(4) Western Hits, Born Free, Etc. From Local Pop Recordings

There were many western hit movie theme songs that made the grade with local pop recordings.

Perhaps Matt Monro, Virgina McKenna and Bill Travers made more money than Nancy Sit [HK] with "Born Free"? "This song was ringing in everyone's ears in 1966 and like , "To Sir With Love" were hits of yesteryears that brought memories.

Try to count the number of Singapore bands and singers that recorded these songs because of their popularity and easy lyrics.

Beside Nancy Sit, local Malay bi-lingual singer Sugiman Jahuri made a hit with his own rendition of "Born Free", an EMI vinyl Extended Play [EP] recording with 3 other songs.

Then Talentime pop star Eunice Sim did it in 1969 with her rendition from the musical, "Hello Dolly" and "Alfie" with another two hits to form another EP. It was a special RTS [Radio TV Singapura] release with an Ahmad Jaafar Orchestra accompaniment and Charlie Lazaroo's arrangement. Whether it became a hit, it is uncertain but the EP was very well placed and certainly a good collector's item for local record enthusiasts.

An Indonesian lady star singer recorded Sidney Poiter's hit movie theme song, "To Sir with Love". So instead of Lulu singing it, the cover or copy version was by Ernie Djohan from Indonesia. The vinyl, by Philips was another hit for Ernie who backed the pop hit with "Lonely Again", "Let's Pretend" and "San Francisco". She was accompanied by her Buana Suara band.

An extremely weighted version of Ennio Morricone, "A Few Dollars More" was recorded by a Singapore group called, Charlie and His Orchestra. It was recorded by Star Swan. 

Images: [1] Google; [2] A Private Collection.

To Sir, With Love: Ernie Johan. 

YouTube Video from: cinammonimf.

Nancy Sit (薛家燕,) Ka Yin Cantopop Hong Kong Star

Like Ernie Djohan and many other Singaporean, Malaysian and SE Asian singing stars of the sixties, NANCY SIT KA YIN  (薛家燕), was a big name in Cantopop. She became popular as a teen idol after making a few Hong Kong movies in Cantonese.

She made some EP's, recording A-Go-Go or Hala Hala music similar to songs by Sakura Teng, Rita Chao and other Chinese singers. She also became popular because of her recordings of English covers.

Some of the songs included: "Woolly Bully", "Hang On Sloopy", "Love Potion No. 9", "Shaking All Over", "Day Tripper", "Born Free" (image) and Nancy Sinatra's, "These Boots Are Made For Walkin".

Nancy had since made a successful comeback on television and the movies up to the late 90's but was admitted to hospital in March, 2009. She had performed in Singapore and Malaysia a number of times and commanded a good following on the island. 

Nancy has always been comfortable when she comes to Singapore and has many friends here.  At her age today, she still packs a punch with her singing. Nancy is in her late sixties and celebrates her birthday at the end of March.

She was mentor to the late Anita Mui who became a super star. Nancy had received a number of  honourable awards in her name including the Outstanding Woman Award from Hong Kong.

Image: From Google.

(2) To Sir With Love - 60s Indonesian Invasion

Even our neighbouring countries have their own pop stars. Ernie Djohan is one of them. She took advantage of Lulu's hit and cut a disc with her group Buana Suara under the Philips' label.

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Her voice cannot be compared with Lulu's as it is neither rich nor powerful. Her pronunciation has that Dutch accent, clear and distinct but she emphasises the wrong syllables.

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The group backing her could do better with a strong and more solid lead guitar presence. But then her wee voice would have been drowned. There could have been a better balance of voice and music. The cover looks simple but attractive. The song, which could have been longer, lasts for only two minutes.

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Note the other song by Ernie (image), "San Francisco", which has been covered by quite a number of local artistes. Like "Guantanamera" and "Born Free", these songs are hot but overexposed. Ernie has cut many records and some of songs included are, "You Only Live Twice," "Master Jack" and "I'm A Tiger".

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(Image: From Andy Lim Collection)

(1) To Sir With Love Lulu Pop Song/Pop Movie

Many 60s songs and movies have similar titles and the tunes still keep echoing in our minds, like a turntable gone crazy. We whistle them, hum them or just sing them.

These songs include, "To Sir With Love" by Lulu (image), "Born Free" by Mat Monroe, "Love Story" by Andy Williams, "Blue Hawaii" by Elvis Presley and "The Young Ones" by Cliff Richard. The list is endless.

