.

Robbie Williams/Nicole Kidman - Somethin' Stupid.

Songs I Love

Nicole Kidman's and Robbie Williams' presence in Singapore were reported in the media recently. The actress' father passed away on the island and the pop male singer had a concert during the Formula One Race at Marina Bay last Saturday. Such a coincidence.

At the beginning of this century I was introduced to Robbie Williams when I first heard his duet with Nicole Kidman singing, Somethin' Stupid. I love the song but not the older recording by Frank and Nancy Sinatra. I didn't think the lyrics were suited for a father and daughter dialogue and found their version corny.

Again, the Sinatras' cover was pale compared to the one above (personal choice) recorded in 2001. I was struck by their interpretation and chemistry (on video) of this cute classic composed in 1967. But strangely, although it was a hit for Williams I forgot all about him after the song.

*When I toured China's provinces in the mid-2000s I managed to buy a few inexpensive CDs there. They were supposed to be originals with authentic brand markings (unless you scrutinised the labels, so always buy the real stuff). The price was the give-away as the albums cost two Singapore dollars each. I didn't test the five copies I bought and took them home.

Sexed Up

Surprise, surprise! Three of them were blanks and except for pretty pictures of the singers with printed title tracks there was no music, but one album which I specially bought had Robbie Williams'Sexed Up cover with 30 of his songs in it. Luckily it played and I realised I had not given Mr. Williams a chance. I must admit that he's a fantastic singer.

Actual footage - Williams', I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen.

I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen

I enjoy his songs like I Will Talk and Hollywood Will Listen, the big hitFeel, the intoxicating Rock DJ, Come Undone and a few others on the album but what attracted me most was the evergreens he recorded which included, Beyond The Sea and Straighten Up and Fly Right, the first, a Bobby Darin hit, and the second a Nat Cole classic.

He has recorded other standards and some are on his album, Swings Both Ways. The songs Dream a Little Dream of Me, Putting On the Ritz, Little Green Apples are beautifully rendered as he duets with some of the biggest names in today's pop world like, Lily Allen, Michael Bublé, Kelly Clarkson, Olly Murs and Rufus Wainwright.

You Tube Video: Williams singing: Paul Anka's My Way

My Way

He had recorded many singles and albums, selling nearly 80 million copies internationally. The covers, that I love are: I Started a Joke, It was a Very Good Year, Sixteen Tons, It's De-lovely, The Lady is a Tramp, Me and My Shadow, Mack the Knife, Muñequita Linda (Te Quiero, Dijiste), Mr. Bojangles, One for my Baby, Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone, That Old Black Magic, Things, We Are The Champions, Ain't That A Kick In The Head, Well Did You Evah? and My Way (below). There are about 60 of them

Actual footage Williams with Gene Kelly's Singing In the Rain.

Singing In The Rain

During the concert at the Formula 1 Meet @ Marina Bay Sands last Saturday Robbie Williams was literally, Singing In The Rain and the heavy September showers drenched both the singer and crowd but not their spirits.

The man did not disappoint. He sang classic pops like, New York, New York, Hit The Road Jack, We Will Rock You, I Love Rock n Roll, Proud Mary and the shocker of the evening, Elvis Presley's hit from King Creole, Trouble.

Actual footage Williams with Elvis Presley's Trouble.

This is a 60s music blog but you can understand why I wrote about Robbie Williams. "I'm singing in the rain /Just singing in the rain/ What a glorious feelin'/Why does September /Seem sunny as spring?"

(There are tons of articles on Robbie Williams but this is the only posting that lists his 60s music numbers :-)

*Please buy originals only.

Images: You Tube and Google.

My Mother's Eyes by Tom Jones. You Tube Video by briddoful.
Songs I Love:

One of the most pleasant songs about mothers is My Mother's Eyes by Abel Baer and L. Wolfe Gilbert. It is from a film, Lucky Boy, screened in 1929. The lyrics are easy to remember with its rhyming couplet, One bright and guiding light, That taught me wrong from right and concluding refrain, I found in my mother's eyes. The song carries on with this formula, Those baby tales she told, That road all paved with gold, I found in my mother's eyes. Then the form changes with chorus:

Just like a wandering sparrow,
One lonely soul,
I walk the straight and narrow,
To reach my goal.
The song ends with, God's gift sent from above, A real unselfish love, I found in my mother's eyes.
Depending on who is carrying the song, the vocabulary varies a little. The present lyrics was Russ Hamilton's recording, ingrained a long time ago.There's also an introductory verse to the song, somehow not used by many singers, and it goes like this:

Back in childhood days,
I can remember loving caresses showered on me.
Mother's eyes would gaze at me so tender,
What was their meaning?
Now I can see.

Itis simple, a favourite and should be taught to children. I was looking through You Tube to put up for this Mother's Day posting and thought only 5 artistes recorded it. I was surprised to find that many singers had managed to press it on vinyl. The list below is my own compilation because you won't find any on Wikipedia. Some are instrumental versions of the song. Then again it could be a different song with the same title but I have not separated them. It's for you to guess which ones are.

Tom Jones was selected from You Tube (above) because he's really got soul in his voice and gives new life to this beauty as compared to Hamilton's. It's a personal choice and the other recordings are just as great.

Don't forget to check out the jazz clip below by Kenny Ball. Exactly half way through his Jazzmen take over and you won't believe it could be the same lullaby. You just wanna swing with them!

Singers and Instrumentalists who recorded, My Mother's Eyes:

The first lot includes, Frankie Valli, Tom Jones, Russ Hamilton, George Jessel, Ella Fitzgerald, The Mills Brothers, Etta Jones, Tab Smith, Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen, Lonnie Johnson, Kevin Coyne, Nellie Lutcher, Sydney Devine and David Newton.

Then there's Nancy Sinatra, Roland Stone, Christine Tyrrell, Karl Denver, Linda Hopkins, The Royal Teens, The Four Buddies, Horace Parlan Trio, Scott Conrad, Colman Hawkins, Red Foley Ozark, Big Maybelle, Karen Starr and the well-known Sonny Stitt who interprets it saxy.

