Yao Lee
Encyclopedia
Yao Lee, also credited as Yiu Lei and Miss Hue Lee, was a Chinese
singer from the 1930s to the 1970s and sister of Yao Min
. By the 1940s, she became one of the Seven great singing stars
.
, Yao began performing on the radio in 1935 at the age of 13. When she was 14, she recorded her first single with Yan Hua (嚴華) called "Xin xiao fang niu" (新小放牛). She was signed to Pathé Records
.
She married Huang Baoluo (黃保羅) in 1947 and ceased performing on stage to devote time to her family. Following the Communist seizure of power in China in 1949, popular music was considered ideologically suspect and Yao fled to Hong Kong
in 1950 to continue her singing career there. In addition to releasing hit records, beginning in 1955 with the film 桃花江 (Peach Blossom River), she often acted as a playback singer
for movie superstars. Many of the featured songs would also become popular. She stopped singing in 1967 upon the death of her brother but took an executive position with EMI Music Hong Kong
in 1969. In 1970, she returned to performing and travelled to Taiwan
to perform there for the first time and sought unsuccessfully to sign Teresa Teng
to EMI for the Hong Kong market. She retired officially in 1975 but remained supportive of singers such as Wakin Chau
.
During the 1930s and 40s, Yao Lee's high, soft singing style was typical of Chinese popular music of the time. She performed numerous popular standards, such as Wishing You Happiness and Prosperity
(恭喜恭喜), "I Can't Have Your Love" (得不到你的愛情), and "By the Suzhou River" (蘇州河邊) with her brother Yao Min
, arguably the best-known Chinese pop songwriter of the shidaiqu
era. She is famous for her 1940 version of Rose, Rose, I Love You
(玫瑰玫瑰我愛你), later recorded by Frankie Laine
in the United States
with English lyrics. (Her version was also released in the US and the United Kingdom
credited to "Miss Hue Lee"). Yao was known as "the Silver Voice" (銀嗓子) alluding to fellow Shanghai singer Zhou Xuan
, who was known as "the Golden Voice" (金嗓子).
With increasing Western influence in the region after World War II
and her move to Hong Kong, Yao Lee's singing changed. She was introduced to more Western popular music and became an admirer of American
singer Patti Page
whom she emulated by lowering her voice and incorporating some vocal mannerisms. As a result, Yao is sometimes called "Hong Kong's Patti Page." One of her biggest '50s records was "The Spring Breeze Kisses My Face" (春風吻上我的臉).
Yao was extremely prolific with over 400 gramophone record
s attributed to her.
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
singer from the 1930s to the 1970s and sister of Yao Min
Yao Min
Yao Ming was a Chinese popular music songwriter and singer and brother of Yao Lee. He was arguably one of the most prolific songwriters of the shidaiqu era in 1930s and 1940s Shanghai through the 1950s and 1960s in Hong Kong....
. By the 1940s, she became one of the Seven great singing stars
Seven great singing stars
The Seven Great Singing Stars refers to the seven most renowned singers of China in the early 20th century.-Background:Shanghai was occupied by the Japanese in the 1930s. World War II also had an effect on the economy at the time. Several of the stars acted in films, and their music played a...
.
Biography
Born Yáo Xiùyún (姚秀雲) and rasied in ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, Yao began performing on the radio in 1935 at the age of 13. When she was 14, she recorded her first single with Yan Hua (嚴華) called "Xin xiao fang niu" (新小放牛). She was signed to Pathé Records
Pathé Records (Hong Kong)
Pathé Records is the first major record company in Shanghai, China and later Hong Kong. The company was a subsidiary of the original Pathé Records conglomerate.-History:...
.