The movies and songs have one special formula; the plots, like the lyrics are easy to remember and the tunes simple and they carry themes close to the heart. "Those schoolgirl days, Of telling tales and biting nails are gone/But in my mind, I know they will still live on and on..." Most of these songs would have either been recorded by our local bands or sung on stage during social gatherings.

What's your favourite pop movie/pop song combination? Mine is Lulu's, "To Sir..."

Image: Lulu Websites

Original Article: Andy Lim

The Swinging Silver Strings With Andy Young

The Silver Strings performed at many social functions and clubs during the early 60s. The above image is a page from a souvenir magazine.
(Image: From Andy Lim Collection)

Silver Strings: Andy Young, Shirley Nair, 'You're The Boy'.

The third line-up of the Silver Strings (Audie, Dickie, Shirley, Osman, Merlin). Dickie Tan had replaced David Chan on lead. Dickie and Shirley had since passed on. 

Together with Mike and Herb, they have cut many records, 12 songs in all on Philips. One of  Shirley Nair's songs, You're The Boy, was revived lately because of the YouTube short film for SG50 (story below).

Dave Chan

Andy and Shirley: Prize Giving

Shirley joined them after former singer Andy Young (Lim) decided to leave the group.   He had fronted them from 1964-1965 but left to pursue an academic path.  His line-up had David Chan as lead guitarist.  

After a long absence and with much persuasion, Andy came back in 2008 to sing with the group again and carried on till today. By then Merlin had also left and with a new lineup comprising Audie Ng and Danny Boy, The Silver Strings and Andy have since appeared and performed in a concert together.  At the same time, Andy started this blog to tell his story. Revival!

You can find these stories and photographs of all their shows on this blog under CONCERTS (YEAR) on the right bar Content page.



SLIP NOTE: 
January 2015.

*Made for SG 50, the present short-film on YouTube, You're The Boy would have featured Andy as grandfather Merlin in the story but because Andy was ill with a very bad 'flu actor Laurence Lim replaced him during production.  

Laurence, Audie, Andy, Rickie.

This information was revealed on FB after the video was released.  The other seniors in the short-film featured under the Silver Strings banner were: Audie Ng, Osman better known as Danny Boy (original members) and Rickie Chng who was lead guitarist featured during the Orchard Road and RELC International Hotel performances.  

Images: Andy Lim Collection. (Copyrights Reserved.)

60s Music - Silver Strings with Andy Young

A page from a souvenir magazine in the early 60s with the original Silver Strings singing and playing the hot favourites, "Fireball", "The Cruel Sea" and "In The Mood Twist". Check earlier postings in December 2008 for names of the band line-up.

Image: (From Andy Lim Collection)

Silver Strings Mike & Herb Mid 60s, Late 60s

The image above shows The Silver Strings with Mike and Herb on stage in the mid-60s. The image below shows a different line-up performing in Noyes Club, Wisma, Indonesia, in the late 60s.
(Image: From Audie Ng Collection)

Silver Strings Hong Kong - New Line-Up May 70

Two for the album: The Silver Strings line-up in Hong Kong includes 'Shark' Johari, Hautie Dragon, Ah Ong, Mustaffa Johari and the original two, Audie Ng and Danny Boy.
Image: From Audie Ng Collection

60s Music And Its Influences - A Century Of Pop

"A Century of Pop" by Hugh Gregory (image, ref: 781.6 30904 GRE - ART) is another book worth browsing through as, "it traces more than a 100 years of popular music from its diverse geographical and ethnic roots to the truly international vocabulary it represents today (blurb, dust cover)."

It is a journey which begins with the human voice - the supreme vehicle of musical expression -the influences and instruments of Zulu tribal customs , right up to the end of the 20th Century when bhangra/ragga, boy bands, avant garde and techno are the craze. Gregory informs much.

Personally, readings become more intense from 1930s to the early 1970s as these are the years that influenced 60s pop music in Singapore.

Again, as in the other books, there are magnificent images in a multitude of colours of most of the artistes involved.

(Image: nlb singapore)

Original article: Andy Lim

Rolling Stone's - 500 Greatest Albums Of All?

This book (ref: 781.660266 FIV - ART, Intro: Steven Van Zandt, Editor: Joe Levy), is a must-read for anyone interested in popular music from the 50s till today. It is available from the Singapore Central Library and "is the ultimate rock and roll library chosen by a blue-ribbon jury of experts and the sort of fans who practise what they preach: the singers, songwriters, musicians, producers, managers and critics who have shaped the rock and roll world from its start..."

