Sam Hui | |||||||||||
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| Chinese:許冠傑 | |||||||||||
.jpg) Sam Hui in 2024 | |||||||||||
| Born | (1948-09-06)6 September 1948 (age 76) | ||||||||||
| Other names | Hui Koon-kit, Samuel Hui | ||||||||||
| Education | The University of Hong Kong (BSocSc, 1971) | ||||||||||
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1967–1992 2003–present | ||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||
| Relatives |
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| Awards | Hong Kong Film Awards –Best Original Film Song 1991The Swordsman | ||||||||||
| Musical career | |||||||||||
| Also known as | God of Songs (歌神), Brother Sam | ||||||||||
| Origin | Hong Kong | ||||||||||
| Genres | Cantopop,Hong Kong English pop | ||||||||||
| Instruments |
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| Labels | Diamond Records (1967) Polydor (1971–1983) Contec Sound (1983–1985) Cinepoly Records (1985–1990) PolyGram (1990–1992) IEC (2007–present) | ||||||||||
Musical artist | |||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 許冠傑 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 许冠杰 | ||||||||||
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| Website | www | ||||||||||
Samuel Hui Koon-kit[1][2] (born 6 September 1948),[1] usually known asSam Hui,[1][3] is aHong Kong musician, singer, songwriter and actor. He is credited with popularisingCantopop both via the infusion of Western-style music and his usage of vernacularCantonese rather thanwritten vernacular Chinese in biting lyrics that addressed contemporary problems and concerns.[4] Hui is considered by some to be the first major superstar of Cantopop, known as theGod of Song.[5] As an actor, he is well-known for portraying the main character "King Kong" in five installments of theAces Go Places film series.[6][better source needed]
Hui was born inGuangzhou,Guangdong,China in 1948. His parents were both musicians; his father was atraditional Chinese musician while his mother was aChinese opera singer. In 1950, along with his three older brothers,Michael,Ricky, and Stanley, Hui and his parents arrived in Hong Kong as refugees in 1950, originally living inDiamond Hill.[7] Hui graduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences of theUniversity of Hong Kong,[8]Ying Wa College andSt. Francis Xavier's College, Tai Kok Tsui in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Hui worked with Michael and Ricky on several comedies in the early 1970s. Hui has also gained credit for popularisingCantopop, by incorporating the idiosyncrasies of Western popular music into the old Cantopop genre.[9]
In the 1960s, Hui began his singing career. In 1967, Hui joined record labelDiamond Records.[10]
Hui started his television career as a host on a youth music TV show on theTVB network. Hui and his brother Michael Hui became hosts in theHui Brothers Show, which premiered on April 23, 1971.[11]
Hui became the lead musician of a bandThe Lotus.
In the 1970s, Hui performed English songs that were popular in Britain and the United States. He wrote the theme songs for the comedies produced by his brother,Michael Hui, and started performingCantonese songs. Sam Hui's first Cantonese hit, "Eiffel Tower Above the Clouds" (鐵塔凌雲) – originally titled "Here and Now" (就此模樣) – was first played on theHui Brothers Show in April 1972.[12]
Hui signed a contract withPolydor and produced his first single in English, "April Lady".[13]
Hui's first Cantonese album,Games Gamblers Play (Chinese:鬼馬雙星;Jyutping:gwai2 maa5 soeng1 sing1;Cantonese Yale:gwái máh sēung sīng;lit. 'Ghost Horse (Cantonese slang for "Goofy") Twin Stars'), was the partial soundtrack to the Michael Hui-directed film of the same name.[13] This album became popular, selling 200,000 copies, and was one of the major musical works that helped to start the popularity of Cantopop.[14]
Hui's music gained popular appeal, particularly with the working class, for its simplicity and the relevance of the lyrics. A prolific songwriter, a noted recurring theme in his music is that it often describes or humorously satirises Hong Kong society and events.
In 1976, Hui's singing and acting career took off after the release of the breakout album The Private Eyes, the soundtrack to the 1976 filmThe Private Eyes.[15]
In the albumThe Private Eyes, it humorously reflected on the harsh realities of middle and lower-income Hong Kongers. Others such as "Song of Water Use" (制水歌), which referenced the days ofwater rationing during the 1960s, and "Could Not Care Less About 1997" (話知你97), which encouraged Hong Kong people to adopt acarpe diem attitude instead of worrying about the imminenthandover to the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997, were more topical in nature and referenced local events. While some of his songs are lighthearted, others carried philosophical messages brought out through artful use of Chinese words that have multiple symbolism. Examples can be seen in his farewell song in 1992 and "From the Heart of a Loafer" (浪子心聲), where for Cantopop, the sophisticated language and messages were rare in the lyrics of contemporary artists.
