Jacky Cheung song removed because of link to 1989 Tiananmen Square incident?

Apple Music has reportedly buckled under pressure to remove a Jacky Cheung song from its Chinese streaming service over political sensitivities. PHOTO: UNUSUAL ENTERTAINMENT

HONG KONG - The God of Songs has been brought down to earth in China, but not over his singing ability.

Apple Music has reportedly buckled under pressure to remove a Jacky Cheung song from its Chinese streaming service over political sensitivities.

According to the Hong Kong Free Press portal, the 1989 song, whose title translates to The Path Of Man, has lyrics which state: "The youth are angry, heaven and earth are weeping… How did our land become a sea of blood? How did the path home become a path of no return?"

The song came out after the Chinese government's crackdown in 1989 on student-led pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

Observers link the Apple Music move to efforts by the Chinese government to minimise any fallout from the incident, which marks its 30th anniversary this year.

It is not known for sure how many people were killed during the crackdown in 1989.

Hong Kong singer Cheung is popular in China, with his concerts even helping the police to round up crooks who cannot resist the allure of his shows.

Asked about his growing reputation as a crime buster, Cheung said: "I guess people still need entertainment no matter who they are."

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