Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Singapore 60's Music Rediffusion: Top Tunes Of The Week By Stephen Han.

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Written by Stephen Han, this article is one of his many contributions for the blog. I cannot thank you enough my friend. Click his name below under 'Labels' after this story and read more...

During my schooldays, I was very fond of hot songs and music. I practically glued myself to my friend’s Rediffusion  box [image] and listened to the the wonderful programs on the Silver Network. 

The ones that I love are, “So You Want To Be An Announcer”, ”From Your House” and “Top Tunes Of The Week “. ”From Your House” was then hosted by Noreen Sales in which a family can have their favourite songs played. ”You could be an announcer and had your songs dedicated and played in, “So You Want To Be An Announcer”. I managed to win a $100 prize in guessing the top tunes according to their order. 

One programme I like best was the “Martin Block And His Make Belief Ballroom.” [image]. This show not only played the current top songs but also gave good account of every song just like that of the ones by Casey Kasem.

I used to attend the variety concerts with my friends and two lovely sisters, Maggie and Molly Phua and their neighbor, Janet Tay. I got a chance to hear band from nightclubs like Benny Klieman Trio, from Prince Garni Hotel and Joseph Goh and his skiffle group. When Mike Ellery called for volunteers for a play, my friends, Albert Sim and Peter Mun literally dragged me up on stage.


Then came Steven Lee, Larry Lai and Theresa Khoo. These three persons were given major roles. They 'read their lines so cleverly and never missed a cue,' just like the Hollywood actors. I did not fare badly. The story was then broadcast to the enjoyment of Rediffusion listeners a couple of weeks later.

You soon noticed that Steven Lee became a well known radio news reader while Larry Lai became a famous radio and TV personality. Theresa Khoo did some recording with her voice in, “Unspoken Words” and played the piano with some Canto Pops groups.

Sometimes famous singers and bands were invited to perform and I had the chance to watch the live performance of the pretty, Haley Mills through the courtesy of Lorna Sales, [image: the girl with the hula hoop]. Haley sang her hit song from her movie, “The Parent Trap” the lively song “Let’s Get Together”. After that she did an autograph session with her dad, namely, John Mills.

The tiny Rediffusion box had provided me lots of joy and happiness and I ‘m sure the pioneer generation had great times with it.

Written by: Stephen Han [Copyrights Reserved.]

John Mills and daughter Haley Mills

The Parent Trap: Let's Get Together.
With Haley Mills [Split Screen Technology 1961]
YouTube Video: TheDISNEYcollection.

Writer, Mr Stephen Han [in pink]
With Andy.

Stephen's Stories About Singapore 60s Music:

Images: Google.

Image details will be inserted soon.

34 comments:

Alfredo Wongo said...

I listened to Lee Tai Saw on the Rediffusion and enjoyed his story telling

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thanks Mr Wongo for being the first to comment.
Yes, Mr Lee was famous for his fantastic and famous stories!

Alfredo Wongo said...

Listened to some music also but more from watching the black n white TV Jumping Jewels and The Monkees

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Yes, that was an outstandingly entertaining period about 20 years after the WW2 and people were crazy for music and movies.

TV had just started as we received it in early 1963. JJ and The Monkees were popular indeed.
Thanks for the conversation Mr Wongo.

Do visit the blog more often with your crisp and informative comments.
Cheers.

CHAT, CHAT said...


Elly Gwee
Uncle do u know Cyril Teo too?

Andy Young
Author
Elly Gwee thanks for the reply. No I do not. Do you know him? Tell us your story Elly. Just call me Andy. I'm only 28.🙂

CHIT CHAT said...

Jimmy Appudurai-chua
Great guy

Andy Young
Jimmy Appudurai-chua he certain is.
Thanks for the thumbs up. and being one of the first to reply.

Andy Young
Patrick, Patrick, Dick, Rose, Amida and Michael for reacting so quickly to this post; thank you all.

ERICBRONSON WONG [HONGKONG] said...

D Early Days Of Redifusion In Singapore Was A True Luxury,,
Truly A Marvellous Magical Box With So Much Of Splendour,,,,

CHIT CHAT said...


Andy Young He was my bro colleague in SQ, a true bred Peranakan and is a news reader too
Sadly he has passed on yrs ago

Andy Young
Author
Elly Gwee oh I'm sorry to hear that. I'll ask Larry about it. Thanks Elly for keeping in touch.

CHIT CHAT said...


DANIEL LOWE CKW
I spent a lot of time growing up with a rediffusion turn on till we switch off the lights. Only time the house was quiet.

Andy Young
Author
Daniel Lowe Ckw hello! Thanks for your very interesting comment. Yes, the box is like a chatty friend.

LARRY LAI [FORMER REDIFFUSION DJ] said...

Thanks for the post.
The name Cyril Teo rings some bells but cannot connect.
If you have a picture of him it might help."

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

There you go Elly
Any picture?

JIMMY CHNG [DRUMMER - THE DECIBELS] said...