On June 17, 1979, Hui became the first singer from Hong Kong to perform at theTokyo Music Festival.[16]
Hui signed a contract withGolden Harvest in 1971.[10] On a personal note, Hui is closer to his middle brother Ricky (deceased 8 November 2011) than to their oldest brother Michael. Sam and Michael reportedly fell out with each other after their pre-1985 successes.[citation needed] However, in Michael'sChicken and Duck Talk (1988), Hui appeared in a short 1-minute cameo, playing the role of himself asmaster of ceremonies at the grand opening of Danny's Chicken, and contributed to its theme song for its end credits entitled "You Have Your Say" (你有你講). Then in 1990, the three brothers reunited inFront Page, a lampoon on Hong Kong's sometimes over-zealous entertainment news industry. Hui also collaborated with several popular singers such asLeslie Cheung both musically and on-screen culminating in the hit single written by Hui and composed by Cheung entitledSilence is Golden (沉默是金), which Cheung also sung as a solo track on his 1987 album,Hot Summer, as well as the catchy tune,I've Never Been Afraid (我未驚過) in 1989 as the end theme forAces Go Places 5: The Terracotta Hit.
Hui also starred in theAces Go Places, a series of Hong Kong action–comedies in the 1980s, withKarl Maka.
He was once seriously injured while filmingThe Legend of Wisely inTibet due to lack of oxygen, thereafter falling very ill and many of his fans pointed out that this near fatal accident may have been pivotal on his decision to retire as they superstitiously believed that he was haunted by a spirit.[citation needed]
During the late 1980s, Hui's father advised him to retire to avoid the stresses he endured from hosting concerts. Hui's "lack of oxygen" suffered on a previous film, was actually carbon monoxide poisoning. His mother purportedly also had reservations about his performing, including that he might injure himself on stage.[citation needed]
A Hong Kong concert in 1990 supposedly marked his early retirement, however Hui then agreed to host a 42-show concert series. Around the time of the 30th show, Hui's father died but despite his grief, he continued to host.[citation needed]
In 1991 to 1992, Hui held many farewell concerts. Hui hosted a total of 14 shows in Hong Kong preempting his actual retirement.[15]
Hui is known as the Canto-pop godfather and the Elvis Presley of Hong Kong.[15]
Hui also hosted shows in Canada, inVancouver, at thePacific Coliseum, andToronto, Ontario, which he dedicated to his late father. Despite reiterating his plans for retirement, Hui came back for a short stint in the movieWinner Takes All co-starringNicholas Tse andRuby Lin. This he maintained, was a result of being unable to ignore his heart's desire.
Widely acclaimed as the "God of Song" in Hong Kong (the first singer to be so acknowledged), he decided to come out of retirement in 2004 and held multiple comeback concerts in which he was welcomed by a Hong Kong public at sell-out shows. In these concerts, he paid tribute to his recent passed close colleagues,Leslie Cheung andAnita Mui in 2003 and claimed that their deaths had influenced his decision to return to performing, culminating in his 2004 comeback song '04 Bless You ('04 祝福你). Hui performed in a concert inKuala Lumpur on 19 and 20 February 2005 with his brother, Ricky Hui, and sons but has not made active plans for any follow-ups. He also performed in Vancouver on 15 December 2005 and in Singapore on 29 March 2008.[citation needed]
In 2007, Hui signed with EC Music and released his first album in 17 years, named "Life is Good" (人生多麼好).[17]
In December 1971, Hui married Rebecca "Rebu" Fleming, a Filipino-American. They have two sons, Ryan Hui and Scott Hui. Hui and his family live inHong Kong.[18][19][20] Ryan Hui is a singer-songwriter and has released several albums, and Scott Hui is a film director.[19][20]
{{cite thesis}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)| Awards | ||
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| Preceded by Lau Dong | Golden Needle Award ofRTHK Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award 1985 | Succeeded by |
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