Hong Kong (song)

Infobox Single
Name = Hong Kong


Artist = Gorillaz
from Album = D-Sides "and"
Released = 9 September 2005
Genre = Alternative, Raga Rock
Length = 7:09
Label = Independiente Records
Producer = Gorillaz, Jason Cox, James Dring,
Misc = Extra album cover
Background = khaki
Upper caption = Alternate covers


Lower caption = "Help: A Day in the Life" Cover

"Hong Kong" is a song by Gorillaz, written by singer and co-producer Damon Albarn. The song was first featured on the compilation album "" and was reworked for the second Gorillaz b-side compilation "D-Sides". [ [http://fans.gorillaz.com/news.php#070918 fans.gorillaz.com :: news ] ] The track was performed on the "Demon Days Live" concerts in Manchester and Harlem (the Manchester performance was featured on the "Demon Days Live" DVD.) [ [http://fans.gorillaz.com/news0634.php fans.gorillaz.com :: news ] ] The performances featured Zeng Zhen playing the guzheng (a traditional Chinese harp, similar to the Japanese koto.)

History

War Child UK contacted Albarn (along with the other artists on the "Help" compilation) to record the song on September 8, 2005 to complete a song within thirty hours. [ [http://www.gorillaz-unofficial.com/news/index.htm Gorillaz-Unofficial 100% unofficial. 100% Gorillaz ] ] Albarn took this as an opportunity to learn more about oriental music and is perhaps one of the first steps towards "", a Chinese-themed opera whose musical score was composed by Albarn himself. [ [http://www.myspace.com/monkeyjourneytothewest MySpace.com - Monkey - UK - Classique Opéra et vocal / Alternative - www.myspace.com/monkeyjourneytothewest ] ] . The track was actually recorded in Hong Kong while Albarn and Jamie Hewlett were promoting Gorillaz' "Demon Days".

"Hong Kong" is reminiscent of Damon Albarn's more melancholic tracks for the band Blur, such as "Out of Time" and "This Is a Low". The song's instrumentation is sparse, featuring little more than an acoustic guitar, layered pianos, the guzheng and a metronome-like drumbeat alongside Albarn's (as 2D) vocals. Live versions added some percussion and a string arrangement. The song was reworked for the "D-Sides" compilation by adding a different string arrangement than the one used in live performances and some effects to the opening guzheng and closing keyboard lines. [ [http://fans.gorillaz.com/news.php#070918 fans.gorillaz.com :: news ] ]

References