Happy New Year - One Day At A Time

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This prescient lady wrote to me some time ago with this email below.

She was the late CYLin.

Andy,

A New Year Letter

Am trying to put my thoughts together and  write something about which I cannot run away from - 2017.  That is if the Good Lord does not take me home before then.  

Do I look forward to a new year?  A fresh start?   Why does it have to be in January and on the first day of that month to make new year resolutions? Do I have to trudge through 365 days before I can make a turn?  How did all these practices come about?   Some will say that they are just a done thing.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot 

And never brought to mind 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot 

And days of auld lang syne

The bible says God gives man three score and ten years.  Every year after that is a bonus but it comes with sorrow and trouble.  If we look around there is much uncertainty in the world, much suffering through natural and man-made disasters.  

One day at a time sweet Jesus, 

That's all I'm asking from You

Just give me the strength 

To do every day what I have to do

Cristy Lane

The youths today appear very self-absorbed, self-indulgent, self-important.However, there is hope for mankind when we hear of them dirtying their hands to save the environment; spending days clearing and cleaning homes of elderly hoarders; and performing many other good turns.

Our generation unlike our parents' may seem to be the lucky ones - not having been through world wars and now enjoying our retirement years.  We have much to be thankful for.  Now there's talk of us living to nine decades or even a century and many more will suffer from dementia and Alzheimer's.   But there are ways to keep the disease at bay with the help of medicine and science. 

Do I look forward to 2017 as I look back at 2016 with nostalgia?  Yes, and I will never forget to sing:

Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think

Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink

The years go by as quickly as a wink
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself,

It's later than you think 

Doris Day

Wishing all a Healthy, Happy New 2017.🎉🎈

Cheers,
CYLin.

Gif images: Google.
You Tube Video.

What Happened On New Year Eve n New Year Day ?

Ricky Nelson's Greatest Hits: YouTube Video by Hue Man

Remembering the passing away of four* super stars this Christmas week, John Cher a regular contributor to the blog, recalls 1985 and 1953 where two tragedies occurred during the New Year season.

As John reminds us all: Tomorrow is promised to no one!   Every day, every hour, indeed every minute is a gift from God!

Here's his letter:

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, arguably two of the happiest days of the year.  Very aptly, millions all over the world meet to celebrate and to welcome the New Year with high hopes and great expectations!  For American music lovers,  at countless parties and social gatherings during this season of good cheer, very often,  conversations would inevitably converge to two well loved and deeply missed iconic entertainers, Hank Williams and Ricky Nelson.

December 31 1985,  New Year's Eve:    

A privately owned DC3 plane crashed in Texas.  The pilot and co-pilot, though badly burned, survived the crash.  Sadly all the other passengers died including its owner, Ricky Nelson and his fiancee, Helen Blair.  The plane was taking Ricky Nelson, and his band members to a New Year's Eve concert in Dallas.

Ricky was aged 45. He was a household name, well known as a pop singer but was also an actor.  His most remembered movie was Rio Bravo, which starred John Wayne and Dean Martin as well. Ricky Nelson recorded many wonderful songs and many of these were performed in his last concert in 1985.  

January 1st 1953, New Year's Day:  

The first super star of modern country music who sang of soaring joy and sad, sad songs,  Hank Williams was found dead in the backseat of his Cadillac. He was on the way to perform at a New Year's Day concert but never made it. A police officer informed the manager of the theatre where Hank was to perform of his death.  

Hank Williams Hits

YouTube video from:Nicole Pettit.

When it was announced to the waiting audience, one by one, members of the audience rose up to sing  I Saw The Light, a gospel song written by Hank.  Hank Williams was only 29 years old.

Life is indeed like a flickering candle light, it is so fragile, one minute it is lit and the next, it is extinguished.  Very often things just do not work out the way we planned.  Broken and shattered dreams are indeed a part of life.  But life goes on!

Tomorrow is promised to no one!   Every day, every hour, indeed every minute is a gift from God!  Let us cherish it and always, always remember to count our blessings for each day!

