Saturday, May 05, 2012

Fresh Durians, Ice Kacang, Old Marine Parade, Wonderland

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I Don't Care If Tomorrow Never Come:


This nostalgia trip by Allan Thompson will certainly be one he can share with many Singaporeans.  Allan's "spreading the newspaper on the grass" experience is only too common with young Singaporeans who went courting in the 60s.  

Allan explains that he is "raking through the embers of my Singapore past and stirring up a few sparks which make me smile."  He has written many poems when he was in RAF Changi. "Perhaps it was the scent of frangipani on the balmy evening air or, more likely, the searing stench of a freshly sliced durian! I am keeping an interested eye on your marvellous blog."

So if you enjoyed his last 6 episodes about RAF Changi in the 60s and his stint with a guitar group then read on about his social life in Singapore:

"Does the Capitol (image right) still have those sliding seats? I remember my first-ever visit when I leaned back in my seat and thought I was about to be launched over the balcony.  I loved Singapore cinemas: the Capitol, the Lido, the Roxy and so many others, including the Astra at RAF Changi.  I never went to the cinema in Changi village but one of my friends did and he told me he got soaked because it started to rain and the cinema had no roof.  I don't know if that was really true, but I like to think so. 

I also remember the #Wonderland bar and restaurant on the East Coast Road  (image below) which was on the ground floor of a tall building called the Tay Ban Guan.  It was air-conditioned and very dark when you first went inside so that you bumped into tables.  Good fun!  

The old Marine Parade (image below left) was just behind it and I used to take my second girl-friend there for a walk in the dark and buy her an iced kachang (red beans) from one of the vendors.  

The local newsagent used to look very impressed when I bought a Chinese newspaper because he must have thought I could read the language.  But I actually bought the paper so that she and I could sit on it on the grass near the Katong Convent school (image below right) and watch the lights of ships in the distance. What a fraud I was." 



So as The Platters', Twilight Time, Cliff Richard's When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart and the Reyes Sisters', I Don't Care If Tomorrow Never Comes (image record sleeve above left) were playing from a nearby seaside bungalow, Allan started to count the twinkling lights and stars. And that took a long time...

Do you have stories and songs you wish to share when you took that Tanjong Katong stroll with your girlfriend? 

# which became Fancyland later.

Image: 
Record Cover from Andy Lim Collection and Google.

Original article: 
Allan Thompson.  With naughty add-ons by Andy Lim. 
Copyright Reserved.
The Reyes Sisters: I Don't Care If Tomorrow... YouTube Video by Malaysiaboleh

Philips Record: 
EP The Reyes Sisters: A Ring For My Darling (by Tisana/W.King), I Don't Care If Tomorrow Never Come; Valley Of Dreams (SG original by Terry Marsden), You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry.

18 comments:

Dr Tan Wee Kiat: said...

Hi! Andy,

Enjoyed your blog posting.

Also, browsed the posting about Lat's introduction to music on records.

Regards,

wee kiat

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks Wee Kiat for visiting and the posting about Lat as his cartoons depict Malaysian life that we are all so familiar with.

G JEGANATHAN said...

Hello

Why are you sending me the same historical songs? What is new now? Please send me your latest hits.

Thanks

Regards
jaga

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thank you Jega for your first visit and strange comment.

Perhaps you're not aware that this blog only feature historical songs or what is known as "classics" and "evergreens". The theme is Singapore 60s music and its pop music influence.

I didn't realise that you are only interested in the latest hits.

I remember your comment about rap music once. You didn't like it. At 76 I appreciate the fact that you like modern hits.

You are a gem.

WARD GREENE said...

Ervinna was always...still is...one of my favorite singers. I still have about 30 of her cassette albums from the 1970s,but I am trying to find her albums on CD or MP3 and n o luck. Only things on eBay are records.That's way before even cassettes!!! Where are all the CDs?
Every trip to Indonesia,I bought more Ervinna,in English,Chinese,and Indonesian. But now my cassettes are old. Anyone know where I can buy CDs ?
Thanks.
Ward.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Anyone remember, WONDERLAND above DBS Bank, next to ROXY CINEMA? If you care to read: a series of nostalgia by ALLAN THOMPSON, who used to live in SG60's.

Here's his take about old Marine Parade. Also memories by the REYES SISTERS, 'I Don't Care If Tomorrow Never Come."

Any relatives or friends out there who know the sisters? Would be nice.

Thank you.

STEPHEN HAN said...

“I Don’t Care If Tomorrow Never Come “was also covered by Sakura Teng with some yodeling

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Yes, Stephen. Thanks so much for the information.

kajol yadav said...

Nice and interesting information and informative too.
Can you please let me know the good attraction places we can visit: Ice dev the rapper

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hi Kajol,

Thanks for the interest in this blog.
There are lots of attractions in Singapore that may take days to connect.
Just check out on the internet SINGAPORE ATTRACTIONS and the ads. will help you better.

Have fun in Singapore.

MICHAEL LEE (SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA) said...

Yes I remember them. The singing Reyes sisters along with the influx of Philipino bands like the Brown boys. Cheerio

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Hey Michael thanks for the memories. Brown Boys. Yes I have an EP of theirs. Fabulous band.

STEPHEN HAN said...

I remembered the Reyes performing in Johnny Young’s Musical Express Show

MICHAEL LEE (SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA) said...

Hi Andy
I also remember they were good until I think the drummer got into trouble when playing at a nightclub. Cheerio

STEPHEN HAN said...

Yes the Brown Boys were good so were D’Starlights at El Aimigo

ROSE KHOO said...

Yes this Wonderland was my first coffee house in the late sixties ...had my first banana split there!
Remembered the place was pretty dark

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks to all for the chitchat about the Singapore and Filipino artistes who performed those years.
And the WONDERLAND MILK BAR was a place to remember indeed.

Thanks, Rose for the memory. Definitely a favourite with myself too.

Oh, the drummer? Hope he didn't go to jail.

KOH SUI PANG FB said...

They sing vvvvvvv well ...vvvvv melody Reyes Sisters !!!!