Wikipedia

Have a Good Time (MC Cheung album)

Have a Good Time is the debut extended play (EP) by Hong Kong singer MC Cheung, released by Warner Music Hong Kong in December 2021. The track "Pillow Talk" reached number one on the Hong Kong Songs, while "Overruled" and "About Time" reached the top five. The album itself peaked at number three on Hong Kong Record Merchants Association weekly "Best-selling albums" chart. To accommodate the album release, Cheung held two consecutive Have A Good Time – Meet & Greet concerts.

Have a Good Time
A man wearing a white dress shirt with a tie is seen looking out the window through small cracks in the blinds
EP by
MC Cheung
ReleasedDecember 22, 2021 (2021-12-22)
GenreCantopop
Length22:52
LabelWarner Music Hong Kong
Producer
  • Randy Chow
  • Schumann
  • Terry Chui
  • Gareth Chan
  • T-ma
MC Cheung chronology
Have a Good Time
(2021) 		This is MC
(2023)

Background and release

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MC Cheung gained recognition and rose to fame after finishing as the runner-up in the viuTV's singing competition King Maker II (2019).[1] Despite receiving an offer to join a boyband, he declined to prioritize his individual artistic freedom. Initially aspiring to establish his own company, he faced challenges due to limited resources and connections.[2][3] Recognizing the need for support, Cheung signed a record label deal with Warner Music Hong Kong in December 2020.[1] Prior to securing the deal, he regularly posted song cover videos on his personal YouTube channel. Starting with the debut single "Good Time" in March 2021, the initial plan was to release a total of four standalone singles during the year. Subsequently, these songs were incorporated into the EP.[4] The digital version of the album was released on various streaming platforms on December 22, 2021,[5] followed by the physical album release on December 30, 2021.[6] The songs predominantly feature R&B influence, reflecting Cheung's love for the genre.[7]

Singles and composition

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The opening track, "Good Time", features an upbeat R&B melody and lyrically encourages embracing a positive mindset and living a fulfilling life even in challenging times. Cheung noted during the recording process, producer Randy Chow prioritized his expressive interpretation, emphasizing emotions rather than solely considering his vocal condition at the time.[4] The second track, "Overruled", composed by Jay Fung in 2017,[8] instantly captured Cheung's heart with its ad-lib in the demo's prelude.[9][10] The song was said to harmoniously merge R&B with a rich commercial appeal, conveying the message of unwavering love in the face of opposition.[11] The song peaked at number two digitally on the Hong Kong Songs chart,[12] and its music video ranked ninth among the Top Ten YouTube videos of the year.[13] On Spotify, it ranked second on the local "Top 10 Newcomer Songs".[14]

The third track, "Pillow Talk", is an emotional ballad that narrates the experience of facing lingering memories after a breakup, which are not easily erased, resulting in a complex web of emotions.[15] The song topped the Hong Kong Songs for 12 weeks,[16] and its music video accumulated more than 20 million YouTube views.[1] A music critic praised the song for its impeccable "mood, layers, and emotional impact", effectively conveying "genuine feelings without any pretense".[17] As of November 2022, the song accumulated 8.69 million plays on Spotify.[18] The fourth track, "Loser", is a Lo-Fi R&B song that lyrically captures the inner thoughts of a man coping with the abandonment of his partner, approaching heartbreak with a sense of ease. To establish an emotional connection with the song, Cheung and the producer, Gareth Chan, shared their dating and emotional experiences prior to recording. They also tried out diverse rap styles, ranging from the comical to a "black" aesthetic.[7]

Cheung co-wrote the fifth track, "About Time", which is another emotional piece that lyrically portrays bittersweetness of farewell.[19] The song reached number three on the chart.[12] The last track, "How Many Times", is the English version of "Overruled". Jay Fung personally penned the lyrics during a period when his career was struggling, reflecting his imagination that his significant other would leave him.[8] Fung and Cheung released a live studio duet version in July 2021.[9]

