#陈百强 #
At the age of 20, a newcomer to the music scene wrote in an essay:
"Although I am not sure that I have found myself, at least I am looking for it, better than those who do not even want to find it!"
Friends, I hope you are not discouraged.
Because if you can find the next goal and go towards this goal, whether successful or not, you have found yourself, and you will not feel that you will disappear into this vast society. ”
That year, he had just debuted, had no grades, and his heart was a little cold.
He didn't know if he was going to keep going.
But he knew that singing was the most exciting thing.
A year later, at the age of 21, he successfully won the 1979 Hong Kong Top Ten Chinese Golden Melody Award with a song "Tears Flow for You".
Thankfully didn't give up.
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At the end of the 1970s, under the leadership of the Hui Guanjie brothers, the Hong Kong music scene gradually formed a pop culture dominated by Cantonese songs.
Subsequently, with the help of the development of the television industry, in the 1980s, various judging television programs came out.
For example, the Hong Kong Film Awards, the Top Ten Golden Melodies Awards Ceremony...
For many, it was the golden age of Hong Kong's entertainment industry.
People who can debut at this time are considered lucky.
Chen Baiqiang was exactly the person who was most favored by heaven in their eyes.
Because, when Chen Baiqiang debuted, most of the idols in the Hong Kong music scene were still in the cradle.
At the same time as him, only the "older brother" Zhang Guorong entered the music scene.
At this time, although Zhang Guorong has released his debut album "Lover's Arrow", his unique voice is still slightly immature.
However, with his courtesy in front of the piano and charming voice, Chen Baiqiang instantly captured the "heart" of thousands of young girls in Hong Kong and became the first idol singer in the Hong Kong music scene.
Debut is the peak.
▲Chen Baiqiang. Source: Network
However, few people know that this idol who exudes the temperament of a nobleman has a bumpy debut.
In his early years, Chan was born into a wealthy merchant family in Hong Kong. His father, Chen Pengfei, was the founder of Hong Kong's Jinbao Watch and a prominent figure in the "watch world".
▲ Chen Baiqiang when he was a child. Source: Network
The father crossed the business world, and naturally hoped that his son would inherit the family business in the future and make the Chen family watch business bigger and stronger.
But Chen Baiqiang has had a strong interest in music since he was a child, and his talent is extremely high. After entering middle school, he began to study and play the electronic keyboard and piano, and was keen to participate in various music activities on campus.
Chen Baiqiang's liveliness and enthusiasm made Chen's father mistakenly think that his son had begun to "learn badly".
Father and son, for the sake of music, I don't know how many times they quarreled. In the end, the stubborn Chen Baiqiang chose to drop out of school.
He's going to make his favorite music.
To this end, he specially went to the radio station to sing, and made cameo appearances in the Wenna band led by Tan Yonglin and Zhong Zhentao.
▲Chen Baiqiang, Tan Yonglin and Zhong Zhentao. Source: Network
Seeing that Chen Baiqiang was determined and firm, Chen Baiqiang, who loved his son, had no choice but to decide to support his son's ideals and send Chen Baiqiang to the United States to study music. This makes Chen Baiqiang have a more professional output than other singers in his singing career.
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In 1980, following the release of his second album "No More Tears", Chen Baiqiang created a new album "A Few Minutes of Dating".
At that time, the Hong Kong MTR had just opened to traffic.
"A Few Minutes of Dating" suddenly sang young people's youthful expression of love, making Hong Kong's major subway stations an excellent place for young people to meet their other half.
The subway touched her
It's like a goddess in your heart entering a dream
The subway met her again
Silence looked into the carriage
The subway meets her
Singing in the carriage is the most useful
See you every day inside the subway
Happy heart to send
A few minutes a day
Your voices have been exchanged
Compared with the same long hair and flared pants in Hong Kong at that time, the appearance of Chen Baiqiang made the well-known director Cai Jiguang shine: it turned out that in the restless youth of the moment, there could also be a sunny and energetic image and a gentle and natural expression.
