中国香港地区与日本的改编歌曲 : 音乐原真性之反思

Translated title of the contribution: Cover versions in Hong Kong and Japan : reflections on music authenticity

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Abstract

本论文是以人类学的角度,通过比较日本和中国香港地区改编歌曲的传统,借以探讨流行音乐的原真性的概念。不论在日本还是中国香港地区,配上本地语言歌词的改编歌曲已有长久历史,然而两地对改编歌曲的反应及社会地位却大相径庭。在日本,改变被视为 “パクリ”(抄袭或模仿),带有负面的含义。反观中国香港地区,改编外国歌曲,尤其是日本的歌曲,几乎与粤语歌曲本身出现的时候就存在。因此改编在中国香港地区音乐界可以说是惯用的手法。本文认为,两地对改编歌曲在态度上的差异,与它们的音乐传统有莫大关系。 20世纪80年代日本国内崛起的新民族主义,和日本对音乐原真性的诠释,让改编歌曲在日本受到严厉的批判。在这样的影响下,他们认为所谓的日本音乐应该是纯粹的,改编歌曲因而不被视为“原真”的日本音乐。相比之下,粤语流行曲源自粤剧,采用外来旋律并不是新鲜事。简而言之,改编歌曲在日本和中国香港地区在地位上和社会反应上的差异,为了解两地对音乐原真性的定义及它与音乐传统的关系,提供了重要的契机。相比起分别研究日本流行曲和粤语流行曲,这样的对比研究让我们对两者有更深入的认识。 This paper is an anthropological attempt to shed some lights on the notion of authenticity of popular music through a comparison and contrast of the practice of recording cover versions in the music industry in Japan and Hong Kong have a long history of covering foreign music with localised lyrics. However, cover versions enjoy completely different social statuses and likewise receive different responses in the two places. In Japan, cover version has been the brunt of severe criticism as an act of pakuri (plagiarism or copycatting) and thus carries negative connotations. In Hong Kong, the tradition of using foreign, especially Japanese, melodies to record cover versions is as old as the Cantopop recording industry itself. Thus, cover recording is an accepted practice within the industry. I argue that such different status of cover version in Japan and Hong Kong has much to do with local musical traditions. As I shall show, the severe criticism on cover version in Japan has much to do with the neo-nationalism in the 1980s and most importantly with a notion of ,iso authenticity which believes there is a pure Japanese music and the cover versions therefore are not regarded as "authentic" Japanese pop music. By contrast, the cultural openness displayed by Cantopop, as I shall show, has its historical root in the Cantonese opera music tradition where adaptation of foreign melodies has been a normal mode of music production. In short, the contrast between the status of the cover versions and local response to the covers in Japan and Hong Kong provide a unique opportunity to look into the differences of Japan and Hong Kong with regard to the definition of music authenticity and its relationship with music tradition. In the event, we can have a better understanding about the J-pop and Cantopop than they are studied individually.
Translated title of the contributionCover versions in Hong Kong and Japan : reflections on music authenticity
Original languageChinese (Simplified)
Title of host publication人类学研究 : 第陆卷
Publisher浙江大学出版社
Pages77-100
Number of pages24
ISBN (Print)9787308144223
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2015

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