Daniel Deserves The Esplanade Stage To Perform

Breakfast At Noon:
Watching the 2012 Olympics Games coming 'live' from London within the confines of the living room can be quite an experience especially at 4.00 in the morning.  The body clock goes haywire and one wakes up at noon looking for breakfast.  It has been my experience since the Games started a few days ago.

My wife and I found ourselves wandering into unfamiliar ground when we hit the first level of Tiong Bahru Market beyond the escalators. As she sought for pow and porridge I wandered around looking for chee cheong farn, chwee kway and teh-tarek (not our usual breakfast set-up). 

When we sat down and were about to enjoy the meal, the Fatty, Fatty Bom, Bom song brightened the rather stifling atmosphere in the hawker centre. Beside one of the white pillars of the huge food centre sat a lone busker (amidst his amplifier, personal belongings) hugging a seasoned guitar.

Life Story:
"How long have you been busking, Daniel?" I asked the stout gentleman later as we sat with his Indonesian lady partner who was helping him with his lunch.

"About 6 years," Daniel answered.

The meeting with my new friend lasted for a while as he told me his life story.

When I reached home I messaged a dozen friends, "Went to Tiong Bahru hawkers' centre this morning. One blind guitarist busks there. Fantastic guitar playing with his beautifully gruff, bluesy voice. Sings Dylan, Denver and Diamond. Spent two hours with him, just listening to music from the heart of Daniel Ng." You can read the replies by clicking Comment below.

Daniel Ng Ah Hock, who is about 50, is visually handicapped and was schooled at the Institute for the Blind at Toa Payoh Rise in the 70s. His love for the guitar began when a volunteer at the school promised to teach him the rudiments  of the pop instrument if he completed his daily homework without complaining. 

Singing Voice:
Like what I messaged earlier, Daniel is an accomplished player today. You need to listen to him to appreciate his naturally raspy Joe Cocker/Neil Diamond combination.  He plays and sings the best hits from yesteryear in English, Japanese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Cantonese.

When I requested for my wife's favourite, Annie's Song he provided a rendition so unique that only Paul Ponnudorai could challenge.

Have Gun Will Travel was the theme of the previous posting. For this one it's Have Guitar Will Travel because Daniel is known to many Singaporeans for his generosity and kind ways as he had contributed to charities himself.

Message For Esplanade:
So if you meet him again spare him some and Esplanade, if you are searching for talent allow him to peform in the Recital Studio or the Theatre because that's where he belongs, up on stage for all to witness this true Blue Singaporean who's better than most.

Like former busker Kelvin Tan Wei Lian, a visually impaired Singaporean  who sang for a living  but won Project SuperStar hosted by Singapore's MediaCorp TV Channel U, Daniel could be our next find.

As we were about to leave the food centre, Daniel celebrated our exit with a rousing, Stand Up For Singapore.  "For National Day!" he shouted. We stopped to listen again.

Are YOU listening Singapore?

Images and article: Andy Lim.

Gun Debate In US: All Talk No Action: When 'Knights' Rule The Day With Guns Blazing

Today

Like the wild, wild West, guns rule the U.S. still today. 

These examples below are a few random headlines about gun laws and gunmen that have been plaguing the United States of America for many years.

29 July 2012:
The Colorado, USA shooting incident at the Century 16 multiplex in Aurora a few days ago where the movie The Dark Knight Rises is showing reminds me of songs with a gun theme and there are many to check out on the Internet. 

14 December 2012:
Another gunman's meaningless killing of 20 school children and 6 adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut USA.

1st January 2016:
Texans Can Carry Hip Holster Guns.

From: http://labprolib.com/american-deaths-in-terrorism-vs-gun-violence-in-one-graph/#
(The above statistics could be outdated).

In Texas from 1st January 2016 you are allowed to carry a licenced gun everywhere you go, and, for some, holstered on your hip too. Like the bad old days in Dallas or Houston where gun-totting cowboys rule the day. Here's the latest.

And only a few months ago...

1 October 2017:
Stephen Paddock killed 58 people and either maimed or injured 489 others when he used guns and fired at concertgoers on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada, US. Paddock was later found dead.

And the latest incident.

24 January 2018:
Just into 2018, and 7 weeks into the year, 8 shootings in schools have occurred. It is truly sad to hear of another incident in the US, this time it's in Kentucky where, according to the newspapers, 2 students were killed and another 18 injured at Marshall County High School. All the result of one 15-year old using a gun.

