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November's Chopin

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

November's Chopin
Studio album by
Jay Chou
Released1 November 2005 (2005-11-01)
Recorded2004–2005
StudiosAlfa Studio (Taipei)
Yang Dawei Studio (Taipei)
Genres
Length51:58
LanguageMandarin
Labels
ProducerJay Chou
Jay Chou chronology
Initial J
(2005)		 November's Chopin
(2005)		 Fearless
(2006)
Singles from November's Chopin
  1. "Nocturne"
    Released: 17 October 2005
  2. "Hair Like Snow"
    Released: 1 November 2005
  3. "Maple Leaf"
    Released: 1 November 2005
  4. "Coral Sea"
    Released: 1 November 2005
  5. "All the Way North"
    Released: 1 November 2005

November's Chopin (traditional Chinese: 十一月的蕭邦; simplified Chinese: 十一月的肖邦; pinyin: Shíyī yuè de xiāobāng) is the sixth studio album by Taiwanese recording artist Jay Chou. It was released on 1 November 2005, by Alfa Music and Sony BMG.[1] The album's production was handled entirely by Chou himself, while the lyrical content was handled by frequent collaborator Vincent Fang along with songwriters Devon Song, Alang Huang, and Michael Lin. November's Chopin, like its predecessors, is primary a R&B and pop record that also utilizes soft rock. The title of the album pays homage to Polish composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin, whom Chou was inspired by since his childhood.

The album was met with positive reviews from music critics upon its release.[2] In Taiwan, it peaked at number one on the G-Music album chart for multiple weeks and was best-selling album of the year, with sales of over 280,000 copies.[3] It became the singer's fifth consecutive yearly number-one album in Taiwan since his second studio album, Fantasy, in 2001.[a] November's Chopin was later certified platinum in Singapore in 2019.[8]

Multiple singles were promoted for November's Chopin—"Nocturne", "Hair Like Snow", "Maple Leaf", "Coral Sea", and "All the Way North". The album received several accolades and regional award ceremonies, including Best Original Album at the Metro Radio Music Awards as well as Song of the Year and Best Music Video for "Nocturne" at the China Music Awards. The Chinese Musicians Exchange Association named the record one of the top 10 albums of 2005.

Background and production

[edit]

Because of his busy schedule filming and promotion for his first movie, Initial D, and his Incomparable Tour, Chou's album, November's Chopin, missed his usual summer release window.[9] On 20 September 2005, it was reported that Chou had already begun recording demos for his new album.[10] After concluding his concerts in Harbin and Shenzhen, Chou announced that he would release his new album in November 2005.[11] On 14 October 2005, Sony Music announced that Chou 's latest album for 2005 would be officially released globally on November 1st; the album, originally titled the obscure "Jay the Thief," had been changed to "November's Chopin."[12]

Composition and songs

[edit]
Fellow Taiwanese singer Lara Veronin (pictured) was featured on a duet on the album.

"Nocturne" is an R&B track with a light classical-themed background music played by piano and acoustic guitar, and was the first piece to be completed for the record in November 2004. The lyrics describe the death of a lover, using metaphors involving black crows and wells to express emotion. The production of "Blue Storm" utilizes distorted electric guitar and turntable scratching, while its lyrics deal with religious themes. The track "Hair Like Snow" incorporates traditional Chinese instruments including the pipa and yangqin, while the vocals are sung softly. Towards the end, a false voice is used.[13][14][15][16]

"Black Sweater" is an R&B piece with a slow tempo, and incorporates acoustic guitar on top of soft vocals. The lyrics expresses one's longing for their beloved. "Surrounded" utilizes violin, cello and synthesizers, while its lyrics express his resentment towards the paparazzi. Chou openly calls them "dogs" who "bite an apple in their mouths and hold a camera in their hands". Toward the end of the track, Chou raps a few lines in Korean.[13][14]

"Maple Leaf" incorporates piano, violin and cello over a soft R&B beat. The lyrics describe the sorrow behind a lost love. "Romantic Cellphone" is a R&B piece that features an electric guitar, whereas "Reverse Scale" is a hip-hop number. "Malt Candy" uses violin and electric guitar with lyrics focusing on romance themes. "Coral Sea" is a duet between Jay Chou and Lara Veronin and utilizes instrumentations from piano, violin, acoustic and electric guitars.[13][14]

Title and artwork

[edit]
The album was named after composer Frédéric Chopin, which Chou credits as his childhood idol.