Finally instrumental ones are by, Pete Rugolo and his Jazz Band, Harry Shalson and the Piccadilly Players, Joey Villa and The Twisters, Frank Guarante and His Orchestra and Jack Denny and His Orchestra. Then the final two, Sam Houston and Willie Nelson. So how many are there? There could be some more, who knows.

Folks, what gives. Does this one bring back memories. It was played everywhere in Singapore 60s. Yes, but mostly the Russ Hamilton pressing. Come on give us your take on this lullaby. Or is it a lullaby?

This posting is for all mums. A Happy Mother's Day!

My Mother's Eyes by Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen. You Tube Video by ulajazz

Images: Google.

Bras Basah Road bookshops, right, near Cathay Building - Images: singas.co.uk

That Knowledgeable Owner in a Bras Basah Bookshop in the 1960s.

Dear Andy,

I loved your feature on comics and I'm glad so many people responded. You obviously struck a nostalgic nerve in all of us. I have a few anecdotes relating to comics/magazines when I was in Singapore in the 1960s.

When I was stationed at RAF Changi I used to buy paperbacks from the second-hand book stalls in Changi village and Orchard Road, but I don't recall any of them selling comics. There were several book shops in Bras Basah Road and I occasionally bought textbooks and hardbacks there. I remember calling at one of those shops on my way to the Capitol cinema and seeing a huge pile of Dandy and Beano comics from the 1940s and 1950s on top of the glass counter.

There must have been about a hundred comics and I asked the Chinese shopkeeper how much he wanted for them. I can't recall the exact price but they were amazingly cheap.

I asked how long they had been in stock and he told me they had been there for several weeks. I didn't want to lug a pile of comics to the cinema so I left them, intending to call back later in the week to buy them. Why I didn't pay for them and ask him to reserve them, I will never know. Needless to say, when I returned a couple of days later, they had gone. Very sad.

On another occasion, when I was looking for a particular short story by D.H. Lawrence for my English Literature course, I tried all the book shops in Bras Basah Road. None of them had his collected short stories or any anthologies containing the story I needed. In the last shop I tried, the Chinese owner was quite knowledgeable.

"D.H. Lawrence?" he said. "He write Lady Chatterley's Lover?" I nodded. "You wait," he said. He gave me a bottle of Coke and a Consulate menthol cigarette and told me to sit down on a chair before disappearing upstairs. I could hear him moving around above my head and when he returned, he beckoned me to follow him, leaving his young male assistant to mind the shop. We went up two narrow flights of stairs and emerged on to a balcony with a low table and some cane chairs. A suitcase lay on the table.

"Sit! Sit!" he said excitedly, so I sat down on one of the chairs, still clutching my Coke and cigarette. Then, with a triumphant flourish, he lifted the lid of the case. It was crammed full of glamour magazines with garish covers featuring over-developed young ladies wearing very little, if anything, at all. I was astonished. After a brief look at one or two of the *magazines, I told him they were not quite what I was looking for.

He looked puzzled. "But D.H. Lawrence - Lady Chatterley - very naughty. No?" "Very naughty, yes," I replied, "but not exactly what I was looking for, thanks." He obviously equated anything written by Lawrence with pornography.

Best wishes,

Allan Thompson**

Silver Bells Hanging On a String

Dear Allan,

Thanks very much for your contribution. Here's some inspiration from Chuck Berry and 130 very sporty ladies. We're not going to equate this song with pornography are we folks?

Andy.

             Chuck Berry - My Ding-A-Ling -               (1972)You Tube by: baybeecas2


(Only 3 verses of a 6-verse song):

When I was a little bitty boy
My grandmother bought me a cute little toy
Silver bells hangin' on a string
She told me it was my ding a ling

And then mother took me to Grammar School
But I stopped all in the vestibule
Every time that bell would ring
Caught me playin' with my ding a ling

Once I was swimming cross Turtle Creek
Many snappers all around my feet
Sure was hard swimming cross that thing
With both hands holdin' my ding a ling

(My Ding-a-Ling was originally recorded by Dave Bartholomew in 1952.)

Image 1: http://www.singas.co.uk
Images 2,3,4,5: from Allan Thompson and Google.
Video: You Tube.

** Allan has written up to 20 articles for this blog, documenting his experience on Singapore in the 1960s both as a uniform personnel and a lover of life. Check him out by clicking on his name under Labels below.

On the Singapore Music Memory Trail

The Cathay at its oldest?

It was near the end of November 1958. I was about to celebrate my birthday and enjoy the last few years of my teens. I couldn't forget that period because what was more interesting in the music scene was a newspaper report about young girls performing live at a major cinema. Some of them were still at school.

Live bands in cinemas before a movie was common in the 50s and 60s.

Singaporean movie and music fans were in an uproar because nearly everyone interested in English language movies and songs were concentrating on the finals of a singing contest held at the Cathay Cinema in conjunction with a film that had the country talking.

There was hardly any entertainment those years so you can imagine the ruckus that was going on about school girls singing on stage. And it happened before any Singapore's Millie Small, Connie Francis or Cliff Richard impersonators were around.

Mamie Van Doren (not Doris Day) with Clark Gable.

The film was a romantic comedy about teachers and featured pop singer and down to earth clean cut actress Doris Day*. Her male lead was Karlok Kaypor (in Hokkien parlance) or Clark Gable in simple English. He was a 1950s Johnny Depp or George Clooney?

The movie, Teacher's Pet, won two academy awards and was a local hit those years because of our dynamic duo (Day and Gable) and more so because of blonde bombshell and Playboy Bunny's favorite cover girl Mamie van Doren (right) in a co-starring role. Like a Marilyn Monroe copy and paste, she was sexy and voluptuous.

With all this publicity in mind, the show at 9.30 that evening was a sell-out. On stage were four girls, chosen to appear for the finals of Singapore's Doris Day Singing Competition and they included, Nancy Renjaan, Ellen Ong, Pearl Silus and Nelly Martinus.


