November's Chopin

November's Chopin

November's Chopin cover
Studio album 十一月的蕭邦 by Jay Chou
Released 1 November 2005
Recorded October 2004–August 2005
Genre Mandopop
Length 51:58
Language Mandarin
Label Sony Music Taiwan
Producer Alfa Music
Jay Chou chronology

Initial J
(2005)		 November's Chopin
十一月的蕭邦
(2005)		 Fearless EP
霍元甲EP
(2006)

November's Chopin (Chinese: 十一月的蕭邦; pinyin: Shí Yī Yuè Dè Xiāo Bāng) is Taiwanese Mandopop artist Jay Chou's sixth Mandarin studio album. It was released on 1 November 2005[1] by Alfa Music and distributed by Sony Music Taiwan. It was released with a bonus DVD containing three music videos.

The album's title refers to Frédéric Chopin, "The Poet of the Piano", the 19th century Polish composer whom Chou admires and is inspired by. The music video for lead track "夜曲" (Nocturne) was filmed in New York. It includes the opening theme, "一路向北" (All the Way North), and ending theme song, "飄移" (Drifting), of Initial D starring Chou, Anthony Wong and Edison Chen.

Reception

The track "夜曲" (Nocturne) was nominated for Top 10 Gold Songs at the Hong Kong TVB8 Awards, presented by television station TVB8, in 2006.[2] It also won one of the Top 10 Songs of the Year and Best Loved by Audience; and the album won Best Producer for Chou at the 2006 HITO Radio Music Awards presented by Taiwanese radio station Hit FM.[3]

The track "飄移" (Drifting) was nominated for Best Original Song at the 42nd Golden Horse Awards in 2005[4] and 25th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2006.[5]

The album was awarded one of the Top 10 Selling Mandarin Albums of the Year at the 2005 IFPI Hong Kong Album Sales Awards, presented by the Hong Kong branch of IFPI.[6]

Track listing

All music composed by Jay Chou.

No. TitleLyricsRemarks Length
1. "夜曲" (Yè Qǔ Nocturne)Vincent Fang  3:48
2. "藍色風暴" (Lán Sè Fēng Bào Blue Storm)Vincent Fang  4:46
3. "髮如雪" (Fà Rú Xuě Hair Like Snow)Vincent Fang  5:01
4. "黑色毛衣" (Hēi Sè Máo Yī Black Sweater)Jay Chou  4:11
5. "四面楚歌" (Sì Miàn Chǔ Gē Besieged From All Sides)Jay Chou  4:07
6. "楓" (Fēng Maple)Devon Song  4:37
7. "浪漫手機" (Làng Màn Shǒu Jī Romantic Cell Phone)Vincent Fang  3:59
8. "逆鱗" (Nì Lín Reverse Scale)Jun-Lang Huang (黃俊郎)  3:54
9. "麥芽糖" (Mài Yá Táng Malt Candy)Vincent Fang  4:20
10. "珊瑚海" (Shān Hú Hǎi Coral Sea)Vincent FangDuet with Lara Veronin 4:16
11. "飄移" (Piāo Yí Drifting)Vincent FangInitial D opening theme 4:04
12. "一路向北" (Yī Lù Xiàng Běi All the Way North)Vincent FangInitial D ending theme 4:54

Music videos

  1. "夜曲" (Nocturne) MV
  2. "髮如雪" (Hair Like Snow) MV
  3. "黑色毛衣" (Black Sweater) MV
  4. "一路向北" ('All the Way North) MV

Track contents

"Nocturne" 夜曲
Composer Jay Chou
Lyricist Vincent Fang

1. "Nocturne" 夜曲 (Yè Qǔ)

The first track is an R&B piece, with a moderately strong beat and light classical-themed background music played by piano and acoustic guitar. The mood of the background music is sombre, matching the lyrics. The chorus is sung while the verses are rapped; the lyrics describe the death of a lover, and is relatively poetic, using metaphors involving black crows and wells to express emotion.
"Blue Storm" 藍色風暴
Composer Jay Chou
Lyricist Vincent Fang

2. "Blue Storm" 藍色風暴 (Lán Sè Fēng Bào)

This track begins with basic sounds and other effects, such as a church choir and telephone dial tones. The main background music involves distorted electric guitar and turntable scratching. The lyrics deal with religious themes.
"Hair Like Snow" 髮如雪
Composer Jay Chou
Lyricist Vincent Fang

