Can't believe it's been almost five years already

Song: Walk My Own Way by Anita Mui, 1963-2003



Rewatching The Moon Warrior made me nostalgic for Anita Mui, so I clicked on youtube and went through clip after clip of her live concerts and fanmade MVs of her songs. I've been pretty weepy for the last few days. I grew up listening to her songs, and then saw her in The Heroic Trio in my early twenties. That's what really made me fall in love with her. She was such a joy to watch onscreen, but it was her music that was her true gift.

So some links to a few of my favorite Anita Mui songs:

Like an Old Friend Visits - Not the Ultimate Anita Mui Song for most fans (that would probably be Years Flow like Water), but the Ultimate Anita Mui Song for me, the one I heard the most growing up. I love this song and Anita's voice so much. Every time I hear it, it really is like visiting an old friend.

A Woman's Heart (my translation) - subtheme of The Heroic Trio, one of the definitive wacky Hong Kong movies of all time,and I mean wacky, Hong Kong wacky. I love this movie to bits. The MV is made up of clips from it and its sequel, which sadly I didn't enjoy anywhere as much as the first one. NOTE: SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE. I doubt anyone would actually watch it, but just in case, those clips basically give you the whole story. (The main theme is also terrific, but I can't find a decent youtube video of it.)

Rouge - Theme song of the movie Rouge which starred both Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung. Because I love Leslie as much as I love Anita, here's his version. Goddamn, it makes me weepy as well. 2003 was not a good year for the Hong Kong Entertainment Industry.

Where Does Love Belong - Okay, not one of my favorites, but I used to listen to all the time when I was ten or so while playing Lemmings. So everytime I hear the music, I think of those green-haired creatures marching off the cliff and dying because I couldn't get them to build stairs fast enough ;) Plus Anita does sing it well.

Bloodstain Glory - Holy hell, did Anita hit this song out of the park. I'm one of those people who LOVES the trembly high-pitched Chinese opera voice and grew up with this version, so I was surprised that Anita with her deep, throaty voice also sang it. Turns out her voice is perfect for it, especially considering that she sang it to commemorate those who died at Tiananmen Square (btw, her politics don't necessarily reflect mine, but I do admire her conviction to publicly state what she believed in.)

And of course, Years Flow like Water - The quintessetial Anita Mui song, which for some reason I never heard until I went on that youtube search for everything Anita Mui a few days ago. In a way, I'm glad I came to it late. It was wonderful to discover it now, like a treasure I never knew existed. And a version sung by the current generation of Cantopop stars, with a delighted Anita Mui looking on. Made me smile.

Lastly, a live version of Walk My Own Way from her last series of concerts. She was visibly sick, and less than two months later, she would lose her battle against cervical cancer, but man, she was a performer to the end.

Oh Anita. You left too soon.