Image of an applause meter. Clap hard and hand will move!

Since an applause meter was used to pick the winner, supporters and fans of the contestants cheered and screamed their hearts out at the end of each song after the applause sign lit up because the more noise there was the further the hand of the meter moved.

The sign lit up when it's time to applause.

When the winner was announced, Nancy Renjaan (image right: Straits Times Press) from the Singapore Telephone Board clinched the titleand became the Doris Day of Singapore, one of the first few pop impersonators on our island. School girl Ellen Ong was second and the others were runners-up.

Were you at the Cathay that night? Were you one of those who participated in the contest? Love to hear your story. Let's hit the Nostalgia Meter button and create some noise too.

*Doris Day appeared in 39 movies and ranked the biggest box-office actress/singer. She was the only woman on that special list, for four years, from 1960 to 1964 and ranking in the top 10 for ten years, from 1951 to 1952 and from 1959 to 1966.

She was the top female box-office star of all time and is today ranked (believe me!) sixth among the top 10 box office performers, both male and female, as of 2012. That is a champion indeed. If you've heard, Que, Sera, Sera, that's her song.

Images: Google and The Straits Times Press, Singapore.
Original article with information from newspaper advertisements.

On the Singapore Memory Trail

JL and the JJ. Early years.

Popularity:

Johnny Lion and his group The Jumping Jewels had been here many times and were so popular in the 1960s that teenage girls followed him around everywhere he went. Whether they were appearing in the Arundel Room at Goodwood Park Hotel, at the Odeon Cinema in North Bridge Road or even at the Paya Lebar Airport where they landed, these places would be bustling with clamoring fans, especially girls.

On stage at the Convention Centre Suntec City 2003.

They were as popular as the other pop singers who hailed from the Netherlands, namely, The Blue Diamonds and Anneke Gronloh. This particular line-up consisted of vocalist Johnny Lion, whose real name is Jan van Leeuwarden, with Hans van Eijk on solo guitar, Tjibbe Veelo on rhythm guitar, Joop Oonk on bass guitar, Frits Tamminga on drums from 1960-1963 and Kees Kranenburg Junior on drums from 1963-1965.

In the lobby of hotel Marina Mandarin in Singapore.

When reporters asked him about marriage during an interview in the early 1960s, he said that getting hitched was out of the question because he just wanted to sing for his fans and make them happy. His career meant everything for him. The other members of the group nodded in agreement.

The Merlion

Jump forward 40 years and even as late as 2003 when Lion and the Jewels sang at the Convention Centre at Suntec City for a gig called, 60s Now the Return of Pop Music Legends, the place was filled to near capacity with his now Senior fans.

And the members at the Hollandse Club in Singapore were jumping like jelly beans when the gang met up with Riem de Wolff, the younger of the two Blue Diamonds brothers before their evening show.

Lion Song For Lion City:

So with that kind of popularity who did you think was asked to record a song about Singapore? When Lion was here in May 1964 and the offer made, he heard the melody and lyrics for the first time. It was called, Merlion City Singapore and one that would help popularize the island as a tourist destination.

Johnny Lion with framed award

According to a *newspaper article, the song was written by Mr Eddie Gomes a former Kuala Lumpur bandleader and his wife Trudy Conner, a singer and pianist. When Lion heard the song sung by Connor he said he had to discuss it first with his Jewels.

A Singapore song by a Dutch singer and written by a Malaysian. That's going global right? Or outsourcing?

Did Johnny Lion finally record the song? If you have the answer please write in to enlighten us. We are all anxious to know. I'd love a copy of the vinyl record.

*Straits Times Press Singapore.
Images: Google and Jumping Jewels website at:
http://indorock.home.xs4all.nl/jumpingjewelsazie.html
(This is an original posting with information from ST.)

Elvis Presley: Return To Sender - Video by RPCchannel.

Pen pals or pen friends are people who regularly write to each other, particularly via the post and was a practice way before the age of the Internet.

I gave a letter to the postman,
He put it his sack.
Bright and early next morning,
He brought my letter back.

Elvis Presley's 1962 hit, Return To Sender, with its unique postal theme reminded me of those years when, as a teen, I used to write to people in foreign lands. You waited a whole month before you received a reply. Then if you're lucky and when you get one, it was an envelope all thick, with 10 pages of light-blue paper inside and a photograph of the writer tucked neatly between the sheets.

The envelope itself was bursting at its seams. You felt the tension as you gingerly opened the envelope, feeling for the photograph and reading revelations of your new pal from this far-off land.

"Gosh, what a pretty girl!" you exclaimed, looking at the photograph sent.

On the other hand, if you were unlucky, and like Elvis Presley (above) you got your letter back stamped with the phrase, Return To Sender on the envelope. And that was a big let-down for a teen.

Writing to strangers was the rage in Singapore in the 60s especially when popular magazines like Movie News, Her World and local newspapers like the Radio Weekly had pages with a Pen Pals Column listing names of people, both males and females with their full addresses in print. The fun part was these requests for pals came from all over the world. And the Internet wasn't even born yet!

I had never published my own name under a pen-pal's column but I knew it was a thrill to have it on the pages where you stated the full significance of your identity, with age included, together with your home address and country with an extension describing your hobbies and preferences.

The hobbies were always about the same, i.e. stamp, coin and record collecting, sports indulgences like badminton or table-tennis and the inevitable, listening to music. Some of these individuals had requests for a personal photograph or postcards of your home country.

But it was so much fun as we used ordinary white paper with lines, a fountain pen (we didn't have ball-pens in the 1960s) to write our "missive" to this stranger in a strange land far away. Our instruments of writing, so to speak, also included dark-blue ink and it came from a bottle (called Quink I think).

Red ink was a no no but there were instances when pen pals wrote in green but it had nothing to do with greening the earth. As a rule of thumb black-ink was never ever used but Charlie Brown didn't think so.

