Francis Lee (lyricist)
Francis Lee, the lyricist
Began his writing career actually as a novelist and a literary critic, Francis Lee (李焯雄, LI Zhuo-xiong in Romanization as used in the Mainland China, or Li Jhuo-syong or Li Jhuo-shiung according to the Taiwan Tongyong Romanization or Li Cuo-hsiung in the Wade-Giles system) is now a critically acclaimed and platinum-record lyricist who can strike an amazing balance between commercial success and literary value. He is best known for his Mandarin works though he also writes in Cantonese from time to time.
Twice nominated, he has won "The Best Lyricist Award" for the song named "Love " (愛,"Ai" in Romanization) released in Karen Mok's Mandarin album entitled [i]) in the 14th Golden Melody Awards (金曲獎"Jin qu jiang", generally known as the Chinese Grammy Awards) held in Taipei, in recognition of his superb art in lyrics writing.
His most recent international projects include the two theme songs to "Red Cliff I & II"（赤壁1& 赤壁II :決戰天下）directed by John Woo（吳宇森) and the Chinese version of the theme song "Wavin' Flag"(旗開得勝 or "Qi Kai De Sheng") to 2010 FIFA World Cup sung by Jacky Cheung（張學友, Zhang Xue-you）, Jane Zhang(張靚穎 Zhang Liang Ying)and K'naan.
Subtle with words, versatile in style and capable to tailer-make lyrics to individual needs, he has written for numerous top Chinese artists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China, Singapore and Malaysia such as Karen Mok（莫文蔚Mo Wen-hui）, David Tao（ 陶喆Tao Zhe ）, Leehom Wang （王力宏Wang Li-hong）, Jolin Tsai （蔡依林Cai Yi-lin）, Sandy Lam（林憶蓮Lin Yi-lin）, Stephanie Sun（孫燕姿Sun Yan-zi）, Jacky Cheung （張學友Zhang Xue-you）, A-mei（張惠妹Zhang Hui-mei ）, Eason Chan（陳奕迅Chen Yi-xun）, Fish Leong (梁靜茹Liang Jingru), Rainie Yang(楊丞琳 Yang Cheng Lin), Angela Chang(張韶涵 Chang Hsiao Han), Bibi Zhou （周筆暢Zhou Bi-chang）, Tsai Cin （蔡琴Cai Qin）, Coco Lee (李玟Li Wen), F4, S.H.E, Twins, Beyond, and the famous Japanese artists Seiko Matsuda（松田聖子） and Gackt, ranging from candy teen-pop to thought-provoking works, nearly everything from ballads to rock and hip-hop.
Always sharp but supple, sometimes comic but witty, Francis’s works show a unique sensibility that can distill even the most daily-life-words to a poetic level, yet never pretentious or hard to reach.
Selected as one of the 13 best lyricists in the Mandarin music scene in the July-2004 issue of "Eslite Reader"（誠品好讀"Cheng pin hao du"）, a monthly journal published by the most significant book store " Eslite Bookstore"（誠品書店"Cheng pin shu dian"）in Taiwan, Francis is further described as "one of the top-4 lyricists in Taiwan" in the Japanese journal of "Taiwan Current Post"( "Tai Ryu Poppsu") in 2005.
In 2007 his theme song to "Blood Brothers" or "Tian tang kou"天堂口 was nominated "The Best Original Theme Song Award" in the 44th Golden Horse Awards (金馬獎"Jin ma jiang"). His co-produced album "L!VE is… Karen Mok"（拉活"La huo"）was nominated "The Album of the Year", "The Best Female Singer " and "The Producer of the Year" in the 19th Golden Melody Awards and finally won "The Album of the Year" award.
His collaboration with David Tao陶喆, "The Art of War" (孫子兵法"Sun zi bing fa"), centering on issues like greed, loot and doing harms to one another and the global environment has won him an nomination of "The Song of The Year" in the 17th Golden Melody Awards of 2006. Another song also sung by David Tao called "Susan Said"（Susan說 "Su san shuo"）won a "Top 10 of the Year 2005 " Award organized by the "Musicman Organization" （中華音樂人交流協會"Zhong hua yin yue ren jiao liu xie hui"）, another prestigious award in Taiwan. The title is a witty punning of the English name " Susan" and the Mandarin pronunciation of"Su-san"and the song is an imaginary dialogue on fate and love between 2 women whose names are similar in sounds and exactly the same in Romanized written form, suggesting though"Su-san" is from the Ming Dynasty and "Susan" is from nowadays, they still face similar difficulties of life.
