Music at Each Stage of Life – Eason Chan

I was over the moon when I found out that Eason Chan would be holding another concert in Vancouver this year.  I was totally hounding the computer screen as I waited for the clock to strike midnight so that I could get to the ticket pre-sale before anyone else.

I closed down the web browser at the very last minute, however, and gave up the thought of clicking on the “check-out” link which would have taken me to the Paypal screen.  At the very last minute, I remembered a couple of things:

1) I no longer have anyone that shares my enthusiasm for Eason Chan’s music and performance enough to purchase the most expensive ticket and to act crazy with me at the concert.  A couple of years ago, I did.  She was a friend who was just as crazy as me about Eason Chan.  We were both crazy enough to be the only ones that created a huge fan sign just for the Eason’s LIFE concert a couple of years ago.  In fact, we were the only ones with a fan sign during that 2013 winter concert night and were given rather amicable warnings and reminders several times by the concert staff to try to not block others with our huge fan sign.  It was actually not difficult for Eason to spot us and in fact, he smiled at us.  However, she was also a friend who was meant to walk only a part of the journey with me…like most strangers in our lives.

You can see our fan sign (the ONLY fan sign at the Vancouver 2013 Concert) beginning at 2:05 in this YouTube video and it kinda reappears throughout (ie. around 2:53).  It was so worth breaking my arms for.

2) If everything goes well, then I will be off to a new journey soon…and most likely not going to be back in time for this upcoming concert.  It’s a regret, but life is full of them…So meh.

Eason is one of those superb performers that I will always respect and his music really spells out the thoughts and feelings of an ordinary person at each significant and sometimes not so significant stage of his/her life.

His earlier music tends to resonate the most with those in their teens or twenties and I supposed, some early thirties too.  Some are adventurous, and some are bitter-sweet – a highlight of youth, reminding that we all have lived that time of care-freeness, uncertainties, and heartbreaks once.  Here are some of his earlier songs:

1) 十面埋伏 – the song that defined my first unrequited love that lasted for seven years (ridiculously long, I know).  It seemed we’ve kept missing each other just by a step…and by a heartbeat.

2) 與我常在 – the obsession of love?  Wishing that person will always be with you…but then you’ve realized that unless that person is yourself, it is not possible for that person to be always with you.  On a side note, I think Eason Chan is really, REALLY handsome. 😀

3) K歌之王 – this is not an Eason Chan tribute without this popular classic…The King of Karaoke.

4) 最佳損友 – The Best Harmful Friend…I think most of us have been through that period when you’re just not in the right crowd with people who think with your best interest at heart.  Girls do get cattier.

5) 每一個明天 – This used to be the song that got me insanely jealous of Eason’s wife because of this one line in the lyrics which roughly translates to “even Leo and Pisces can get along and anticipate life together” (a very bias translation from a borderline crazy fan).  I might have forgotten his birthday, but I do remember that he is a Leo while his wife, Mrs. Chan, is a Pisces.

Then, I grew up a bit and graduated from my somewhat weird teenage stage.

1) 忘記歌詞 – this is one of the songs that I sing often at karaoke because I usually Forget the Lyrics.

2) 夕陽無限好 – I used to have this song as my ringtone and annoyed the heck out of the people around me.  If I recall correctly, this song is actually dedicated to Anita Mui soon after she has passed away.

3) 人來人往 – People Come and People Go.  No matter where they go (be it friends or strangers), they’ve all inspired me at one point or another in my life.

4) 單車 – My signature karaoke song – Bicycle.  It’s about realizing the greatness of a father’s love for his child.  My father couldn’t help but smiled when I sang this to him.  I know, I’m just such a great singer, Dad.  XD  Now, if I could convince my karaoke buddies to stop dragging me off the stage.

5) 歲月如歌 – the opening theme song of an “it” TVB drama series of the distant past.

Now, some people who are still totally in love with Eason Chan’s earlier songs might think his later work is not as great.  However, I realized music preference is really just a timing thing.  Those individuals who are at a more mature stage of their life at the moment or those who have been experienced a lot in life (or simply just more mature than others) might realize these more recent songs are just as beautiful.

1) Life Goes On – I totally dig Eason’s English accent.

2) 富士山下 – this song is a bit of turning point in the kind of things that Eason sings about.

3) 好久不見 – Long Time No See.

4) 因為愛情– Because of Love…but not your puppy kind of teenage love.  A duet with Faye Wong.

5) 一絲不褂 – roughly translates as Naked…or directly translates as Not a Trace of Garment.

6) 孤獨患者 – apparently, this song is quite popular among the middle age listeners.  I’m confident that I’ll understand why this is popular one day…Yes, one day…but not now.

Other favourites (definitely not an exhaustive list…and that’s why some people stop going to karaoke with me 😛 ):

1) 孤兒仔 – Orphan. A duet with a cartoon character called 苦榮.

2) Shall we talk – Another classic from the great Eason.

3) 時光倒流二十年 – Twenty Years Back in Time.

4) 幸福摩天輪 – Ferris Wheel of Happiness.  Another classic and another song that I make sure that I sing at the karaoke bar.

5) 明年今日 – Next Year, Today.

6) 重口味 – A fun tribute to the 80s.  One of Eason’s recent songs.