With the XBB variant in the air, reading Stephen's article sure lifted the gloom, especially for seniors like me. His article brought back fond memories of yore. Although we didn't have a Rediffusion set in our home then, we had a radio.

Listening to the radio was an equally entertaining, enjoyable and educational alternative. Apart from listening to pop song requests programmes, two other programmes that I enjoyed very much were The Klitheroe Kid and My Word!

Thanks again to Stephen for this latest contribution.

IVOR LESSLAR [PROFESSIONAL GUITARIST] said...


Our eyes and ears were focus on the box as though it was a TV set.

FRED CHING said...


Thanks for posting Brother Andy, and kudos to Stephen for sharing. One of the first few songs that I learned to sing, after hearing it from Rediffusion with my brother George.

It is indeed one song that he purchased from ITunes and is now part of my collection. Never fails to bring fond memories of my brother George. Wow!
👍❤️🥰..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxfkI8D5Adc

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...


Fred Ching lovely, my favourite singer from the 60's.
My grandchildren love his songs too.
Thanks for sharing.

DAISY KOH said...

Koh Daisy
Cheap entertainment for $5 a month. Remember on Sat afternoons they had running commentaries on horse racing and popular songs in between races. Theme song: Love & Marriage … goes along like a horse & carriage …This usually started at 2pm on weekends ?
The seniors in the house were mesmerised by the tales told by Ong Toh(hokkien) n Lei Tai Saw of course . Housewives also listened spellbound to the ghostly tales at 12 noon accompanied by dramatic ghostly sound effects.

I was happy with the request programmes all day long …I remember practising my 10- year series Maths and listening to Rediffusion at the same time …equivalent to our youngsters studying with headphones blasting music in their ears🤣… beginnings of multi-tasking. When a new song was played we would stop work and scribble down the lyrics …obvious blanks were left out … just like doing a cloze passage today.

I won $15 on the Home at 8.30 show hosted by Larry Lai … big money for a school girl then.🤣
I must say it was a great source of entertainment for the family.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...


Koh Daisy hello!
Appreciate your sharing a detailed memory about your daily affair with Rediffusion.
I shall try to put it up as an independent posting on the blog soon.
Thanks Daisy.

CHIT CHAT said...

Pear Leen
Yes, i used to tune in to Thanks for the Memories.

Andy Young
Author
Pear Leen, hello! That's a popular programme I understand. Thanks.

CHIT CHAT said...

Don Soh
These local DJs back then have impeccable English diction which not many younger DJs possess. Most are pseudo American accent influence by Hollywood movies. Gone are the days their voices filled the air wave.

Andy Young
Author
Don Soh, hello! Exactly! It's a shame truly. Thanks for sharing.

RONALD HO [THE MELTONES] said...

Lovely write up by Han. He has such excellent recall on details 6 decades ago.
Amazing brains.

PETER CHEONG [S.A.S] said...


Wow this brings back memories of days of music I really miss. While doing homework ears were glued to the speaker. Mum thought I was studious. Lots of nice programs.

My fav program was P O BOX 608 . Top top tune of the week n stars on wings. Sometimes me n my friends were crazy to go to Clemenceau Ave to wait for the Djs to come out for lunch to hand our request cards.

Those were the days.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...


Peter Cheong hi, hi! Wow! That's plenty of sharing and very personal too. Yes, Larry told me about his car windshield plastered with request cards too, on the wipers. THANKS PETER.

CHIT CHAT said...

Freda Hanum
Such good memories from Stephen Hand and Daisy Koh too. About this Rediffusion really reminded me of my late mum, she was so dedicated to the box hehehe 😆 and got me addicted to it too even though I was such a young kid... So agreed this Rediffusion brought great entertainment and joy to countless household.

Andy Young
Freda Hanum
hey yo!
Yes it does and made 'a young kid' into a great musician too...
Cheers.

David Chen:
Leow Tie Sow storytelling.

Andy Young
Yes, David. Yes, the Chinese storyteller. Thanks.
.

CHIT CHAT said...

THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING FOR LIKING THIS POST

Colin Colin
Ericbronson Wong
James Kwok
Koh Daisy
Hiroshi Deguchi
Charlie Bogosoff
Somkid Lakhawat
Ben van der Laan-Hatikustia
David Chen
John Cher
Kali Dass S
Bernard Hamon
Anna Kim
Ann Rowena Lim
Freda Hanum
Peter Cheong
Ser Kiong Tan
Fred Ching
Hawk Chen
Lyndon Desker
Lim Nance
Chow Wen Hing
Yip Dick
Rose Khoo
Amida Izad
Patrick Chng
Patrick Teng
Michael Tai

CHIT CHAT said...


Andy Young The late Vernon Palmer came to our Toastmasters club to speak on good English and remarked that in his early years in broadcasting they could shortlist one out of twenty applicants for trainee announcers. Around the time he retired it was hard to find a suitable one out a hundred or more.
Reply1d
Tan Jin Huat
I remember Saturday 12pm 📞 Calling All Hospital by Lucy Leong, a request of pop songs.