Francis has also worked with various composers throughout the world. In 1999 he worked with the famous Japanese composer and producer Daisuke Hinata（日向大介） for the Mandarin version of the theme song to "King of Comedy" （喜劇之王"Xǐjù zhī Wáng"）starred by the Hong Kong king of comedy Stephen Chow（周星馳, Zhōu Xīngchí）. In 2003 he worked with the oscar-winner Indian composer and producer A.R. Rahman for the Mandarin version of the theme song to Columbia Pictures' "Warriors of Heaven and Earth" （天地英雄 "Tiāndì Yīngxióng"）.
His most recent cooperation with Japanese musicians and artists includes the tow theme songs "Heart, War" or "Xin, Zhan" （心．戰）and "Red Cliff ~ River of No Return"（赤壁~大江東去）both composed by Taro Iwashiro （岩代太郎）and produced by Kazuhito Kikuchi （菊池一仁）to the spectacular epic "Red Cliff I & II" or "Chi bi I & II" （赤壁 I 赤壁II）directed by John Woo or Wu Yu-sen(吳宇森）.
In 2005 he wrote Seiko Matsuda’s（松田聖子） official Chinese version of her " I’ll Fall In Love" to mark her 20th anniversary in addition to the Mandarin version of "December’s Love Song" （十二月的情歌"Shi er yue de qing ge"）performed by Gackt and Leehom Wang in 2003.
In 2006, he wrote the Mandarin lyrics in the joint-Asian divas and multi-language song "Color of the Moon" composed by Yumi Matsuoya （松任谷由實）and performed by Yumi herself and Sandy Lam（林憶蓮） together with 2 other Asian female artists for the campaign "Friends Of Love The Earth 2006"
For the Korean-related music scene, Francis recently worked with Bang, the producer of Baby Vox and G.O.D. for a well-known artist Li Quan from the Mainland China in 2005. Apart from that, he also wrote the Mandarin version of "Misty Moon" (by Lim Hyung-Joo) called "White Moonlight"（白月光"Bai yue guang"）sung by Jeff Chang（張信哲Zhang Xin-zhe）in 2004, following the success of Jeff’s earlier Mandarin adaptation of the theme song to the all-swept-away Korean TV drama series "Winter Sonata"（冬季戀歌） called "From Beginning Till Now"（從開始到現在"Cong kai shi dao xian zai"） in 2002.
Francis is also experienced in writing commercial title songs and various theme songs for TV and movies. The long list includes the Mandarin version of "Can’t Help Falling in Love" performed by F4 for Disney’s "Lilo & Stitch" 2002, Pepsi TV commercial title songs from 2002–2004, Sega Games commercial title songs for Mainland China 2005, Rejoice shampoo’s commercial title song for Mainland China and Hong Kong 2005-2006, as well as the theme song and ending song in the extremely popular TV drama series "Meteor Garden II" （流行花園 II "Liu xing hua yuan II"）by F4.
Awards/ Nominations 1998 10th Golden Melody Awards ("Jin qu jiang")"The Best Lyricist Award" nomination
(Nadia Chan’s or Chen Song-ling’s "Quarrel "or "Chao jia")
2003 14th Golden Melody Awards "The Best Lyricist Award"
（Karen Mok’s or Mo Wen-hui’s "Love"or "Ai"）
2004 15th RTHK Top-10 Chinese Golden Melody Awards ("Xiang gang dian tai shi da zhong wen jin qu")
"Best Mandarin Songs Award" 2nd Runner-up （Karen Mok’s or Mo Wen-hui’s "Love"or "Ai"）
2006 17th Golden Melody Awards "The Best Song of The Year
Award"nomiation（David Tao’s or Tao-zhe’s "The Art of War"or "Sun zi bing fa"）
2006 Musicman Organization ("Zhong hua yin yue ren jiao liu xie hui") "Top-10 Singles of the Year 2005"( David Tao’s or
Tao Zhe’s "Susan Said" or "Su-san shuo")
2006 Musicman Organization "Best Single of October"（Fish Leong’s or Liang Jingru’s"Warmth" or "Nuan nuan")
2007 Hong Kong CASH Golden Sail Awards ("Xiang gang CASH jin fan jiang")"Best Song of the Year Award" nomination
（Eason Chan’s or Chen Yi-xun’s "White Roses"or "Bai mei gui"in Cantonese)
2007 Hong Kong CASH Golden Sail Awards "Best Lyrics Award" nomination
（Eason Chan’s or Chen Yi-xun’s "White Roses"or "Bai mei gui"in Cantonese)
2007 Musicman Organization "Best Single of August"
（A-mei ‘s or Zhang Hui-mei’s"Have You Heard Lately?" or "Ru guo ni ye ting shuo"）
2007 44th Golden Horse Awards ("Jin ma jiang")"Best Original
Theme Song Award" nomination （Shu Qi’s "Blood Brothers"or "Tian tang kou"）
2008 19th Golden Melody Awards "Best Album of the Year"nomination
（Karen Mok’s or Mo Wen-hui’s "L!VE IS… Karen Mok"or "La huo")
Francis Lee’s major works include:
"Wavin' Flag"(旗開得勝 or "Qi Kai De Sheng")(Chinese version of the theme song to 2010 FIFA World Cup ) - Jacky Cheung（張學友Zhang Xue-you）, Jane Zhang(張靚穎 Zhang Liang
Ying)and K'naan.