The version available is a first edition and published in 2005. Although I do not agree with many of the rankings of the albums I cannot argue with "the best in the business" who have selected them. I read it to learn about popular western music, a huge industry that has enveloped the world with its spread and influence. Read it for the fun and information it provides. Oh yes, and for the album covers too!

My choice albums include: (11) Sunrise -Elvis, (12) Kind Of Blue - Miles Davis, (21) The Great 28 - Chuck Berry, (26) Tapestry - Carole King, (37) Hotel California - The Eagles, (39) Please Please Me - The Beatles, (50) Here's Little Richard - Little Richard, (51) Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel, (53) Meet The Beatles - The Beatles, (54) The Birth of Soul: The Complete Atlantic R&B - Ray Charles, (56) Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley, (104) Sweet Baby James - James Taylor, (107) Portrait Of A Legend 1951-1964- Sam Cooke, (149) Santana - Santana...

And the list goes on. But I've left out a lot since I am only interested in the 50s and 60s.

Image: amazon.com

Original article: Andy Lim

Pop 60s Music Books Saturate The U.S. Market

There are hundreds of books and articles on 60s music and thousands of reviews about them. Extracts of some of these reviews, both positive and negative, reveal the interest so many people have for pop music. 

The above book (image) "Doo Wop" by Cousin Brucie Morrow, for example, "captures the spirit of an era in spectacular visuals, revealing the roots of the 60’s music explosion." It has an abundant background of memorable images, it covers way more than just the unique harmonies of these doo wop groups. 

You’ll meet the pioneers who started it all, including bands like The Drifters; discover how the songs we love emerged from African rhythms and culture and watch the music—and America—grow up. The pages teem with archival photography, posters, album covers, newspaper articles, magazine covers, lyrics, and more.

Image: amazon.com

Article: amazon.com

60s Music: The Truth About Those Pop Songs

This review is from: Behind the Hits/Inside Stories of Classic Pop and Rock and Roll (Paperback). It's about the songs you heard on the radio and what inspired them. Bob Shannon and John Javna have written an excellent easy-to-read tome primarily about rock 'n' roll songs of the late 1950s to the early 1980s. Some stories are well known, but did you know...

"We've Only Just Begun" was a bank commercial?

"Mother And Child Reunion" was inspired by a Chinese menu?

"By The Time I Get To Phoenix," and "Wichita Lineman" were songs inspired by the same person called Renee (who is she?) from the song, "Walk Away Renee"?

There is some dispute as to who wrote "Blowin' In The Wind". The final pages present evidence in favor of Bob Dylan but they also present evidence in favour of a man named Lorre Wyatt.

"Puff The Magic Dragon" is not about smoking dope.

There are many surprises in the book. Maybe the most surprising being that Neil Sedaka's second career (the 1970s) was much bigger than his first.

And was Singapore pop 60s affected by these revelations? Go get a copy. Interesting read.

Image: amazon.com book reviews

(3) Mark Yun 60's Radio TV Singapore Star

In 1965 Mark Yun Chong Hai released an EP on Philips (image) "Never Die", the title song of which was penned by himself. His music was so popular that the song, as well as another track, "There'll Never Be", both original numbers, topped the Hit Parade Charts simultaneously over Radio Singapore and Rediffusion for weeks. Incidentally these two songs had their entire arrangement and orchestration done in Holland.

A follow-up was another recording, "I've Got A Feeling Tonight". For about a decade the crooner was a regular feature everywhere. "Even the postman whistles the tunes I recorded," Mark recollected with humour. He had even been compared to Pat Boone, "a clean, cut crooner who stole the hearts of many."

Mark had worked with producers like Domingo Raquiza, Tony Yeow, Yusuf Ahmad and Charles Lazaroo. There had been write-ups of Mark on Radio & TV Times in 1982 and other music magazines and newspapers. His last public performance was at the Esplanade Concert Hall in 2003.

Over the years Mark has developed a keener sense of music and focused on phrasing and interpretation of songs. He still performs professionally on occasions and his repertoire is mainly standards and jazz. Mark is a devoted family man with wife Adeline and sons Gene and Shane.

Interview with Andy Lim. All rights reserved.

Another Manhunt completed.