Promotion and reception

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The album peaked at number three on Hong Kong Record Merchants Association weekly "Best-selling albums" chart, maintaining a position in the Top Ten for at least three weeks.[20][21] In conjunction with the album release, Cheung organized two consecutive concerts titled Have A Good Time – Meet & Greet on December 13–14, 2021, during which he performed his original works as well as covers of songs by other artists.[22][23]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Good Time"
  • Jimmy Brown
  • Soho
  • Adams Wu
  • Jackson Lam
Randy Chow2:46
2."Overruled (反對無效)"
Schumann3:48
3."Pillow Talk (記憶棉)"
  • Terry Chui
  • Jackson Lam
Terry Chui4:33
4."Loser"
  • JNYBeatz
  • T-Rexx
  • Gareth Chan
Gareth Chan4:13
5."About Time (時候不早)"
  • Goo Chan
  • MC Cheung
  • Cheng Man
  • T-ma
T-ma3:40
6."How Many Times"
Schumann3:49
Total length:22:52

Personnel

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Credits for Have a Good Time adapted from AllMusic.[24]

  • MC Cheung – vocals, background vocals, composer
  • Randy Chow – producer, arranger, guitar, programming, synthesizer programming
  • Jimmy Brown – composer
  • Soho – composer, background vocals
  • Adams Wu – composer
  • Vigilant Nation – arranger
  • Jackson Lam – lyricist
  • Cousin Fung – background vocals
  • Alex Burke – synthesizer, wurlitzer
  • Ramage Jacobs – guitar
  • Courtney Jones – trumpet
  • Padget Nanton III – drums
  • Jon Reshard – bass
  • Matthew Sim – mixing
  • Schumann – producer
  • Cameron Browne – composer
  • Jay Fung – composer, lyricist
  • Yusuke Hatano – arranger, keyboards, programming
  • Chan Wing-him – lyricist
  • Kwan Tan An Anna – cello
  • Rayvon Covington – bass
  • Leslie Moonsun Ryang – violin
  • Wong Chung-yin – guitar
  • Terry Chui – producer, arranger, bass, composer, drums, piano, programming, synthesizer
  • Nick Wong – arranger
  • Leslie Quartets – strings
  • Gareth Chan – producer, arranger, composer, drums, keyboards, programming, synthesizer
  • JNYBeatz – arranger, composer, keyboards, synthesizer
  • Su Dao-zhe – producer, arranger, keyboards
  • T-Rexx – lyricist
  • Darrell – bass
  • Derrick Sepnio – guitar
  • T-ma – producer, composer, lyricist
  • Goo Chan – composer
  • Cheng Man – lyricist
  • Nic Tsui – arranger, guitar

Charts

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Weekly charts

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Chart Peak
position
Hong Kong Albums (HKRMA)[20] 3