Because at the 16th Golden Melody Awards, Chou and Nan Quan Mama performed a piano duet, Alpha Records was inspired by the idea of “in the name of the piano poet,” which led to the album ultimately being titled November’s Chopin.[9] Chopin also happens to be Chou’s idol, so he immediately agreed to the name.[17] Since the album was produced in Taiwan, the Mainland China release directly adopted the Taiwanese translation of “Chopin” as “Xiao Bang” (萧邦).[18] After filming in Italy, Vladivostok, and Japan, the album cover and interior photos for November's Chopin were all taken in Venice, with the album cover being shot in front of Piazza San Marco.[19] The entire album photoshoot cost an astonishing 1 million yuan, excluding airfare and accommodation, setting a new record for Chou's most expensive photoshoot at that point.[20]

Release and promotion

[edit]

The pre-sale for the album began in various regions on 19 October 2005.[21] The album's lead single "Nocturne" premiered on radio Hit FM and was broadcast simultaneously on 50 radio stations across Asia on 17 October 2005, which was the anniversary of Chopin's death.[22] The music video for "Nocturne" premiered in Asia on 21 October 2005.[23]

Music videos

[edit]

Chou's music has been visual in this album, and made that every song in the new album is full of poetry and romantic, creating a poetic picture. In order to match the theme of the new album, he personally designed the look this time, expressing the romantic temperament of a "music poet" with a retro image, and even went to Venice's Piazza San Marco to shoot the video for "Black Sweater" and the album cover.[16] The "Nocturne" music video was shot in December 2004, in the middle of his Incomparable Tour in Montville, Connecticut. He travelled to New York City to film the video, and included locations such as the Brooklyn Bridge and a cemetery in the suburbs. There was a snowstorm in New York the day before the shooting of the video, which Chou felt made the cemetery scene even more sentimental, but also inconvenient according to the singer.[24][25][26]

Criticial reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
MTVChinese.comStarStarStar[27]
Taipei Times(favorable)[2]

November's Chopin received generally positive reviews from music critics. Apin of MTVChinese.com gave the album a score of three out of five stars; the reviewer felt November’s Chopin is polished but ultimately predictable, offering all the usual “Jay‑style” elements without the spark or innovation of his earlier work. They reminisce about how fresh and exciting Chou’s early songs felt and argue that this album lacks that same impact, despite still sounding like unmistakable Jay Chou. While praising “Nocturne” and some melodies, they note that many tracks resemble older songs and that the promised classical influence didn’t live up to expectations. In the end, they conclude that their own high hopes—and Chou’s own hype—may have set the bar too high.[27]

Gavin Phipps of the Taipei Times gave the album a warmly enthusiastic review on his "Best CDs of 2005" article, calling November’s Chopin Chou’s most mature and introspective album yet. Phipps acknowledges that ranking it the year’s best might look like favoritism, but argues the choice is justified by its musical depth and huge commercial impact. Phipps highlighted Chou’s shift toward moody, piano‑ and guitar‑driven ballads as a successful evolution that impressed older listeners in particular, and they frame the album as a clear artistic high point in his career.[2]

Yuan Yong‑xing of HERE magazine, praised Chou’s 2005 album November’s Chopin for its strong production, cohesive structure, and continued influence on Mandopop. Yuan highlights standout tracks such as “Nocturne” and notes that the album maintains Chou’s creative consistency despite limited stylistic innovation.[28]

Accolades

[edit]

November's Chopin was nominated for two Golden Melody Awards. The album won for an IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award for Top 10 Best Selling Mandarin Albums of the Year.[29] The album was awarded the Best Original Album award at the 2005 Metro Radio Music Awards.[30] The album was also placed on the shortlist of the Top 10 Albums of the Year by the Chinese Musicians Exchange Association.[31]

"Nocturne" won the Hot Song Award at the 2005 Metro Radio Music Awards; the song also won Song of the Year and it's accompanying video won the Best Music Video Award at the 2006 China Music Awards.[30][32] Vincent Fang won the Best Lyricist award for the song "Hair Like Snow" at the Chinese Music Media Awards.[33] The track, "Drifting," was nominated a Golden Horse Award for Best Original Film Song and a Hong Kong Film Award for Best Original Film Song.[34]

Track listing

[edit]

All music is composed by Jay Chou.

