Tom Chang Yu-sheng (Chinese: 張雨生; June 7, 1966 – November 12, 1997) was a Taiwanese pop vocalist, songwriter and record producer. Born in 1966, Chang was the eldest among his other four siblings whose mother is Atayal and father a veteran of the ROC military. Being influenced deeply by Western rock music, he had participated in two metal bands at university before he gained publicity with a beverage tie-in ballad "My Future isn't a Pipe Dream" in 1988. In that year, Chang also released his debut album "Always Missing You" to a success, selling 350 thousand records within the regions, before singing the soundtrack of a popular movie Seven Wolves starring him as one of the leading roles. After his graduation in 1989, he was nominated "The Best New Artist" in th for his second album "Miss Me" with most songs co-written by himself. He developed his career as a singer-songwriter since then, endeavoring different genres of contemporary music and attempting to introduce them to the general public despite ups and downs. With moderate to low commercial successes of his subsequent albums, Chang focused more on backstage roles, including music production and songwriting for theater performances. He introduced A-Mei, a Puyuma and pub singer, to his record label whom he met during causal visits. Believing in her potential, Chang became A-Mei's vocal tutor, producer and supervisor. Soon after producing A-Mei's debut and second albums, which were released to a huge success in 1996 and 1997, he died at 31 years old. Renowned for his sopranist vocal range, significance to the development of the local music industry and versatility, Chang is widely referred to as "The Magician of Music in Chinese" and among the most prominent figures when it comes to Chinese language music with most of his commercial failure later considered to be masterpieces.

Tom Chang Yu-sheng
Born
Chang Yu-sheng

(1966-06-07)June 7, 1966
DiedNovember 12, 1997(1997-11-12) (aged 31)
Alma materNational Chengchi University
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter (composer & lyricist), record producer
Years active1988-1997
Parent(s)Chang Kin-ming
Chang Hui-mei
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese張雨生
Simplified Chinese张雨生
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinZhāng Yǔshēng
Musical career
GenresMandopop
Instrument(s)Guitar, keyboard
Websitewww.yu-sheng.org

Biography

edit

Chang was born in Magong, Penghu, Taiwan on June 7, 1966. As the eldest child, he had two younger brothers and two younger sisters. His father was a soldier. He graduated from the National Chengchi University. In spare time, he was keen on music, basketball, swimming, and reading. One of his major accomplishment as a producer was to help the pop singer A-mei to achieve mainstream success.[1] He was known for his high vocals, capable of reaching notes up to D#6.[2] His voice has been compared by some to Russell Hitchcock of Air Supply.[3]

Chang died on November 12, 1997 at 31 years old, after being in a car accident on October 20, 1997.[4]

Discography

edit
 
Chang Yu-sheng Memorial Museum in his hometown Penghu
Year Album Track listing
1 November 1988 天天想你
Track listing
  1. 跟著我
  2. 天天想你
  3. 永遠都像才認識
  4. 我的陽光我的風
  5. 渺小
  6. 和天一樣高
  7. 告訴我親愛的
  8. 沒有不可能的事
  9. 不是因為寂寞
  10. 就算為你也是為我
17 July 1989 想念我
Track listing
  1. 想念我
  2. 我不能一點一點愛你
  3. 無題
  4. 就為你
  5. 明天不會有淚
  6. 沒有煙抽的日子
  7. 當我正想要和你分享
  8. 他們
  9. 大地的天使
  10. 冒險少年
24 February 1992 带我去月球
Track listing
  1. 序曲
  2. 我想把整片天空打開
  3. 帶我去月球
  4. 無題
  5. 這一夜我睡不著
  6. 我就要轉彎
  7. 總髮遊
  8. 湖心草深長
  9. 魔幻台北
  10. 現在這樣
  11. 我呼吸我感覺我存在
  12. 我想把整片天空打開
30 November 1992 大海
Track listing
  1. 我是一棵秋天的樹
  2. I Don't Wanna Say Goodbye
  3. 多夢的歲月
  4. 愛上你的一切
  5. 掙扎
  6. 大海
  7. 寧可讓我苦
  8. 不管‧不管
  9. 把世界分一半給你
  10. 心底的中國
24 August 1993 一天到晚游泳的魚
Track listing
  1. 青澀的記憶
  2. 是否真的愛我
  3. 海的呼喚
  4. 一天到晚游泳的魚
  5. 冰點
  6. 妹妹晚安
  7. 祈求
  8. 一人一個夢
  9. 一步一徘徊
  10. 仲夏夜之夢
  11. 勿忘我
  12. 靜夜星空
  13. 三月的天真
  14. 無知的歲月
5 September 1994 卡拉OK‧台北‧我
Track listing
  1. 我是多麼想
  2. 動物的悲歌
  3. 靈光
  4. 永公街的街長
  5. 子夜抒懷
  6. 兄弟呀
  7. 這一年這一夜
  8. 我的心在發燙
  9. 後知後覺
  10. 蝴蝶結
  11. 跟得上我吧
  12. 我期待
  13. 再見 蘭花草!
27 March 1995 還是朋友
Track listing
  1. 還是朋友
  2. 西風的話
  3. 不想失去你
  4. 我是風箏
  5. 永遠的自由
  6. 執著
  7. 我什麼都願意給
  8. 一生陪你走
  9. 愛做夢的孩子
  10. 別放棄希望
12 July 1996 兩伊戰爭﹣紅色熱情 (EP)
Track listing
  1. 最愛的人傷我最深
  2. 費盡心思
  3. The Indian Summer Night
  4. 不亮的燈
14 July 1996 兩伊戰爭-白色才情 (EP)
Track listing
  1. 未知
  2. 再見女郎
  3. 後窗
  4. 發暈
  5. 沈默之沙
14 October 1997 口是心非
Track listing
  1. 如果你要離開我
  2. 口是心非
  3. CAPPUCCINO
  4. 玫瑰的名字
  5. 愛情‧‧‧
  6. ‧‧‧的圖案
  7. 隨你
  8. 神采
  9. 在黃昏融化了世界的色彩以前
  10. 若我告訴你其實我愛的只是你

Awards and nominations

edit
Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1990 1st Golden Melody Awards Best New Artist Nominated
2nd Golden Melody Awards Best Male Vocalist – Mandarin Miss Me Nominated
1992 4th Golden Melody Awards Best Music Video "Take Me to the Moon" Nominated
1993 5th Golden Melody Awards Best Male Vocalist – Mandarin Nominated
1996 7th Golden Melody Awards Song of the Year "Still Friends" Nominated
1998 9th Golden Melody Awards Album of the Year Duplicity Won
Best Lyricist "River" Nominated
2017 28th Golden Melody Awards Special Contribution Award Honored

References

edit
  1. ^ Zhong, Qiu (25 November 2007). "Tom Chang". CRI English. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 18 December 2007.
  2. ^ Zhang Yu Sheng's High Notes (C5 – D#6) on YouTube
  3. ^ Bilibili. (2020) Chang Yu-sheng sings Air Supply's "All Out Of Love" live - 1992-02-25. (in Taiwanese). [online] Available at: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1CZ4y137qE/ (Accessed: April 21st 2024).
  4. ^ Kwok Kar Peng (23 June 2021). "Late Taiwanese singer Chang Yu-sheng's 1996 unplugged performance in Singapore goes viral, Entertainment News". AsiaOne. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
edit