All the best everyone!  Happy 2017!

Cheers!

NB

December Deaths 2016

Greg Lake - singer - 7th

Rick Parfitt - singer - 24th

Richard Adams - novelist - 24th

George Michael - singer - 25th

Carrie Fisher - actress - 27th

Debbie Reynolds - actress - 28th

http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/search/label/December%202016%20Deaths

Images and Videos: You Tube.

Carrie Fisher: Star Wars, Debbie Reynolds: Tammy

28th December - Carrie Fisher RIP
29th December - Debbie Reynolds RIP

Movie actress Carrie Fisher, Star Wars Princess Leia Organa, has passed on. She died of a heart attack. She was the daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. Ms Reynolds also died the next day during Fisher's funeral preparation.

Since this blog is about 60's music, it is only fair that her parents are discussed.

Her father was a famous singer in the 50's and 60's and the song, Oh My Papa,made him a big hit in the U.S.  Debbie Reynolds was a movie star in her own rights, having acted in a movie called, Tammy and making the song with the same name internationally known.

As a lover of western music, which made such a great impact in former British Colony Singapore, Eddie Fisher was just as famous here for his crooning and easy style making hit after hit in the 50's. 

Wife Debbie Reynolds, too, like Doris Day was a hit with both the men and ladies. Little known then that their child Carrie Fisher would carry on from the 70's onward as a mega star herself.

Senior Singaporeans who are still around and remember Fisher and Reynolds have only this to say of them, "They were just as famous as their daughter. Listening to them during radio programmes after WW2 was total entertainment then."

                                  A Ned Nickerson Presentation

Her song hits and movies were so well regarded that many folks would turn up at the cinemas to watch shows. Now, just as youthful as ever Senior Singaporeans are searching the Net to watch Ms Reynolds' movies and listening to her songs again. 

The grandchildren will ask, "Who's she?" 
And grandma will reply, "I think she's the mother of Princess Leia."
"Oh we know Princess Leia. Hey grandma you're cool."

It is a sad occasion indeed for such a famous Hollywood family to have two deaths in a row. We send them condolences.

RIP Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher.

Meaning Of Christmas: Jesus Born In Bethlehem

Christmas has been so commercialised that many people associate it with Santa Claus, Jingle Bells, reindeer and snow. I'm hoping that with this short reading below, more people will understand the true meaning of Christmas. This process is a long and harduous task but I shall try.

My own Holy Bible has always been the King James version. The words in this version flow with poetic flavour. Give it a chance.

A Reading
King James Bible: Matthew 2: 1-14.

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen  his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 

And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,  And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.  And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

                                      Silent Night: Connie Francis

And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.  

When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt..."

A Peaceful Merry Christmas and New Year 2017 to all.

About the songs below, which are not the usual Christmas jingles we find, are filled with meaningful lyrics that tell about Christmas without the added frills.

When A Child Is Born - Sarah Brightman.

The original melody was  a tune from 1974 by Ciro Dammicco and based on  Le rose blu published in 1972. English  lyrics were written by Fred Jay (wrote hits for Boney M i.e. Rasputin and Ma Baker). 

No mention of Christmas but the theme of a looking forward to the birth of a particular child, suggests a reference to Jesus Christ's birth and a tiny star that lights up way up high may is the Star of Bethlehem. 

Sung by many artists, most successfully by Johnny Mathis in 1976. Also: Matt Monroe, Judy Collins, Boney M, Bing Crosby, Kamahl, Kenny Rogers, Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, Moody Blues, Willie Nelson El Divo.

Silent Night, Holy Night - Connie Francis.

The song was first performed in 1818 at St Nicholas parish church in a village in present-day Austria. A young priest, Father Joseph Mohr had already written the lyrics of the song "Stille Nacht" in 1816.  The melody was composed by France Xavier Gruber, schoolmaster and organist in another nearby village.

In 1859, priest John Freeman Young, then serving at Trinity Church, New York City, published the English translation that is most frequently sung today. Both lyrics and melody are in the public domain.  The carol has been translated into about 140 languages and the most popular version is by Bing Crosby.

