Fantasy (Jay Chou album)

On 7 November 2000, Chou released his debut album, Jay,{{cite web|url=http://www.jvrmusic.com/artist/work-album_full.asp?id=11&artistid=1|title=《杰倫》专辑介绍|publisher=杰威尔音乐|language=zh-tw|access-date=2024-07-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210032759/http://www.jvrmusic.com/artist/work-album_full.asp?id=11&artistid=1|archive-date=2017-12-10}} which sold more than 250,000 copies in Taiwan.{{Cite web |date=17 May 2007 |title=周杰倫遭 假扣押5千萬 |url=https://tw.appledaily.com/headline/daily/20070517/23483280 |access-date=2023-09-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720115352/https://tw.appledaily.com/headline/daily/20070517/23483280 |archive-date=20 July 2018 |language=zh-TW}} The album was a groundbreaking release, combining R&B, hip-hop, classical and Chinese style; which established Chou's image as a "Chou-esque" singer.{{Cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/asia/covers/501030303/story.html|title=Cool Jay |language=en |author=Kate Drake |publisher=TIME Asia|date=3 March 2003|access-date=2010-05-10|archive-date=2003-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030401145204/http://www.time.com/time/asia/covers/501030303/story.html|url-status=dead}} After the success of his first solo album, Chou faced pressure from all sides but continued to do his own thing and produced the album Fantasy. In addition to producing and editing music albums for himself, Chou had also started composing music for other well-known singers such as S.H.E, Jordan Chan, Landy Wen, Jolin Tsai, Andy Lau, among others.{{Cite web |date=2020-07-30 |title=周杰倫為別人寫的這些歌，每首都紅了十年 |url=https://ek21.com/news/star/470625/ |access-date=2024-06-12 |language=zh-TW}}

In 2000, Vivian Hsu's studio album Jiaban de Tianshi, which she devoted herself to creating, was a commercial failure, and she fell into a deep depression as a result.{{Cite web |title=徐若瑄：我想如邓丽君那样无可取代 |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/x/2006-12-11/06581364023.html |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=ent.sina.com.cn}} At this time, Chou, who was just starting out, listened carefully to Hsu's album and decided to invite her to compose songs for him. Therefore, Hsu wrote the lyrics for three songs for him, including "Simple Love."

File:20110820張惠妹.jpg (pictured in 2011), but she rejected it]]

The album Fantasy is produced by Chou, with all the ten songs composed by him. For lyrics, Chou is responsible for two of the songs, while the rest of the lyrics are written by Vincent Fang and Vivian Hsu respectively.{{Cite web |title=蔡琴陈慧琳周杰伦同上阵--三代歌星实力大对比(图) |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/p/i/2001-12-17/67259.html |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=ent.sina.com.cn}} During the creative process of Fantasy, Chou put various creative ideas such as nostalgia, love, domestic violence, and martial arts into the songs.{{Cite web |title=蔡琴陈慧琳周杰伦同上阵--三代歌星实力大对比(图) |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/p/i/2001-12-17/67259.html |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=ent.sina.com.cn}} The record company also attached great importance to this album; not only did they make music videos for all ten songs in the album, but they also promoted it extensively across the country and even across Asia, hoping to push Chou's music to a new peak. Chou was personally very worried that the album's performance would not be as good as he had hoped; therefore, he was under a lot of pressure.{{Cite web |title=2001娱乐之颠年度专辑：周杰伦《范特西》 |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/p/i/2002-02-04/71985.html |access-date=2025-01-19 |website=ent.sina.com.cn}}

The song "Dad, I'm Home" was originally intended to be sung by Kang Kang. Chou and Fang originally decided on the song title "Slap My Girl," but when it was submitted to Jacky Wu, it was rejected. Later, it was written as "Dad, I'm Home" and given to Kang Kang to sing, who thought it sounded weird and difficult to sing, and rejected it again. In the end, Chou had to sing it himself. When Chou first debuted, he wrote "Ninja" for A-Mei, but she rejected it because of his "rapid" rap.{{Cite web |title=张惠妹曾拒绝《忍者》 周杰伦唱完:我这写的什么 |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/y/ygangtai/2017-10-01/doc-ifymmiwm3349790.shtml |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=ent.sina.com.cn|date=October 2017 }} Some of the simple Japanese words in the song were learned by Chou after watching Japanese television dramas without asking a teacher to teach him. During the production of the album, Chou changed the title of the song "I Find It Hard To Say" without telling Hsu in advance.{{Cite web |title="小天王"周杰伦的13个小秘密：竟是数学白痴 |url=https://yule.sohu.com/26/94/earticle164639426.shtml |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=yule.sohu.com}}

