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Wong Jim
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- This is a Chinese name; the family name is Wong.
Wong Jim, James Wong Jim M.Phil., D.S.Sc. (Traditional Chinese: 黃霑; Cantonese Yale: Wong Jim) (February 21, 1940 – November 24, 2004) , whose real name was Wong Jum-sum (Traditional Chinese: 黃湛森; Cantonese Yale: Wong4 Jaam3 Sam1), an alumnus of La Salle College, was best known as a master of Cantopop lyrics in Hong Kong, but was also well known as a talented columnist, composer, actor, movie director, scriptwriter, talk show hosts and various other creative positions in the field of entertainment and mass media in Hong Kong.
Wong died of lung cancer at the age of 64 in 2004.
Contents
- 1 Education
- 2 Career and contributions
- 3 Important works in lyrics
- 4 Awards
- 5 Filmography as actor
- 6 External links
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Education
Wong was born in
Panyu, in what now is part of
Guangzhou,
China and migrated to Hong Kong with his family in
1949. He completed his secondary education at
La Salle College. In
1963, he graduated from Chinese Department,
Faculty of Arts of the
University of Hong Kong. Wong obtained the degree of
Master of Philosophy from the
University of Hong Kong in
1983 for his study in
Cantonese opera. In May
2003, in the midst of his fight with lung cancer, he completed his doctorate study at the Department of
Social Science, University of Hong Kong. The title of his thesis was "Hong Kong Popular Music (1949-1997)".
Career and contributions
Wong had participated in a variety of media fields including advertisement, movie and music. He was best known for his achievements as a lyricist of Cantonese songs in Hong Kong. Beginning from the 1960s, he was the lyricist for over 2000 songs, collaborating with composer Joseph Koo (aka. Gu Gaa-fai) on many popular TVB TV drama theme songs, many of which have become classics of the genre. His works had pushed the development of Cantopop to unprecedented popularity. Joseph Koo, might be one of his closest friends, but James Wong acknowledges that Koo is the exact opposite of him, saying that he (Wong) is handsome (in nature), while Koo has a terrible reputation, he curses or uses vulgar while Koo doesn't know how to curse!
At the same time of being well known and praised for his creative works in the entertainment and advertisement fields, Wong was also famous for his vulgar and indelicate image. His vulgar includes jokes that lightly touch on adult topics. In one of his last concerts, he sung ones of his songs intended for advertisements. This one, "Leung Go Gau Sai So" has one particular line where he emphasises the word for mother, lo-mo. On that night he also said he loves si-lai (married women, he said, his mother was a si-lai and he loves si-lai so badly, his si-lai at home said he could only one si-lai. His charismatic nature blends perfectly with his jokes that makes everyone laugh until they fall off their chairs. He had a series of best-seller books on adult-oriented jokes. He was regarded as the one breaking the cultural barrier to taboos in Hong Kong during the conservative environment in 1970s.
Wong hosted several TV programs, mostly interviews or talk shows oriented towards adults, on both TVB and ATV. One of the talk shows called "Off-guard Tonight" (今夜不設防), co-hosted by Wong and his close friends Chua Lam and Ni Kuang on ATV, is particularly remembered.
Since 1990s Wong's creative works had become less popular, and many entertainment company had introduced less Wong's songs. Some TV shows hosted by Wong were also unpopular. Wong had decided to turn back to Hong Kong University to take the Doctor degree, about the popular culture of Hong Kong. His essay is now in the library of Hong Kong University.
Important works in lyrics
- It's a Small World (世界真細小) Chinese adaptation
- Below the Lion Rock (獅子山下)
- The Bund of Shanghai (上海灘), theme song from TV series The Bund
- When I'm Asked (問我)
- Both are forgetten in the mist (兩忘煙水裡)
- Tao (道), theme to the Tsui Hark-produced A Chinese Ghost Story
- A laugh in blue sea (滄海一聲笑), theme to Tsui Hark's The Swordsman
- A Man Should Stand Strong (男兒當自強), theme song to Tsui Hark's Once Upon a Time in China series about Wong Fei Hung; set to the traditional Chinese tune On the General's Orders (將軍令)
- No need to remember old dreams (舊夢不須記)
- Childhood(童年)
- Work Hard (奮鬥)
Awards
Wong received numerous awards for his works.
- Music Awards
- 1981 忘記他, The best cantopop, 4th Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
- 1982 兩忘煙水里, The best cantopop, 4th Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
- 1989 Best Lyricist, 2nd Hong Kong Artist Awards (香港藝術家年獎)
- 1990 Golden Pin, 13th, Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
- 1991 Hall of Fame, RTHK (Radio and Television Hong Kong)
- 2000 Hall of Fame Award, CASH (Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong).
- 2002 Hall of Fame Award for 25th Anniversary, 25th Top Ten Chinese Golden Pop Music, RTHK
- Film Awards
Filmography as actor