And the list of gun-totting Americans and victims have become longer.

'Have Gun Will Travel'  Sung by Johnny Western. Video from firsthighlander1

Yesterday:

There was one Western series I remember which was produced in the 50's and shown on our local television in the mid-60's. The theme song with rough and tumble actor Richard Boone in sombre but dashing black outfit attracted many of us to the living room to watch Have Gun Will Travel (image). 

I loved Paladin known as the "gentleman gunfighter" but was more interested in the opening sequence, melody and lyrics than the show itself.

The first verse of *Ballad of Paladin explains his purpose for selling his service,  "Have Gun Will Travel reads the card of a man/A knight without armour in a savage land/His fast gun for hire/A soldier of fortune..."

The second verse extolls him as, "A chess knight of silver is his badge of trust/There are campfire legends that the plainsmen spin /Of the man with the gun called Paladin..."

The ingredients are all there and have been there a long time ago, a soldier of fortune, knight, black outfit, savage land and guns!  Yes, the knight rules the day with guns blazing as history repeats itself? But perhaps with a different purpose? 

BTW, the nearest I came to finding any Asian song or record image with a gun theme is the vinyl cover below. Do you have any gun song or record cover to share?

More guitars, no guns. It's time the US make a turn-around and act against shootings and curb the easy licensing of guns.  

I'm glad guns are banned in Singapore. Aren't you? 

(*Ballad of Paladin: by Johnny Western, Richard Boone, and Sam Rolfe. Performed by Johnny Western).

Images: Google Collection.
YouTube video by firsthighlander1
Original article: Andy Lim.

Vinyl Cover for HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL by Johnny Western.

Paul Ponnudorai: Singapore PR: Honored By TIME

                                            Uploaded by Paul Ponnudorai on Mar 15, 2009


There are so many websites and blogs about this great man that my short posting about him today is actually a show of respect I have for this rare gem of the East.  For more detailed reviews, just key in his name and a long list of connections awaits the surfer.

Paul Ponnudorai had passed on at 51 on Saturday, July 7, 2012. Known as one of the best entertainers this side of the Pacific, the virtuoso guitar player and inspired singer defied "musical boundaries with disarming easiness".

Although he was born in Ipoh, Malaysia, this musician of Indian heritage became a Singapore PR and was active in our local clubs and pubs since the early 2000s. 

According to a write-up, Ponnudorai dismantled, restructured and reshaped timeless songs to make them his own. Those who knew him personally said that he was a man of rare intelligence with an "encyclopaedic memory" and wisdom with "a cross-cultural view of the world".

Honoured even by *TIME Magazine he was described as the greatest musical interpreter of our time.  His approach to music is refreshing, always with spontaneity and sincerity. "His ability to dice songs up, look into their hearts and perceive the common veins connecting every genre has won the attention of top international players who go to Singapore on tour."

Musicians like harmonica genius Toots Thielemans, top drummer Billy Cobham, guitarist Tommy Emmanuel and vocalist Bobby McFerrin have all heard and seen him in action. 

Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis (image 3) while watching Ponnudorai's performance, was so taken by this musical genius that he took his instrument and jumped on stage to play beside the guitarist for two nights!  Performing solo, he used to play at Swing Bar at Cuppage Terrace, Harry's @ Esplanade and was last seen at Live! @ Bojangles at Tanglin Shopping Centre.

Strangely enough, he only recorded one album. Called Right On Time (2005) Ponnudorai selected most songs from the 60s/70s and they include:

1. Joshua Fought The Battle Of Jericho 2. Delta Dawn 3. Misty 4. Detroit City 5. Henry Koh's Lullaby 

6. Theme From the Godfather 7. Kansas City Blues 8. Rhythm of the Rain 9. Can't Buy Me Love 10. Love Potion Number Nine 

11. Killing Me Softly 12. One Room Country Shack 13. House of the Rising Sun 14. Five Hundred Miles 15. Sitting On Top of the World.

According to the liner notes, all tracks were recorded in the first take, without the guitar or vocal overdubs except for the guitar solo on "Henry Koh's Lullaby".  The bass lines, chord progressions, solos and vocals flowed from Ponnudorai naturally. But don't expect the standard treatment as a song like Rising Sun went into funk mode, Misty was given a Bossa-Nova-Cuba treatment and Delta Dawn was Stevie Wonder style.

I heard him but only once. As a singer guitarist, he was awesome! God's gift for our Singapore nightclub scene... Now he's gone. Rest in peace, sir. Have you heard him play?