When Chou was working on the demo for the track "William Castle," he had already thought of using vampires as the theme of the song.{{Cite web |title=你所不知道的杰伦的秘密－－音乐篇 |url=http://music.yule.sohu.com/20050707/n226231827.shtml |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=music.yule.sohu.com}} Chou then told the story to Fang, who then searched for information and discussed it with Chou, eventually forming the lyrics of the song. In terms of composition, Chou came up with the idea of using MIDI to make a pipe organ when he was working on the demo of "William Castle," and added sound effects such as the sound of horses' hooves to the intro.

"Love Before BC" is a pop and R&B song written by Chou after a trip to a museum, and was based on the story of Nebuchadnezzar II, the king of Babylon, and his wife Amytis.{{Cite web |title=穿越千年的爱情证明！《爱在西元前》描述的传说 |url=https://www.sohu.com/a/403627785_351130 |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=yule.sohu.com}} "Dad, I'm Home" is a song about domestic violence penned solely by Chou after hearing about his friend's experience.{{Cite web |title=歌坛天才周杰伦推出第二张专辑《范特西》 |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/p/i/2001-11-16/64055.html |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=ent.sina.com.cn}} "Simple Love" is a representation of rhythmic love songs, with a simple arrangement featuring Spanish guitar plucking and percussion that creates a picture of puppy love. "Ninja" is sung in Chou's typical style—not emphasizing on the words, but focusing on the music, and the mysterious oriental music, portraying the image of a ninja.{{Cite web |title=歌坛天才周杰伦推出第二张专辑《范特西》 |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/p/i/2001-11-16/64055.html |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=ent.sina.com.cn}} This is another one of Chou's songs that incorporates oriental music after the song "Wife" on his debut album.

"I Find it Hard to Say" adds a heavier rhythm into its R&B framework, combined with a smooth rap and a classical prelude.{{Cite web |date=2018-06-15 |title=出道即巅峰, 盘点周杰伦巅峰专辑《七里香》, 你喜欢哪首 |url=https://www.163.com/dy/article/DKB23P450537034T.html |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=NetEase}} The song "Shanghai 1943" is based on the story of a Taiwanese veteran who misses his parents.{{Cite web |title=周杰伦新专辑《范特西》 |url=https://ent.163.com/edit/010926/010926_102416.html |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=ent.163.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011003195314/https://ent.163.com/edit/010926/010926_102416.html |archive-date=3 October 2001 }} The song "Sorry" describes Chou's saudades, his deep feelings for the past, and his apologies, which indicates his cherishing of his previous relationships, and therefore wants to say "sorry." The song "William Castle" is a British style song that adds classical baroque string accompaniment and a band into the creation. The rap at the end of the song comes from the lyrics of the song "Basketball Match," which was added live by Chou during his final recording.{{Cite web |title=方文山透露与周杰伦合作往往"先曲后词" |url=https://www.chinanews.com.cn/cul/2012/01-12/3599894.shtml |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=chinanews.com.cn}} The style of the track "Nunchucks" is a mix of rock and roll with a rapid-fire rap.{{Cite web |title=《范特西》定型周杰伦唱片风格 成功打开东南亚市场 |url=https://yue.ifeng.com/yp/detail_2011_10/11/9761516_0.shtml |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=yue.ifeng.com}} Chou created the power ballad "Silence" based on his own experiences growing up; he learned to play the piano at a young age, playing quietly in a secluded corner surrounded by silence with only the piano to keep him company, so he skillfully blended his growing up experience with his first love experience to create the song.

