Cantopop: A reflection to 「昨夜的渡輪上」

Lecture: 'Cantopop: Its Development, Analysis, Creativity in Cultural Context'

This lecture had given a quick introduction of Cantopop's development and how it reflects the Hong Kong society in different period.

昨夜的渡輪上 1981

夜渡欄河再倚　北風我迎頭再遇 動盪如這海　城在兩岸凝神對視 霓虹伴著舞姿　當酒醉如同不知 日後望這方　醉中一切無從找住 渡輪上　懷念你說生如戰士 披戰衣　滿載清醒再次開始 莫問豪情似癡　今天醉倒狂笑易 夜盡露曙光　甦醒何妨重頭開始

「昨夜的渡輪上」(lyrics written by馮德基 ,1981) was introduced in the lecture. After the influence by the Taiwan school-folk music in early 80s, various kind of songs had been inspired, few express feelings to country and Hong Kong,「昨夜的渡輪上」is one of an example.

This song mirrors people's loneilness in the Hong Kong city. Although 70s and 80s were the economic booming time for Hong Kong, people got lost in a big city where fulls of amusement and neon lights. Life was like a challege to them. In order to survive, they needed to 「披戰衣」, gear up. This reflects that the Hong Kong people were uncertain to their future.

Unlike of the other songs in early 80s, instead of expressing feeling to the 'root-country'far away, this song does not only evok the emotion towards the city, but also raised question related to Hong Kong's cultural identity.

It also reminds me of another song, 「借來的美夢」（lyrics written by鄭國江 ,1981）, which regards Hong Kong as a 'borrowed dream', inspired from the article named 'Borrowed time, borrowed place'. It also illustrates Hong Kong as a rich city and show confusion to the future.

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