▲ 22-year-old Chen Baiqiang. Source: Network
Cai Jiguang immediately decided to create a script for this handsome guy, and found two other handsome guys with no experience, Zhang Guorong and Paul Zhong, to play for him.
▲ Chen Baiqiang, Zhang Guorong, Paul Zhong. Source: Network
For Cai Jiguang, this is an unprecedented "adventure".
Similarly, Chen Baiqiang, who had just received the script, was also very uneasy in his heart. He knows that his area of expertise is singing and composing music, and now that he is on camera, he has no confidence.
In his view, making movies themselves, like music, is a very profound learning.
In the end, Chen Baiqiang still relied on a good image and solid performance, in his screen debut "Cheers", he successfully created the image of a music-loving and slightly shy high school student.
This image is still nostalgic, in the autumn of 1980, there was a male god who was giving people strength and cheering for you.
For the sake of suffering, hurry up to the laughing runway
The remaining heat is still to shine, to find the beauty
The spring wind blows the grass and then Su, and there is never a dead end
How can tomorrow's changes be known, and what pessimistic beliefs are in life
As if the sun is rising, you must be confident that there is a bright way forward
May life be precious and can inspire you
During this period, Chen Baiqiang also entered the blowout period of musical masterpieces.
At the 1982 Golden Melody Awards Ceremony, he won the Golden Melody Award with a song "How Precious Tonight Is".
Another album, "Partial Like You", composed by him as the title song of the same name, pushed his singing career to the peak.
Perhaps, it was precisely because of the smooth sailing along the way that Chen Baiqiang gradually cultivated a body of pride.
As a perfectionist, he cares deeply about what people who like him say about him.
He could not tolerate his image being flawed in front of everyone.
He needs to show his name at 100 points all the time. This kind of mentality also laid the groundwork for his later choice of fate.
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The entertainment industry has always been a feng shui rotation.
Just when Chen Baiqiang was about to dominate the Hong Kong music scene, Zhang Guorong, who had accumulated a lot of hair, suddenly rose to the top with a song "The Wind Continues to Blow" and became a first-line singer.
The lead singer of the Band of Wenna, Tan Yonglin, has flown solo, and with his personal reputation, he has released five albums in a year and attracted countless fans.
At the same time, the newly debuted Mei Yanfang rose rapidly with her second album "Red Mei Yanfang".
The emergence of "two kings and one queen" has attracted the attention of the media and fans to the past, and Chen Baiqiang's resources have become less.
What's more, Because Chen Baiqiang is quite similar to Zhang Guorong's temperament and clothing taste, the media often compares the two.
One is a little bit over, one is not less popular, plus the two have starred in many film and television works together before, for a time, "Chen Baiqiang most mind Zhang Guorong this opponent" rumors are noisy.
Leaving aside the worldly evaluation, Chen Baiqiang and Zhang Guorong are actually a pair of good friends in private.
The two first met in a restaurant encounter.
According to Zhang Guorong's recollection, it was one day in 1978. He dined with his friend Cheung Mei-lian and director Song Haohui at a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui.
While eating, suddenly a boy came up to Zhang Guorong and said, "Someone said that I look like you!" ”
Seeing the boy in front of him who was dressed in a foreign style and had a green face, Zhang Guorong replied with a confused face: "Are you tied to the edge? ”
Chen Baiqiang said: "My name is Danny. ”
▲Chen Baiqiang and Zhang Guorong. Source: Network
In this way, through the cooperation of several future films, the two gradually became closer and closer like confidants.
▲ Poster of the movie "Merry Christmas" starring Chen Baiqiang and Zhang Guorong in 1984. Source: Network
For the discord between the rumors, Zhang Guorong pointed out in a later radio interview that the rumors probably began when the two worked together to make a movie.
The two debuted at the same time, and the first agent was Tan Guoji, so it was indispensable to cooperate with the opportunity.
