Sunday, June 18, 2023

Happy Father's Day: My Quiet n Wonderful Dad

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I remember my father, a quiet gentleman who seldom reprimanded me. But I had always respected him, listened to him and loved him in my own way. Strange, he had never laid hands on me even when I was at my naughtiest. I wish I had been just as nice with my own children and to this day regretted that I had been so fierce with them.

I called him, Pa, and he used to read his newspaper every afternoon sitting on a wooden chair beside the shophouse pillar outside our home. It was either the Keng Po or Sin Po an Indonesian and Dutch daily (image/magazine version) that he had subscribed to. Even today the image of him sitting by the pillar is still in my mind's eye.
Indonesian Newspaper:
http://djimat.com/historia/2017/02/sejarah-surat-kabar-indonesia/

Gambang Semarang - Tuti Trisedya.
YouTube Video from: jesiccameijer2
Thank You.

A lover of Dutch and Indonesian melodies, I remember his favourite songs from old Dutch artistes in the 40s, 50s hits, and 60s diva, Anneke Gronloh. He loved the keroncong likeSapu Tangan, Keroncong Mourisko and Jembatan Merah. And a one all favourite, Gambang Semarang

He would listen to them from the valve PYE radio we had at home. He loved Chinese instrumentals too and appreciated music coming from the Chinese flute, zither, harp, etc. And listening to mother's favourite Shanghai songstress Zhou Xian was soothing to his ears. 

Watching boxing and wrestling matches at the Happy World Stadium was his favourite past time. I would always accompany him, just as excited and awed as he was when we watched King Kong (image: below right) thumped and pinned Dara Singh to the ring floor. But when Dara Singh won the match father went to the moon. He was elated and to see the joy on his face made me just as happy.
The Capitol Cinema was his favourite haunt when, with my mother, we would watch The Tales Of Hoffman, Great Caruso and Eddie Duchin Story. Once a magician called the Great Sorcar performed at the same venue but father was unimpressed.

Every evening he would play Chinese Checkers with mother and I would just be around learning how to type asdf;lkj and trying to master the home keys on the noisy Remington. 

I've kept this last. What made him happiest was his camera which he kept preciously. It was an Ensign, Ful-Vue and made in England. He was happiest taking pictures of everyone, everywhere, and many of the b/w photographs are still in my pssession.
Those years, the late 40s and 50s, were quiet ones and one song usually comes to mind when I think of my father. It was popular then and an evergreen today.  Oh, My Papa was sung by the late Eddie Fisher.

I hope you will be cheerful and keep happy even if your children don't celebrate it with you as they may be away or even busy with their work and family.  Do you remember your dad and a song that you associate him with?

A Happy Father's Day to all dads.

[Because of a radio interview there has been a misconception that I was born in Indonesia. I was born in Singapore.]
My dad loved both classical music and pops. The magician Sorcar didn't impress him.
Oh My Papa - Eddie Fisher

Oh, my pa-pa, to me he was so wonderful
Oh, my pa-pa, to me he was so good
No one could be, so gentle and so lovable
Oh, my papa, he always understood.

Gone are the days when he could take me on his knee
And with a smile, he'd change my tears to laughter

Oh, my papa, so funny, so adorable
Always the clown so funny in his way
Oh, my pa-pa, to me he was so wonderful
Deep in my heart, I miss him so today.
                                  Video by: Scrambled Eggs 1969

O mein Papa is a German song, as related by a young woman remembering her beloved, once-famous clown father. It was written by Swiss composer Paul Burkhard in 1939 for the musical Der Schwarze Hecht (The Black Pike), reproduced in 1950 as Feuerwerk (Fireworks). Under the original German title, an instrumental version by trumpeter Eddie Calvert topped the UK Singles Chart in 1954 and also a top hit in the US charts.

The song has been performed and recorded by numerous artists since its debut, including Alan Breeze, Billy Cotton, Billy Vaughn, The Everly Brothers, Harry James, Guy Mitchell, Ray Anthony & his Orchestra, Russ Morgan & his Orchestra, The Beverley Sisters, Björk and many others." 

But below is a bigger deal:



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This article is a repeat but it's an improved posting from 06.06.2019.
An Original Article.

Image: Google
Video of Eddie Fisher singing Oh My Papa.

31 comments:

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Here are some songs I am familiar with.

That Silver Haired Daddy Of Mine
My Heart Belongs To Daddy
Daddy's Home
Big Boots
Don't Cry Daddy
Papa He Loves Mama
Papa
My Old Man's A Dustman
Papa Don't Preach
Daddy's All Gone
Son Of Your Father
Papa Was A Rolling Stone
Papa's Got A Brand New Bag
Daddy's Song

From Elvis to Elton from Monkees to Madonna, they've all written about Dad.