Images: CD Cover, Google.

Information from:

(1) *TIME Magazine World. Grace Notes: Liam Fitzpatrick:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1619102-1,00.html

(2) http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/ponnudorai

Get Acquainted With Singapore: Learn Singlish La! Siva Choy

Bengyap's video of Siva Choy and The Crossroads original rap: Why You So Like Dat?

UP TO 10,000 VIEWS, 50 CHATS, COMMENTS

With the Kopi Kat Klan, Siva Choy (one half of 60's pop music duo The Cyclones ) wrote, directed and performed Why U So Like Dat? a popular comedy album comprising Singlish songs and kopi tiam skits. 

It was Singapore's first English-language comedy album and was so popular that it had sold more than 50,000 copies to date. The October Cherries' percussionist Richard Khan was playing the drums and one of the musicians helping out with the recording.

*Why You So Like Dat?  

By Siva Choy
Written by: Farid Long

Chorus:
Oui, why u so like dat ah?
Hey why u so like dat?
Why u so like dat ah?
Hey why u so like dat?

1) I let you kopi all my sum,
Because you always blur,
But when I try to kopi back,
You always call the Sir!

2) I always give you  chocolate,
I give you my Tic Tac,
But now you got a Kit Kat,
You never gimme back!

3) You tell me dat you don't like girl,
I also donno why,
But when you see a pretty girl,
Your voice go up damn high!

(4th verse very cheem; better listen carefully).

*Singlish Lesson for off-shore Ang-Mohs (Caucasians):

Why you so like that = Why're you behaving in this way?
kopi = copy (coffee in Malay)
sum = as in Mathematics.
blur = unaware of what's going on around you.
I also donno why = I don't understand.
cheem = too difficult to understand.

It's all tongue in cheek dear. Don't take it too seriously.

Connect to Siva's previous post:
http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2012/07/why-you-so-like-that-uh.html

Tribute from Jerry Fernandez:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2018/03/siva-choy-rip-tribute-from-jerry.html

You Tube video: by bengyap.
Image: From Siva Choy Facebook.

Calling All Princess Elizabeth Estate 60s Bands

Hello Andy,

My name is James Tann and I was at the talk you gave at the Old Parliament House last Saturday. I am a friend of Peter Chan as well as Lam Chun See, who inducted me into the FOYERS group last year.

Congratulations for giving a fine address and the Sentimental Journey. This song always brings me back to memories of the days when I sat beside my home 'hi-fi' record player and played Doris Day over and over again.

As you are *the acknowledged expert for Singapore music of the 60s, I am trying to tap into your wide database for some information.  I write a heritage blog called Princess Elizabeth Estate: memories of my old home village. Princess Elizabeth Estate was an old SIT estate located off Hillview Avenue in Bukit Timah, now demolished as with so many other heritage losses. My blog has articles of events mostly from the 60s and 70s and focused on the estate and its surroundings.

Princess Elizabeth Estate was also the home base for the 60s band Pest Infested (right). I also know that quite of number of the boys from Princess Elizabeth Estate later joined or were part of bands like the Surfers (October Cherries), Blue Stars and Siglap 5.

I am in the midst of writing another article on these boys who went on to form some of the bands in the 60s. From your vast knowledge, do you know who else, beside the Pest Infested, were from Princess Elizabeth Estate? I have the Pest Infested covered as I knew them personally as well as their parents too but the others from the estate who joined other bands I am not to aware of. These 'lost' boys are the ones I am interested in.


Princess girl Bridget Ong Mei Li was Miss Singapore/Universe in 1967.

Slightly later boys from Princess Elizabeth Est who became 'famous'  are people like Ramli Sarip and his brother (Sweet Charity) and Moliano from Lovehunter.

I hope you can find some time to help me with some details,

Best regards
James.

*Thank you James but I am not an expert but a student learning about our local 60s music.

Readers can write to me or directly to James' blog below. His email address is available too but do write to either one of us.

James Tann's blog: http://www.ijamestann.blogspot.com
Images: James Tann Blog.

MPs For A Day For 60s Music Heritage Bloggers

Thanks to a Singapore Heritage Festival bloggers' workshop some of us acted as though we were MPs, if only for a day. But it was at the Art House -  the former Parliament building - that we aired our views on 60s music.

Three sessions for Past Forward: A Heritage Blogging and Social Media Workshop, held in the main chamber on 14th July were moderated by Yu-Mei Balasingamchow (top left) who co-authored the book, Singapore: A Biography.

