Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Grace Chang 葛蘭 'Mambo Girl' 我愛 Cha Cha Waterloo Street Rojak


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1950's Chinese Music Education:

She drew the crowd to the cinema like pieces of iron to a magnet. She was not only an actress but a singer and an accomplished dancer. And she was beautiful. Following Hollywood's movie musicals this lady did the same to Chinese cinema.

 She was born in China, grew up in Shanghai, went to Hong Kong in 1949 and began her career there. Grace Zhang/Ge Lan or Zhang Yu Fang is still a favourite today.

 There is a lot of Western influence in her music and except for Zhou Xuan (previous posting), appeared in the movies mostly in cameo roles or solely on the soundtrack. Grace Chang was foremost an actress although she starred in musicals.
Her movies were very popular in Singapore. She started from 1953 and after starring and co-starring in nearly three dozen movies like Mambo Girl, Spring Song, Air Hostess, Wild Wild Rose and Sun, Moon And Star her popularity soared and she was considered, for some time, the queen of musicals.

In 1959 she sang on NBC/US television on the Dinah Shore show. Between 1950 and 1960 she also made records for the Bai-Dai label. Some personal favourites are, I Love The Cha-Cha, Carmen, *I Want Your Love (wo yao ni de ai), Oh Calypso and I Want To Fly In The Blue Sky.

 I would rush to the Cathay Cinema at Prinsep Street to watch these musicals. It was also the first time, as a teenager, had seen such a pair of long legs! Or did she really have them? I could have mistaken her with Cyd Charisse.
 
Grace Chang Sings the  Cha Cha.
YouTube by loveisblu

She was lovely and sparked the screen with her personality, enthusiasm and genuine smile. Grace Chang was a favourite of my mother too and we would both watch her movies at the Queen's Cinema. I remember her appearing in a technicolor movie [this fact had to be ascertained since not all movies then were in colour] called Air Hostess. She and a host of other girls were an eyeful. At that time these girls were sumthin'.

 The Indian rojak (spicy, tasty meal) at Waterloo Street and the National Library came afterwards. Rojak is an Indian salad popular with the locals that's filled with tofu cakes, prawns and hot-chilly potatoes.

And the biggest upset? Not a stomach upset but not collecting her vinyl records a long time ago, especially her 78s RPM records, which would be treasures today.

 *I Want You To Be My Baby - Georgia Gibbs.
YouTube Videos: DurianDave & boogetman65
Original article: Andy Lim Collection.
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11 comments:

  1. Roger5.11.09

    I watched the vid. Very energetic performance. That's Peter Ho, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  2. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©5.11.09

    But with Chang's grace and a smile that takes you away from the cha-cha fever.

    Peter Chen Ho is acting in the movie when I checked the Websites but he doesn't look like the actor.

    It must be him.

    ReplyDelete
  3. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©5.11.09

    At last I can communicate with Roger. He is interested in 60s Chinese movies and I think, the songs too.

    As a lover of 50s and 60s Chinese pop, I am also glad the younger generation is downloading them on their iPods.

    A Comment posted earlier is an example.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jet12.1.15

    I watched Air Hostess and Mambo Girl yesterday. I can't wait to watch more of her. Her talent and personality really makes me feel buoyant!! If only we are of the same generation. :D hehe

    ReplyDelete
  5. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©12.1.15

    Thanks Jet. We all love her in the 60s. She was truly a star attraction.

    Please visit this blog again.

    ReplyDelete
  6. STEPHEN HAN5.8.21

    My fav Chinese movie actress.I remember her dancing with Chen Ho in Mambo Girl.Her co star in that film,a beautiful teenager,Ting Hao committed suicide after that film.Saw Ge Lang singing the Geogia Gibbs’hit “I Want You To Be My Baby”and enjoyed her dancing the Cha Cha Cha and Rock N Roll with Sunny Low at the former Majestic Theatre with my wife.

    ReplyDelete
  7. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©5.8.21

    THANKS, looks like not many of us are familiar with her. I hope more will write in. She was one of a kind, a star indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  8. DAISY KOH [MRS]5.8.21

    She was a hot favourite then with both the Chinese and English movie crowd.
    Love her songs … so catchy, so enticing to her fans.

    ReplyDelete
  9. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©5.8.21

    hi. It's true. 'Enticing' is the word. She's sweetly pretty but has that sensuality about her that many in the audience will find exciting. THANKS so much for comment.

    ReplyDelete
  10. MICHAEL LEE from SYDNEY AUSTRALIA5.8.21

    I was too young to really know her but I remember the record covers with her face I saw at my late maternal grandmother's house at Jalan Tani, Upper Serangoon.

    ReplyDelete
  11. ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. ©5.8.21

    Thanks for sharing.
    Yes, my mum's influence too and the cinemas filled me with such a fanciful culture.
    FUN.

    ReplyDelete