You Tube: Silent Night - Connie Francis: Video by Bine P.

Images: Google.

Songs Information Edited: Wiki.

Music 60's and Singapore Stories Soon

 Stories coming up in the next few weeks:

1. Allan Thompson with friends in a trishaw lookin' for love.

2. Audie Ng and Boney M saga backstage in the 70's.

3. Barry Walker of the Figures with his Life Story.

4. Ah Kim International Hairstylist and his Rediffusion Hits.

Images: Google and Private Collection.

R.I.P. George Michael @ 53. Wham!

George Michael has died on Christmas Day 2016. He was only 53 years young. In a pop singing career spanning 40 years he has sold more than 100 million records internationally.

Good friend and partner 'Wham' duo Andrew Ridgeley was heartbroken. Careless Whisper, Faith, Wake Me Up, Club Tropicana, Young Guns (Go For It) and Last Christmas will all be etched in our memories.

His charitable ways was only revealed lately, that he gave much to individuals and institutions. Many times he would quietly call these people in need on the phone and provided them funds for their hospital stay, medication or operation.

His pop hit, Wake Me Up Before You Go Go and Prince's Purple Rain were my wake-up-call songs each morning when I was living in an apartment in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. 

My Canadian neighbour played the same two songs alternately at the start of day and jolted me out of bed during cold, crazy, winter morns. Don't forget that Canadian houses were not made of solid bricks like those in Singapore. 

The sound generated from his huge stereophonic set, as we find them those years, caused me ear trauma for some time. Imagine how loud Wake Me Up sounded with volume at #9. I didn't complain to the cops. He sat next to me during Sociology 101.😕

In the mid-eighties in Winnipeg where I resided, his songs were played everywhere. George Michael was an echoing voice in the hearts of many.  Like photographs flying in the air, images abound when his songs are heard - images of my special and wonderful years in Winnipeg.

R.I.P. George Michael. Your music lives on.

A detailed commentary about his life under Comments below.

Rick Parfitt: Status Quo: Rockin' All Over The World

Richard John "Rick" Parfitt, OBE (12 October 1948 – 24 December 2016) was an English musician, best known for being a singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist in the rock band Status Quo.

He died at 68 after suffering from a severe infection. Taken to hospital in Marbella, Spain, on Thursday evening due to complications arising from a pre-existing shoulder injury, Parfitt died during lunchtime on Saturday, 24th December, 2016. This statement was provided by his manager and family.  In 1967, Traffic Jam changed to The Status Quo with Parfitt's almost 50-year career in the band. 

Works:

Pictures of Matchstick Men (only Top 40's in US @ #12 on Billboard Hot 100

Black Veils of Melancholy

Ice In The Sun Marty Wilde - 38 weeks

Piledriver 1972 album #5 - 37 weeks UK Chart

Paper Plane #42 German music chart - 1972

Caroline #36 German music chart - 1973

Down Down #no 14 Austrian music chart - 1975

Rain #27 in the German music chart - 1976

Rockin' All Over The World (John Fogerty) #29 in N.Z. music chart -1977

Whatever You Want #24 in the Australian Music Chart - 1979 

In 1976, they signed a pioneering sponsorship deal with Levi's

Mystery Song - 1976  co-written with Bob Young 

Quo were highly successful in Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand throughout the 80's and 90's, and were the opening act for 1985's LIVE AID and continue to be successful to-day. 

By February 2015 they had sold over 118 million records internationally.

Guitars and Amps used:

Fender Telecaster White 1965

Gibson SG Jr

Zemaitis 1981 - tuned to a B

Schecter Telecaster

Fender Esquire

custom-made Fender Telecaster Thinline

Gibson Melody Maker

Chet Atkins acoustic guitar

Status Slipstream guitars in different configurations. 

