Fish, Plastic Bags, 'Ikan Kekek', Malay Folk Song

The ban on plastic bags is a hot topic. Let's keep on highlighting this issue until the world gets rid of them. Below are two inter-related stories and a folk-song about fish dishes.

The above poster was taken off Alexandra Hsieh's Facebook post. Thanks, Alex. 

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1) Fish in plastic or plastic in fish?

Hooray, the world says it's getting rid of plastic bags. It will take some time.  

Lately, I went to one of the biggest Singapore supermarket chains and asked for a small paper bag. I was given instead a small plastic bag. 

"We don't have paper bags!" said the lady in charge. Strange.

(The picture is a representation of a dead whale from ingestion of plastic created by Greenpeace Philippines. Credit: Greenpeace Philippines)

2) Whales eat people or people eat whales?

No, whales swallow plastic bags and bottles.  And, yes, in a certain country, some people are still catching whales to eat.

"We have been eating them for generations! It's in our culture!" says a citizen. 

I love eating fish but definitely not whales. So be careful not only of fish bones but plastic pieces.

3) Ikan Kekek Folk Song:

Here's a Malay folk song I remember that little children sing in kampongs (villages) in the 1960s. It is just as popular today and sung in primary school classrooms in Malaysia and in Malay classes in Singapore.

Ikan Kekek is, according to a website, PONY FISH, pictured above, a favourite fish dish.

4) Songs with Fish titles:

I don't know too many songs about fish in the English language but here are a few:

Fish and Chips - Chuck Berry
Pisces Fish - George Harrison
Saturday Night Fish Fry - BB King

Gone Fishing - Bing Crosby n Louis Armstrong
Fish Song - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Pray For The Fish - Randy Travis

The Fishin' Hole - Andy Griffith
Moby Dick - Frankie Laine
The Down Easter Alexa - Billy Joel

You can improve the list of fish songs. Splash them on.

WE WANT TO EAT FISH NOT PLASTIC. GET RID OF PLASTIC BAGS!!!

Ikan kekek mak iloi-iloi

Ikan gelama mak ilai -lai

Nanti adik mak iloi-iloi

Pulang sama mak ilai-ilai

Ada satu si ikan parang

Badannya panjang berbelang-belang

Isinya sdikit banyak tulang

Sedap dimakan ala masak pindang

Ikan kekek mak iloi-iloi

Ikan gelama mak ilai-ilai

Nanti adik mak iloi-iloi

Pulang sama mak ilai-ilai

Ada satu si ikan pari

Badannya bulat penuh isi

Sedap dimakan kalo masak kari

Jangan lupa taruh lebih chili

Ikan kekek mak iloi-iloi

Ikan gelama mak ilai-ilai

Nanti adik mak iloi-iloi

Pulang sama mak ilai-ilia

Ikan kekek, oi

Ikan kekek

Ikan kekek, oi

Ikan kekek

Saloma: Ikan Kekek. 

YouTube Video from: Madey Retro Klasik

Translation from Malay:

Mak iloi-iloi snicker fish

Gelama mak ilai -lai fish

Later, my sister will be iloi-iloi

Go home with Ilai-ilai's mother

There is one machete fish

The body is long and striped

It contains quite a lot of bones

Delicious to eat pindang style

Mak iloi-iloi snicker fish

Later, my sister will be iloi-iloi

Go home with Ilai-ilai's mother

There is one stingray

The body is round and full of content

It's delicious when cooked with curry

Don't forget to put more chili

Mak iloi-iloi snicker fish

Gelama mak ilai-ilai fish

Later, my sister will be iloi-iloi

Go home with Ilai-Ilia's mother

Snicker fish, oi

Snickerfish

Snicker fish, oi

Snickerfish

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Anonymous.

Tribute To Billy Yap: Sings Like Perry Como & Tony Bennett

Good friend, Billy Yap passed away on the 31st December 2018.

Below is a tribute and a poem by Lim Kuan Min, former school principal. 

Billy was a lover of jazz standards and sings them just as well.

Billy Yap: Singapore's Answer To Tony Bennett
Written on September 9th in 2013

A few years ago I went with a friend to a recording studio where he recorded some popular standards like Strangers in the Night, Too Young, It's Impossible to name a few (check below image for list).  

There was no trial run before his recording, no notes he found too high and no mistakes made in his lyrics. His rendition of the songs he selected was perfectly pitched, clearly defined and peppered with the touch and feel of a professional.

