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[EMI, September 1999]
What can I say? This album even tops Impatience. Only Love Strangers has everything - fast songs, calm songs, good songs, very good songs ... I like "Up to the Brambles", "Only Love Strangers", "Butterfly" and "Passing Cloud" best myself. And "Spectacular", of cause. As an album this must be the best so far. I was actually expecting something like this after hearing "Eyes On Me". I hope Faye stay with this style of music, but then it's not her style not to change her music style ...
FAYE'S ALBUM REVIEW FROM SINGAPORE WEEKLIES - 8 DAYS Only Love a Stranger This is undoubtedly Faye Wong's most successful attempt at marrying indie sensibility
with mainstream appeal. The idea itself is nothing new; after all, Faye's been at it since
her '95 Random Thoughts album. But what's amazing about her latest release is the ease and
assuredness she and her producers evincee in walking the tightrope between listenability
and pushing the musical envelope.
The album opens with 'Blossom to the End', a psychedelic
number heavy on reverb and digital distortion. Surprisingly, this is followed by the
sweet-sounding 'The Moonlight Then'. Things then really pick up with 'Hypnosis', a hip
synth-driven track laced with a shange (mountain folksong)-like chorus. Equally
riveting is the tittle track, a laidback bossanoca tune enlivened by her daughter
Tongtong's "Come on baby" punctuations and angelic laughter. It is remarkable
how the album effortlessly lines up one excellent tract after another, such as the
wrenching folk ballad, 'Overturn', and of course, the hi-techno-ish 'Exciting'. My
personal fave, if I'm forced to choose one, is the Cantonese trac - one of two here -
entitled 'Postman'. A sequel of sorts to her earlier hit, 'Appointment', it comes complete
with thought-provoking lyrics by Lin Xi. Throughout the album, Faye's vocals shimmer with
their trademark crystalline timbre, made edgier by an undercurrent of nervous energy and a
slight tinge of hysteria. Definitely the best Chinese pop album to emerge this year.
From Strait Times
LOVERS AND
STRANGERS
You don't expect anything less from Faye Wong.
She may be estranged from husband Dou Wei but his presence is
still felt in this album. Her taste in welding Western-Eastern
music elements is strongly influenced by the talented Dou.
One needs a good mentor to break new ground and try new
things. Wong may need to look for new inspiration after this
album.
She is blessed with a clear-as-crystal voice that is unaffected by
smoking, and not aged by motherhood. She sounds almost like a
starry-eyed teenager in track 4, Lovers And Strangers. This
soothing number, featuring excellent music arrangement from
composer Zhang Yadong as well as the voice of little Jing Tong,
Wong's daughter, should transport you to a tranquil island.
Track 2, Once In A Blue Moon, is soft as a whisper and makes
you reminisce about some past regrets. Take note of how Wong
interprets the same words differently as the song goes on.
Track 10, Fantastic (written for a Pepsi commercial), may be the
most talked-about number, but she mentioned publicly that it is
her most unsatisfactory composition.
She also once claimed that she won't record another Cantonese
album, so the last two tracks are to appease Hongkong listeners.
Both these Cantonese songs are as good as the Mandarin
equivalents, thanks to Lin Xi.
If you can accept Wong's love for avant-garde stuff, track 1's The
Last Blossom and track 3's Hypnotise should provide good
listening, although you may sometimes not understand her
slurring without referring to the lyric sheet.
--------
About the first song, Steve of Singapore Fayenatics has the following to say:
Actually this sentence is a poem describing a picture titled "韶華勝極", translated as "Flower Of Final Splendor" in the english version. I think both "開到荼縻" and "韶華勝極" mean the same thing! "Beauty With Time" is good, but "Flower Of Final Splendor" is not bad also.. the latter may be more "poetic"...... though the song is definitely not just talking about beauty or flower! hahaha.....
