Wikipedia

Never Want to Give You Up

Never Want to Give You Up (Cantonese: 放不低) is the ninth Cantonese studio album by Hong Kong singer Sammi Cheng. Released on 29 May 1996, by Warner Music Hong Kong,[1] the album features a mix of dance tracks and ballads. In Hong Kong, the album was a commercial success, achieving double platinum status shortly after its release.[2] After three months, it was certified triple platinum.[3] As of November 1996, the album sold 175,000 copies,[4] making it the best-selling Cantonese album by female artist that year.[5]

Never Want to Give You Up
Studio album by
Sammi Cheng
Released29 May 1996
RecordedDecember 1995 – March 1996
Genre
Length40:28
LanguageCantonese
LabelWarner Music Hong Kong
ProducerAlvin Leong, Mahmood Rumjahn, Stanley Leung
Sammi Cheng chronology
Can't Let You Go
(1995) 		Never Want to Give You Up
(1996) 		Worth It
(1996)
Singles from Never Want to Give You Up
  1. "Beware of Woman"
  2. "Never Want to Give You Up"
  3. "Owe You Nothing"
  4. "Colour ... Scent"
  5. "Asking Me"
  6. "Disagreement"

Composition

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The album incorporates a range of contemporary Cantopop styles, blending sentimental ballads, dance-pop with up-tempo tracks. Cheng worked with several producers and songwriters, including Alvin Leong, Mark Lui, Mahmood Rumjahn, Stanley Leung, Vicky Fung, C.Y. Kong and Andrew Lam.

Promotion

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Sammi Cheng promoted the album through various live performances, including events and TV appearances. She conducted various interviews and features in magazines and newspapers. Additionally, a giant outdoor billboard of the album was hung on the HMV building in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong.[6]

The title track "Never Want to Give You Up" was used as the theme song for the TV drama "When a Woman Loves a Man" and was also featured in a commercial for Panasonic Discman,[7] which helped it reach a wider audience. Additionally, "Disagreement" served as the interlude for the same TV drama.

Shortly thereafter, the film Feel 100% starring Sammi Cheng as the female lead was released and became highly popular. The film's theme song "Owe You Nothing" and the interludes "Asking Me" and "Colour... Scent",[8] were performed by Cheng.

Singles

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In Hong Kong, six singles were released from the album. The first three, "Beware Of Woman", "Never Want to Give You Up", and "Owe You Nothing", (from Feel 100%), are commercial singles intended for radios, TVs, and karaoke bars. The last three, "Asking Me" (from Feel 100% 1), "Colour ... Scent" and "Disagreement" are promotional singles intended solely for karaoke bars.

"Beware of Woman" was chosen as the album's lead single, topping four major charts. "Never Want to Give You Up" was released as the second single, peaking at number one on three major charts. "Owe You Nothing" (from Feel 100%) was released as the third and final commercial single, reaching number one on one major chart. It was also so popular in karaoke bars that it shot straight to the top of the karaoke charts for eight weeks.

Accolades

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Year Organization Category Nominee Result
1996 JSG Selections 2nd Quarter[9] Top 10 Songs "Beware of Woman"[10] Won
JSG Selections 3rd Quarter[11] Top 10 Songs "Never Want to Give You Up"[12] Won
Metro Radio Hits Music Awards Most popular karaoke song "Owe You Nothing" Won
Youth Music Channel Music Awards Most popular Cantonese song Won
Malaysia PWH Music Awards Won
RTHK Top 10 Gold Songs Awards Top 10 Songs "Never Want to Give You Up" Won
Best-selling female artist[13] Sammi Cheng Won

Commercial performance

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Never Want To Give You Up debuted at number one on IFPI (Hong Kong Group), maintained that position for one week.[14] It stayed in the chart for 12 weeks.

Track listing

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Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.