Marshall JCM800kk (Kerry King signature)

JCM900 amplifiers with 4x12 cabinets

VOX AC30 amplifiers

Roland GP8 signal processor

Boss CE-7 as his clean boost pedal

Information (edited): Wiki
Images: Google

Season's Greetings To Everyone, Everywhere

A Blessed Christmas and a Peaceful Next Year to my friends, readers and contributors.  

(Blog Statistics: 53,000+ readers a month and counting).

Beatles of Malaysia: Mike and Herb - With The Falcons

A May Gift for Andy and Readers

Thanks, Mike and Herb for the present

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When life was simple and the air was pure in Malaysia, two very young boys went on an adventure not many have experienced, perhaps not even today. They did a 240-day pop singing tour of Peninsula Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Brunei.

                                         Yesterday and Today

And don't forget their audiences were rural folks who had hardly any electricity or drinking water, let alone a TV or radio set.  But when the heard that the Malaysian Beatles were in their kampong, they headed to the nearest cinemas on bicycles, in carts and rickety trishaws, buses, vans, and cars, to watch the mop-hair pair in action. Together with this duo, other top Malayan pop artistes were on stage too. The shows were a treat indeed.

Then they came to Singapore and at the National Theatre, the crowd broke loose...

I must thank Mike and Herb, who wrote all the way from Down Under, for sharing their experience with me and my readers. Let's open this gift.

Hi Andy,

After reading your latest blog on the Ipoh Falcons from Malaysia, it brought back memories of our time with them and I just had to write something about them.

The Falcons were our first group when Herb and I started.  We did a solid eight-month tour with them and we performed in every state and town in Malaysia.  

We started in Alor Star then did all the east coast (Kelantan and Terengganu) and also most large towns on the way.  

We were performing almost every night and in most cases two or three shows daily.  The tour took us to many towns like Batu Pahat, Muar, Telok Anson, Seremban, and other towns.

Our eight months’ tour was organized by Cathay Organisation and we performed at all their theatres.

Rocky Teoh was with us and we had a great time with him especially when we were driving in his Sunbeam sports car.  He loved speed and for us, it was thrilling to be visiting many towns this way.  

On one occasion, Rocky drove us to another town for a visit and we got back very late and the show at which we were due to perform had already started. Management was frantic when we turned up late.  

We had to hurry into our stage clothes and quickly got on stage.  The Falcons had already started playing for the show.  Rocky was also late for his performance as Malaysia’s Elvis, but all the drama was soon forgotten once we took to the stage and did our performances.

Our shows also took us to Kuching (Sarawak), Brunei and all of Sabah.  We must have performed in well over 100 towns in Malaysia and the fans were unbelievable everywhere we went.

The Ipoh Falcons (Christopher, Tony, Tommy, and Thomas) were a great bunch of guys and very talented musicians too. We had so many good memories and stories of our eight-month tour and I must say Rocky Teoh turned out to be a really good friend until his untimely death at an early age.

After that, Herb and I went to Singapore where we joined the Silver Strings for the start of the 1960‘s pop scene.

After reading your blog on the Ipoh Falcons I wanted people to know that Herb and I started our music career with them. 

Kind Regards,

Mike

NB: 

Readers might have noticed the billboards were put up along the Malayan roads near the cinemas they were appearing at. These show-posters were colored and hand-painted on canvas and common in the '60s. They were an attraction and could draw passers-by and drivers.

              

Images and story: A Private Collection. Copyrights Reserved.

Elvis Presley - G.I. Blues & Classical Music

Elvis Presley: Tonight's So Right For Love [G.I. Blues: 1960]

Offenbach -Barcarolle from Les Contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales Of Hoffmann)

Please listen to the Elvis video and the original classical composition below.

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Hold me tight 

The moon's so bright 
Tonight is so right for love... 

In the early 60's, while listening to Elvis Presley's, Tonight Is So Right For Love from G. I. Blues (1960), I found the melody familiar.

Barcarolle from 'Les contes d'Hoffmann' by Offenbach

YouTube video by: mezzocristina.