The title of the album comes from the transliteration of the English word "Fantasy."{{cite web|title=《范特西》專輯介紹|url=http://www.jvrmusic.com/artist/work-album_full.asp?id=15&artistid=1|publisher=杰威尔音乐|language=zh-tw|access-date=2015-01-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110162747/http://www.jvrmusic.com/artist/work-album_full.asp?id=15&artistid=1|archive-date=2015-01-10|url-status=dead}} The reason why the album is titled "Fantasy" is because Chou wanted to use music to bring people a whimsical imagination, and the name "Fantasy" also reflected Chou's consistent music philosophy—music is fantasy, fantasy is happy.{{Cite web |title=歌坛天才周杰伦推出第二张专辑《范特西》 |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/p/i/2001-11-16/64055.html |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=ent.sina.com.cn}} The album cover is a close up of Chou's face while he's wearing a red hoodie.{{Cite web |title=周杰伦的专辑封面设计得怎么样？这篇分析太涨知识了！ |url=https://www.uisdc.com/jays-album-cover-design |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=uisdc.com}}

To promote Fantasy, Chou embarked on his first very concert tour titled Fantasy Tour, which had five stops in total. The first stop was at Taoyuan where he performed at the Taoyuan Arena on 3 November 2001.{{Cite web |date=3 September 2002 |title=周杰伦闭关练唱功 28日台北首度开唱(附图) |url=http://ent.sina.com.cn/p/i/2002-09-03/084798647.html |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=ent.sina.com.cn |language=zh}} At the Taoyuan Arena show, Coco Lee performed as his special guest as they performed "Dow Ma Dan" together.{{Cite web |title=《珍贵视频》李玟 担任周杰伦 演唱会嘉宾，共同演唱《刀马旦》💕 |url=https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1714y1o7iM/?spm_id_from=333.337.search-card.all.click |access-date=2024-04-05 |language=zh}} The second and third shows were played at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hong Kong on 5 November 2001, and 6 November 2001.{{Cite web |date=21 January 2002 |title=周杰伦王力宏任贤齐张信哲--台湾四龙飞跃2001(多图) |url=http://ent.sina.com.cn/p/i/2002-01-21/70599.html |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=ent.sina.com.cn |language=zh}} The fourth show was played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at the Axiata Arena on 8 February 2002. The final stop of the show was played in Singapore at Suntec City on 10 February 2002.{{Cite news|title = Hooray For Jay|magazine = The New Paper|page = 3|date = 11 February 2002}}

File:Momiji_Daigoji4.JPG]]

The music video for "Love Before BC," which was directed by Kuang Sheng, depicts scenes of ancient ruins in sepia filter.{{Citation |title=周杰倫 Jay Chou【愛在西元前 Love before BC】Official MV | date=16 October 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XK2C9w6oVk |language=en |access-date=2023-11-24}} The music video for "Dad, I'm Home" was directed by Jeff and was shot in an abandoned house, with the opening scene showing Chou playing the cello.{{Citation |title=周杰倫 Jay Chou【爸 我回來了 Dad, I'm home】Official MV | date=5 November 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhyT8HDT4lg |language=en |access-date=2023-11-24}} Shockley Huang directed the music video for "Simple Love," which tells a pure and shy love story.{{Citation |title=周杰倫 Jay Chou【簡單愛 Simple Love】Official MV | date=4 October 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4xCVlyCvX4 |language=en |access-date=2023-11-24}} The heroine in the music video of "Simple Love" is Miyu Furukawa, a model for Japan's Non-no magazine, who was only 13 or 14 years old at the time.{{Cite web |title=原创 周杰伦MV女主个个美到爆炸，她们都是谁，现在怎么样？ |url=https://www.sohu.com/a/405505712_120742543 |access-date=2024-04-05 |website=sohu.com}} The music video for "Ninja" was directed by Huang and features Chou in his iconic red hoodie rapping in a traditional Japanese garden with scenes of ninjas acrobatically jumping around.{{Citation |title=周杰倫 Jay Chou【忍者 Ninja】Official MV | date=5 November 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55yJh4SHUBY |language=en |access-date=2023-11-24}} Kuang Sheng directed the music video for "I Find It Hard To Say", which is inspired by the movie Ghost (1990); it features Chou crashing from a spacecraft, reincarnating as another person while pondering upon his love interest who didn't seem to recognize him.{{Citation |title=周杰倫 Jay Chou【開不了口 I Find It Hard To Say】Official MV | date=October 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7hpK6cm-6k |language=en |access-date=2023-11-24}}