(2) Western Pop Undesirable Yellow Culture 70s

Mark Yun (image: yesterday n today) had his singing debut in the Radio Talentime in 1962. At the audition, the producer was so impressed with Mark's vocals, he asked him to sing the complete song, There's A Goldmine in the Sky. 
In fact, having heard Mark sing during his hey-day, Mark sounded just like Pat Boone, with his God gifted bass-baritone vocals.

He finished runner-up in the finals. The crooner's deep and mellow voice coupled with his relaxed style made him one of the most sought after performers in the 60's and 70's.

During the days when the slogan was, Merger he was selected for a Command Performance before the King and Queen of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. He was also featured in the first local music production over TV Singapore called Dendang Ria in 1963.

A recording contract (story in the next post) followed in 1965. He was singing all over in Singapore for about a decade. Mark was on radio, TV and stage.

"Misfortune struck in 1970 after the government branded Western pop music as undesirable Yellow Culture and RTS was directed to suspend all local productions of English music. 

"Producers of radio, TV then quit for greener pastures," said Mark. This move was devastating because it affected both the non-professionals like Mark and it was worse for those who made a living from music. Performances on the stage, radio and TV were terminated.

Andy Lim's interview with Mark Yun. All rights reserved.

More about Mark Yun in future postings.

A. RAMLIE Kugiran Pop Yeh Yeh Melayu 60an

The Pop Yeh Yeh phenomenon was one of the most significant east-west cultural events that had ever occurred in Singapore and Malaya. Malay boys and girls, some as young as 15 years, were up on stage twanging their amplified guitars and drums before a large audience in a hall or cinema. 

Those years these shiny, solid 'guitars' were the envy among band-boys. You could own a Hofner, a Japanese Teisco or the more high-end Fender. The drum sets were either an Olympic a Pearl or if you have the money honey, Rogers.

Most of the band members would be dressed to the nines with full suits and ties. Shaking their heads and screaming their hearts out they would be singing in Malay but with a rock and roll beat to similar tunes that the Beatles would churn out. That's why the name "Pop Yeh Yeh."

In the 1960's venues for these Malay pop, concerts were held in non-air-conditioned halls. The St. John's Ambulance Brigade Hall at Beach Road would be an example. 

With the rebel-rousing voices, thick garbs, their gyrations, and the warm surroundings, it only took minutes before the bands and the youngsters gathered were raining under their clothes. 

Yes, it would have been very hot and stuffy too especially when the bands played for Malay weddings in the mid-afternoon.  During those years nobody went on stage with a T-Shirt and ragged jeans and slippers. 

Whatever it was, nothing could stop this generation of youth from doing what they wanted to do, and that was to let themselves go.  With this scene in mind, we look at one personality who became a cult figure in this arena of lagu2 pop Melayu and some in his group who were responsible for this Golden Age of our local popular music.

Kaki Bukit, Singapore Boy:

A. Ramlie, born in Kaki Bukit in Singapore, was one of the top Malay artistes during the 60s and 70s. He gained recognition when his guitar group The Siglap Five was placed 2nd in a competition in 1954.

Rhythm Boys:

From then on he never looked back and joined The Rhythm Boys where they won the Pertandingan Kugiran Seluruh Singapura (guitar group competition) in 1965. He was also with groups like The Click Four, The Times Orchestra and The Clans. He was very popular indeed fronting these bands throughout the early years of his singing career.

The Night Walkers:

In 1971 he appeared on TV Singapura in a programme called Istana Pesta, cut many EPs on the Panda label and was usually accompanied by a band from Johor Bahru called, The Nite Walkers.

Yusnur Ef: Many of his songs were written by Yusnur Ef. Yusnur was featured in an earlier post on this blog. The EP (image), produced by Kassim Masdor, included his songs, "Berpisah", "Kalau Aku Jadi Kahwin", "Perpatah Punjangga", with lyrics by Yusnur Ef and "Nak Dara Rindu" by P. Ramlee (singer, songwriter, actor, director, also featured in an earlier posting.)

Parkinson's Disease: In later years A. Ramlie settled in Malaysia and entertained listeners on Radio Malaysia. He passed away in 1996 suffering from Parkinson's Disease.

An original article from Andy Lim 
Images: from Andy Lim Collection and allmusic.com
YouTube Video by sharkbreakerz.

Read notes by Dr. Steven Farram about A. Ramlie on 'Comments' below: