Andy with Michael Goh and brother Richard
at the Capitol Cinema 9 January 1961
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Amateur Night Capitol Cinema: Andy Young, Michael Goh: 9th January, 1961
Singapore Badminton Hall: Cliff Richard n Shadows: 19th November, 1961
Backstage at the Capitol Cinema with Goh Brothers, Richard and Michael (2nd right), who sang My Rifle, My Pony and Me. I cannot remember the gentleman on the left. If you do please let us know.
After 47 years, I met Mike again at Vivo City Concert on 8th November 2008. Michael performed Memories Are Made Of This and two other songs by Dean Martin.
When I told him I had met him previously, he wasn't sure so I went home whipped out my photo-album and sent him a copy of our picture.
Michael had recorded songs by Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, and other 50's artistes on 4 CD's which were sold in the US under Michael Gold (blogged on Dec. 28, 2008).
Donated by Tan Soo Khoon
And backstage is the theme today. Notice our garb. I was wearing a pair of shiny, brown pants, either near bell-bottoms of straight drain-pipe trousers. The others had the usual baggy pants tailor made for office use. The neckties were a variety then, some pointed or flat at the end. A small, longish golden or silver tie pin completes the outfit. White long sleeved shirts were common then.
This was the period around the time Cliff Richard and the Shadows were about to hit Singapore. Just as the 1950's were about to end, teenagers all over the world were crazy with Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Bill Haley, Bobby Darin, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and The Everly Brothers, the era of rock and roll, US music and vocal duets.
Connie Francis, Sandra Dee, Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida were the craze then. Movies like Gidget, Summer Place and Come September were the talk of the time and Elvis fans were crazy with Are You Lonesome Tonight and Baby Let's Play House.
So when these people were hot, we were just as hot. And we were mostly on stage performing already. Exciting years.
Cliff and the Shadows Happy World Stadium
19 November, 1961
Backstage, On Stage, Performing
And backstage is the theme today. Notice our garb. I was wearing a pair of shiny, brown pants, either near bell-bottoms of straight drain-pipe trousers. The others had the usual baggy pants tailor made for office use. The neckties were a variety then, some pointed or flat at the end. A small, longish golden or silver tie pin completes the outfit. White long sleeved shirts were common then.
This was the period around the time Cliff Richard and the Shadows were about to hit Singapore. Just as the 1950's were about to end, teenagers all over the world were crazy with Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Bill Haley, Bobby Darin, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and The Everly Brothers, the era of rock and roll, US music and vocal duets.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley,
Johnny Cash in the late 1950's to the 1960's
So when these people were hot, we were just as hot. And we were mostly on stage performing already. Exciting years.
Bobby Darin, Sandra Dee, Gina Lollobrigida and
Rock Hudson in movie, 'Come September'.
This post has been forwarded from 2009
Images: Google
Original article: Andy Lim Collection.
If you take information from this article for your own use,
at least credit this blog and me because copying is stealing.
Andy.
Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan:
My Rifle, Pony and Me
YouTube Video: Dino4ever
Hey pallie Michael, how cool to know the bros sang the Pony Dinotune....
ReplyDeleteHi DMP,
ReplyDeleteThanks again for writing. Didnt know you wrote till today. Your love for Dino is really, really special.
Andy
Hello sir,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Zach and I am a film producer, I am hoping to get in touch with you as I came across this post.
I am doing a short documentary of Capitol Theatre as would love to have you on board for an interview. I also would like to get in contact with Mr. Larry Lai, a well-known compere during the 60's.
I hope to stay in touch with you sir, please feel free to email me.
Regards
When I first started this blog, I had short articles like this one showing the places, people and periods during the beginning of the exciting 60's music journey in Singapore.
ReplyDeleteCliff Richard and The Shadows, they say started this journey. I am not too sure because before he came many of us were already singing on the stages in Singapore and making music before Singapore Badminton Hall.
THANKS FOR LIKING THIS POST
ReplyDeleteBert Fern
Davychandavy Chan
Philip Chew
Stef Sim
Mlan Yong
Mohammad Ramadan
Frankie Soo
Tony Ng
Adrian Wang
James Seah
Althea Lim
M.K. Lew
Maung Pe Ne
David Lim
Lange Brunei
Irene Yap
Mic Low
Leslie Wilson Joseph
Peter Lim
Jon Goh
Sunny Eapen
John Cher
Merlin Lim
Jalani Mohamed
Frank Tan
Legends no matter what.
ReplyDeleteGreat
ReplyDeleteEarly 1960 neckties were very narrow unlike today.
ReplyDeleteAndy Young
ReplyDeleteWith MICHAEL GOH. Before CLIFF RICHARD appeared on stage, we were already there. Now that's fun wasn't it?
Manny Said
ReplyDeleteAndy Young bet it was. You had a full filling life Andy. I wish I’ve known you back then. That would be a blast!!!
I would love to own either one of the two guitars in the photo. It was so cool.
Andy Young
ReplyDeleteManny Said hi, thanks for the kind words. Yes it would have been great indeed. The guitars belong to MICHAEL GOH [he's around the corner somewhere] and they are indeed beautiful guitars.