November's Chopin track listing
No.TitleLyricsLength
1."Nocturne" (夜曲; Yèqǔ)Vincent Fang3:48
2."Blue Storm" (藍色風暴; Lán sè fēngbào)Vincent Fang4:46
3."Hair Like Snow" (髮如雪; Fà rú xuě)Vincent Fang5:01
4."Black Sweater" (黑色毛衣; Hēisè máoyī)Jay Chou4:11
5."Surrounded" (四面楚歌; Sì miàn chǔ gē)Jay Chou, Michael Lin (Rap)4:07
6."Maple Leaf" (楓; Fēng)Devon Song4:37
7."Romantic Cellphone" (浪漫手機; Làngmàn shǒujī)Vincent Fang3:59
8."Reverse Scale" (逆鱗; Nìlín)Alang Huang3:54
9."Malt Candy" (麥芽糖; Mài yá táng)Vincent Fang4:20
10."Coral Sea" (珊瑚海; Shān hú hǎi; featuring Lara Liang)Vincent Fang4:16
11."Drifting" (飄移; Piāoyí; From Initial D (film) Theme Songs)Vincent Fang4:04
12."All the Way North" (一路向北; Yī lù xiàng běi; From Initial D (film) Theme Songs)Vincent Fang4:54
Total length:51:58

Charts

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Singapore (RIAS)[8] Platinum 10,000*
Taiwan — 280,000[37]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ Best-selling albums of the year in Taiwan as reported by media outlets