Then there was the final ritual of putting the sheets of paper into the envelope, the glueing of the flap and the final lickin' and stickin' of the stamp on the top right hand corner (emphasised) of the envelope.

A run to the nearest post-box sealed the deal and you waited anxiously for the next 30 days for a reply.

Did you have pen-pals? Come on, tell us.

You Tube Video.

Songwriters: Scott, Fitzgerald / Obika, Lemar Return To Sender lyrics © EMI Music Publishing.

Images from Google.

Tracy Huang - 黃鶯鶯 - Chariots Of Fire (Race To The End)

Songs I Love: Trailing a tiger, With chariots of fire...

Allan Thompson, a regular contributor who writes from the UK, recalls his running days when he was at RAF Changi, Singapore. Tiger trailing and training is no simple matter. Letter has been slightly edited to save him the pain, and lyrics are for emphasis.

*The way becomes clearer /The way is complete /The need, that of winning /Admit no defeat /The circles together /Hold hands to the sky/The freedom of running/The freedom to fly...

RAF Changi Chalet Club (image: singas.co.uk)

Dear Andy,

I still walk quite a lot to keep my feet moving as well as doing exercises. I have done exercises, mainly calisthenics a few times a day since I was a long-distance runner in my mid-teens. It is possible that my foot trouble is the result of running hundreds of miles on tarmac roads, wearing Dunlop honeycomb-soled yachting shoes!

The alternative back then was to wear plimsolls but I found a member of my family's yachting shoes much more comfortable. It was a bit of a blow when my shoe size eventually exceeded the pair I was using and I had to spend money to buy my own pair.

In 1961, when I enlisted in the Royal Air Force, we had to do several long road runs wearing marching boots and P.T. shirt and shorts. Boots gave excellent ankle support. My running days ended in 1965 when I used to go out running in the evenings after 7PM, wearing plimsolls, shorts and a long-sleeved woolly jumper to make me sweat.

RAF Changi roads (image: singas.co.uk)

The roads at RAF Changi were well lit and I would run along them from Block 116, down past the Chalet Club and the pool, and then cut across the golf course, over the football pitch where I stopped to do some press-ups, then past Block 81 and back up the road to Block 116.

Time To Tame Tiger

Then I would puff upstairs to our room on the top floor, flop down on my bed and have a cigarette, have a shower, get changed and go out for a couple of pints of Tiger. Not recommended training habits nowadays.

Anyway, one night I tripped on a #tussock (there's a good title for a song) and twisted my ankle which ended my running. I could only ever run about a mile after that before it became painful.

Best wishes,

Allan.

*Let no man surround himself with pain/ But use it to free him /The game is to learn to live again /To try to the end /A race to the end.

Tracy Huang - 黄莺莺

Here's a tongue tripper to practise:
Thompson trips tussock n twists ankle to trail n train the tiger.

No tiger has been killed during the writing of this posting.

You Tube Video:Chung Qi Xian

Singer: Tracy Huang

Song: Chariots of Fire (Race To The End)

Composer: Vangelis in 1981.

*Lyrics: Jon Anderson with Christophe Lebled for 2012 Olympics.

vocalist and lyricist Jon Anderson of the United States, and artist Christophe Lebled from France, have produced a wonderful Olympic tribute song of the famous Vangelis composition Chariots of Fire. Jon’s new mp3 single shown in the song video below is aptly titled Race To The End. - See more at: http://www.newagemusicworld.com/olympic-tribute-song-race-to-the-end/#sthash.6H9fuujq.dpuf

You can keep the good times rolling and 60s music spinning by listening in to The Vintage Showcase on Gold 90.5FM, aired every Sunday from 8 in the morning to 12 noon where experienced, versatile and popular disc jockey Brian Richmond holds the reins.

Some of the features incorporated in the programme will include Brian's Top 20 and Singapore Trivia where listeners interact with the host. There is also a special request segment where a listener will share his memories which go with a special song.

With Gold 90.5FM DJs Brian Richmond and Vernetta Lopez.

Other music capsules will include, Singapore Snapshots, Moments In Singapore History and Reminiscing With. The last one has special guests each week to share a specific memory of their past. Brian had telephoned me two weeks ago inviting me to participate in this segment of his pop radio broadcast.

Sound Engineer Wayne

He was a gentleman all the way, waiting for me at the reception desk at Caldecott Hill where a hundred and one busy celebrity folks go about their business. His was the usual, casual hello with a firm handshake. Then, "You still remind me of Goh Chok Tong." Ayoh!

Before we started the recording he introduced me to Wayne, the sound engineer, who dabbles with the technicalities of the programme. The actual session didn't last too long so afterwards it was a tour of Caldecott Hill and meeting well-known DJs Vanetta Lopez and Denise Tan, both hosts on the same station. Great folks they are and these two ladies are as pretty in person as their voices are on air.

I won't explain what the segment on his showcase is all about but if you have been a regular listener you are probably familiar with it. If you aren't, then all the more why you should wake up a bit earlier on Sunday and listen in.

With DJ Denise Tan.

Thank you Brian for holding the microphone, Wayne for adjusting my recorded voice to Can Do, Vernetta for taking the pics and Denise for the picture pose. "Gold ninety point five fm. Classic hits all day!"

On the way out, I couldn't find my car in the designated maze and got the help of a Media Corp security guard. Lucky. All these people, really well-tuned...

Copy/Paste:
http://liveradio.mediacorp.sg/meradio/public/xinmsn/player/?station=905fm

Images: A Personal Collection.

Bras Basah Road bookshops, right, near Cathay Building - Images: singas.co.uk

That Knowledgeable Owner in a Bras Basah Bookshop in the 1960s.

Dear Andy,

The brand new Singapore National Stadium @ Kallang

Singapore's most iconic songs will be featured in a mega-concert next year (2015) at the new National Stadium to celebrate the country's 50th Anniversary. According to a newspaper report, Sing50 will feature local artistes singing 50 songs in various genre and the four official languages.