100 GREATEST FATHER SONGS said...

Click the above to check the 100 titles.

Do you know of songs about fathers that you might like to add to the list.

Even Chinese, Malay or Tamil songs will be useful for someone interested in research.

Singapore ones too will be interesting.

LL said...

Hey, welcome back. Read your story of your dad.

Saw the youtube clip. A bit disappointing with an aged Eddie.

Sigh.

SNOOKHAWK said...

Hi Andrew!

Long time no see. We must meet for a kopi. Ya the song is beautiful n nostalgic.

How's r u kawan? Me now crazy over guitar playing in Tpg. Trying to form a gp to play everynite.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thank you both for the comments on the postings.

LL said...

"By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong."

Charles Wadsworth

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thank you Larry. That's the way the wind blows.

Happy Father's Day, grandfather.

FATHER AND SON SONG said...

"'Father and Son' is a popular song written and performed by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens (now known as Yusuf Islam) on his 1970 album 'Tea for the Tillerman'.

The song frames an exchange between a father not understanding a son's desire to break away and shape a new life, and the son who cannot really explain himself but knows that it is time for him to seek his own destiny (Wikipedia)."

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ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

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SPY said...

Hi chief,
A belated "HAPPY FATHER'S DAY" to you.

Ya, I remember this song 'Oh My Papa '... Very wishfully nostalgic.
Always got carried away whenever I listen to it.
Thanks.

GRANDMA MARY HO said...

Good morning Andy.

Thank you for writing and also the Link. So nice to hear from you again.

Hope to meet for lunch one of these days. Blessings.

LKM said...

Eh Friend,

A belated Happy Father's ( and Granddaddy's ) Day to you. Cant have a more meaningful and satisfying retirement at tne moment.

All the songs on Papa are nice but I am often touched whenever I chance to hear Mike and the Mechanics 'The Living Years' that captured a son's regret of not able to tell his father all that he wanted to say while the latter was alive.

Many of us, I think, will find the song aptly reflects the relationship with our fathers. The lyrics:

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

I know that I'm a prisoner
To all my Father held so dear
I know that I'm a hostage
To all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thoughts
Stilted conversations
I'm afraid that's all we've got

You say you just don't see it
He says it's perfect sense
You just can't get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talkin' in defense

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It's the bitterness that lasts

So Don't yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different date
And if you don't give up, and don't give in
You may just be O.K.

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

I wasn't there that morning
When my Father passed away
I didn't get to tell him
All the things I had to say

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
I'm sure I heard his echo
In my baby's new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Say it loud, say it clear
You can listen as well as you hear
It's too late when we die
To admit we don't see eye to eye

Say it loud, say it clear
Say it loud
Don't give up
Don't give in
And don't know what you can do next

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks KM. I remember my elder son introducing, "Living Years" to me in the 90s and I have been listening to it ever since.

We must have kopi soon.

IRENE YAP said...

Hi Andy,

Another song by Barbara Striesand, Papa, can you hear me, also brings out my tear buds...

Irene

Sent from my iPad

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thank you dear Irene for your response. Striesand's rendition is truly remarkable.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

I cannot thank you all enough for the personal responses, kindly thoughts and suggestions of songs related to the Father's Day theme on this posting.

I am struggling on...

Dr. Lee said...

Hi Andy, another nice Father's day song I know of is Paul Overstreet's
Seein' My Father In Me

Last night we brought the children by to visit their grandpa
And it's plain to see they're truly part of him
While we were there their grandma took out some old photographs
Man he sure looked a lot like me back then.

I'm seein' my father in me, I guess that's how it's meant to be
And I find I'm more and more like him each day
I notice I walk the way he walks I notice I talk the way he talks
I'm starin' to see my father in me.

And today I took my wife for a walk down that old dirt road
Where my daddy took my mom so many times
And we found the time to mention things we never had before
And we shared some thoughts about the family life.
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/p/paul_overstreet/seein_my_father_in_me.html ]
Yeah, I'm seein' my father in me, I guess that's how it's meant to be
And I find I'm more and more like him each day
I notice I walk the way he walks I notice I talk the way he talks
I'm starin' to see my father in me.

And now looking back I can recall the times we disagreed
When I could not take gold of his old fashioned ways
And the more I tried to prove him wrong the more I proved him right
Now I know why he still stood by me when I went through that stage.

I'm seein' my father in me, I guess that's how it's meant to be
And I find I'm more and more like him each day
I notice I walk the way he walks I notice I talk the way he talks
I'm starin' to see my father in me.

And I'm happy to see my father in me...
San

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thank you, YS. I am certain your dad would he very proud of you and your family if he sees you today.

Appreciate your visits.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

This posting is living a new beginning today, rejuvenated yearly because of Father's Day.

ANTHONY TAN said...