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ (in Chinese) "November's Chopin album info"Archived 5 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine JVR Music. 1 November 2005. Retrieved 15 April 2011
  2. 1 2 3 Gavin Phipps. "Best CDs of 2005". The Taipei Times. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 "周杰倫唱銷王強壓Jolin" [Jay Chou, the best-selling singer, beats Jolin]. 14 July 2022. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
  4. ↑ "2001唱片銷售統計". mypaper.pchome.com (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 3 October 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  5. ↑ "2002年台灣全年度歌手銷售排行榜揭曉". people.com.cn. Archived from the original on 24 August 2004. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  6. ↑ "周杰伦蔡依林S.H.E领衔2003台湾唱片销量榜" [Jay Chou, Jolin Tsai, and S.H.E lead the 2003 Taiwan record sales list]. Qianlong News Network (in Chinese). 7 January 2004. Retrieved 15 May 2024 – via Sina Entertainment.
  7. ↑ "2004年20大年度唱片銷售量截圖". Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  8. 1 2 "Singapore album certifications – Jay Chou – November's Chopin". Recording Industry Association Singapore. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  9. 1 2 "《十一月的萧邦》将发 解密周杰伦新专辑(组图)" ["November's Chopin" to be Released: Deciphering Jay Chou's New Album (Photos)]. Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 14 October 2005. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  10. ↑ "周杰伦新专辑已录制小样 首支单曲名为《夜曲》". Beijing Daily (in Chinese). Sina Corporation. 20 September 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  11. ↑ "周杰伦下月推出新专辑 暂停个唱好好休息(图)". Beijing Daily (in Chinese). Sina Corporation. 5 October 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  12. ↑ "周杰伦11月"更名"肖邦 新专辑将全球发行(图)". Beijing Daily (in Chinese). Sina Corporation. 14 October 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  13. 1 2 3 "《十一月的肖邦》浪漫古典因子谱出音乐新诗篇". Beijing Daily (in Chinese). Sina Corporation. 1 November 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  14. 1 2 3 "神君陆逊：简评周杰伦《十一月的萧邦》". 新浪娱乐 (in Chinese). Sina Corporation. 3 November 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  15. ↑ "《夜曲》沿袭杰伦风格 周董新专辑首支单曲曝光". China News Service (in Chinese). Sina Corporation. 20 September 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  16. 1 2 "周杰伦新碟《十一月的肖邦》自比音乐诗人(图)". Yangcheng Evening News-新快报 (in Chinese). Sina Corporation. 19 October 2005. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  17. ↑ "周杰伦新专辑背后有故事 11月的萧邦一听就醉" [There's a story behind Jay Chou's new album; his Chopin music in November is simply intoxicating.]. Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 13 October 2005. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  18. ↑ ""肖邦"成"萧邦"？只是写法不同" ["Chopin" becoming "Xiao Bang"? It's just a difference in spelling.]. Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 4 November 2005. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  19. ↑ "周杰伦《十一月的萧邦》-《发如雪》《夜曲》". music.yule.sohu.com. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  20. ↑ "周杰伦《十一月的肖邦》上市 封面耗资百万(图)" [Jay Chou's "November's Chopin" album cover cost millions to release (photo)]. Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 1 November 2005. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  21. ↑ "周杰伦新碟《十一月的萧邦》全国火爆预售". Sina Corporation (in Chinese). 20 October 2005. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  22. ↑ "酷酷周杰伦转性变狂野 新专辑11月1日发行(图)". Sina Corporation (in Chinese). 16 October 2005. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  23. ↑ "全面解析周杰伦封神曲夜曲" [A comprehensive analysis of Jay Chou's legendary song - "Nocturne"]. Douban (in Chinese). 4 February 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  24. ↑ "岁月如歌·经典音乐时间周杰伦夜曲" [Time is like a song·Classic music time | Jay Chou "Nocturne"]. Guizhou Music Radio (in Chinese). 27 February 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  25. ↑ "周杰伦夜曲MV 夜曲是周杰伦2005年专辑 十一月的肖邦". Sina Corporation (in Chinese). 28 June 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  26. ↑ "周杰伦墓地拍MV夜曲取景纽约凄美雪地(图)". Sina Corporation (in Chinese). 21 October 2005. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
  27. 1 2 "周杰倫 / 十一月的蕭邦". MTV. Archived from the original on 21 February 2006. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  28. ↑ "(分享) 樂評:[11月的蕭邦]其實貫穿". 6 May 2006. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
  29. ↑ (in Chinese) "2005 IFPI Hong Kong Album Sales Awards winners list" Archived 2 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine IFPI Hong Kong. Retrieved 19 April 2011
  30. 1 2 "2005年度香港新城劲爆颁奖典礼完全获奖名单" [The complete list of winners of the 2005 Hong Kong Metro Awards]. Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 26 December 2005. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  31. ↑ "图文：05十大优良专辑及单曲颁奖--南拳妈妈与周杰伦_影音娱乐_新浪网" [Photo: 05 Top Ten Albums and Singles Awards--Nan Quan Mama and Jay Chou]. Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 20 May 2006. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  32. ↑ "第十二届华语榜中榜昨晚揭晓周杰伦独获四奖天王，还是那个天王_影音娱乐_新浪网" [The 12th Chinese Music Awards announced last night that Jay Chou won four awards alone, he is still the same king]. Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 12 January 2006. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  33. ↑ "第六届华语音乐传媒大奖颁奖实录" [The 6th Chinese Music Media Awards]. Sina Entertainment (in Chinese). 17 July 2006. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  34. ↑ (in Chinese) "25th Hong Kong Film Awards winner/nomination list" Archived 18 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine Hong Kong Film Awards. Retrieved 25 February 2011
  35. ↑ "Jay Chouのランキング > アルバム売上ランキング" [Jay Chou Ranking > Album Sales Ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  36. ↑ "G-Music Album Chart" (in Chinese). G-Music. Archived from the original on 30 November 2005. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  37. ↑ "周杰倫遭 假扣押5千萬 | 蘋果日報". Apple Daily (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 17 May 2007. Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
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