Billy Yap who is 82 this year (2013), sings like Tony Bennett with a voice so smooth ladies swoon when he sings at house parties, wedding dinners, and karaoke sessions.  To me, Billy Yap is Singapore's, Tony Bennett. 

"I need no big band accompaniment," he says proudly, "Just give me a good pianist who can feel my song. The other alternative is a quality, karaoke backing..."

Perry Como And I Love You So 

A retired teacher, table-tennis super league player and great-grandfather Billy says he practices during Karaoke sessions with friends and family. He has been singing for the past 70s years and his musical ability stems from his mother who used to play the piano and sing after the family dinner. 

Billy sings everywhere; in the house, in the car and during our kopi sessions at Thompson Plaza. He tells me he even sings in the bathroom and before he goes to bed. During a group journey overseas, Billy sang using the microphone on the tourist bus. It was a trip heading to Beijing, China.  Most of the tourists in the bus loved Chinese pops so when he sang, I left my heart in San Francisco, I thought he would be in deep trouble. Instead, the 35-strong group cheered and asked for more.  

When I asked Billy what he thought of today's pop scene he remarked, "Singers do not sing the evergreens like they should be sung.  Nowadays current singers interpret the composition in their own way and it becomes a totally new song. It's a personal opinion." Well, Billy, I have heard his duets with some of today's pop stars.  They sound great actually.

He attended the Andy and Silver Strings Concert at the Esplanade in 2009 with Kuan Min. It would have been a privilege to invite him on stage but Billy was most comfortable with karaoke or just a piano to accompany him.

He only printed about 10 copies of his CDs that come with the package. He has given them away except the one for himself. We cannot afford Tony Bennett to sing at our home parties but Billy is available if you need someone to croon evergreens. No charge actually. Just drive him to the venue and back. He would love to sing for you.

"Strangers in the night, Exchanging trousers, Love at first sight, What are the chances?" One of Billy's jokes!

BILLY
(written when Billy was ill in hospital)

by: Lim Kuan Min

Not a cheery morn for me,

When I learned
Billy again warded.
Now in mid 80s
Lost his usual vigour
And humour,
A hand in perpetual tremor.
Can't recognise me
Oftentimes when I call.
Our friendship
Born in the '70s
When I was 20s
And Billy 30s
A decade plus separating.
Both Aries we click
Like an older bruh to me, he is.
A charmer with dimpled smile
That must have won the hearts
Of fair ladies aplenty with his wit
Humour, gentlemanliness.
Always a kind soul
With a generous spirit,
But an easy target for cheats,
He sees only goodness in people

Billy Yap with Lim Kuan Min and Stephen Han in front at the Esplanade Concert in 2009

Together with SS Andy
We travelled and bonded
Through Land of Smiles
Land of Dragons.
Once, he zoomed in from Melbourne,
Met us at Changi,
Without skipping a beat,
Off we winged to Beijing.
Wife lost thru illness,
Fire ravaged his home,
Billy survives loneliness
Material loss stoically

With warmth of family, friends, laughter.
Sings like Perry Como

Even recorded an album*,
A treasured gift in my possession.
Time flies, our friendship lasts
Into our twilight moment,
Meeting, bantering, reminiscing
Of times spent in bygone days
About people, places, happenings.
Moved into a 3-roomer
His pure white Samoyed by his side,

Billy often seen at Bishan Park strolling.

Health failing, more and more

In solitude, he seeks solace.
Meetings less frequent
As aging cruelly saps his vigour
And Vitality.
Billy,
With heavy heart I pray that Heaven is kind
Whatever your illness.
Hopefully, waiting the day of your Homecoming.
🙏

Images: Google and Andy Lim Collection.

Andy 60s Music Wishes You A Happy New 2019

TO ALL MUSIC FRIENDS AND READERS OF THIS BLOG. THANK YOU. LET'S 
FORGE AHEAD AS FRIENDS BUT KEEP LISTENING TO THE EVERGREENS.

Images: Google

ABBA HAPPY NEW YEAR, HAPPY NEW YEAR IN ENGLISH.

HAPPY NEW YEAR HAPPY NEW YEAR ANTHATHE IN TAMIL. 

AULD LANG SYNE  友誼萬歲 BY THE WYNNERS FROM HONGKONG  

AULD LANG SYNE IN BAHASA INDONESIA.