Hong Kong Blues Explained

Hong Kong Blues
Artist:George Harrison
Album:Somewhere in England
Released:5 June 1981
Recorded:1980–1981
Genre:Rock
Length:2:55
Label:Dark Horse
Producer:George Harrison, Ray Cooper

"Hong Kong Blues" is a popular song composed by American songwriter Hoagy Carmichael in 1939. It was featured in the 1944 film To Have and Have Not, an adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel by the same name.[1]

Former Beatle George Harrison covered the tune on his 1981 album Somewhere in England.[2] Also, the Quebecer Dédé Fortin presented his cover of "Hong Kong Blues" with Les Colocs on their album Atrocetomique. Martin Denny covered it on his 1957 album Exotica. In 1964 it was a UK single from Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen. Japanese musician Haruomi Hosono, who was influenced by Denny to found the Yellow Magic Orchestra, covered the song on his 1976 album Bon Voyage co., as well as on two live albums, Harry Hosono and Tin Pan Alley in Chinatown, recorded in Yokohama the same year, and America, recorded in Los Angeles in 2019. Spanky and Our Gang covered “Hong Kong Blues” on their third album, Anything You Choose/Without Rhyme or Reason, 1969.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: To Have and Have Not (1944) - Soundtracks. . 29 September 2012.
  2. Web site: Ginell . Richard S. . Somewhere in England - George Harrison: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards . AllMusic . 29 September 2012.