Tributes paid to ‘Hong Kong treasure’ Joseph Koo, Cantopop composer from the genre’s golden age, following his death aged 92
- Koo’s work is part of Hong Kong’s identity thanks to his 1,000-plus tracks for TV, including the Below the Lion Rock theme song and Enjoy Yourself Tonight song
- He penned hits for a galaxy of singers including Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung, and wrote the scores for Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury and The Way of the Dragon
Joseph Koo Ka-fai, the Hong Kong composer synonymous with the golden age of Cantopop, has died in Vancouver, Canada, at the age of 92.
Koo, who died on January 3, was known for his soundtracks to Bruce Lee films, hit songs for a galaxy of pop stars including the late Anita Mui Yim-fong and Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, advertising jingles and compositions for television shows.
“Hong Kong today has a huge wealth of musical talents. But what made Koo’s era so special was how his career coincided with the rise of local television, which meant that his music was listened to far and wide and well beyond the shores of Hong Kong,” said long-time friend and collaborator Mui Kwong-chiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Composers’ Guild and director of the Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong.
“While his music background was in the Western music tradition, he pioneered a skilful fusion with Chinese rhythms that came to be known as a uniquely Hong Kong sound,” said Mui.
Koo and (James) Wong were both treasures of Hong Kong who contributed hugely to the local music scene
As talented as Koo was, it was when he paired up with the gregarious lyricist and talk-show host James Wong Jim that his music truly sang. Koo and Wong were the Simon & Garfunkel and the John Lennon and Paul McCartney of Cantopop songwriting.
His 1982 song “The Brave Chinese”, sung by actress and singer Liza Wang Ming-chun for the historical TV drama Love and Passion, became a hit in mainland China and helped create a new market for Cantopop there.