[Music] Alan Tam -- Who Can Change?

Alan Tam

Poster for The Fearless Duo (1984)

1. In a previous post I mentioned that there were 4 books that brought me to tears while reading them when I was a teenager.

The first one was Lin Yutang's My Country and My People (1935).

I do not remember the order in which I read the other 3 books.

But among the three is the martial arts novel The Saga of the Jade Bow ("雲海玉弓緣") (1961) by Liang Yusheng.


2. Liang Yusheng is one of the "big three" martial arts (or "wuxia") novel writers in the second half of the 20th Century; the other two being Jin Yong and Gu Long.

I have read all the novels by Jin Yong and Gu Long and about 10 of the many works by Liang Yusheng.

Like other literature, The Saga of the Jade Bow (1961) is about human nature and human conflicts.

The strand of this novel that brought me to tears is the love triangle between a guy and two girls.

The Guy loves Girl A who is from an "upright" martial arts school.

Girl B, who is from a "corrupt" martial arts school, also loves this Guy.

But Girl B is very strong willed and she tried to bring the Guy to her by forcing him to his knees.

In the last chapter of the novel, Girl B has poisoned Girl A and Girl B will give the antidote to the Guy only if he will bow to her and marry her.

As the Guy was about to bow down, Girl B relented.

I have only given the briefest description of a very complicated situation and the actual writing about this episode in The Saga of the Jade Bow (1961) is very touching.


3. Who Can Change? ("誰可改變") by Alan Tam is the theme song of the 1984 Hong Kong TVB TV drama The Fearless Duo.

The love strand in this TV drama is also about a girl who loves this guy but the guy will not reciprocate her love; but as she gave up on him, the guy came to love her.

Unlike The Saga of the Jade Bow (1961), a happy ending!


4. Who Can Change? (1984) by Alan Tam:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj7k7h9gmWY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTVaUkMvr3Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KljWZcawkdA


Concerts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJQTeBWVC8Y

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s81uDW4srCk


Karaoke:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBYzRVHw31o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GMw8MrfmG4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCt6PqQFiew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvekqaYEa4A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH2H5pC2FzI


5. Alan Tam and Jacky Cheung:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4WkxudzWcw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dun7jjqXjlU


Alan Tam and Cecilia Cheung:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV2ZZdyVnUk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL0hQl8Hy44

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aboi29MuWOI


Covers by Priscilla Chan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDza_PjFRFc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xtIsy5GSxw


A cover by Leon Lai:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS-k10GPCEs


A cover by Andy Lau:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMaoredyXoE


6. The Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:

誰可改變 -- 譚詠麟

作詞：鄭國江
作曲：顧嘉煇
編曲：顧嘉煇

曾經說出   今生不愛你
我共你是但有份沒有緣
情切是你   癡癡相戀
將心中愛念   為我捐

如今我竟   竟將心意轉
那份愛念沒有盡沒有完
輪到你不瞅不睬
心中的愛念盡化煙   能否改變

* 還想再等   沒法息愛念
但偏偏你   回頭也倦
煩惱是我   流淚更無言
情逝去不再留半點

# 誰可以將   將光陰倒轉
再讓往日   復現眼前
能再共你   漫步田園
心中的愛念為你牽   求可改變

輪到你不瞅不睬
心中的愛念盡化煙　能否改變

Repeat *, #


7. The Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:

谁可改变 -- 谭咏麟

作词：郑国江
作曲：顾嘉辉
编曲：顾嘉辉

曾经说出   今生不爱你
我共你是但有份没有缘
情切是你   痴痴相恋
将心中爱念   为我捐

如今我竟   竟将心意转
那份爱念没有尽没有完
轮到你不瞅不睬
心中的爱念尽化烟   能否改变

* 还想再等   没法息爱念
但偏偏你   回头也倦
烦恼是我   流泪更无言
情逝去不再留半点

# 谁可以将   将光阴倒转
再让往日   复现眼前
能再共你   漫步田园
心中的爱念为你牵   求可改变

轮到你不瞅不睬
心中的爱念尽化烟   能否改变

Repeat *, #


8. Names, Words and Phrases:

Alan Tam (Traditional Chinese: 譚詠麟; Simplified Chinese: 谭咏麟).