"Red Cliff ~ River of No Return"（赤壁~大江東去） – alan (A Lan) (Theme song to "Red Cliff II" or "Chi Bi II" directed by John Woo or Wu Yu-sen) "Heart, War" （Xin．Zhan) – alan (A Lan) (Theme song to "Red Cliff" or "Chi Bi" directed by John Woo or Wu Yu-sen)
"Color of the Moon" –Yumi Matsuoya+ Sandy Lam (Lin Yi-lin) +Ayaka Hirahara + My Linh, a female Vietnamese artist (a title song performed in Japanese, Mandarin and Vietnamese in the "Friends Of Love The Earth 2006" Campaign to promote
"Love to the Earth" organized by Yumi Matsuoya)
"Face to Face" （"Mian dui mian"）-- Sandy Lam
"Beautiful in Every Way"（"Mei yi mian dou mei"） --– David Tao (Tao Zhe)(Commercial title song for "Rejoice" shampoo in 2005-2006 for Mainland China and Hong Kong) "The Art of War"（"Sun zi bing fa"）– David Tao (nominated for "The Song of
the Year" in the Golden Melody Awards
or "Jin qu jiang" 2006)
"Susan Said"（"Su-san shuo"） – David Tao (awarded as one of "The Top-
10-Singles of The Year 2005 held by the
"Musicman Organization" or "Zhong hua yin
yue ren jiao liu xie hui",
another prestigious music award in Taiwan).
"Love" （"Ai"）- Karen Mok （Mo Wen-hui） ( "The Best Lyricist Award" in the
14th "Golden Melody Awards 2003)
(2003 15th RTHK Top-10 Chinese
Golden Melody Awards
"Best Mandarin Song Award"
2nd Runner-up)
"Single Room, Double Bed"（"Dan ren fang shuang ren chuang" ）
-- Karen Mok （Mo Wen-hui ）
"The Fruit of Midsummer"("Sheng xia de guo shi" ) -- Karen Mok （Mo Wen-hui）
"A Tale of Two Cities" （"Shuang cheng gu shi" ）-- Karen Mok
（Mo Wen-hui）
"Candy Kisses" – Karen Mok（Mo Wen-hui ） (Theme song to "King Of
Comedy"
or "Xi ju zhi wang")
"No. 1 Fan" （"Tou hao fen si"）– Karen Mok（Mo Wen-hui） "Matinees, Evening Shows"（"Ri chang ye chang"）– Karen Mok
（Mo Wen-hui ）
"I Have Been Meaning To Say This To You"
（"Qi shi wo yi zhi dou xiang dui ni shuo "）– Karen Mok（Mo Wen-hui ）
"Sleeping Alone" ("Yi ge ren shui") – Karen Mok（Mo Wen-hui ） "Hand" ("Shou") – Karen Mok（Mo Wen-hui ） "You Are Not Here" （"Ni bu zai "）- Leehom Wang (Wang Li-hong) "Finally"– Leehom Wang (Wang Li-hong) (Sega Games Commercial title song in
Mainland China 2005)
"The First Morning After"（"Di yi ge qing chen"）- Leehom Wang (Wang Li-hong) "Love Is Every Where" （"Ai wu suo bu zai"）- Leehom Wang (Wang Li-hong) "How Am I Supposed Not To Think Of Him" （"Wo yao ru he bu xiang ta"）-- Tsai Cin(Cai Qin)
(Ending song to each episode of TV series
"C'est la vie, mon chéri" or "Xin bu le qing") "Have You Heard Lately?" （"Ru guo ni ye ting shuo"） ﹣A-mei (Zhang Hui-mei) "Yes or No" ﹣A-mei (Zhang Hui-mei)
"Warmth" （"Nuan nuan"） -- Fish Leong (Liang Jingru )
"Sad that it is not You"（"Ke xi bu shi ni "）-- Fish Leong (Liang Jiang-ru )
"If Only I Don’t Love You （"Ru guo bu ai ni "） – Jacky Cheung (Zhang Xue-you)
"If This is Not Love" （"Ru guo zhe dou bu suan ai "） – Jacky Cheung
(Zhang Xue-you)
"White Roses"（"Bai mei guii"） (Cantonese)-- Eason Chan (Chen Yi-xun)