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| 1 | Up to the Brambles (開到荼蘼) | 2 | Moon at That Moment (當時的月亮) | 3 | Hypnotize (催眠) | 4 | Only Love Strangers (只愛陌生人) | 5 | Century of Loneliness (百年孤寂) | 6 | Butterfly (蝴蝶) | 7 | Passing Cloud (過眼雲煙) | 8 | After the Beep (嗶一聲之後) | 9 | Overthrown (推翻) Lyric written by Ah Foon | 10 | Spectacular (精采) | 11 | Watch the Field (守望麥田) Cantonese version of "Century of Loneliness" | 12 | Postman (郵差) Cantonese version of "Butterfly" |
Up to the Brambles (開到荼蘼) 曲:C. Y. Kong 詞:林夕 編:C. Y. Kong Every Ant has eyes and noses, Whether it is beautiful or not, or misses by a few micrometer, What does it matter Every human Will Cry when Sad Will Eat when Hungry Difference can't be bigger than Heaven and Earth What excitement does it have Its got too much too much Mysterious Attraction Too little Logic, Too much too much Games, Only because of Curiosity What other Worth has it Hysteria Attitude towards everything Dead Hope and Collapsing to the Ground Each and Every Idol, is also like that Idol that was mesmerized with before, disappear one by one, Who has once Sinned Greatly, and Who is God, We are Waiting What Miracle, In the End there is only Thyself Can't bear to Overly Criticize Every Detail In the End One Faces Thyself, even then can't Really be Looked Up To Who gave me the Whole World, I will also Harbor Suspicion Supremely Happy, and yet could open the "TU MI" Every Every Every Human, Who is more Beautiful Every Every Every Human, Who is more Sweeter Every Every Every Human, Who is more Easier and what's the Big Deal Every Ant, no matter passes by Whom, Is always that Neat, what does it matter Every Human, when meeting the person that is loved Instead will palpitate with Fear... [chinese] | |
Moon at That Moment (當時的月亮) 曲:李冰 詞:林夕 編:Adrian Chan At that time we're listening to music Good thing that I've forgotten who sang it, who sang it... At that time there's a cup of tea on the table Good thing that I haven't drank it all, drank it all, Who can tell me, how strong I have to be that I would dare to remember and not forget. At that time if we have stayed here Your hair would have been how long, how long... At that time if we haven't said goodbye Would this door become, a wall... What difference does it make, ????? Then I can't have it beside me. Look, the moon at that moment it used to represent someone's heart, in the end it's still the same... Look, the moon at that moment After one night, it has turned into today's sunlight. Who can tell me, what kind of religion Can let people remember and not forget. When I look back, the moon then it used to represent someone's heart, in the end it's still the same... Look, the moon at that moment After one night, it has turned into today's sunlight. At that time if we didn't have something At that time if we did have something then what would have happened? [chinese] | |
Hypnotize (催眠) 曲:郭亮 詞:林夕 編:郭亮 First taste of cake first toy to bring consolation Sun comes up sun comes down ice cream flows tears Second toy to bring consolation big wind blow, big wind blow popcorn bursting is beautiful From the beginning to the end forgotten who, remembered who From start to finish counting it again counting it again is there any wastage? LA.... First kiss of someone's lips first time falling sick and wanting to take medicine Sun comes up sun comes down ice cream flows tears Second kiss of someone's lips second time falling sick and wanting to take medicine Big wind blow, big wind blow popcorn bursting is beautiful Suddenly the sky brightens suddenly the sky darkens All things that are similar escape to somewhere far away One two three years old four five six years old Thousand autumns, million ages. [chinese] | |
Only Love Strangers (只愛陌生人) 曲:張亞東 詞:林夕 編:張亞東 I fall in love with a scar I fall in love with a lamp I love listening to the seconds tick Don't like other rumors What I love is purer than facial expressions More naive than existing objects When all I need is only a kiss Then give me a kiss I only love strangers I only love strangers C'mon baby I fall in love with this person Love his body temperature Like to see the look in his eyes Don't like other possibilities What I love is purer than facial expressions More naive than existing objects When all I need is only a kiss Then give me a kiss I only love strangers I only love strangers. [chinese] | |
Century of Loneliness (百年孤寂) 曲:C. Y. Kong/Adrian Chan 詞:林夕 編:C. Y. Kong Heart, Belongs to you, I borrowed to baby-sit it, But it turned into my heart's terror. You, Belongs to Who, By chance I passed by But brought with me upheaval and downfall All because on the way, on the way, Big Rain had poured heavily, Proof that you were here, But when I close my eyes, and open them again, I only see the Desert, What camels do they have there, is the shadow a real person or a fake Not very Clinging. A hundred years ago you were not You and I was not me, Sadness was Real, Tears were Fake, At first no Outcome. A hundred years later there is no You and there is no Me Wind, belongs to the Sky I borrowed to blow, But blew up the flames between Mankind Sky, belongs to Who, I borrowed to admire but saw your Silhouette [chinese] | |
