Below the Lion Rock singer Roman Tam is the ‘Grand Godfather of Cantopop’ and a Hong Kong LGBT icon whose claim to fame was TVB-produced drama theme songs
Roman Tam has costumes on display at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, worked with famous songwriters Joseph Koo and James Wong, and coached fellow star Joey Yung – but which 5 songs best defined his career?
He initially shot to fame with his contract to sing theme songs for TVB, lending his silky smooth tenor to iconic songs for series like Below the Lion Rock and The Legend of the Condor Heroes – the latter being a gold standard of duets that he performed with the equally legendary Jenny Tseng. Since TVB was a powerhouse of culture and content in Hong Kong during the 80s, Tam was also able to partner with famed songwriters Joseph Koo and James Wong many times.
Tam earned his reputation not only from seniority, but also from nurturing the next generation of Canto-pop icons as their voice coach. Famous names under Tam’s tutelage include Shirley Kwan, Joey Yung and Ekin Cheng.
Here are five songs that are most representative of his illustrious career.
Below the Lion Rock
Below the Lion Rock was a recurring television series about the lives of everyday Hong Kong citizens. Five iterations of the series were broadcast by RTHK between 1972 to 2016. The theme song sung by Tam was such a hit that it was used in every production, and has become a widely known symbol of solidarity among Hongkongers.
The Legend of the Condor Heroes main theme