Kuang Sheng directed the music video for "Shanghai 1943"; it portrays scenes of Chou singing against the backdrop of the bustling Shanghai streets during the 1940s.{{Citation |title=周杰倫 Jay Chou【上海 一九四三 Shanghai 1943】Official MV | date=23 October 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcfnZOJpbM4 |language=en |access-date=2023-11-24}} The video for "Sorry" used edited concert footage instead of actually having a storyline.{{Citation |title=周杰倫 Jay Chou【對不起 Sorry】Official MV | date=6 November 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2DkKFxijv0 |language=en |access-date=2023-11-24}} The music video for "William Castle" also contains footage of Chou's concert as well as him singing casually.{{Citation |title=周杰倫 Jay Chou【威廉古堡 William Castle】Official MV | date=26 October 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCzWCxVAkfc |language=en |access-date=2023-11-24}} The music video of the song "Nunchucks" was directed by Kuang Sheng; it tells the story of a man who is strong in martial arts, who fights for justice and teaches people not to use force, and that force is not the only way to solve things.{{Citation |title=周杰倫 Jay Chou【雙截棍 Nunchucks】Official MV | date=10 October 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR-0wptI_u0 |language=en |access-date=2023-11-24}} The music video for "Silence" was directed by Shockley Huang.{{Citation |title=周杰倫 Jay Chou【安靜 Silence】Official MV | date=28 September 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hI-7vj2FhE |language=en |access-date=2023-11-24}} When filming the video, Chou quietly played the piano, sometimes pacing quietly, from early morning to sunset. The piano accompanied him through the night. At times, he closed his eyes with deep emotion and walked with bare feet, his past love just like the scenery outside his window. At the end of the "Silence" video, Chou puts on his suit and runs out of the door, drenched in the rain, seemingly telling himself to get out of the love that is hard to part with. In January 2002, the tracks "Simple Love" and "I Find It Hard to Say" were listed at number 2 and number 17 respectively on the 2001 Hit FM Top 100 Singles of the Year chart.{{Cite web |title=Hitoradio‧Hit Fm --華人音樂入口指標 |url=http://www.hitoradio.com/newweb/chart_2.php?ch_year=2001 |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=www.hitoradio.com}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = MTVChinese.com

| rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}

| noprose = yes

}}

Leo Liu of MTVChinese.com awarded the album three and a half stars out of five. He stated that even though the melodies were good and the talent was inevitable, there was something lacking. He stated at the end: "Overall, it is a pity that the quality is not as neat and smooth as the previous one. In addition, the 'recording technology' problem was pointed out by the golden song judges in the previous album, but the feeling remains the same in this album. Too much computer midi makes people feel unrealistic. I hope the next album can be improved."{{Cite web |title=周杰倫 范特西 |url=http://www.mtvchinese.com/Music/Review/Chinese/200110/25/377.html |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=MTV |archive-date=2005-03-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050326192826/http://www.mtvchinese.com/Music/Review/Chinese/200110/25/377.html |url-status=dead }}

Eric of GQ Taiwan stated in a retrospective review: "Even after 15 years, when I listen to "Fantasy" again and again, I will still be moved by the avant-garde melody. Both the lyrics and music are quite trendy. Who would have thought that the boy in the red hat T-shirt on the album cover still dominates the entire Chinese pop music circle."{{Cite web |title=《范特西》一張周杰倫也無法超越自己的專輯 |url=https://www.gq.com.tw/entertainment/content-29779 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |website=GQ|date=26 October 2016 }} In 2020, to celebrate Chou's 20th anniversary in the industry, NetEase conducted a ranking of Chou's best albums; Fantasy won first place on the list.{{Cite web |date=2020-11-17 |title=周杰伦最出色的5张专辑：每张都是神专，每首歌都是主打！ |url=https://www.163.com/dy/article/FRLBGA140529CIBA.html |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=www.163.com}} Tencent Music's Wave Review Panel ranked Fantasy first place in their list of the "200 Best Chinese Albums of 2001–2020": they praised Chou's work on the record for using R&B and hip-hop elements brilliantly, while also appreciating Vincent Fang's imaginative lyrics.{{Cite web |title=2001～2020年200最佳专辑 |url=https://www.wavecommittee.com/activity/top-200-album-result/list?type=total&group=2001~2010&id= |access-date=2024-11-14 |website=www.wavecommittee.com}}