Andy Lau (Traditional: 劉德華; Simplified: 刘德华).

Cecilia Cheung (Traditional: 張栢芝; Simplified: 张柏芝).

Gu Long (Traditional: 古龍; Simplified: 古龙).

Jacky Cheung (Traditional: 張學友; Simplified: 张学友).

Jin Yong (Traditional: 金庸; Simplified: 金庸).

Leon Lai (Traditional: 黎明; Simplified: 黎明).

Liang Yusheng (Traditional: 梁羽生; Simplified: 梁羽生).

Lin Yutang (Traditional: 林語堂; Simplified: 林语堂).

My Country and My People (Traditional: 吾國與吾民; Simplified: 吾国与吾民).

Priscilla Chan (Traditional: 陳慧嫻; Simplified: 陈慧娴).

The Fearless Duo (Traditional: 天師執位; Simplified: 天师执位).

The Saga of the Jade Bow (Traditional: 雲海玉弓緣; Simplified: 云海玉弓缘).

Wuxia novels (Traditional: 武俠小說; Simplified: 武侠小说).


References:

"Liang Yusheng", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liang_Yusheng
(accessed 2016-09-28).

"梁羽生", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E6%A2%81%E7%BE%BD%E7%94%9F
(accessed 2016-09-28).

"雲海玉弓緣", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E9%9B%B2%E6%B5%B7%E7%8E%89%E5%BC%93%E7%B7%A3
(accessed 2016-09-28).

"武俠小說", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E6%AD%A6%E4%BF%A0%E5%B0%8F%E8%AA%AA
(accessed 2016-09-28).

"天師執位", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%A4%A9%E5%B8%AB%E5%9F%B7%E4%BD%8D
(accessed 2016-09-28).

End.

[Music] Alan Tam - Love in Deep Autumn

1. Alan Tam, who is affectionately known as "Principal Tam", is the doyen of Cantopop.

I hate to use an uncommon word such as "doyen", but it seems appropriate to describe Alan Tam's standing in the Cantopop community.

According to Merriam-Webster, "doyen" means:

(a) The senior member of a body or group, or

(b) A person considered to be knowledgeable or uniquely skilled as a result of long experience in some field of endeavor.


2. Alan Tam indeed has long experiences in Cantopop.

He started out singing in the late 1960s by forming the band "The Wynners".

The Wynners was disbanded and then reformed in 1973.

Although no longer active as a group since 1978, remarkably, The Wynners have been holding five years reunion concerts ever since - the latest one being in 2010.

This testifies to the friendship between the five members of the band.


3. Alan Tam has a very successful career ever since the members of The Wynners went their separate ways.

In my opinion, Alan Tam's career has peaked more than once in the 1980s and 1990s.

"Love in Deep Autumn" ("愛在深秋") was one of those peaks; it came out in 1984 and has won many awards.

It was also collected in the album "The Root of Love" ("愛的根源"); "The Root of Love" is one of the most beloved album by Alan Tam's fans.


4. A search in YouTube yields many instances of this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9CWH_mBJYI

I like this video, which was apparently shot in South Korea.


5. I like the musical accompaniment for this version from 2008:

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


6. Alan Tam in concert:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE8PhoU576g


7. Deep autumn and Canadian maple leaves:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG8yxt6MH0Q

They go together.


8. Alan Tam and Hacken Lee:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdATsmS5Rro

This video is from their "Left Alan Right Hacken" ("左麟右李") tour?

Very nice arrangement of the song.


9. Alan Tam in concert in Hong Kong in 2010:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUUL0QG0-ug

Alan Tam was born in 1950.

His voice is still very good at 60 years old.

Actually, I like this version better than his 1984 version.


