Perhaps you'd remember Agnes of Hong Kong. In the 70s, a cousin of mine, being an ardent fan of her would sing her song so often that I would get so sick at the mention of this Agnes who actually became famous in Hong Kong after making a cover of Joni Mitchell's The Circle Game with her sister, Irene. Later, her star shone throughout southeast Asia through several of Chang Cheh's movies, including Young People and The Generation Gap, both of which, I am sure I have seen at one time or another. A Japanese singer and songwriter Masaaki Hirao then took her to Japan where she recorded her first Japanese pop hit, Poppy Flower (ひなげしの花). which made her a teenage idol there. I thought Agnes looks more Japanese than Chinese and Japanese probably love her not just for that alone. They always seem to go ga-ga over girls with big tooth in front. Anyway, before she left Hong Kong for Japan, I remember having read in the papers that Agnes told reporters that she would never marry a Japanese. In 1986, Chan however,married one. She married her former manager, Tsutomu Kaneko and became Agnes Miling Kaneko Chan. Yes, that's the Agnes of Hong Kong, Chen Mei Ling, 陳美齡 or Agnes Chan, the sister of the less famous actress Shaw star, Irene Chan.
Agnes's rendition of the Circle Game...
Agnes of Hong Kong...
Agnes's rendition of the Circle Game...
Agnes of Hong Kong...
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