Butterfly (蝴蝶) 曲:Adrian Chan 詞:林夕 編:Adrian Chan Lips have not yet opened, Already we are hurting each other. Date has not yet been set, Already we don't anticipate. Phone has not yet hung up, Feelings have already become rotten. I wish you were a Butterfly, appear quickly and leave quickly. Give me a pair of hands, To depend on You. Give me a pair of eyes, To watch you leave. Just like Butterfly can't fly across the Ocean, No one can bear to blame. Give me that instance, To Adore you. Give me a Lifetime, To send you away. Can't wait until morning, Dream Beautifully and Wake Up. We are all free and relaxed, Dreams have not yet become Black and White. Already moved myself out of the Matter, Swore never said it out before Relationship is no longer there. Tears have not yet dropped, Already forgotten to ponder. Just like the loving care of a Bowl of Hot Soup, Can't be brought along everywhere. [chinese] | |
Passing Cloud (過眼雲煙) 曲:袁惟仁 詞:袁惟仁 編:陳飛午 突然間我找到一句可以形容自己的遭遇 能夠不去傷害彼此 卻又足夠做為解釋 #那是在想盡各種方式 明知沒有辦法的事 還是真的如此 我們已不用依賴曾經需要對方的日子# 過眼雲煙 好像每朵雲都是你的抱歉 別說再見 已經沒有權利義務再去見面 過眼雲煙 眼淚已不再是傷心時的屋簷 別說再見 都是眷戀才讓愛情危險 Repeat once Repeat # [Previous][Top][Next] | |
After the Beep (嗶一聲之後) 曲:張亞東 詞:林夕 編:張亞東 Leave a message, Leave a message, Please sigh after the long music. Leave a message, Please leave a message, Please cry after I've finished talking. I'm not here, I'm not here, Please leave your own Secrets after the beep, Please Praise Yourself to the speaker after the beep, Please Moan and Sigh to the Empty Air after the beep, I'm not here, My body is here, My mind has wandered. Please talk about an Interesting Topic after the beep, Please share your Emotional Problems after the beep, Please do not mention a Certain Name after the beep. (The Person you are looking for is not Here, Does not want to be searched for by anyone) The Person you are looking for is now having fun him/herself (I'm sorry the Person you are looking for does not want to Say Anything but its Too Late.) The Person you are looking for now doesn't need brothers and sisters (It doesn't matter if you want to Search, its already Too Late) The Person you are looking for is also Searching (Who wants to Accompany Me, I'm Playing Hide and Seek ) [chinese] | |
Overthrown (推翻) 曲:陳曉娟 詞:Kwan 編:黃中岳 I thought innocence was the answer to everything, Therefore I thought everything was all natural. Suspicions slowly thinning, I thought memories paint the colors of everything, therefore with regards to your future and mine, I never lost hope. I believed you, you are love ( I can only let, let you leave) suddenly you don't even pretend to hide, don't (even) think, you simply overthrow, just saying that it was all game, just like that, you don't even bother don't don't even look, like it has nothing to do with you, like it was only me that can tolerate, this incomprehensible regret.... [chinese] | |
Spectacular (精采) 曲:張亞東/王菲 詞:王菲 編:張亞東 Better to prepare yourself Before your soul is corrupted You and I still have a chance To make a messy return to goodness Clear up all the gossip. You long for I wait for The beautiful shining future It's not perfect As long as it's spectacular But how do I do this To say to think Wanting so much more. Every minute that exists is a different kind of spectacular Love is always difficult And dreams are a great collection. How many times have you and I insisted on it? Sometimes we compromise But we refuse to regret. [chinese] | |
Watch the Field (守望麥田) 曲:C. Y. Kong/Adrian Chan 詞:林夕 編:C. Y. Kong Music: C.Y. Kong/Adrian Chan Lyrics: Lin Xi Wind, blows across the wheat field, Field has to be harvested. May be it is left in my body. Heart, bruised by you, Like picking minerals in yellow sand, May be it will let me Shine. With you its like Stars and Clouds, Rise and Descend, No matter how we get in each other's way, Its more Beautiful than Harmful. With you its like Wind and Dust, Not the same but travelling together, Together with Sky and Earth, No fear of no chance to love each other. Coming with two empty hands, Waving when Leaving, Over Mountains and Waters, Who is inside the Water Not necessarily advancing together, Coming with Open Heart, Returning with Assured Heart Haven't counted Not one Thing, That Deeply Loved Someone, A Day can reach up to An Age. Water, Evaporates becoming Cloud Cloud, The Discarded Rain, May be from your sweat. Hand, Passes the cheek, The Kiss someone besides you Gives, May be left in my Palm. [chinese] | |
Postman (郵差) 曲:Adrian Chan 詞:林夕 編:Adrian Chan Until the fine snow flies down, Seeps into the Deep Sea Far Away. Cannot even move two feet, first thought about, leaving. Until you said not coming back, Until I said you deserved it. Took down your cloak of emotions Maybe instead you'll believe Love. You are a thousand mounds of snow, I am the long street. Afraid that when the sun rises, we will have to part. Looking at the Butterfly which can't cross the Heavens, Who has the rights to Not Understand ( only thing to do is blame the time which goes by too fast ). You are a letter I am a postman The Last pair of Legs Treks through every Dune, Hurriedly Sending, Didn't have time to tear open, The Beautiful World Inside. Misread the Hotel's Door Sign, Mistook the Street to Roam, Want to protect the cooling Food Parcel, Cannot be simply placed. Does not contain your strumming and mine, But contains an ending of strumming. Yellow leaves will fly far from this fate, In the end only able to say good bye. [chinese] |
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