Panel speakers for Session 2, Not Just Nostalgia: Music of the 1960s,  were yours truly  and Georgiana Glass (top right), blogger at modcentric.blogspot.com  Others who were either on panel workshops or guests included Lam Chun See, (author, blogger), Victor Koo, James Seah (bloggers) , Peter Chan (archivist, photographer), Yusnor Ef (cultural medallionist, author, lyricist ) and Audie Ng (Silver Strings band leader, bassist).

The main thrust of the panel discussion was to encourage all Singaporeans to post their memories on a blog or share online about heritage.  The speakers  related stories and provided tips from their online blogging and experiences to "demystify heritage blogging" and "help people to feel that they don't have to be experts in order to blog."

In this session, I raised a question as to why local Singapore 60s songs like Shanty, My Lonely Heart and other popular ones have not been orchestrated and performed by SSO while second panel speaker Glass advised her youthful audience that they do not, "need to live in the 60s to blog about music from that period."

Ivan Chew (Singapore Memory Project), Dan Koh, Rosenah Omar, Adrianna Tan, Char Lee and Zakaria Zainal were the other session panellists during the workshop. A wonderful gathering it was with reasonable audience participation.  But the rain outside...

The above article is not an official report on the Workshop but a personal observation.

Images: Peter Chan and James Seah Collection, Copyrights Reserved.

S'pore Heritage Festival: Art House: 60s Music Talk

Art House (Old Parliament)
Saturday, 14th July, 2012
3:00 p.m.

"Not Just Nostalgia: Music of the 1960s"

1) Andy Lim

2) Georgiana Glass

Check out full programme:

http://yesterday.sg/announcements/past-forward-a-heritage-blogging-and-social-media-workshop/#more-31041

Image: yesterday.sg

Swee Leong: Crooner, Cook, Cat Lover, Candid!

"TAN SWEE LEONG passed away on 18th December, 2015. This article was written when we met at a social gathering in 2012.  Leong died of rectal cancer." Andy.     

UP TO 5,200 VIEWS, 50+ COMMENTS

What do Singapore Sixties pop DJ's do when they retire? To Tan Swee Leong retirement is not a word he uses to describe his time since he left the recording studios at Rediffusion. He's still the business person, show promoter, singer, piano player and cat lover (he's got eight cats at home in Holland Village). 

When we met at a party recently he entertained us with some 50's favourites singing, A You're Adorable, Chattanooga Choo Choo and Alfie. Just as versatile, his fingers danced on the ivories as he played both Chinese and English hit tunes. Like old friend Jimmy Chan, he could have been successful recording some of his music.  

Leong's been keeping himself busy these days both with his work and socially. Friends who know him well are aware that he is also a Mee Siam and Leg of Lamb culinary expert. Many of his kakis and colleagues, including some well-known personalities, have tasted his especially delicious mee-siam. 

"Hey, Swee Leong, time you opened a restaurant to let others taste this popular Asian dish," I told him one day.  

"Wait till you taste my leg of lamb," he replied, "Then you'll want me to open a Deli..."

We all remember Tan Swee Leong, the man who had interviewed Marlon Brando, Cliff Richard and  The Beatles when he was still at the only cable network from the 60's

From his school website, Old Victorians' Association, he's been described as the legendary radio/tv compere and DJ "listed in the Who's Who in Singapore and Malaysia, a publication on prominent personalities."  

The writer added that, "Singaporeans of the older generation would remember with fondness the great voice and witty presentation of Swee Leong, first on Redifusion and later with RTS and TCS."  Remember Swee Leong.

5C's he's got: Crooner, Cook, Cat Lover, Candid, and... Compere.

We'd like to hear from you!

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2015/12/tan-swee-leong-capitol-cinema-by-ronnie.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2012/06/mary-music-mee-siam-merry-mayhem.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-terrible-twins-larry-lai-and-tan.html

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2020/06/colour-me-60s-larry-lai-swee-leong.html

18th December, 2015.
Click Comments page below to read condolence messages.

The Tan Swee Leong mee-siam party held 

at Grandma Mary's home, a lavish dinner indeed.

Blogger Andy in yellow with Larry Lai behind, and Mary (extreme left) 

seated next to Swee Leong and Jimmy Chan behind.

Images and Article: Andy Lim Collection.
Image: Swee Leong n Cat Ouzo by courtesy of Peter Boudewyn
Rejuvenated Post on 18th December, 2015 because of TSL's passing away.