The album received ten nominations at the 13th Golden Melody Awards and won five awards, including Album of the Year, Best Album Producer, and Best Composer.{{in lang|zh}} GIO, Taiwan [http://info.gio.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=20290&ctNode=4824&mp=3 13th Golden Melody Awards nomination list] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929231831/http://info.gio.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=20290&ctNode=4824&mp=3|date=29 September 2011}} 28 April 2004. Retrieved 15 April 2011{{in lang|zh}} GIO, Taiwan [http://info.gio.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=20289&ctNode=4824&mp=3 13th Golden Melody Awards winners list] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111129154741/http://info.gio.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=20289&ctNode=4824&mp=3|date=29 November 2011}} 28 April 2004. Retrieved 15 April 2011 The album also won for an IFPI Hong Kong Top Sales Music Award for Top 10 Best Selling Mandarin Albums of the Year.IFPI Hong Kong [http://www.ifpihk.org/www_1/go23e.php 2001 IFPI Hong Kong Album Sales Awards winners list] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702224835/http://www.ifpihk.org/www_1/go23e.php|date=2 July 2012}} Retrieved 19 April 2011 In 2008, "Love Before BC" was selected by Southern Weekly as one of the Top Ten Classic Songs in the Thirty Years of Reform and Opening Up.{{Cite web |title=《南方周末》：中国流行音乐30年十大金曲 |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/y/2008-12-11/12382291596.shtml |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=ent.sina.com.cn}} In 2002, "Simple Love" made it onto the leaderboard of the "Top Ten Outstanding Golden Songs of the Year" at the TOP Chinese Music ceremony.{{Cite web |title=第二届音乐风云榜颁奖盛典举行 各奖项揭晓(多图) |url=https://ent.sina.com.cn/p/i/2002-03-24/77090.html |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=ent.sina.com.cn}} "I Find it Hard to Say" won the Gold Award for the Most Popular Mandarin Song at the Top Ten Golden Songs Awards and the Top Ten Chinese Songs at the Second Chinese Pop Music Media Awards.{{Cite web |title=香港十大劲歌金曲颁奖 许志安郑秀文称王封后 |url=https://www.chinanews.com/2002-01-14/26/154105.html |access-date=2024-07-03 |website=China News}}{{Cite web |date=2002-03-11 |title=华语流行乐传媒大奖第二届年选全面揭晓 |url=https://ent.163.com/edit/020311/020311_115347.html |access-date=2024-07-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020320020139/https://ent.163.com/edit/020311/020311_115347.html |archive-date=March 20, 2002 }} "Silence" won the Best Golden Song Award at the 2nd Global Chinese Music Awards Ceremony.{{Cite web |date=2006-10-24 |title=第二届全球华语歌曲排行榜颁奖典礼 |url=http://m2.21cn.com/china/focus/2006/10/24/3010733.shtml |access-date=2024-07-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205224015/http://m2.21cn.com/china/focus/2006/10/24/3010733.shtml |archive-date=December 5, 2010 }}

{{Track listing

| collapsed =

| headline =

| total_length = 39:30

| all_music = Jay Chou

| title1 = Love Before the Century

| note1 = 愛在西元前

| lyrics1 = Vincent Fang

| length1 = 3:54

| title2 = Dad, I'm Back

| note2 = 爸，我回來了

| lyrics2 = Jay Chou

| length2 = 3:55

| title3 = Simple Love

| note3 = 簡單愛

| lyrics3 = Vivian Hsu

| length3 = 4:31

| title4 = Ninja

| note4 = 忍者

| lyrics4 = Vincent Fang

| length4 = 2:38

| title5 = I Find it Hard to Say

| note5 = 開不了口

| lyrics5 = Vivian Hsu

| length5 = 4:44

| title6 = Shanghai 1943

| note6 = 上海一九四三

| lyrics6 = Vincent Fang

| length6 = 3:15

| title7 = Sorry

| note7 = 對不起

| lyrics7 = Vincent Fang

| length7 = 3:45

| title8 = William Castle

| note8 = 威廉古堡

| lyrics8 = Vincent Fang

| length8 = 3:56

| title9 = Nunchucks

| note9 = 雙截棍

| lyrics9 = Vincent Fang

| length9 = 3:21

| title10 = Silence

| note10 = 安靜

| lyrics10 = Jay Chou

| length10 = 5:34

}}

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{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{in lang|zh}} [https://web.archive.org/web/20111005083331/http://www.jvrmusic.com/artist/artist-work.asp?id=1 Jay Chou discography@JVR Music]

{{Jay Chou}}

{{Golden Melody Awards for Album of the Year}}

{{Taiwan best-selling albums (by year)}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fantasy (Jay Chou Album)}}

Category:2001 albums

Category:Bertelsmann Music Group albums

Category:Jay Chou albums