3. "Hair Like Snow" 髮如雪 (Fà Rú Xuě)

This is a "Chinese Wind" piece, utilising traditional Chinese instruments including the pipa and yangqin, at a moderately slow tempo. This track also involves a typical R&B beat. The vocal is sung softly, and towards the end, a false voice is used (an emphasis on traditional Chinese music). The lyrics are romance-centered, and use metaphoric language to some degree.
"Black Sweater" 黑色毛衣
Composer Jay Chou
Lyricist Jay Chou

4. "Black Sweater" 黑色毛衣 (Hēi Sè Máo Yī)

An R&B piece with a slow tempo, this track begins with an acoustic guitar, and involves soft vocals. The lyrics expresses one's longing for their beloved.
"Besieged From All Four Sides" 四面楚歌
Composer Jay Chou
Lyricist Jay Chou

5. "Besieged From All Sides" 四面楚歌 (Sì Miàn Chǔ Gē)

A piece which somewhat resembles hip-hop music, utilising a strong and heavy beat, as well as including violin, cello and synthesizer music. The majority of the track is rapped, while the chorus is sung. The lyrics, written entirely by Jay Chou, express his resentment for the paparazzi, openly calling them "dogs" which "bite an apple in their mouths and hold a camera in their hands" (他們咬著蘋果 手裡拿著長鏡頭), and tabloids as "dogs weekly" (狗週刊), who take photos of him for "bones". Towards the end of the track, Jay raps a few lines in Korean, being the only piece in which he has used a foreign (non-Chinese) language in a considerable amount. The orchestral background in the song is the "Apple loop" named "Orchestra Strings 08" found in GarageBand and also in Logic Pro. Fort Minor's "Believe Me", GReeeeN's "パリピポ", MYRS' "熱浪", and G&G Sindikatas's "Muzika Kuri Saugo", also use the same loop.
"Maple" 楓
Composer Jay Chou
Lyricist Devon Song

6. "Maple" 楓 (Fēng)

A softer, romantic piece, "Maple" uses piano, violin and cello over a soft R&B beat at a moderately slow tempo, and is exclusively sung. The lyrics describe the sorrow behind a lost love.
"Romantic Cell Phone" 浪漫手機
Composer Jay Chou
Lyricist Vincent Fang

7. "Romantic Cell Phone" 浪漫手機 (Làng Màn Shǒu Jī)

An R&B piece which involves electric guitar.
"Reverse Scale" 逆鳞
Composer Jay Chou
Lyricist Huang Jun Lang

8. "Reverse Scale" 逆鳞 (Nì Lín)

A hip-hop piece which involves orchestra music, this track has a dark mood within its composition. Sound effects are used, such as female screams.
"Malt Candy" 麥芽糖
Composer Jay Chou
Lyricist Vincent Fang

9. "Malt Candy" 麥芽糖 (Mài Yá Táng)

A lighthearted piece, which uses violin and electric guitar. It is exclusively sung, with lyrics focusing on romance themes.
"Coral Sea" 珊瑚海
Composer Jay Chou
Lyricist Vincent Fang

10. "Coral Sea" 珊瑚海 (Shān Hú Hǎi)

A duet between Jay Chou and Lara Veronin, with rather soft background music made from piano, violin and both acoustic and electric guitars. Exclusively sung, where both male and female vocals are expressed softly. The lyrics depict a relationship in a regretful tone.

References

  1. ↑ (Chinese) "November's Chopin album info" JVR Music. 1 November 2005. Retrieved 2011-04-15
  2. ↑ (Chinese) "2006 Hong Kong TVB8 Awards Gold Songs nomination list" Sina.com. 17 December 2006. Retrieved 2011-07-02
  3. ↑ (Chinese) "2006 HITO Radio Music Awards winners list" HITO Radio. 22 January 2006. Retrieved 2011-04-24
  4. ↑ (Chinese) "42nd Golden Horse Awards winners and nominaees list" Golden Horse Awards. Retrieved 2011-02-25
  5. ↑ (Chinese) "25th Hong Kong Film Awards winner/nomination list" Hong Kong Film Awards. Retrieved 2011-02-25
  6. ↑ (Chinese) "2005 IFPI Hong Kong Album Sales Awards winners list" IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 2011-04-19

External links