Saxy Guitar At Orchard Road Underground

Saturday today, 26th February at 3.00pm Orchard Road. Take the air-conditioned route to get across from Borders Books to Lido Cinema at Shaw Building and you will meet an incredible duo busking at a comfortable corner just after Marks and Spencer.

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Mr. Mohamed and Mr. Zainal (image) smile at the shoppers who pass them as the sound of their saxaphone and electric guitar fill the cool air at the underground connection. Name a song and they will play it for you. No questions asked. I looked into their brown bag on the floor and saw a few coins and dollar notes - not much of a collection at that time of day, especially after playing a few hours.

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To be fair to them I took a couple of pictures as I didn't want to disturb their performance. I managed to have a short chat to get their names and then left immediately, leaving something in their bag for tea-break. During the short interlude I had with the two gentlemen, they told me they were 60s musicians and remember the good times when they played at some of the clubs in the vicinity.

They are in the same corner most days of the week and if you see them, spare the blue, green or even red notes. You know they will appreciate the gesture. It is a breath of fresh air when saxaphone and guitar blend harmoniously to actualise a professional sound that only Mohamed and Zainal can produce, so different from the common electronic synthesizer that we hear so often in Orchard Road. And they play cool jazz too!

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PLEASE, PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY.

Image/Article: Andy Lim. Photo taken with an iPhone 4 in dim light.

How Many National Anthems Did Singapore Have?

Here's a book with so many interesting stories that you'll probably read it within a day. Chan Kwee Sung is a master story-teller who uses simple language and crafts lively anecdotes that scenes of old Singapore literally pop out of the pages of his 200-page book.

I have quoted Chan about his articles on Chinese food in the previous posting since they are related to my topic on street-hawkers and Elvis' hit Crawfish. 

But in keeping with this blog's music theme, I wish to highlight readers on his topic, Anthems (page 130-132) where he discusses the five major national anthems Singaporeans had to sing before Zubir Said's masterpiece, Majullah Singapura.

According to Chan, senior citizens, who have lived through the days of the British, "the fearful Japanese" and the Malay peninsula, "can modestly claim to vocalise five, or maybe six anthems (page 130)." 

These songs would include:

1. God Save The King, 
2. Kimigayo, 
3. God Save The Queen, and 
4. Negara Ku. 
5. San Min Zhu Yi, Nationalist China's anthem was sung during colonial days by       Chinese students. 

The Indians had their own anthem in Hindi spurred on by their "patriotic fervour" of Indian nationalism.  (As a child I learnt the two British National Anthem, the Malayan one and remember a little of San Min Zhu Yi.)

There are about 60 stories in the collection and Chan weaves intricately the hard facts between simple, easy to read phrases, to make them palatable for everyone. 

Before settling as a writer, he was an office assistant, a fitter, a pilot trainee, a businessman. He authored Long Life, a fortnightly column for The Straits Times Press Singapore from 1998 to 2002. Chan, who was born in 1930 passed on in 2002.

The Foreward in the book, by his children, Keen Len, Keen Ian and Lai Gwen, had Psalm 102:18 quoted, "Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord."

(My son Daniel received this book from his friend, one of Mr Chan's children. Thanks to both.)

             Singapore under the Japanese occupation. Bras Basah Road. Blog image only.

Image/Cover: One More Story To Tell - Memories of Singapore 1930 - 1980 by Chan Kwee Sung (2005), Landmark Books, Singapore. (Image shows Chan as a trainee pilot at old Kallang Airport, 1950).

Original article: Andy Lim.

Singapore Street-Hawker Calls And Elvis' 'Crawfish'

Street Hawkers (from theddosage.wordpress.com)

Elvis Presley sings 'Crawfish' 
(from Paramount Studios/Elvis Presley Estate)

Street Hawker
 (from National Heritage Board Archives Singapore)

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Singapore Memories:

Singapore street hawkers or vendors in the 60s have been highlighted as being unique and special. Many stories have been written about them and one author, Chan Kwee Sung in his book, One More Story To Tell, highlights the street laksa (page: 44) sold in the Katong area in the East Coast and the hot porridge (page: 49) in downtown Chinatown. These memories are etched forever in the minds of those who have lived the period and seen the food-sellers.

I remember my own encounter with these street hawkers along Geylang Road in Singapore where they advertise their food using their own unique/special hawker calls to draw out customers from their homes.

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The meat-bun man will shout, "Char siew pau..." as he pushes his cart filled with hot, steaming buns in containers balanced over a charcoal fire. Then there's the chicken porridge man selling his, "Kaiiiii choke."

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The won-ton noodle hawker's assistant who strikes a small bamboo piece with a stick, using a rhythmic beat to announce his delicious meal for 30 cents a bowl. "Tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tick, tick, tock..." I even recall the Indian rojak (spicy salad) who shouts his ware along the pavements of Geylang with, "Rojak, rojak..." Street sounds we call them. Or food sounds?

Elvis Presley singing 'Crawfish' as the lady hawker on the streets of New Orleans sells her food.

Connection: 

The food hawkers mentioned by our local writers are not uncommon in other parts of the world (images). There are street hawkers everywhere and Singapore is no different. In fact, the opening scene of the Elvis Presley movie, King Creole (Paramount: 1958) depicts street hawkers selling their wares in downtown New Orleans in the 50s. (please watch the video above). After the film title, Elvis duets with singer Kitty White to sing Crawfish.

Elvis describes the catch:

"I went to the bayou late last night

There wasn't no moon but the stars were bright

Put a big long hook on a big long pole

And I pulled Mr Crawfish outta his hole

The street call:

Crawfish, craw-aw-aw-feeesh!

See I got 'em see the size

Stripped and clean before your eyes

Sweet meat look good

Fresh and ready to cook...

Craaawfeeesh!

The sales pitch:

Now you take Mr Crawfish in your hand

He's gonna look good in your frying pan

If you fry him crisp and you boil him right

He'll be sweeter than sugar with every bite 

Crawfish..... crawfish...

(Song credited to Fred Wise/Ben Weisman, King Creole Album 1958)

How cooked food from a street hawker is carried from the ground-floor up, with ease and dexterity. Thanks to Michael Lee for the picture.

Whether it's food culture or otherwise, the world has been connected a long time ago. Like the funeral bands in New Orleans and our own Singapore funeral marching bands - the similarities are astounding.

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Perhaps there is one difference between Singapore's street vendors and those from the West; they are more imaginative and sing their wares.

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Can you remember other popular 60s songs with food as a theme?

A crawfish street hawker in the 1950's calling out to sell her fresh seafood, like in Singapore those years.

Images: 2. 

Paramount Studios/Elvis Presley Estate. 1/3. National Heritage Board, Singapore.

Original article: 

Andy Lim.

Book Quote: 

One More Story To Tell - Memories of Singapore - 1930s to 1980s (Chan Kwee Sung: Landmark Books, 2005).

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(This posting is for Derek Tait who's just joined as a Follower.)

SINGAPORE HAWKERS' FOOD.