Andy Young
ReplyDeleteThanks Martin. Wow! You're the first to hit the LIKE button. Must be the words CLIFF RICHARD. Ha, ha. 🙂
Tan Teng Teng
ReplyDeleteI can recognise you!
Andy Young
ReplyDeleteTan Teng Teng thanks. Something went wrong with the REPLY button. Yes, tallest and skinniest guy. Easy to recognise.
Koh Daisy
ReplyDeleteRemember Cliff Richard’s visit to SG. Someone ran up the stage and kissed him much to the envy of his female fans. Someone called Serah Abdullah . That made front page news.
Andy Young
Koh Daisy yes, I remember reading about it. How time flies... now it'd be on FB or Tik Tok.
Ericbronson Wong
ReplyDeleteYesiree Brother Andy,,
How Wonderful To Know U were there waiting for Cliff Richard N D Shadows to show up,,
I remember watching d movie The Young Ones in Rex Theatre which showed the movie successfully for a couple of weeks,,,
Andy Young
ReplyDeleteEricbronson Wong thanks. We were actually posing for the picture after our own show was over. Cliff Richard came much later in the year. But my apologies. I think the post is confusing.
Hiroshi Deguchi
ReplyDeleteinteresting to know you were with Cliff and Shadows when I was a kid of the sixth grader in elementary school who had never seen an electric guitar.
Andy Young
Hiroshi Deguchi , oh! I met other contestants backstage. Thanks for checking in my friend. How's Spain now? Weather still hot?
Ivor Lesslar
ReplyDeleteHiroshi Deguchi
Stephen Han
Rose Khoo
Cedric Cork
Yip Dick
Koh Daisy
Colin Colin
Jennie Law
Martin Ong
Somkid Lakhawat
Poh Huat Tng
Tan Teng Teng
Lim Tin Leong
THANKS TO ALL THE ABOVE WHO LIKE OR LOVE THIS POST.
Andy Young you are part of the fabric that made up Singapore's music history. We all have a story to tell and something that we can look back with pride. Ahhh music 🎶
ReplyDeleteFreda Hanum
ReplyDeleteWow such great down memory lane of you and Michael ...
how old were you both Andy😀
Andy Young
ReplyDeleteFreda Hanum , a child's age madam. 21 years.
Michael Goh
ReplyDelete“The Goh Brothers” brother Richard and I won the Rediffusion Talentime Contest in the early 60s. The prize included a stage performance before the show at the Capitol Theatre. The Compère was the late Tan Swee Leong. ANDY YOUNG you have a fantastic memory. Yes the song was “My Rifle, My Pony & Me”
Ericbronson Wong
ReplyDeleteMichael Goh,,, Real Golden Sentimental Song from D western movie RIO BRAVO,, Just My Rifle Pony N Me,, l liked dis song very much n used to sing it out loud,,
The Sun Is sinking in the West the Cattle go down to the stream the Redwing settle to their nest lt's time for a cowboy to sing,,,
True to say Dino sings it like a real cowboy with Ricky Nelson strumming D acoustic guitar,,,wonderful memories are made of these,,,
Michael Goh
ReplyDeleteEricbronson Wong thank you brother. One of my studio recordings of Dean Martin 18 songs, “My Rifle, My Pony & Me” is amongst them. Sang and recorded several Dino hits are in the YouTube under: Michael Goh aka Gold. A natural touch of Dino.
Andy Young
ReplyDeleteEricbronson Wong yes, I'd replace the title with, "My Smartphone, My car and Me..."
STEPHEN HAN
ReplyDeleteYes I remembered Cliff Richard first concert in Singapore. He sang at the Happy World Stadium in 1961 all his great hits. At that time Jet Harris was with the Shadows.
Andy Young
Stephen Han your memory rings bells and thanks for the visits. Cheers.
Thanks to everyone who participated in this another conversation on the blog.
ReplyDeleteYou've made this rejuvenated post worth a second posting.
Wow Andy, you were already performing on stage when I just started my secondary school life in 1961. I watched the movie Rio Bravo at the Pavilion cinema. Ticket was 50 cents. With sky high COEs, your take on the song "My rifle, my pony and me" would more likely be "My smart phone, my bicycle and me?" ;)
ReplyDeleteFred Ching
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for this post Brother Andy.
This was one of my father favourite songs. I remember as a child hearing the distinctive sound of the song being played on the record player. Years gone by, I often think that my love for music was inspired by the person I miss so much. Love you dad.
You know one of the best things about being in my 60’s now is that I lived my teenage years in the 70’s.. Priceless and I wouldn’t change them for the world. This was probably the Shadows lineup that came to Singapore together with Cliff Richard in 1961.
👍❤️🥰…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8COV_x7MB4
Thanks ANONYMOUS whoever you are.
ReplyDeleteIt's true.
With the COE so high, I'd rather use a bicycle.
But at my age cycling could be a little out of touch.
You could reveal yourself, you know.
Appreciate you taking time to write and visit this blog.