Since the world of popular music has gleaned many of its hits from the classics, the Wayne, Silver and Lilly composition is actually based on Offenbach - Barcarolle from Les Contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales Of Hoffmann) and not from Johann Strauss as some surfers claim it to be.  Listen to Elvis' version, then key in Google Video for Offenbach Barcarolle. 

Della Reese* is one singer who had recorded songs classical music based on Puccini, Tchaikovsky, Schubert and other composers. 

The list below provides information on popular songs from classical music. Some songs are not from the 60's:

Procol Harum: 
Whiter Shade Of Pale
Bach's Air On The G String.

Eric Carmen: 
All By Myself
Melody of Rachmaninoff's 2nd Piano Concerto in C Minor.

Eric Carmen: 
Never Gonna Fall in Love Again
Main Theme Rachmaninoff's 2nd Symphony.

Tony Bennett: 
Stranger in Paradise (Kismet)
Alexander Borodin's Polovtsian Dances.

Della Reese: 
Don't You Know
La Boheme by Puccini.

Freddy Martin: 
Tonight We Love
Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto in B Flat.

Elvis Presley:
It's Now or Never
O Sole Mio.

Elvis Presley:
Surrender
Torna A. Surriento.

Jackie Wilson: 
Night 
Saint-Saens Opera Samson and Delilah.

Della Reese:*
Till The End Of Time
Chopin adapted.

And the list goes on. It is common knowledge that many of today's pop musicians are well-versed with classical music. Pop stars like Bono, Keith Richards, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello are just a few of these artistes. And Elvis?

I had records by Mario Lanza when I was 17, 18 years old, I would listen to the Metropolitan Opera. I just loved music. Music period. (Elvis Presley, 1972 interview).

Song list compiled from classical music websites.

Images: Google.
Original Article: Andy Lim.

You Tube: Elvis Presley video from Kevin Allen. 
               Barcarolle video from mezzocristina.

Led Zeppelin In Their Forever Book! Wow!

One of the easiest books to read or browse through, this fabulous coffee table publication tells an interesting tale about the guys who composed the incredibly successful rock song, *Stairway To Heaven and other staggering hits.

Thick at 220 pages and priced at a sale for S$15, I just grabbed it with another similar one about the other rock group, Rolling Stones. Of quality print, biographical and associated pictures of the four guys who made it through to the struggling end, Led Zeppelin (above) first gathered during a 1968 London space to become one of the world's biggest bands at an almost unprecedented level of success.

Contents are simply pegged and formatted into four parts, Dazed and Confused, Electric Magic, The Song Remains The Same, A Whole Lot of Love. Then there's the important Discography where L.Z. fans can browse through with eternal contentment the list of recordings, albums and awards this group would have harvested during their years of performing.

From Yardbirds to Led Zeppelin (not 'Lead', avoiding mispronunciation) the electric four went on to receive, World's Top Band at a London award. But the road to stardom is never easy, with slippery shocks along the way. What with heroin addiction, the passing away of a son and the death of one member, a whole lot of love, a Live Aid concert and other positive factors helped to heal the battle scars of Rock Zeppelin. 

Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonzo Bonham are saluted page after page in this forever book (it never ends). And it's not outdated. 
Published in 2009, the featured and worth-duplicating images include Robert Plant with Alison Krauss and another with Nelson Mandela. There's another with Jimmy Page and Leona Lewis performing Whole Lotta Love. 

                                          Celebration Day 2012.

That's it. The book is what it is, an illustrated biography. Can't reveal more cause this posting is not a book review. I'm about half way through and have yet to check the rest out...

The content of this original post is copyrighted. 

Please click under Comment Page below to read Mr Michael Bangar's experience with Led Zeppelin and Brenda's interpretation of Stairway To Heaven.

Disclaimer:
There is no intention to promote the book or use its copyright photographs for financial gains since this post is just a book reader's love to share pop music stories.

*Jerry Fernandez' book title, To Be A Rock But Not To Roll, comes from a line in the song.

Images: From the original book. 
Published by Transatlantic Press 2009.

LIVE VIDEO ABOVE: By YeOldeRock.