Saturday, January 25, 2020

Andy 60's Mouse Year 2020: (新年快乐) Zhang Lu (張露): Speedy, Mickey, Jerry.

Image result for zhang lu singer
Zhang Lu (張露), born in 1932, was one of the better known singers from China my mother fancied. She made her worth in the middle kingdom, singing in clubs and on the radio but Hong Kong was her place. She made her name as a pop diva, had two children with her marriage to Singaporean Ollie Delfino. She died in January 2009 during the Lunar New Year. Her CNY song is featured below, another one I learnt as a child from mother.

This Post:
It's the Year of the Rat and this animal is the first on the list of 12 Zodiac characters from the Chinese calendar. Rat is actually second but after jumping off Ox's back, he claimed the turf before Ox. Rat has high IQ, EQ, is multi-talented, adaptable and can accumulate wealth. He gets along fine with his counterparts: Ox, Monkey and Dragon.

But this post is not about Rat; it's about my exposure to three fun mice I met when I was young and fancy free. And they are all from the West, my own Three Miceketeers!


Speedy Gonzalez and this year's Chinese Zodiac Rat

Rats or mice? They don't matter. Only one is bigger than the other. 
Rats or mice (unlike the Zodiac ones) have a reputation that's never positive. They are a nuisance in the home and considered pests.
Image result for speedy gonzales and mexican girl
A song by Pat Boone, Speedy (1953) is a sexy, Mexican mouse.

To get a song about mice isn't easy and nice ones are a challenge, unless you believe in the Zodiac sign. But there is one song that kept spinning in my mind and sung by a handsome crooner from the 60's The lyrics are funny and the perky song is about a sexy mouse and his wandering ways. 

The rodent with the Mexican sombrero is my hero this Rat Year 2020. Do you know him?  He hails from Mexico.  Apparently this rat is quite attuned to ladies and the plaintive cry of his young maiden haunted the haciendas, gauchos and cactus plants along the Mexican trail, begging him to come home.

Pat Boone's favourite mouse.

The other mouse that I love is Jerry, a good friend of Tom from Tom n Jerry cartoons (William Hanna/Joseph Barbera) and was born in 1940. If I am not mistaken he came earlier than Speedy Gonzalez (Warner Brothers/Looney Tunes/Merry Melodies) who came in 1962. 

Jerry (1940) with cheese and first famous mouse Mickey (1928).

Jerry the mouse is Tom's great friend but they scratch and get entangled with each other all over the place as household paraphernalia get rattled in the milieu. The action happens in the garden too.

Image result for tom chasing jerry
Jerry being chased around by great buddy Tom the cat.

My third favourite mouse is Mickey - who hails from the mind of Walt Disney and his cartoonists many many years ago in 1928. Mickey filled my youthful years with much laughter with his good friends Donald Duck and Goofy.

So there, my three miceketeers friends from the West, Speedy, Jerry and Mickey, with this year's Rat from the East. They formulate what I am today from the point of view that rodents can be fun. Yes, but cartoon rodents.



Tom and Jerry Theme: Video from Harzy.

Wishing all my confused readers, Happy Lunar New Year of The Rat. 


My grand-daughter was born in the Rat year and she'll be twelve. This post is dedicated to her, the other 2J's and Mr Michael Bangar.


(Good friend Michael Bangar sends me yearly greeting cards filled with his favourite characters, two of which are Mickey and Jerry. Thanks Mike for your dedicated stories about Singapore music.)

(張露-迎春花Zhang Lu: Flowers of Spring (Winter Jasmine) 1951. Zzenzero posts many videos on YouTube pertaining to classic Chinese songs. Thanks Zzenzero.

Images: 

Google and copyrighted by Warner Brothers/Looney Tunes, Walt Disney Pictures, Hanna and Barbera Cartoons.

GIF: From Ann Rowena Lim.
Thank you Ann.
Disclaimer:
If there is objection to the cartoons and videos being used, please inform by using the Comment page and they will be deleted immediately. Thank you.

16 comments:

PETER CHEONG said...

Happy Lurna New Year Andy n all members.

YEN CHOW said...

Gong Xi Fa Cai Andy!

STEPHEN HAN said...

Yes I remember the lovely song of Zhang Lu who has an actor son.
As for the rat year,I used to see the champion,Mighty Mouse in films and on TV.

FRED CHING said...

Dear Brother Andy,
A Happy And Prosperous Lunar New Year.
Gong Xi Fa Cai!!!
May The Year Of The Rat Brings Health, Happiness And Success To You And Love Ones...
Fred & Family.
🍊🍊🧧🧧🍍🍍

CHAN BOON BUN said...

CHINESE NEW YEAR GREETINGS:

HAPPINESS COMES IN THE
YEAR OF THE RAT, AND PEACE
IS AUSPICIOUS. I WISH YOU
A HAPPY NEW YEAR
IN THE RAT YEAR.
ON THIS FESTIVE DAY,
I WISH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY,
GREAT LUCK, GOOD HEALTH AND
A WEALTH OF WEALTH.

