"Forget Him" (Chinese: 忘記他; Jyutping: Mong4 gei3 taa1) is a song recorded in Cantonese by Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng. It was released through Polygram Records Hong Kong on December 18, 1980, as part of her first Cantonese album, Irreconcilable (勢不兩立; Sai Bat Leung Laap).[1] The song was written by Hong Kong media personality James Wong.
| "Forget Him" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Teresa Teng | |
| from the album Irreconcilable | |
| Language | Cantonese |
| Released | December 18, 1980 |
| Genre | Pop |
| Length | 2:52 |
| Label | Polygram |
| Songwriter(s) | James Wong |
| Producer(s) | James Wong |
Composition and lyrics
edit"Forget Him" is composed in the key of C minor, with a structure of prelude - A1 - A2 - B - interlude - A3 - epilogue, and features flute, string, and mandolin instruments. Yu Shaohua, a former professor of the Department of Music at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, noted that the string instrumentals contains a strong influence from Japanese enka music, contrasting with typical Cantonese songs by local Hong Kong singers.[2]
Some commentators described song's lyrics as "infatuated" and noted that it doesn't emphasize the tension between forgetting and not being able to forget. The words are simple and plain, characteristic of a typical James Wong piece. Lyricist Zheng Guojiang expressed his fondness for these lyrics, particularly appreciating the line "Only he can make me appreciate myself," believing it reflects a deep romantic experience. James Wong commented that the character "和" in the lyric represents a piece of literal sand and gravel, a result of the record industry's rush to complete the work. Lyricist Chu Yiu-wai added that this issue arose from adapting the lyrics to the music.[3]
Cultural critic Edward Lam remarked that while the album's title song is "Wind and Frost Accompany Me," the theme song of the TV series Irreconcilable, its "sense of struggle" contrasts with Teng's typically gentle image, making "Forget Him" stand out.[4]
Music video
editTeng shot two music videos for "Forget Him"—one filmed during Teng's appearance on the program Happy Tonight in late 1980, and another segment from the TVB program Teresa Teng Special in October 1982.
Reception
editThe song was well received in Hong Kong upon its release, and its parent album Sai Bat Leung Laap receiving a platinum certification by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Hong Kong (IFPIHK) in 1981.[5]
Covers
editFifteen years later, the song was covered by Shirley Kwan, as part of her 1995 tribute album 'EX' All Time Favourites. This new dream pop version was featured in Wong Kar-wai's art house movie Fallen Angels (1995) as the Jukebox song number "1818." As the title suggested, the hitman played by Leon Lai wanted his accomplice, Michelle Reis, to forget him.[6]
References
edit- ^ "何日君再来-纪念邓丽君逝世十周年(3)_影音娱乐_新浪网". Ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
- ^ Yu, Shaohua; Yang, Hanlun (2013). Interpretation of Cantonese Songs: The Changing Voice of Hong Kong. Huizhi Publishing. p. 66-68. ISBN 9789881645678.
- ^ Huang, Zhihua; Zhu, Yiowei (September 2011). Eighty Talks about Hong Kong Lyrics (in Chinese). Huizhi Publishing. p. 128-131.
- ^ "林奕華：翁倩玉的仙人仙氣". Ming Pao Weekly (in Chinese). August 25, 2018. Archived from the original on October 12, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- ^ "IFPIHK". IFPIHK. Archived from the original on March 16, 2012. Retrieved March 16, 2012.
本地白金唱片 1981 鄧麗君 在水一方 寶麗金 1981 鄧麗君 原鄉情濃 寶麗金 1981 鄧麗君 勢不兩立 寶麗金 1981 鄧麗君 一封情書 寶麗金
- ^ "Loneliness and Longing in a Crowded World - Fallen Angels". Epinions.com. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
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