AND NOW, TAIWAN TOO......

In fighting for a spot for the English speaking market, Taiwan have not being idle. One of their biggest export in this genre was Tracy Huang. She scored big with her first English album " Feelings" in the seventies. It amazed me that there really was a market for these kind of music. Artists who just sang the popular songs of the day with the same arrangement, the same kind of playing, the only different being the vocal. During my record buying days, I would never for the life of me buy any of these CD. In my honest opinion, only the Chinese educated people would listen to them 'cos they were too consecutive to accept a Western singers in their midst and so they did the next best thing, choose an oriental artist who sings in English. Suffice to say, I am not a fan of these kind of artists. Anyway, here are the  few that I have in my collection.

TRACY HUANG 2. 1976 - 1981 : This CD contain the usual covers covered by cover artists. Some current hits and some oldies that includes 'I Don't Want To Talk About It'. '( What A ) Wonderful World ', 'Blue Bayou, 'I've Never Been To Me', 'End Of The World'. Ironically I first bought this for the song 'I've Never Been To Me' which I doesn't have at the time of buying this CD but now I've at least three of this song on different CD. Nice to put on during bed time with the light out low or as background music. DOP : 29th August 1996.

TRACY HUANG 3. 1976 - 1981 : This companion piece contain pretty much the same type of selections. Something old, something new. Designed for lazy people with simple taste. Song selections includes 'We May Never Love Like This Again', 'Sailing', 'Here. There & Everywhere', 'One Man. One Woman. 'When I Need You'. I bought these two CD during a time when I was working outstation. I am the type of person who get reckless after a week of not making any new purchase.. So I got these. There is of course a Tracy 1 which is a collection of her Chinese hits but regretfully I didn't come across that or I would have bought that as well. I liked a complete collection.. I'm sure she flared better there at least in my case. DOP : 29th August 1996.

THOSE WERE THE DAYS : VOL.1. FRANCES YIP & TRACY HUANG : Now this one I really like. At last something different. I got this on record and I was waiting with bated breath for this to come out. The oldies in this CD was given a fresh approach and it have never sounded better. Highlights includes 'San Francisco', 'Hurt So Bad', 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me', 'If We Are Only Friends', 'This Is My Song' and 'Sound Of Silence'. I still play this CD occasionally. There is a Vol. 2 but the song selections are not as good as this one. It's been eight years and I am still waiting for Vol. 2 to to come out on CD. So, will the powers that be, please take note........DOP : 18th June 2005.

CHYI : WHOEVER FINDS THIS, I LOVE YOU : I find Chyi more appealing than Tracy Huang. I don't really recall where or when I heard her the first time but it interests me enough to get this on cassette. Her renditions are good and the fact that she touches more on rather oblivion songs than popular songs appeals to me. I heard songs that I've never heard before rather than popular songs that I have heard umpteen times. This was the first time I've heard 'You Got A Nerve'. I especially like ' Waiting For The Morning', 'Angels, Roses & Rain', 'Lady On The Other Side Of Town' and 'Yesterday When I Was Young', a better version of this song, I've yet to hear. This CD was a gift to me by a former colleague. DOP : A Gift 11st July 1993 from Miss Sandy.

CHYI'S STORIES : This was also a gift from an old and dear friend.. I like her choice of not so well known songs and I find her vocal pleasing and soothing. Favourites here includes the title track, 'Stories', 'Memory', 'Light A Light, ' Castles In The Air' and 'Like A Hero'. Overall, not as good as the first one but still justify my paying good money for it. Don't be surprised if I were to add another few of her CD in my collection in the near future. And, oh, she sings in Mandarin too and I have a CD of her doing just that. DOP : A Gift 5th April 1993 from Miss Ann Lian.