Chen Baiqiang's high popularity and popularity in the music world have also been brought to the film and television field. Even if Zhang Guorong is the protagonist, many times the popularity is not as good as Chen Baiqiang.
As an old friend, Chen Baiqiang's career success, Zhang Guorong is naturally happy. Comparing himself with his brother, Zhang Guorong's self-esteem was hit hard.
In order to reduce the deliberate speculation of the media, Zhang Guorong chose to avoid Chen Baiqiang and tried to dispel the malicious intention of the media to judge the two.
As for the speculation of the so-called "imaginary enemy" between the two, Chen Baiqiang also chose to deal with it coldly.
In a later interview, Chen Baiqiang mentioned that he would not have any imaginary enemies, but only felt that the only imaginary enemy was himself!
However, the media did not buy it at all, and still wantonly fabricated various rumors of "calling for seats" for the two people.
Chen Baiqiang also understands that the rise of Zhang Guorong, Tan Yonglin, Mei Yanfang and others has given him pressure and the motivation to rush forward.
He decided to break the previous singing style, chose to challenge the European and American style that he was not good at, and held a "Genesis" concert in Hung Hom, Hong Kong.
▲ The costume of Chen Baiqiang's concert in 1985. Source: Network
With avant-garde costume design, flashing stage effects, and a charming mask, this concert did not usher in rave reviews.
At that time, Chen Baiqiang was hospitalized with acute hepatitis due to overwork.
The media also speculated that Chen Baiqiang was "terminally ill".
▲The relevant media reports of that year. Source: Network
Chen Baiqiang was very injured, he said:
"If I had exchanged my ears for you, you would have understood me. I am so sensitive that I can hear everything in my voice. ”
He also asked himself privately:
Have you thought about changing your image?
No, never. I've never made an image of myself. The so-called image is actually just the real side of myself, but at each different stage, I have a different transformation process.
However, self-consolation does not help.
The continuous attack of the media, the great blow to the cause, has become a sharp blade, piercing through Chen Baiqiang's not strong heart.
Since then, this big boy who is in the sun in front of people has begun to show his depressed side.
Behind these sharp blades, love seems to have become another death hole in his life.
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Regarding his own view of mate selection, Chen Baiqiang once said that "it is better to be lacking than to be indiscriminate." Therefore, in his lifetime, there are very few partners who can enter the heart.
The girl he first liked was Weng Jingjing, who filmed "Cheers" together.
Although Weng Jingjing was only 16 years old at the time, she grew up in a single-parent family, with a rebellious personality and looked mature and sophisticated. This is in contrast to Chen Baiqiang, who has always maintained a childlike life, and the two are very compatible because of their complementary personalities.
In getting along, the two will chase after each other, cuddle and cuddle, and will also encourage each other and take care of each other.
Even the golden children in the Japanese entertainment industry at that time- Yamaguchi Momoe, Miura Yuwa came to exchange nicknames: Chen Youhe & Weng Baihui.
There are signs that they may or may not be in love.
Life is light as if it were flowing water
It's all because you're beautiful
It's all because you're making a lot of joy
Leave a mark of joy
Silence is like a song That feels like poetry
Sweetness is the obsession in the eyes
Dreams also remember this string of days
Fantasy-free beauty
Finally, one day, Chen Baiqiang plucked up enough courage to confess to Weng Jingjing.
The other party replied coldly: "Have we been together?" ”
Weng Jingjing's naïve and ruthless reply made Chen Baiqiang gag for a moment.
When he returned home, he swallowed a large amount of sleeping pills and still could not sleep peacefully.
In 1984, at the age of 20, Weng Jingjing married Liu Jialiang, a martial arts instructor 30 years older than herself.
After that, Chen Baiqiang also met other favorite girls. But he never took the initiative to confess, nor did he find someone to match him.
In the memories of his good friend and agent Chen Jiaying, Chen Baiqiang once bought a sports car, which was named after the girl he liked.
Chen Baiqiang often drives it out for a ride, but never expresses emotion to people.
