Home is where the heart is: The secret behind Dick Lee’s enduring legacy

This period, which Lee refers to as “the golden age of Cantopop”, introduced him to some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, “I was so fortunate to be there right at its peak, working alongside all the stars,” he reflects. Lee’s work in Hong Kong culminated in a collaboration with Cantopop singer Jacky Cheung—one of the four Heavenly Kings of Hong Kong—on the musical Snow.Wolf.Lake in 1998, a fitting grande finale to his time in the region. 

Throughout his illustrious career, Lee has been on a quest to define and express Singaporean identity through his music. Being Peranakan, he opted for Malay as his second language in school instead of Mandarin as that’s what his grandmother and aunt spoke. “For one, I didn’t really feel Chinese, or maybe I didn’t feel I wanted to be, so I wrote my music in English,” Lee muses. “That made my songs English or Western songs right? So I always tried to find that Singaporean element … to stand out. To be different from all the Western songs that were in the market.”

This journey of self-discovery through composition began in Lee’s adolescence, and his first exercise in exploration took the form of the now iconic Fried Rice Paradise, which featured on his debut album Life Story in 1974. “It took me a long time to find [my Singaporean voice] because in the first place, Singapore had just become independent [in the 1960s],” Lee reflects. “But I can confidently say we have a Singaporean identity, one that’s recognisable even to foreigners.”

Lee is referring to our Singlish slang, of course, an informal and colloquial language that’s distinct to our city-state. Interestingly, it was also the reason Fried Rice Paradise was never played over the radio: “Back then, the government felt that it wasn’t good to promote this ‘bad’ English. I don’t blame them, we just weren’t sure of ourselves yet.”

A continuous desire to capture this Singaporean essence has guided Lee’s songwriting over the decades. But among his impressive repertoire, one stands out as particularly significant: the indelible legacy of Home. This beloved song, which has become an unofficial national anthem for Singapore, wasn’t initially intended for such a grand purpose. “It was never meant to be a national day song, it was written for a festival called Sing Singapore in the ’90s. It was used in the National Day Parade in 1998 and since then … well, I never thought it would survive so long. Over 26 years?” Lee exclaims, “it’s incredible and fills me with pride.”

Today, Home continues to be a revered staple of Singapore’s cultural landscape, the quintessential patriotic song that evokes powerful nostalgia—Lee’s personal ode to his hometown. “The most delicate emotion, and the hardest to capture, is bittersweet. Because there’s just a tinge of sadness. Just enough to make you feel, and there’s also a tinge of love,” he reflects on the song’s composition. “That essence is in my music and my melodies. People like Home for that, they feel touched and tear up when they hear it, especially when they are abroad. I specialise in bittersweetness.”

When asked about his enduring success, Lee attributes it to his ability to stay connected with changing trends. “I think it’s in my nature to try to keep in touch with things. And I think that’s important if you want to continue," he explains. Lee also emphasises the importance of maintaining a broad perspective: “I’m interested in all culture not just music—I feel that it is all connected. Fashion, architecture, theatre … one informs the other and I pay attention, because all of this keeps me artistically alive.”

This year marks Lee’s 50th career anniversary, and the musician is celebrating this momentous milestone by releasing his entire catalogue of music. It’s a move that will widen Lee’s audience beyond the “peers who have followed [him throughout his career]”. While he admits that a large percentage of his listeners belong to his generation, the 67-year-old has an undeniable fanbase that spans across others—from those who grew up listening to The Mad Chinaman (1989) album and went on to play it for their children, to the younger millennials who were introduced to him as a judge on Singapore Idol in the early 2000s.

But Lee is far from slowing down, although he has stepped back from running businesses to focus on music, he continues to create and perform. “I'm carrying on writing and producing. I’ve got a new single Yes Or No out now. I have another commission next month, so new audiences will continue to discover me,” he shares.

Lee is also commemorating this landmark occasion with an anniversary concert extravaganza taking place on August 23 and 24 at the Capitol Theatre. He’s understandably tight-lipped when pressed on what audiences can expect, but reveals that he has “digitised all [his] archival videos starting from the ’80s including from television shows and never-before-seen footage.” These videos will accompany Lee and his piano—sans band—against a beautiful and intimate set that brings him “closer to the audience” and showcases his performing prowess at its best.

Besides marking his five-decade-long career, the upcoming concert is also a celebration of finding that elusive Singaporean voice and identity in his work, “my concert is about the part I played in the evolution of [Singapore’s] cultural identity. And I want to share a little bit of my secrets, what motivates me, and how I survived so long,” Lee shares.

Such enduring prominence is certainly worth celebrating, but Lee’s career anniversary is not merely a personal milestone—it’s a matter of national pride. As he continues to create and inspire, Lee remains a pivotal figure in influencing the nation’s artistic landscape, with his timeless melodies and poignant compositions that withstand the test of time.

Tickets for Dick Lee: 50th Anniversary Concert of Singapore’s Pop Icon are on sale at www.sistic.com.sg/events/dicklee0824

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