Two casinos have been built in the southern part of Singapore and they have been in the news these past months. One monolith stands tall bestriding the entrance of Marina Bay and the other is situated at Sentosa Island. It is appropriate now to revive a rib-tickling, made-in-Singapore song about a gambling man who tries his hands at the gaming table. And the band responsible for this rollicking deal? The Stylers! The versatility of this home grown garage group is legendary. They recorded the humorous piece called, Our Casino Song in 1971. It is sung in Hokkien by Stylers' lead guitarist John Teo (image: centre man).
Hokkien or Fujian is a Chinese dialect which originated in the Fujian Province of China. This dialect is understood by many people living in the South East Asian region. Although it is not as widely spoken as Cantonese, the dialect can also be heard in the West. But whether it's in Hokkien or English, the lyrics run along a similar theme; that if you go to the casino be prepared to lose all your money.
However, if the listener still needs to understand the lyrics, here's the literal translation in English. Meantime, just enjoy the beat and the music. Does the tune sound familiar?
Our Casino Song
(Chorus repeated after each verse) Aiyoh, my money is gone, is gone, aiyoh...
Translation:
I played gin rummy /Loved the indulgence /Never thought that my wallet /Would 'follow them' /I haven't got a cent 'by my side.' /Went to Toa Payoh, Lorong 3 /(A place in Singapore) /Gambled everything away /Including my ring and wages /With nothing left to my name /But it's useless to regret /Gamblers get muddled /And become promiscuous /Abandoning their wives /Advice to others not to/Make the same mistake/Gamblers have no future.
Image 1 from: Antelope Record CTEP 1041 - The Stylers 8 Hits For Your Party Non-Stop Dancing.
Image/Original Article: Andy Lim.
Our Casino Song: You Tube Video on Right Bar by MrRainbow64.
Thanks to Randy Lee (image: far right) and Alvin Tan for translation.
No comments:
Post a Comment