Christopher Toh Interviews Sing60s Music Blogger

"Heralding our heritage: Bloggers of all ages share what our past means to them." The extract below is  from TODAY Newspaper dated 13.07.2012. For the full story by Christopher Toh click the connection:


http://www.todayonline.com/CultureAndLifestyle/Music/EDC120713-0000014/Heralding-our-heritage



Andy Lim at the Esplanade

SINGAPORE - A group of bloggers will be giving a talk about our heritage, and what it means to blog about our heritage.  One of the speakers is Andy Lim, who used to sing with popular 1960s Singapore pop band, The Silver Strings. He said that keeping his blog has had a two-fold effect.

"These four years of keeping the blog have been rather rewarding," he told TODAY. "One reason is I got to meet so many of my old friends online, We didn't really have much social contact back then. But now we keep in touch through the Internet. The blog also brings the knowledge of our heritage to the youth of Singapore."

Lim said that his blog is a little different. "It's is more about the scene in those years. Like I talk about the night-clubbing and food scene."

Added writer Yu-Mei Balasingamchow, "Heritage is sometimes overlooked and taken for granted, but (thanks to the bloggers) when you see it described or in a photograph, you can make the connection." For Lim, he said that he hoped the talk will not only inspire younger Singaporeans, but older ones as well.

"Nostalgia is positive and personal history and pictures tell stories. I think it's really good for seniors as well as youth as it important to know about our heritage.  There is a line from John Fowles, who wrote The Magus, which says, 'Our present is our past.'"

Image 1: from the afternoon edition of TODAY newspaper in Singapore. Copyrights Reserved.

Images 2, 3: from The Esplanade Concert August 2010. Copyrights Reserved.

(The above  article is an edited version of the original.)

Thanks to the following for liking the postings: 

Poh Huat Tng

Ericbronson Wong

Stephen Francis

Michael Lang

Denyse Tessensohn

Koh Sui Pang

Stephen Han

Hiroshi Deguchi

Somkid Lakhawat

Rocker Lee

Herman S K Lee

Shaik Kadir

Winston Koh

Ivor Lesslar

Jimmy Appudurai-chua

Peter Cheong

Betts Manry-Chua

Chow Wen Hing

Chen Hui Si

Michael Fonseca

Rose Khoo

Lim Nance

AudMon Flotat

Ser Kiong Tan

Yen Chow

Lim Kuan Min

Yip Dick

Francis Anthony Rozells

Perry Koh

Philip Chew

Charlie Bogosoff

Jalani Mohamed

Gracie Teo

Ann Rowena Lim

COMMENTS:

Stephen Han

Enjoy your show

Andy Young

Thank you STEPHEN, ANN, GRACIE to start the roll...

Poh Huat Tng

Rock on guys

Andy Young

Poh Huat Tng keep on runnin'. thanks.

Andy Young

And BRIAN RICHMOND to keep everyone going...

Andy Young

A dozen years ago. 😀

Jalani Mohamed

Andy Young .. you were so COOL.. 😁😁😁

Andy Young

Jalani Mohamed YES, the sea-breeze did it. 😅

Martin Ong

Awesome 👍

Andy Young

Martin Ong thanks. Keep on rockin' bro.

Lim Kuan Min

Thanks for the memories with the late Billy Yap among the audience.😊

Andy Young

Lim Kuan Min yes, a great friend lost to nature. Thanks for the memory.

Reply3m

Andy Young

Thanks guys for the comments and LIKES. I guess nostalgia is very popular with everyone.

Songs I Love: Gearing Up For Long Haul Home?

Song By Bud Green, Les Brown and Ben Homer (1944). Sung by The Platters.

Gonna take a sentimental journey,
Gonna set my heart at ease.
Gonna make a sentimental  journey,
To renew old memories.

Got my bags, I got my reservations,
Spent each dime I could afford.
Like a child in wild anticipation,
Long to hear that, "All aboard!"

Seven... that's the time we leave at seven.
I'll be waitin' up at heaven,
Countin' every mile of *railroad track,
That takes me back.

Never thought my heart could be so yearny.
Why did I decide to roam?
Gotta take that sentimental  journey,
Sentimental journey home (repeat).

*Lyrics can be meaningful to Singaporeans who have been away for some time and who long to come home permanently, substituting 'railroad track' to 'plane trip pack'.

Song has been covered by Les Brown and His Band of Renown, with Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney, Ames Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald, Ralph Materie, Ringo Starr, Booker T. n the M.G.s, Barry Manilow .