Nice and meaningful article.

JERRY FERNANDEZ said...

Brother Andy, Happy Father's Day and Blessings on you by The Lord Almighty. God Bless.

Dr. Lee said...

Here is a nice Father's day Song by Bobby Bare, my favourite singer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSAsgZ1ekf0

"Daddy What If"
(Daddy what if the sun stop shinin', what would happen then?)

If the sun stopped shinin' you'd be so surprised
You'd stare at the heavens with wide open eyes
And the wind would carry your light to the skies
And the sun would start shinin' again.

(Daddy what if the wind stopped blowin', what would happen then?)

If the wind stopped blowin' then the land would be dry
And your boat wouldn't sail son and your kite wouldn't fly
And the grass would see your troubles and she'd tell the wind
And the wind would start blowin' again.

(But daddy, what if the grass stopped growin', what would happen then?)

If the grass stopped growin' why you'd probably cry
And the ground would be watered by the tears from your eyes
And like your love for me the grass would grow so high
Yes, the grass would start growin' again.

(But daddy. what if I stopped lovin' you, what would happen then?)

If you stopped lovin' me then the grass would stop growin'
The sun would stop shinin' and the wind would stop blowin'
So you see if you wanna keep this old world a goin'
You better start lovin' me again, again, you better start lovin' me again.

You hear me Bobby, you better start lovin' me again.
You love me Bobby, you better start lovin' me again...

DATOH DR LEE YAN SAN said...

Hi Andy,
Happy Father's Day to you too! Ya you have met my youngest daughter and her husband when you are here.
Here is my favourite Bobby Bare Father day's song called Daddy What If. (4th on Country chard) Hope you like it.

Penang, Malaysia

VICTOR WOO (THE TRAILERS, LEAD GUITARIST) said...

Andy, congratulations! The articles herein have been - wholesome and delightful. A HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to you too.

FL said...

To all Dads in the world, a Happy Father's Day, including yourself, Andy !

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks to the following for LIKING this post.
DICK YIP
VICTOR HO
JENNIE LAW
LIM KUAN MIN
TAN SER KIONG
STEPHEN HAN
JIMMY APPUDURAI CHUA
ROOP SINGH
ANN ROWENA LIM
ROSE KHOO
HIROSHI DEGUCHI
MERLIN LIM
PETER CHEONG
FOO JONG FOOK
SALIM MOHD
JIM KOK

FACEBOOK CHATS said...

Andy Young
The camera took many pictures in black and white. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL MY FRIENDS WHO ARE DADS, GRANDADS N GREAT-GRANDADS. 🤓

Andy Young
Thank you FREDA for the very masculine and strong-looking poster and STEPHEN for the nostalgically sentimental piece about your dad. I love them both. KAMSIAH.

Andy Young
Thanks MICHAEL, first in line for being a great dad and for liking this post. CHEERS.

Andy Young
Hey MIN and VICTOR. Thanks for the booster jab and for sharing.

Lim Kuan Min
Andy Young Like your article posted in 2012. Cant recall I commented. Was it me?

Andy Young
Hey MIN,
thanks for the query. I honestly cannot remember. You have posted so many positive comments that your profile picture and chat remain permanently on the right hand column of the blog. But I shall check and get back to you. When are we going for that special porridge place again. CHEERS.

Freda Hanum
Happy daddy and grand dad's day to you Andy
May be an image of text that says 'Father's Day SPECIAL SPECIAL'

Stephen Han
My late father is quite like your dad cause he never caned us when we were naughty or fighting with someone. Yes he had a long cane but he always missed us .

He never laid a hand on us when the school results were not good. Like your dad I like “Oh My Papa” by Eddie Fisher. I watched wrestling too and my father, our chief tenant and me would boo and jeer at King Kong when he fought with Ali Reza Bell.

Happy father day to all the loving dads.

FRED CHING said...


Hey Brother Andy!
Thanks for this interesting article. Been following your site since we got to know each other on Facebook. Just wanted to tell you keep up the great job!

This song by Eddie Fisher is as old as I am. But the video beats are much younger than I’m. I enjoyed everything regardless of the song age. And I hope you enjoy my posting too!

Great love for your blog once again. Happy Fathers Day… to ALL the FATHERS out there whether you are a Past, Present or soon To Be Fathers.. May your day be filled with love, joys and laughter 😘

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hi Fred,
Thanks for the lovely letter and compliment. Glad you like Fisher's song. Yes, it's as old as the hills. I love your postings, especially the live shows you've been attending and discussing. You are all heart.

A HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO YOU TOO.
Thanks for keeping in touch.

Many thanks to others who wrote in to comment.
A HAPPY FATHER'S DAY.

FACEBOOK said...

THANKS TO ALL WHO LOVE THIS POST

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