FL said...

Hi, Andy and all readers, the Rat took over the "reign" from the Pig today, and we begin our journey with the Rat for another 12 months. I wish everyone, A joyous, peaceful and prosperous Lunar New Year.

WHAT'SAPP/EMAIL: said...

Listed below are friends who send New Year greetings.
Thank you all:

JOE (EASYBEAT)
JOHNNY YEOW
PERRY KOH
JOYCELYN
DAISY KOH
EDDIE WEE KS
ALFRED WONG
HARRY CHEOK
WAYNE CHOW
JERRY SARAM
JACKIE LADY
MR & MRS BRIAN RICHMOND
ANTHONY TAN
IRENE YAP
JIMMY CHAN
LARRY LAI
WILFRED LIM
MALVIN CHUA
CHRIS
LAURENCE LIM
JOHNNY YEOW
FABIAN FOO
EUSOOF ANGULLIA
RICKIE CHNG
MD NOOR
STEPHEN HAN

WHAT'SAPP/EMAIL: said...

CHINESE NEW YEAR OF THE RAT GREETINGS FROM:

TAN SOO KHOON
AUDIE NG (SILVER STRINGS)
EDDIE ENG
ANNA LAW (TEEPEES)
VINCENT TAN
LIM KUAN MIN
JERRY FERNANDEZ (NEU FACES)
WINSTON KOH (TRAILERS)
CHEW HEE HONG
MALCOLM HYDER (BAMBINOS)
JALANI MD. (PIANIST)
ELAINE SUNG
CEDRIC COLLARS (AUSTRALIA)
HORACE WEE
HAPPY TAY (VANCOUVER)
MICHAEL CHENG
MATTHEW TAN (MANDARINS)
ALEX HSIEH
PETER HAN (TOKYO SQUARE)
TED HA
ZAINAL ABIDIN (DUKES)
PATRICK CHAN (PATRICIANS)
S. LENG
CY LIN
ONG S.H.
GEORGE CHEW (DUKES)
VICTOR LAM (MYSTERIANS)
TONY NG
SEE CS
STEVE HO & HEARTBREAKERS
PAUL IBRAHM (TANIA)
FRED YEO
JIMMY YAP
MICHAEL BANGAR
JIMMY APPUDURAI
RICHARD KHAN (OCTOBER CHERRIES)
LIM PH CHRIS
G. KOH
MARK TSL
MAY
JAN CHEONG
OLIVER BALASINGHAM

facebook chats said...

The following list from Andy Young Poster Facebook post:
Freda Hanum
Fred Ching
Hiroshi Deguchi
Jimmy Appudurai-chua
Ann Rowena Lim
Yen Chow
Monica Pestana
Jerry Fernandez
Tan Andrew
Jutta Ehrhardt Sinarajah
Sina Sinarajah
Moody Cash

Thank you all.
List is still growing...

ANN ROWENA LIM said...

Welcome dearest Andy Young.
🐁🍊🍊🎋🧧🧧🍍❤️🥰

TAN SOO KHOON said...

Thank you for reminding us of your favourite mice.
Speedy Gonzales was from 1953?
I think it was in 1962.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Yes 1962 Soo Khoon.
Thanks for the correction.

And again a BIG thank you to all my friends and readers for supporting this blog.
I have listed those who sent their greetings in a few columns.
Easier to read.
If I have missed out some of your names, please excuse me.

FACEBOOK/WHAT'SAPP said...

THANKS THESE FOLKS BELOW FOR CONSTANT SUPPORT OF THIS BLOG
AND FOR SENDING NEW YEAR GREETINGS:

DR. STEVE FARRAM
HENRI GANN
FL
CYLIN
RUMINI (TEEPEES)
MICHAEL BANGAR
MERLIN LIM
DANNY BOY
CHARLIE YAP
IRENE YAP
ROSE KHOO
BELINDA POH
JENNIE LAW
RANDY LEE
JIMMY BOEY
TRACY NG
YEN CHOW
ROBERT SURIYA (NAOMI&BOYS)
ALPHONSO SOOSAY (NAOMI&BOYS)
ROOP SINGH

RICHARD PAUL M. said...

Hi Andy
Its a blessing to have festive occasion like Lunar New Year to sent greeting to one another, otherwise we may just lost contact.

A Happy & Healthy New Year to you.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Richard thanks so much for your wit and charm.
They make these FB repartee more fun and lively.
Yes, true. Losing contact we shouldn't. :-)
LUNAR YEAR GREETINGS TO YOU & FAMILY.

Thanks to others who jumped into the band wagon to send Lunar Festive Greetings.

WHAT'SAPP/FACEBOOK said...

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR GREETINGS:

DR. A. KHOO (NIE)
JOHN & JUDY BLAIR (SYDNEY/AUS)
JANE DICK (MANITOBA/CANADA)
PAUL YEO SP
CHARLIE YAP (LOCOMOTION)
TAN PENG TEE
ANTHONY TAN K.H.
JAMES KWOK
ERICBRONSON WONG