George Lam's "My Favorite": The Story Behind the Classic Cantonese Album and Songs from 1986
Singer: George Lam Record Company: WEA
Publication date: 1986
Producer: George Lam
01. Ah Lam's Diary
02. Sylvester Stallone Lambo
03. Digital Life
04. Tiger Warrior
05. Fierce battle against evil
06. Who is your favorite?
07. Once upon a time
08. Kiss of the Spider Woman
09. A cold and aloof image
10. One morning
11. Trailblazers
On July 24, 1986, the art film *Love for Life*, directed by and starring Sylvia Chang, was released in Hong Kong. The film also featured Chang, Mu Sai-yan, and George Lam. The film's handling of emotions was remarkably delicate, conveying a sense of poignant melancholy and a nostalgic longing for bygone days. George Lam played the role of Junyan and sang the theme song "Who is My Favorite?" and the incidental song "Once".
In 1986, George Lam released his classic album "My Favorite", once again serving as the producer himself. The cover photo of him and his son, Lam Tak-ching, gave people a warm feeling.
The first song on the album, "Ah Lam's Diary," is an English adaptation with a strong Latin American "conga" rhythm. The original song is "Conga," performed by the Miami Sound Machine in 1985. George Lam wrote quirky and playful lyrics for this song, marking his first time writing lyrics and his first rap track. While being playful, George Lam also showcased his superb singing skills, maintaining clear enunciation and avoiding any lip-syncing even at fast tempos, perfectly delivering a rap performance.
"Sylvester Stallone Lambo," a tribute to his idol, is an adaptation of "Twist My Arm," a song performed by the American black female group The Pointer Sisters in 1985. George Lam's performance is crazy and hilarious.
"Who is My Favorite" was composed by Lowell Lo and written by Poon Yuen-leung. Considering that the film mainly explores the love triangle from a female perspective and rarely expresses the male protagonist's inner world, Poon Yuen-leung arranged for George Lam to make a self-revelation in the theme song, describing the confusion and hesitation of being caught between the two in great detail. This dramatic treatment has an "amplifying" effect and left a deep impression on the audience.
"Digital Life" is based on Cristian Percouts' "Minuet in G Major," a piece long mistakenly attributed to J.S. Bach due to its inclusion in "Keyboard Pieces for Anna Madeleine Bach." In 1965, American songwriters Sandy Linze and Denny Randell adapted this classic piece into "A Lover's Concerto," which became a huge hit after being performed by The Toys. The song's inspiration stems from a 1986 Hong Kong stock market correction. Poon Yuen-leung incorporated elements of Hong Kong life, such as horse racing and stocks, into the lyrics, ironically portraying the inversion of life's priorities. The fluctuating numbers foreshadow market ups and downs, suggesting that life itself is merely a numbers game. This song breaks with conventional notions of lyrics, incorporating numbers into the lyrics, coupled with George Lam's rapid-fire, challenging vocals, creating a series of delightful surprises.
"The Pioneer" is a song that pays tribute to local bands in the 1960s. The lyrics connect key figures in the "sandwich band" trend of the 1960s, such as Teddy Robin, Anders Nelsson, Joe Junior, D' Topnotes, The Lotus, The Mystics, and Chan Yan Kin. The lyricist, Lam Chun Keung, was a member of The Thunderbirds.
On February 1, 1987, the 9th Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards Ceremony was held at the Hong Kong Coliseum. "Ah Lam's Diary" was selected as one of the Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs, George Lam won the "Best Album Producer Award", and Lowell Lo won the "Best Chinese Pop Song Award" for "Who is My Favorite".
On January 29, 1995, at the 17th Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards Ceremony, George Lam was awarded the "Golden Needle Award".