Someone asked Chen Baiqiang: "Why don't you talk to someone when you are not happy?" Things could be better. ”
Chen Baiqiang said frankly: "Because there is no such person. ”
During those difficult days, he could only devote his energy to creation, as a way to divert his inner emotional expression.
After missing Weng Jingjing, He Chaoqiong walked into Chen Baiqiang's life.
At that time, He Chaoqiong was only a small supporting role in the movie "Breakthrough" starring Chen Baiqiang, and there was no generation of female gambling kings.
However, the Chen and He families have been in business for generations, and similar growth experiences have made them friends who talk about everything.
▲Chen Baiqiang and He Chaoqiong. Source: Network
In order to let the personable Chen Baiqiang notice himself, He Chaoqiong was willing to play the role of a little fan sister most of the time.
She played the heroine in Chen Baiqiang's MV.
Knowing that Chen Baiqiang had missed a watch, she immediately bought a watch that was the same as the original and gave it to him.
As long as there is a place where Chen Baiqiang is, she will definitely try her best to follow the past.
However, there are feelings about them, and in the end, the world hears and sees only the word "confidant".
▲ The confrontation between Chen Baiqiang and He Chaoqiong in the MV "Deeply in Love with You". Source: Film and television screenshots
In 1991, Xu He married. Under the family's arrangement, He Chaoqiong married Xu Jinheng, a descendant of the Ship King.
At that protracted wedding, Chen Baiqiang attended as the woman's brother.
Whether it is heartache or blessing, no one knows.
I only know that shortly after the wedding, Chen Baiqiang announced a permanent farewell to the music scene.
▲ He Chaoqiong and Xu Jinheng are married. Source: Network
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In early 1992, Chen Baiqiang held three farewell concerts in Shanghai. It was immediately announced that he would leave the music scene at the end of that year.
The reason is: the heart is uncomfortable, and it feels better to say goodbye.
With his popularity at the time, if he continues to sing, he will still continue to be popular.
But Chen Baiqiang said that he has been singing since he graduated from high school and has been singing for more than 10 years. Now is the best time for change.
Transformation is also for a better self.
▲ 1991 Chen Baiqiang concert promotional poster. Source: Network
Perhaps some people, in a world where the heat is fading, only need to guard the small flames of hope around them to survive.
But some people need enough light not to lose their color.
Therefore, in the most brilliant moment of his life, Chen Baiqiang chose to temporarily leave a sighing back for the fans.
On May 18, 1992, Chen Baiqiang overdose on sleeping pills with wine and passed out at home.
After 17 months in the hospital, on October 25, 1993, the life of a generation of singers was forever fixed at the age of 35.
After his death, people have seen He Chaoqiong, under the pressure of public opinion, appear at his funeral and send him on his last journey.
Just like Chen Baiqiang attended her wedding as a brother, he was silent.
▲ At Chen Baiqiang's funeral, He Chaoqiong hugged Chen Baiqiang's mother and sobbed. Source: Network
Afterwards, it was rumored that Chen Baiqiang's "What to Ask for in Life" was he Chaoqiong, who could not get it.
In my life, I have compromised and tried to fight
Every point in the dream is colorful, and once it is dissipated, it can be collected
Who asks for a lifetime, who cares about praise and curse
I didn't expect that what I had lost was all I had
Nowadays, we can no longer know, what does Chen Baiqiang want in his life?
Time flies, and unconsciously, the prince of love songs, from sunshine to melancholy, has been gone for a full 28 years.
Those who were once witnesses, their faces are getting older.
After Chen Baiqiang, each generation of idols rose rapidly and gradually declined.
There are talented people in the song world, and there is no Chen Baiqiang in the world.
▲Chen Baiqiang. Source: Network
Resources:
1. Chen Baiqiang: "1989 Emotional Photo"
2. Radio Television Hong Kong: "The Immortal Legend of Chen Baiqiang"
3. Family Affairs 2013: "Chen Baiqiang: The Big Boy Who Grew Up"
4. Chen Baiqiang Archive