Never Want To Give You Up – Hong Kong Standard edition
No.TitleLength
1."Beware of Woman"3:31
2."Never Want to Give You Up"3:59
3."Space"4:30
4."Colour ... Scent"3:18
5."Goodbye Summer Love"3:25
6."Disagreement"4:29
7."Owe You Nothing (from Feel 100%)"4:18
8."Asking Me (from Feel 100%)"3:40
9."Red Wine, White Wine"5:07
10."To Live For You For One Night Only"4:21
Total length:40:28
Never Want To Give You Up – Taiwanese Edition/Singaporean Edition/Malaysian Edition (bonus track)[15]
No.TitleLength
11."I Was Your Baby"3:59

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1996) Peak
position
Hong Kong Albums (IFPI)[16] 1

Sales and certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[3] 3× Platinum 175,000[4]

Release history

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List of formats and editions of the album being released in each country, along with the date of the release
Region Date Format Label Edition Ref.
Asia 29 May 1996 CD, cassette Warner Music Hong Kong Standard
Canada 14 June 1996 Warner Music Hong Kong import
South Korea 24 June 1996 Warner Music Korea Korean edition [17][18]
Hong Kong 28 February 2001 CD Warner Music Hong Kong Best Sound of Warner Music HDCD remaster series
[19]
Taiwan 15 January 2002 Warner Music Taiwan Reissue
[20]
Hong Kong 21 December 2010 Warner Music Hong Kong Golden reissue series
[21]
Taiwan 14 February 2014 Warner Music Taiwan
[22]

References

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  1. ^ "Never Want To Give You Up". allmusic. 7 January 2024.
  2. ^ - 26 Oct 1996 - Page 50 " Her first two albums for the label in Cantonese, including her last, "Never Give It Up," did a tidy 100,000 each, says Warner VP of marketing David Gilchrist"
  3. ^ a b "After three months, Never Want to Give You Up successfully achieved triple platinum status". Nanyang Siang Pau. 10 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b "With album sales exceeding one million, Sammi Cheng aspires to be a chubby housewife.( Never Want To Give You Up achieved triple platinum status, with total sales 175,000 copies)". Lianhe Wanbao. 23 November 1996.
  5. ^ "Sales award". RTHK. 10 October 2024.
  6. ^ "1996 Sammi Cheng - Tsimshatsui HMV huge format outdoor billboard Never Want to Give You Up". digicolor. 7 January 2024.
  7. ^ "1996 Panasonic Discman". youtube. 7 January 2024.
  8. ^ "1996 Feel 100% Soundtracks". imdb. 7 January 2024.
  9. ^ "1996 JSG Selections 2nd Quarter". 7 January 2024.
  10. ^ "1996 JSG Selections 2nd Quarter Top 10 song awards Beware Of Woman". youtube. 7 January 2024.
  11. ^ "1996 JSG Selections 3rd Quarter". 7 January 2024.
  12. ^ "1996 JSG Selections 3rd Quarter Top 10 song awards Never Want to Give You Up". youtube. 7 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Sales award". RTHK. 10 October 2024.
  14. ^ "IFPI (Hong Kong Group)". Billboard. 10 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Never Want To Give You Up (bonus track)". discogs. 7 January 2024.
  16. ^ "IFPI (Hong Kong Group)". Billboard. 10 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Never Want To Give You Up (Korean Edition )". yes24. 7 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Never Want To Give You Up (Korean Edition)". mused.co.kr. 7 January 2024.
  19. ^ "Never Want To Give You Up (HDCD Remaster Series)". YesAsia. 7 January 2024.
  20. ^ "Never Want To Give You Up (Reissue)". ccr.com.tw. 7 January 2024.
  21. ^ "Never Want To Give You Up (Gold Disc) (Warner+EMI Golden Reissue Series)". YesAsia. 7 January 2024.
  22. ^ "Never Want To Give You Up (HDCD Remaster Series)". books.com.tw. 7 January 2024.
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