She married Huang Baoluo (黃保羅) in 1947 and ceased performing on stage to devote time to her family. Following the Communist seizure of power in China in 1949, popular music was considered ideologically suspect and Yao fled to 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...
in 1950 to continue her singing career there. In addition to releasing hit records, beginning in 1955 with the film 桃花江 (Peach Blossom River), she often acted as a playback singer
Playback singer
A playback singer is a singer whose singing is prerecorded for use in movies. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras, while the actual singer does not appear on screen.-South Asia:...
for movie superstars. Many of the featured songs would also become popular. She stopped singing in 1967 upon the death of her brother but took an executive position with EMI Music Hong Kong
Pathé Records (Hong Kong)
Pathé Records is the first major record company in Shanghai, China and later Hong Kong. The company was a subsidiary of the original Pathé Records conglomerate.-History:...
in 1969. In 1970, she returned to performing and travelled to 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...
to perform there for the first time and sought unsuccessfully to sign Teresa Teng
Teresa Teng
Teresa Teng , was an immensely popular and influential Chinese pop singer from Taiwan. Teresa Teng's voice and songs are instantly recognized throughout East Asia and in areas with large Asian populations...
to EMI for the Hong Kong market. She retired officially in 1975 but remained supportive of singers such as Wakin Chau
Wakin Chau
Wakin Chau is a Hong Kong singer and actor. Chau's popularity has spread throughout Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mainland China, and parts of Southeast Asia. He was known as Emil Chau through the 1980s and 1990s, and by 2000 he reverted to his given name Wakin...
.
Career
Wishing You Happiness and Prosperity
"Wishing You Happiness and Prosperity" is a popular Mandarin Chinese song and a Chinese Lunar New Year standard. Other English titles for the song include "Congratulations" and "Happiness To You."...
(恭喜恭喜), "I Can't Have Your Love" (得不到你的愛情), and "By the Suzhou River" (蘇州河邊) with her brother Yao Min
Yao Min
Yao Ming was a Chinese popular music songwriter and singer and brother of Yao Lee. He was arguably one of the most prolific songwriters of the shidaiqu era in 1930s and 1940s Shanghai through the 1950s and 1960s in Hong Kong....
, arguably the best-known Chinese pop songwriter of the shidaiqu
Shidaiqu
Shidaiqu is a type of Chinese folk/European jazz fusion music that originated in Shanghai, China, in the 1920s.-Terminology:The term literally means "songs of the era" in Mandarin...
era. She is famous for her 1940 version of Rose, Rose, I Love You
Rose, Rose, I Love You
"Rose, Rose, I Love You" is the standard English title of the 1940 Chinese popular song "Méigui méigui wǒ ài nǐ" , first recorded by Yao Lee . An English-language version whose lyrics have little in common with the original Mandarin was first recorded by Frankie Laine in 1951...
(玫瑰玫瑰我愛你), later recorded by Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine
Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio , was a successful American singer, songwriter, and actor whose career spanned 75 years, from his first concerts in 1930 with a marathon dance company to his final performance of "That's My Desire" in 2005...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with English lyrics. (Her version was also released in the US and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
credited to "Miss Hue Lee"). Yao was known as "the Silver Voice" (銀嗓子) alluding to fellow Shanghai singer Zhou Xuan
Zhou Xuan
Zhou Xuan was a popular Chinese singer and film actress. By the 1940s, she had become one of China's seven great singing stars. She is probably the most well-known of the seven, as she had a concurrent movie career until 1953.-Biography:...
, who was known as "the Golden Voice" (金嗓子).
With increasing Western influence in the region after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and her move to Hong Kong, Yao Lee's singing changed. She was introduced to more Western popular music and became an admirer of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer Patti Page
Patti Page
Clara Ann Fowler , known by her professional name Patti Page, is an American singer, one of the best-known female artists in traditional pop music. She was the best-selling female artist of the 1950s, and has sold over 100 million records...
whom she emulated by lowering her voice and incorporating some vocal mannerisms. As a result, Yao is sometimes called "Hong Kong's Patti Page." One of her biggest '50s records was "The Spring Breeze Kisses My Face" (春風吻上我的臉).
Yao was extremely prolific with over 400 gramophone record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
s attributed to her.
External links
- "Restoring China"
- "姚莉" (Yao Lee) at 百度百科 (Baidu Encyclopedia)
- Photo of a Yao Lee and Yao Ming single