(Hong Kong CASH Golden Sail Awards
"Best Lyrics Award" and
"Best Song of the Year" nomination ）
"Red Roses"（"Hong mei gui "）-- Eason Chan (Chen Yi-xun) "A Floating City"（"Fu Cheng"）-- Eason Chan (Chen Yi-xun) "River Liu Yang 2008"（"Liu yang he 2008"）-- Bibi Zhou (Zhou Bi-chang) "First Anniversary"（"Yi zhou nian "）-- Bibi Zhou (Zhou Bi-chang) "WOW" -- Bibi Zhou (Zhou Bi-chang) "Blood Brothers"（"Tian tang kou"）-- Shu Qi (nominated for "Best Original
Theme Song" in 44th Golden Horse
Awards)
"Ask For More" – F4 (Pepsi Commercial Title Song 2002 in Mainland China and
Taiwan)
"Can’t Lose You"（ "Jue bu neng shi qu ni " ）– F4 (Theme Song to TV Series
"Meteor Garden II"
or "Liu xing hua yuan")
"The Seasons of Fireworks"（"Yan huo de ji jie"） – F4 (Ending Song in TV
Series
"Meteor Garden II"
or "Liu xing hua yuan"))
"Can’t Help Falling in Love" – F4 (Mandarin version of the theme song to
Disney’s "Lilo & Stitch" 2002)
"Make A wish" – Vic Chou( Zhou Yu-min from F4) "Body Will Sing"（"Shen ti hui chang ge"）-- Vanness Wu (Wu Jian-hao from F4) "But What About Me"（"Ke shi wo"）-- Ken Chu (Zhu Xiao-tian from F4)
(Theme song to "Sky Of Love" or "Ai
duan le xian")
"I Want It More" – Jerry Yan (Yan Cheng-xu from F4, Pepsi Commercial Title
Song 2003 in Mainland and Taiwan)
"The Goddess of Love in Apprenticeship" （"Jian xi ai shen"）– Twins "Around the World in Eighty Dollars"（"Ba shi kuai huan you shi jie"）– Twins "Sister" （"Mei-mei"）– Charlene (Chai Zhuo-yan fromTwins)
"White Moonlight"（"Bai yue guang"）– Jeff Chang (Zhang Xin-zhe)
"From Beginning Till Now"（"Cong kai shi dao xian zai"）– Jeff Chang(Zhang Xin-zhe)
"Mirage"（"Hai shi shen lou"）– Jolin Tsai (Cai Yi-lin)
(Theme song to "Warriors of
Heaven and Earth" or "Tian di ying xiong")
"The Smell of Lemon Grass"（"Ning meng cao de wei dao"）–
Jolin Tsai (Cai Yi-lin)
"The Confession of a Mask"（"Jia mian de gao bai "）– Jolin Tsai (Cai Yi-lin) "One Eye shut, One Eye Open" （"Zheng yi zhi yan，bi yi zhi yan"） – Jolin Tsai
(Cai Yin-lin)
"Odd Number" （"Dan Shu"）-- Gary Tsao (Cao Ge) "One To One"（"Yi bi yi")）-- Fan Fan (Fan Wei-qi) "I Love You (Love Me)"（"Xi huan ni（xi huan wo））-- Yida Huang (Huang Yi-da) "The Intangible Lover"（"Chub u dao de lian ren"）-- Kelly Chan (Chen Hui-lin) "And the Eagle Flies"（"Ying zai fei"）-- Energy (Theme song to "Eagle"
or "Fei Ying" starred by Michelle Yeoh or
Yang Zhi-qiong)
"Fall in Love with AnOther Person"（"Lian shang（ling）yi ge ren） -- Chris Yao
(You Hong-ming)
"When Porcupine Fell In Love With Rose"
("Dang ci wei ai shang mei gui ")） -- Chris Yao (You Hong-ming)
"Between You and The Sky" ("Zai ni he tian kong zhi jian")
-- Bibi Chao （Zhuo Zhi-bi)
"Is There Any Song That Will Remind You of Me"（"You mei you yi shou ge hui
rang ni xiang qi wo"）-- Emil Chow （Zhou
Hua-jian)
"Turbo" （"Chao kuai gan"）- Stephanie Sun (Sun Yanzi)
"Sahara Café" (Sa ha la bing shi") – Coco Lee (Li Wen) "Latent"（"Huan man"）- Beyond "Mosquito"（"Wen"）(Cantonese) - Beyond