Below is a personal list of local pops in English that have been composed by our own musicians. The idea is to reminisce with the older generation songs they grew up with and to introduce to the younger generation melodies that resonate so much with the history of this island.

Sausolito - Western Union Band (1970s) - MrRainbow

Perhaps some of them may not be appropriate for such a celebration but these were top songs that had charted the hit parade in Singapore 60s, 70s and 80s. There are 9 songs altogether but this posting is just a suggestion to start the ball rolling. The list is not in any particular order.

Image from: Zazzle Invitations

The 60s
Shanty - The Quests
Selina - The Dukes
It's All Over - Naomi and the Boys
You're The Boy - Shirley Nair and The Silver Strings
My Lonely Heart - The Thunderbirds
Do It Right - The Trailers

(2 instrumentals, 2 lady singers, 2 male singers).

The 70s
Sausolito - Western Union Band
Singapore Cowboy - Matthew and The Mandarins

The 80s
Within You Will Remain - Tokyo Square

Within You'll Remain - Tokyo Square (1980s) - scorpiossnakes

I am not familiar with songs beyond the 80s. You can start your own list and if your favourite song has been left out, include it.

Read what others say. Clickcommentsbelow.

You Tube videos.

Image Google: http://www.zazzle.co.uk/vintage_guitar_and_microphone_party_invitations-161937676369709941 (by Zazzle Invitations).

These specially selected songs represent the milestones in the music scene in Singapore and they represent the journey of the average Singaporean. - See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/music/story/sing50-mega-concert-next-year-will-feature-singapores-50-most-iconic-songs-201#sthash.G0Y5E1A6.dpuf

SSingaSingapore's most iconic songs will come to the fore in a mega-concert at the National Stadium on Aug 7 next year. - See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/music/story/sing50-mega-concert-next-year-will-feature-singapores-50-most-iconic-songs-201#sthash.G0Y5E1A6.S

News just in about a special musical. Here's a note from a FACEBOOK entry:

"Ever heard of Sakura Teng? Shirley Nair & The Silver Strings? Anita Sarawak? Veronica Young? Or how about The Crescendos? You may not have – but your parents may – ask them. These were amongst an extraordinary group of artists who dominated the Singapore Pop music scene in the 1960s.

In preparation for Singapore’s 50th Anniversary, the Musical Theatre programme presents a tribute to these pop artists who in their own way were part of the first years of Independence. This will be a night of great music and nostalgia, and a celebration of a unique and wonderful aspect of the Singapore story.

Proudly brought to you by:
Cast: Level 2 Musical Theatre students
Director/Choreographer: Caleb Goh
Music Director: Ben K...iley
Choreographer: Richard Chia

A collaboration with BA(hons) Musical Theatre, Diploma in Technical and Production Management, Diploma in Audio Production, Diploma in Music & BA(hons) Arts Management students.

Seating is limited so please plan to arrive early. Once seating capacity is reached, subsequent patrons will have to stand during the performance.

SHOWTIMES

21 November 2014 - 8pm (SOLD OUT)
22 November 2014 - 2pm
22 November 2014 - 8pm (SOLD OUT)

Get your tickets at http://singapore60s.peatix.com/Lasalle College of the Arts Flexible Space."

Images/News piece from FACEBOOK.

披头士乐队歌曲中文和粤语

When Tunes Only Matter:

For once I shall leave 60s music bloggers not reading but listening. You know these familiar tunes so the lyrics don't matter. You have added advantage if you know Mandarin or the Chinese dialects and scream, laugh or cry when you hear the words.

These EP vinyls, 7-inch round, were the MP3s of yesterday. With a little turntable packed with a valve amp, teenagers could play it everywhere, together with the stack of records. Who cares about lyrics. They just a-go-go to whatever tune is on and sweat their hearts out.

This posting couldn't have been without uploads from You Tube by Mr Rainbow, zoundcracker, lvlalaysiaboleh and p wong. Thank you all.

Lara Tan n Trailers: Video: Mr Rainbow

School girl Lara Tan loved singing at school and concerts and was provided with about 40 songs to select for her vinyl debut. Since Mandarin songs had a bigger fan base in South East Asia, Lara recorded covers of current English 60s songs and had them translated into Mandarin by a Ms Violet Chow. The above hit was one. To make the formula work she was backed by The Trailers, one of the most popular bands in Singapore then.

蓓蕾 - 國語版 Video: zoundcracker

Sexy Billy Tam looks good and sings just as well. Listen to her version of this very popular song but with a Latin touch. Fiery cheongsam. Billy's Chinese version of western pops were always saleable. It was one of the group's first hits.

上官流雲 - 一心想玉人 Video: zoundcracker

The introduction is familiar and sounds hotly convincing but you don't really need a translator to understand the meaning. Good singer he is. Know his name? He sings in Cantonese. Watch out for the part where he goes, mmmmmmmmm...substituting the group's manic screams! That's a professor's music thesis in itself.

Maggie Wong/Jungle LynxsVideo: lvlalaysiaboleh

Just as sensual, Maggie Wong, a cabaret star, sings this one. The A-Go-Go dance was popular amongst the Chinese crowd in the 60s and Wong was known as the A-Go-GoQueen. She has this Beatles band to accompany her. BTW, what's the plural of lynx? Does it matter?

Chan Po Chu: Video by p wong

This video is a scene from a popular movie starring Chan Po Chu where three guitars and drums depict the typical stage scenario in the 1960s.

Compromised but nobody cares. They just love the music.

In case you missed it, Videos 1,2 and 4 are in Mandarin; Videos 3 and 5 are in Cantonese.

This article and posting is original.

Videos from You Tube. This posting is temporary so enjoy them while you may.

Kat King On The Prowl Within Our Midst:

We met within the confines of a Burger King restaurant. Looking as cool as the Cat himself, Jimmy PresLee resplendently dressed in a black Elvis shirt, waited for 2 hours because he completed an earlier appointment way before time.

"Good afternoon, Mr Lim." We shook hands as he introduced himself politely and addressing me using the same salutation throughout. Jimmy reminds me of Elvis who used to call people he met either, Sir or M'am.

