In the time when Wong Jum-sum grew up, Cantonese pop music was but one of many kinds of music broadcast on radio. In a society where over 80% of the population spoke Cantonese, that came as a major surprise. Wong has a simple explanation for this. Cantonese pop grew out of traditional Cantonese music, but it could not build on the popularity of the latter in the face of severe competition. Compared to Western or Mandarin pop, it lagged behind in the areas of composition, lyrics, singing, accompaniment, recording, distribution, and marketing. Its competitors had a head start in talents, organization, and technology that took Cantonese pop more than a decade to come close.

Not everyone agrees with Wong’s diagnosis. Other scholars argue Canto pop, even in such early days, had a unique vibrancy that came from a healthy disregard of the boundaries among different traditions and genres, be they local or foreign. Early Canto pop laid a solid foundation for modern Canto pop, which went on to dominate not only Hong Kong but most Chinese communities around the world.

The story of Cantonese pop awaits careful re-writing.

鳥語花香 (excerpt) (1955-6)



Original English Version
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作曲:Louiguy
作詞:資料不詳
主唱:周聰、梁靜

梁:陶醉歌唱動聽令人愛
周:看櫻花朵朵正在開
梁:情侶一對樹下談心
周:多麼恩愛

周:玫瑰花放艷美令人愛
梁:兩顆心歡笑放開
周:情侶相約會在黃昏
梁:傾心相愛

合:我倆細訴在月下
  清風輕輕正吻我
  欣賞花香聽鳥語
  最美滿快樂自在
  與你說笑在樹下
  天天相歡倆對唱
  高歌一曲我要你
  女貌郎才

梁:陶醉歌唱動聽令人愛
周:看櫻花朵朵正在開
梁:情侶一對月下談心
周:多麼恩愛

合:我倆細訴在月下
  清風輕輕正吻我
  欣賞花香聽鳥語
  最美滿快樂自在
  與你說笑在樹下
  天天相歡倆對唱
  高歌一曲我要你
  女貌郎才

梁:陶醉歌唱動聽令人愛
周:看櫻花朵朵正在開
梁:情侶一對月下談心
周:多麼恩愛
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