Still Fantasy

Still Fantasy
Still Fantasy cover
Studio album 依然范特西 by Jay Chou
Released	5 September 2006 (2006-09-05)
Recorded	January–July 2006
Genre	Mandopop
Length	41:35
Language	Mandarin
Label	Sony Music Taiwan
Producer	Alfa Music
Jay Chou chronology
Fearless EP 霍元甲EP (2006) Still Fantasy 依然范特西 (2006) Curse of the Golden Flower EP 黃金甲EP (2006)

Still Fantasy (Chinese: 依然范特西; pinyin: Yī Rán Fàn Tè Xī) is the seventh studio album by Taiwanese Mandopop artist Jay Chou. It was released on 5 September 2006^[1] by Alfa Music and distributed by Sony Music Taiwan.

The album was originally scheduled for release on 8 September. However, Alfa Music decided to bring the release date three days forward because the master CD was leaked in Mainland China by employees of the album's production facility. This led to illegal downloads of MP3s and sales of unlicensed copies of the then yet-to-be-released album.^[2]

The album features a duet "千里之外" (Faraway) with Taiwanese singer-songwriter Fei Yu-Ching.^[3] The music videos for "夜的第七章" (Twilight's Chapter Seven) and "心雨" (Heart's Rain) were filmed on location in London, England.

Reception

The album debuted at number one on Taiwan's G-Music Weekly Top 20 Mandarin and Combo Charts at week 35 (1–7 September 2006) with a percentage sales of 45.98%^[4] and 25.93%^[5] respectively. It charted in the Mandarin Chart for 24 weeks and the Combo Chart for 18 weeks. It is the best selling album in Taiwan with 181,000 copies sold in 2006.^[6]

The tracks, "千里之外" (Faraway), "聽媽媽的話" (Listen to Mother's Words) and "白色風車" (White Windmill) are listed at number 2, 8^[7] and 53 respectively on Hit Fm Taiwan's Hit Fm Annual Top 100 Singles Chart (Hit-Fm年度百首單曲) for 2006.^[8]

The track "夜的第七章" (Twilight's Chapter Seven) was nominated for Top 10 Gold Songs at the Hong Kong TVB8 Awards, presented by television station TVB8, in 2006;^[9] also "本草綱目" (Herbalist's Manual) and "聽媽媽的話" (Listen to Mother's Words) were noimated at the same award in 2007.^[10] Another track "菊花台" (Chrysanthemum Terrace) was awarded Best Original Film Song at the 26th Hong Kong Film Awards in 2007.^[11]

The album was awarded one of the Top 10 Selling Mandarin Albums of the Year, as well as the Highest Selling Mandarin Album of the Year at the 2006 IFPI Hong Kong Album Sales Awards, presented by the Hong Kong branch of IFPI.,^[12] Best Record of the Year at the 2006 Sina-Aokang Internet Awards in Beijing.^[13] and Album of Asia Grand Prize at the 2007 Metro Radio Mandarin Music Awards presented by Hong Kong radio station Metro Info.^[14]

Track listing

All music composed by Jay Chou.

Track contents

1. "Twilight's Chapter Seven" 夜的第七章 (Yè De Dì Qī Zhāng)

In the first track, the music is based on the contemporary classical genre of the early 20th Century, with an R&B beat in the background. Instruments which can be heard include xylophones, a lone cello, as well as an ensemble of stringed instruments. The track includes sound effects such as the ticking of a mechanical clock. The lyrics describe a detective story, in a westernized location ("Baker Street") in "December 1983", with a detailed description of the author's observations. The majority of the track is rapped, while the chorus involves female vocals.

2. "Listen to Mother's Words" 聽媽媽的話 (Tīng MāMā De Huà)

The music begins with a brief piano introduction with a light beat, and overall uses a bright and upbeat tone. The song is rapped throughout the verses, while the chorus is sung. The lyrics discuss the virtues of listening to your mother.

3. "Faraway" 千里之外 (Qiān Lǐ Zhī Wài)

This song is a duet with Fei Yuqing. It begins with Jay singing the main verses in his usual style, and Fei Yuqing singing the chorus in a strong, high voice, with an opera-based style. It utilises a "Chinese wind" type genre with an R&B beat, featuring Chinese instruments such as the Erhu. The lyrics are in reference to a romantic relationship, and are written in a poetic style.

4. "Herbalist's Manual" 本草綱目 (Běncǎo Gāngmù)

The title refers to Bencao Gangmu, an early medicine manual. The background music features Synthesizer music in the Pentatonic Scale, giving the music a Chinese style with a more modern "feel". The majority of the song is rapped. A wide variety of sound effects are included, such as clock ticking and "bouncing" noises. The lyrics discuss Chinese pride, and make references to aspects of Chinese herbal medicine.

5. "Retreat" 退後 (Tuì Hòu)

This track involves a slower pace of music, and extensively uses piano to express emotion, while also including acoustic guitar. The vocals are sung with an emphasised expression of romance. The lyrics describe one's inability to retreat from an affair. The music video is direct by Jay and features Hebe Tien of Taiwanese girl group S.H.E.

6. "Red Imitation" 紅模仿 (Hóng Mó Fǎng)

This is the only Jay's song so far which involves Spanish guitar, a non-Chinese cultural music style. The lyrics are rapped, and describe the importance of individualism.

7. "Heart's Rain" 心雨 (Xīn Yǔ)

This track resembles Jay Chou's other softer, more depressed songs. Violin, cello and piano are used in the background music, while the vocals are gentle and at a relatively slow pace. The lyrics express the feelings of the author as he describes someone who has left him, using raindrops as a metaphor for his emotion.

8. "White Windmill" 白色風車 (Báisè Fēngchē)

This is a rather upbeat R&B piece, and incorporates violin and synthesizer. The lyrics describe the relationship between the author and his interest.

9. "Rosemary" 迷迭香 (Mídiéxiāng)

The musical style resembles that of [1930]s China, introduced from the West as Bossa Nova, with the usage of violin, cello and guitar to provide a classical feeling. The lyrics describe the lyricist's sexual attraction towards a woman, with details on physical appearances such as hip curvature, lip shape, and flirtative behaviour.

10. "Chrysanthemum Terrace" 菊花台 (Júhuā Tái)

This track was the ending theme for the film, Curse of the Golden Flower. It incorporated "Chinese Wind" style music, with the use of guzheng, while incorporating other instruments such as violin and cello, with a relatively slow pace. Unlike his other songs, Jay sings this track using comparatively clearer pronunciation of words. The lyrics are strongly poetic, using Chrysanthemums as a metaphor for love, where the Chorus line "菊花殘 滿地傷 你的笑容已泛黃" (Chrysanthemums broken, scattered across the floor, your smile has faded) refers to the sorrow which arises after love ends and loneliness begins.

Charts

References

External links

• (Chinese) Jay Chou discography@JVR Music
• Zheng, Limin (5 December 2008). "The super star, Jay Chou". CCTV International. Retrieved 1 July 2009.