An ETA:

I told him I had always been a fan of The Pelvis but had never met an ETA, especially a Singapore one. As far as I can remember singers who performed on stage singing Elvis numbers were known as Elvis Presley impersonators or simply, Singapore's Elvis or Malaysia's Elvis.

And there were many of them these past 50 years, from the original Johnny Aroozoo and Wilson David in Singapore, to Rocky Teoh and H.T. Long in Malaysia.

"You have the stature, you have the looks and definitely the charisma of The King. I have watched your video on FB and I think you have impressed me as an Elvis tribute artiste. I hope to see and hear you perform live soon."

Nighthawks and Purple Hearts:

"Why did you decide to be an Elvis tribute artiste?" I asked. According to Jimmy (67), he had never been on stage singing any number, let alone Elvis ones. He had only been following Singapore pop bands through the years and listening to songs from the west.

But it was 4 years ago in 2009 that he and his wife Judy (61) decided to join the Singapore Elvis And Country Group (SEACG) for weekly karaoke singing at Thomson CC. They struck a high note and eventually joined the Nighthawks singing weekly with a live band at Tanglin CC.

One year later feeling more confident about his singing, Jimmy assembled his own live band called Purple Hearts and performed his first gig at Bishan North CC. He wore his first Elvis customised jumpsuit and Jimmy PresLee, Elvis tribute artiste (ETA) was born.

Jumpsuits and Elvis Presley Alliance of Asia:

"These jumpsuits cost a bomb," he volunteered, "as they are customised and made to order and cost as much as S$3,000 each." If you checkout his FB, you would probably realise that he has many suits.

Because of his various performances at CCs, private club functions and charity concerts he was posted on You Tube, and when they became known, Jimmy's Facebook friend base soon enlarged.

As a result Elvis fans from all over the world wanted to add him on, including ETAS from many countries. Many of them became his personal friends.

Within a few years he was invited to attend an Elvis Presley Alliance of Asia event in Hong Kong where he got to sing alongside 12 ETAS from Asia. This was followed by an invitation to Manila to perform with 8 ETAS.

Seeing how good these ETAS are, Jimmy thought it would be a treat for Elvis fans in Singapore to be able to watch a mega concert paying tribute to Elvis Presley, the king of rock 'n roll.

Family and Memorabilia:

So with his very supportive wife (who is cousin to Malaysia's Elvis, Rocky Teoh's wife Jacqueline) and 3 daughters, he became the show agent and organised this inaugural event out of passion and purpose to bring back exciting memories for the baby boomers and the pioneer generation.

All they want is for the people who love Elvis and his music to come and watch the show. They promise it will be great entertainment.

Jimmy with his wife and three pretty daughters.

I thanked Jimmy for taking time with me as we said our good-byes. He confided that because of his frequent trips he has been collecting Elvis Presley memorabilia from all over and now wants to give them away because he has too many."

"Sounds good. I might pick up on that offer." I told him. "Thanks again. I'll see you at the concert..."

Elvis Presley Tribute Artists at, Elvis Is In The Building Concert, on 21 August at D' Marquee Downtown East Singapore.

These ETA shows are big overseas and such concerts happened all the time throughout the calendar year. The gigs hot up when it was around Elvis' birthday in January or near his death anniversary in August. Whatever it is, to his fans, Elvis has never left the building.

When I wrote to Jimmy later in the day I mentioned I was glad to have met him and appreciated how he had given me a personal introduction to the special world of Elvis.

Images/Article: Jimmy PresLee Private Collection.

The largest gathering of Elvis impersonators is 895, achieved by Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort (USA) in Cherokee, North Carolina, USA, on 12 July 2014.

The revue is about Singapore life in the 60s, told musically using local pop songs and dance. Can you beat that? Local 60s music is finally recognised by our youth.

Cast and crew are working hard to give you a musical revue like no other! Even though all 3 shows are sold out, you can still try your luck at the door! There will be food and alcohol! Come and join us as we bring back the 60s!

With the La Salle cast that includes: Shu Yi Ching, Fingal Frans Viktor Olsson, Alyssa Lie, Sharon Sum, Tanya Rajgarhia, Siti Maznah, Megan Chng, Sage Alia Kimball, Nunt Kamolnun, and Denise Takahara Yap. Not forgetting of course the crew and the rest of the support group who have worked so hard to help produce this show.

Fun Fact Of The Day:

For only 2 years (1964 - 1965), Andy Lim fronted Singapore guitar group and recording artistes, The Silver Strings. We are excited to have him attend the musical!

DO COME DRESSED IN YOUR BEST 60s OUTFIT!
THERE WILL BE A PHOTO BOOTH.
SO GO CRAZY!!!
ITS THE 60s!

CONGRATULATIONS SINGAPORE 60s!
Thank You for all your support!

Images and Information have been taken from the Musical's FaceBook pages. Copyrights Reserved.

My Secretary

This blog is into its 6th year today and I couldn't have managed it without your constant support.

So to all my regular readers, contributors and friends from Singapore and all over the world, thanks very much.

If you have stories to tell or comments to make about our 60s and 70s local music scene please write in.

Images: Google.

*Irene n Robert - Baby Baby - Video: zoundcracker.

Hong Kong Protests:

Hopefully the two-month long pro-democracy street protests in Hong Kong will be resolved soon because the island has brought back pleasant memories ofTsim Sha Tsui's shopping district and the hunting around for old records. Here's one HK pop artiste I used to listen to in between the Indonesian groups and Singapore ones.

Dedication to Her Songs:

What impressed me about this particular lady after listening to her both on vinyl records and CDs was her dedication to the numbers she sang. Whether it was an appeal about Nobody's Child or a teenage angst where she found, Lipstick On Your Collar, she delivered them with sincerity and feel.

Eurasian Good Looks:

Those years, some Asian artistes simply made covers of western hit songs to sell and she was one of many singers. But with her youth, Eurasian good looks and singing grace she was different and stood out among the crowd, as she was able to charm her record buyers and her audiences with these assets.