Release history

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Release dates and formats for Have A Good Time
Region Date Version Format(s) Label Ref.
Worldwide December 22, 2021 Standard
Warner Music Hong Kong [5]
December 30, 2021 CD [6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Le, Diem Nguyen (May 30, 2023). "Meet 'MC' Cheung Tin-fu, Hong Kong's rising Cantopop star: the Gen Z singer came second on King Maker II in 2019 and rejected joining a boy band to embark on a solo career". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on May 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  2. ^ 鄺鈺瑩 (2 May 2021). "《造星II》後拒簽ViuTV失最佳時機？MC張天賦：食得鹹魚抵得渴" [Did MC Cheung miss the best opportunity by refusing to sign with ViuTV after King Maker II? MC Cheung responded, "Those who eat salted fish must put up with the thirst"]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  3. ^ Yu, Helen (2 June 2022). "MC Cheung on His Metamorphosis—and the New World of Canto-Pop". Tatle Asia (Interview). Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  4. ^ a b 游大東 (13 April 2021). "《造星II》MC張天賦出道作《Good Time》迅破50萬 冀今年推4首歌" [MC Cheung's debut single "Good Time" quickly surpassed 500,000 views, with hopes of releasing four songs this year]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Have A Good Time (EP) by MC Cheung Tinfu on Apple Music". Apple Music. Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 14 June 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Have A Good Time (Random Cover) by MC Cheung". YesAsia. 30 December 2021. Archived from the original on 17 January 2022. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  7. ^ a b 劉傳謙 (2 September 2021). "MC張天賦唱另類風格慘情歌 監製陳考威：未必要用普遍嘅編曲表達" [MC Cheung sings an alternative-style heartbreak song. Producer Gareth Chan says, "It doesn't necessarily have to be expressed using the usual arrangement"]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  8. ^ a b "馮允謙中大演唱釗峰On仔撐場 Jay憶失意曾幻想女友離開" [Jay Fung performed passionately at the Chinese University of Hong Kong; the lyrics of his song tell a time when he felt disheartened and imagined his girlfriend leaving him]. Hong Kong Economic Times (in Traditional Chinese). 12 July 2021. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  9. ^ a b "馮允謙與MC合唱英文歌〈How Many Times〉 鬥飆高音" [MC Cheung and Jay Fung duet "How Many Times"]. KKBox (in Traditional Chinese). 27 July 2021. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  10. ^ "馮允謙MC齊變百萬歌手 互笠高帽Nice爆有段古" [Jay Fung and MC Cheung transformed into singers with million views; exchanging compliments creating a pleasant atmosphere]. on.cc (in Traditional Chinese). 27 July 2021. Archived from the original on 8 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  11. ^ "《Channel歌評》反對無效 (MC張天賦)" [Music Review: "Overruled" by MC Cheung]. Hong Kong Singer Channel via Instagram (in Traditional Chinese). 6 June 2021. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. ^ a b "Billboard Hong Kong Songs – Week of February 26, 2022". Billboard. February 26, 2022. Archived from the original on March 19, 2022.
  13. ^ Leung, Jenny (27 December 2021). "YouTube Hong Kong reveals top trending videos in 2021". Time Out. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  14. ^ 陳嘉慧 (9 December 2021). "Spotify數據預測 MC張天賦,曾比特有望撼贏大熱edan拎新人獎?" [According to Spotify data predictions, MC Cheung and Mike Tsang are expected to have a chance to surpass the popular artist Edan and win the Best Newcomer Award]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 10 December 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  15. ^ 陳芷穎 (22 October 2021). "記憶棉︱MC張天賦完美演繹失戀悲痛 監製徐浩大讚：超水準完成" ["Pillow Talk": MC Cheung Perfectly Interprets the Pain of Heartbreak; Producer Terry Chui Highly Praises that his execution was beyond Expectations]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Billboard Hong Kong Songs – Week of June 25, 2022". Billboard. June 25, 2022. Archived from the original on July 3, 2022.
  17. ^ "Music Review: "Pillow Talk" by MC Cheung". Hong Kong Singer Channel via Instagram (in Traditional Chinese). 25 October 2021. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  18. ^ 數因斯坦 (20 November 2022). "MC張天賦憑這首歌撼贏鏡仔？MIRROR演唱會意外後播放量跌咁多" [Did MC Cheung Tin Fu win over MIRROR with this song? The unexpected decline in views after the MIRROR concert]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 11 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  19. ^ "Music Review: "About Time" by MC Cheung". Hong Kong Singer Channel via Instagram (in Traditional Chinese). 14 December 2021. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  20. ^ a b "Made In Hong Kong Episode 793814". Made in Hong Kong (in Chinese). 7 January 2022. RTHK. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Transcript. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Made In Hong Kong Episode 795017". Made in Hong Kong (in Chinese). 14 January 2022. RTHK. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Transcript. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  22. ^ Kwong, Yuk-ying (14 December 2021). "MC張天賦開騷翻唱《一表人才》、《俏郎君》 感激樂迷支持" [MC Cheung covered Edan Lui's "Talents" and Hins Cheung "The Way We Were", thanking his fans for their support]. HK01 (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  23. ^ "今年首位衝閘出唱片新人！張天賦開音樂會回饋歌迷" [The first newcomer to make a breakthrough and release an album this year! MC Cheung held a concert as a gesture of appreciation to the fans]. on.cc (in Traditional Chinese). 14 December 2021. Archived from the original on 10 July 2023. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  24. ^ "Credits: "Good Time"". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
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