EMI.
Track listing
- "麻醉" (Má Zuì)
- Anaesthesia
- "你快樂(所以我快樂)" (Nǐ Kuài Lè (Suǒ Yǐ Wǒ Kuài Lè))
- You're Happy (So I'm Happy)
- "悶" (Mèn)
- Bored
- "娛樂場" (Yú Lè Chǎng)
- Amusement Park
- "人間" (Rén Jiān)
- Mortal World
- "我也不想這樣" (Wǒ Yě Bù Xiǎng Zhè Yàng)
- I Don't Want To Be Like This Either
- "小題大作" (Xiǎo Tí Dà Zuò)
- Making A Fuss
- "懷念" (Huái Niàn)
- Reminiscence
- "扑火" (Pū Huǒ)
- Into The Fire
- "雲端" (Yún Duān)
- Cloud's Edge