English Diction:

Irene Ryder or Li Ai Lian (黎愛蓮), a Eurasian born in Hong Kong in 1949, had an English father and Chinese mother. She was able to interpret her songs and her English diction was above par, perhaps better than some Asian lady singers in the 60s and 70s.

A-Go-Go-Queen:

In 1966 she acquired the unofficial title of A-Go-Go-Queen from a dance talent contest where she earned her fame. After the contest, Irene and her dance partner were invited to perform in Singapore and Malaysia and promote the dance craze, doing seven to eight shows daily.

Vic Cristobel:

With this exposure she was approached by music arranger and producer, Vic Cristobal of EMI Records who started her singing career in 1967. The first single she pressed was a cover of Lulu's, To Sir With Love. She became the top singer in the territory three months after her song was released.

Bruce Lee's Brother:

Among the other singles that she recorded was a duet with Robert Lee, a former member of Hong Kong's beat band The Thunderbirds. and the younger brother of martial arts star Bruce Lee.

Osaka Exposition 1970:

The single was called *Baby Baby (video above) and it was this recording in 1968 that established her fame as a singer. She was the only female singer chosen to represent Hong Kong at the 1970 World Exposition in Osaka Japan.

Bruce Lee

Part 2 Next Week:

(Read Part 2 next week when she had to end her singing career because of a devastating accident...)

Images/Video: Google, Uncle Ray 101CD Box and You Tube (Shatinterry).

Information: from Shatinterry (You Tube), Wikipedia and Websites.

The Hong Kong protests are still on. Will it ever end? We turn the clock a bit and remember the island's pop music hey-day.

Irene Ryder Part 2:

Her song Cry Me a River won her the honour of The Best Female Vocalist and with the release of her first and second album, Irene and Solitaire, she again gained the same honour. The winnings went on for five years.

Irene had also appeared in two movies, Tiger vs. Dragon (1972) and Rage of the Wind (1973) both directed by well established director Wu Si Yuen. However her career came to a stand still when she had a near fatal accident in 1979.

There was a lapse of nearly two decades when Irene was not much in the limelight but in 1997 and by popular demand after recording four duets with her good friend Joe Junior, Irene returned to the recording studio to do her own album, The Legend.

When she regained her self-confidence she decided to perform live again and although it had been quite an absence she managed five successful concerts in Hong Kong with him.

For her repertoire, Ms Ryder usually performed golden oldies. It was a highlight of her shows. The songs would include Frankie, You Don't Have to Say You Love Me, To Sir with Love, The End of the World, Kiss Me Honey Honey, Stupid Cupid, Seven Lonely Days, Kowloon Hong Kong and other hits.

During her peak, Irene had recorded many covers of top songs from the 1960s and 1970s. There are also compilations of her songs released in the 1990s and 2003.

Her Long Plays:
Irene Ryder– EMI Regal - SREG-9603 - (1971)
Irene Ryder – EMI Regal - SREG-9611 - (1973)
Irene Ryder - Solitaire – EMI Columbia S-3ESX-220 - (1974)
The Best Of Irene Ryder– EMI Columbia S-33ESX-225 - (1975)

Irene Ryder - First of May - Video: shatinterry.

Images/Video: Google, Uncle Ray 101CD Box and You Tube (Shatinterry).

Information: from Shatinterry (You Tube), Wikipedia and Websites.

Early one morning, about two weeks ago, I saw a very old tree being trimmed along a road that I pass frequently. I have fallen in love with this tree and so have my grandchildren because whenever we walked by it we would feel and touch the rough, scarred surface of its enormous trunk.

Strangely, the tree seemed to react to our touch as some tiny pieces of bark and green moss would stick on our hands. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest, / Against the earth's sweet flowing breast.

When we asked the gardeners who were trimming it what had happened they explained that a thunderstorm which occurred a few days earlier had ripped part of it and, like a surgical knife, removed a large giant arm off. This black stump lay quiet and still on the ground today. A tree that looks at God all day, / And lifts her leafy arms to pray.

This trunk feels to our touch.

Singapore is exceptional because this tiny little island, in ratio to its land mass, has more than enough trees everywhere; many were specially planted by its citizens.

And November is a month for trees because that's when our first PM consciously reminded every Singaporean to plant trees, lots of it, during this month.

At the same time the month is also one where damp devastation takes place so when the monsoon blows and cries and sings its songs of woe, trees come down, forced by the destructive nature of the weather. This wicked clime worsens in December and January.

Upon whose bosom snow has lain,
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

The beautiful growth is a heritage lychee tree that doesn't fruit under Singapore's condition.

Songs I Love:

Trees is a song by The Platters. It was recorded in 1961 and based on a poem written by Alfred Joyce Kilmer in 1913 and set to music by Oscar Rasbach in 1922. This particular composition comes with 7 other songs by the group with Only You as one of 1001 songs you must hear before you die.

Trees...
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray
Trees...
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair
Upon whose bosom snow has lain
Who intimately lives with rain
Poems are made by fools like me
But only God can make a tree
Poems are made by fools like me
But only God can make a tree
(I think that I shall never see...)

Above is the large arm that was amputated by lightning. Below is the aftermath

There are many songs about trees or lyrics that have the particular word in them. Here is a short list of 20:

Annie's Song - John Denver
Big Bad John - Jimmy Dean
Cottonwood Tree - Marty Robbins
Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree - Andrews Sisters
Draggin' The Line - Tommy James/The Shondells

Dream A Little Dream Of Me - Louis Armstrong
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
Lemon Tree - Trini Lopez/Peter, Paul and Mary
Lemon Tree - Fool's Garden (1995)
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds - The Beatles

No More Walks In The Woods - Eagles
Norwegian Wood - The Beatles
Oh, What A Beautiful Morning - Ray Charles
Rockin Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
The Happiest Christmas Tree - Nat King Cole

The Lumberjack Song - Monty Python
Tie A Yellow Ribbon... - Tony Orlando/Dawn
Trees - The Platters
What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Wooden Heart - Elvis Presley
You and Me - Moody Blues

It is a heritage lychee tree.