10. Alan Tam performing on China's CCTV in 2011 Mid-Autumn Festival celebration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4jdfAi-aGc

Very nicely done.


11. Alan Tam performed this song as recently as January 23, 2012 at Heilongjiang Province, China:

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


12. I have no doubt that he was enjoying himself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPW71FmHZnQ

And that is good enough.


13. Priscilla Chan covering the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om7mTLw61hk

Priscilla is a very good singer.

I just wish the quality of the video is better.


14. A violin cover:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2gx-zqxV7s

Very nice.


15. A cover by Michiko:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WypV5RL0fCI

Michiko is apparently Japanese and not a native speaker of Cantonese.

But good effort.


16. A cover with guitar:

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

I can feel that he has an emotional grasp for this song.

Very good.


17. A silly rock version by Alan Tam and Hins Cheung:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVoW9inI_58

But one must has to have a sense of humor.


18. A cover version sung in Putonghua:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDie0jgGjD8

The heading in YouTube said the singer is unknown ("佚名").

I suspect this is one of those "pirated" version produced in the cheap in China.

The lyrics are slightly modified from the Cantonese original; maybe this is due to the difference in pronunciation between the two Chinese dialects.

I enjoy this version anyway.


19. Another cover version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbj6p9r914U

His voice is not bad; but I agree with some of the comments in YouTube that his emotional interpretation of this song is wrong.


20. Very nice instrumental:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZdtGKRH_L4

Highly recommended!

According to the uploader, the photo is of Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.

Maybe that is where he / she is from?

 
21. The Lyrics in Traditional Chinese:


譚詠麟 - 愛在深秋

如果   命裡早註定分手
無需   為我假意挽留
如果   情是永恒不朽
怎會分手

* 以後   讓我倚在深秋
回憶   逝去的愛在心頭
回憶   在記憶中的我
今天曾淚流

# 請抬頭   抹去舊事
不必有我   不必有你
愛是可發不可收
你是可愛到永遠
我是真心捨不得你走

@ 有日   讓你倚在深秋
回憶   別去的我在心頭
回憶   在這一刻的你
也曾淚流

Repeat * # @


22. The Lyrics in Simplified Chinese:


谭咏麟 - 爱在深秋

如果   命里早注定分手
无需   为我假意挽留
如果   情是永恒不朽
怎会分手

* 以后   让我倚在深秋
回忆   逝去的爱在心头
回忆   在记忆中的我
今天曾泪流

# 请抬头   抹去旧事
不必有我   不必有你
爱是可发不可收
你是可爱到永远
我是真心舍不得你走

@ 有日   让你倚在深秋
回忆   别去的我在心头
回忆   在这一刻的你
也曾泪流

Repeat * # @


23. Names, Words and Phrases:

Alan Tam (Traditional Chinese: 譚詠麟; Simplified Chinese: 谭咏麟).

Dalian (Traditional: 大連; Simplified: 大连).

Hacken Lee (Traditional: 李克勤; Simplified: 李克勤).

Heilongjiang (Traditional: 黑龍江; Simplified: 黑龙江).

Hins Cheung (Traditional: 張敬軒; Simplified: 张敬轩).

Liaoning (Traditional: 遼寧; Simplified: 辽宁).

Mid-Autumn Festival (Traditional: 中秋節; Simplified: 中秋节).

"Principal Tam" (Traditional: 譚校長; Simplified: 谭校长).

Priscilla Chan (Traditional: 陳慧嫻; Simplified: 陈慧娴).

The Wynners (Traditional: 溫拿; Simplified: 温拿).


References:

"Alan Tam", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Tam
(accessed 2012-01-31).

"The Wynners", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wynners
(accessed 2012-01-31).

"譚詠麟", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hant/%E8%AD%9A%E8%A9%A0%E9%BA%9F
(accessed 2012-01-31).

"愛的根源", Wikipedia - The Free Encyclopedia,
http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hant/%E6%84%9B%E7%9A%84%E6%A0%B9%E6%BA%90
(accessed 2012-01-31).

End.