NB:

This posting is specially for the 3 Jays, whose love for trees and most of nature takes them to the Botanical Gardens nearly every week.

Images and article: A Personal Collection.
You Tube 'Trees' by The Platters - Video from: Mr. Tripeo47.
Poem by Alfred Joyce Kilmer (1913)/ Music by Oscar Rasbach (1922).
Book: Tony Visconti and Robert Dimery, 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die. (The Fifties Page 67).

When Carols Became A Beacon:

Hey Andy,

Your posting on 'trees' comes timely to help me keep my word to think about a Christmas write. I think of:

             Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,
               Of all the trees so lovely (2x)
               Each year you bring to me delight
               Meaning in the Christmas night
               Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,
               Of all the trees so lovely.

              Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree,
              With faithful leaves unchanging (2x)
              Your boughs are green in summer's glow
              And do not fade in winter's snow
              Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree
              With faithful leaves unchanging.

Boney M's version sets the mood for the season. This group sings my favourite carols:Joy To The World; The First Noel; The Little Drummer Boy,with such soul that they truly lift up one's spirit.

barbarah.wordpress.com

For a believer, the reason for this season is the Lord Jesus Christ. As a child in a mission school,I learnt to sing, Jesus loves me, this I know for the Bible tells me so; What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.... The lyrics didn't leave much impression on me then... just enjoyed the tuneful melody.

It is only these last 27 years that I look back and realise it is truly an Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a child like me...And to think that this was written by an ex-slave trader.

Well, Andy, Christmas is round the corner, Feliz Navidad (Boney M)
Here's to a blessed 2015 to you and your family. Keep the blog going.

A special Christmasposting from CYLin.

Images: Google.

                  Boney M - Feliz Navidad - Video: The Jack Earth.

Feliz Navidadis written in 1970 by the Puerto Rican singer/songwriter Jose Feliciano.

             A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL.

December 2014- January 2015.

HT Long with Anyone
My New Year Posting

"I used to serve the King of Rock n Roll but today I serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords."

Meeting In KL:
When I went to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia recently I thought it would be a good idea to visit HT Long (Malaysia's Elvis Presley) during one of his performances. Over the mobile phone we made an arrangement to meet at the venue where he was appearing.

But the meeting came to naught because I didn't realise traffic jams were so bad in the capital that a two kilometer taxi-ride could take more than an hour. My family and I were living at Ascott Sentral service accommodation and taking a cab from there during peaks would have entailed some planning.

Ascott Sentral K. L.

So the rendezvous was cancelled and HT had to explain to his audience that his special guest (I had no idea) could not be present that night. Because of the non-event we promised to meet in Singapore.

Meeting In Singapore:
On Sunday the 21st of December in Singapore I nearly missed HT again when I took nearly an hour looking for a church that I thought was a building with a steeple and a cross on top. I went round and round in my car to Lorong 6, 8,10 and 12 at the Geylang area searching for 5A/5C Guillemard Road.

5A/5C Guillemard Road, Singapore

The Google Map showed its location but I only found The New Horizon Church (administered by Senior Pastor Rev. Lawrence Koo) when I abandoned my vehicle beside a double yellow line ten minutes away from Wing Fong Building at the Kallang Road side of Guillemard. It was housed on the 3rd floor in an unobtrusive corner of the row of shop houses and a long walk from my car.

The congregation @ New Horizon Church.

A Testimony:
I was not disappointed. HT Long was something else. He not only sang Elvis songs to his congregation of about 200+ people but entertained them and kept them in stitches with his jokes about himself, his family and his past when he gave a testimony as to "how Christ saved me".

HT was a joy to listen to as he pieced together his "condemnation of Christians in my younger days"up to the time when he realised his folly. He spoke with much wit and veracity about his journey from Elvis to Jesus and how his family, especially his brother, played a big part in his conversion.

A Gifted Speaker:
Between anecdotes, he sang Elvis numbers like The Wonder of You, Love Me Tender, Falling In Love With You, It's Now or Never and other hits. Like my comment on his FB: Yes it was inspirational and HT is exceptional. He is not only a great singer but a gifted speaker. He will go a long way to carry the message of Jesus Christ.

"I used to serve the King of Rock n Roll but today I serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords,"stated HT during the service. At the end of the event, CDs of his recordings were sold and proceeds channeled to the Feed The Hungry and Needy Project.

It was an interesting morning and as I reached my car I noticed that there was no traffic violation ticket on my windscreen.

Cut and paste below: You can listen to HT Long's Sermon @
http://newhorizon.asia/sermons/

Images from Google, HT Long, New Horizon Church, Singapore.

I Will Talk And Singapore Will Listen: Robbie Williams

My Mother's Eyes and 世上只有媽媽好

Part 1: Equating D.H. Lawrence With Pornography

Singapore's First Female Pop Singer Impersonator?

Johnny Lion Jumping Jewels Record Merlion Song

Memory Trail: Pen Pals From Foreign Lands

Thompson Trips Tussock To Tame Tiger: RAF 60s

On 'The Vintage Showcase' With Brian Richmond

Part 1: Equating D.H. Lawrence With Pornography

Local Pop Songs For Singapore's 50th Anniversary

La Salle Presents: Singapore 60s A Musical Revue

Mandarin And Cantonese Covers Of Beatles Songs

Jimmy PresLee: Singapore's Elvis Tribute Artiste: (新加坡猫王)

Singapore 60s A Musical Revue: It's On Tonight! @ La Salle Institute! LIVE!

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday Blog!

Irene Ryder (黎愛蓮) Ryding High In HK 60s Part 1

Hong Kong Pop 60s: Irene Ryder (黎愛蓮) Part 2

The Platters: "But Only God Can Make A Tree."

The Reason For This Season: From A Believer

HT Long Gifted Singer Speaker Will Go A Long Way