Nai Ho
Another one was Tan Swee Leong.

Santa Kyseah
I remember "the hound dog show" by kasey kassem, Saturday night 9.30pm onwards.

James Kwok
Anyone remembers Prof Lengtoon?

Derek Lee
Roger Kool, Lynette Loon, the late Chris Ho.

Gary Lim
Derek Lee, Roger Kool also passed on Andy.

Andy Young
Author
Thanks guys for all the comments.
Interesting to note how pop Rediffusion was and the fact that all the DJs speak superbly and more important: with a natural flair.
Cheers!

Derek Lee
Yes I know. the American Top 40 was my favourite show on Saturdays.
Rick Dees too.


CHIT CHAT said...

THANKS FOR THE 'LIKES' FROM THE FOLLOWING

Colin Colin
Elly Gwee
Jalani Mohamed
Kali Dass S
Yip Dick
Lawrence Anderson
May Lai
Terence Kessler
Angie Guna
Leng Neo
Dorai Asokumar
Damien Mallanyk
Robert Lim
Teri Tan
Willie N Lim
July Croager
Kun Hee Ho
Derek Lee
Stanislaus Wee
Kanda Samy
Jeff Lau
BooYoung Do
Benny Ang
Freddy Chew
Muhammad Jellanie
Sam Tay
Alwi Aidid
Thambyrajah Rajah
Pear Leen
Chay Kit Yue
Lyndon Desker
Chan Johnson
Leonard Kokck
Daniel Lowe Ckw
Anna Poon

CHIT CHAT said...

Rick Burnett Baker
Worked with Larry and the late Mike Ellery while doing TV/radio voiceovers in the late 70's and early 80's.

Andy Young
Author
Rick Burnett Baker, hi. Hey thanks for connecting. And you know these guys? I'll pass on the message to Larry...

CHIT CHAT said...

Elly Gwee
Andy Young He was my bro colleague in SQ, a.true bred Peranakan and is a news reader too

Elly Gwee
Sadly he has passed on yrs ago

Andy Young
Author
Elly Gwee oh I'm sorry to hear that. I'll ask Larry about it. Thanks Elly for keeping in touch.

Dave Tham
Andy Young what’s Larry Lai doing these days ?

Andy Young
Author
Dave Tham hi, I can't answer for him but from what I know he's doing fine.

Alan Oliveiro
Elly Gwee Cyril Teo was also a trainer in SIA Training Centre. Ex-SQ crew

Elly Gwee
Alan Oliveiro Bro were u in SQ too ?

CHIT CHAT said...


Martin Michael
Noreen Sales son was w me in P1 to P6...then emigrated to Aust.

See Kok Wan
I always tune to Silver Channel, American Top 40, hosted by the legendary Casey Kasem, the father of our media corp DJ Mike Kassem of Gold 90.5

https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-Landing/listing/1338096

CHIT CHAT said...


See Kok Wan sorry the only association maybe his name sake. Just like someone who will never be as good as the Father in my opinion.

Francis Ng
I worked in the Rediffusion Fault Control Dept with a team of multi- racial maintenance men in the 1960s to attend to network breakdown. It was an important overlooked Department to ensure that music never stopped.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...


Francis Ng
HELLO.
Thanks for the pix and telling us what you do.
Yes, the music should never stop.

And the many folks who wrote in.
Thanks so much.
Do write in anytime to spread the nostalgia and memories.

CHIT CHAT said...

See Kok Wan
Francis Ng I got the privilege to be Rediffusion's cables vendor. My ex company developed Anti-Termite cables together. I remember Robert was the guy in charge and MD was Mr Wong.

Francis Ng
I recalled my big boss was Mr Goh something, can’t remember the other Chinese name who speaks impeccable English who passed away young during his trip to Thailand and immediate boss was Mr Chacko. Does it ring a bell?

Andy Young
Author
Francis Ng hi. Thanks for the information. This article was written by a friend for a Singapore music posting. I am not aware. Cheers.

CHIT CHAT said...

Richard Lincoln
Larry Lai used to host the weekday afternoon show from Rediffusion's satellite studio at Metro Golden Mile located at the Merlin Hotel Shopping Arcade in the mid 70s.

Andy Young
Author
Richard Lincoln hi, thanks for sharing your memory.

Derek Lee
Yes. I remember being there at times.

Richard Lincoln
If I'm not mistaken, the late Chris Ho hosted a records review programme sponsored by EMI in the 70s. He was one of the best if not THE best voice on both Rediffusion or radio. He spoke clearly without 'hesitation, deviation or repetition'.

Andy Young
Author
Richard Lincoln, that's an art in itself; elocution without much preparation? Thanks for your thoughts.





CHIT CHAT said...

RICHARD LINCOLN
I met Mr Chris Ho years back. And we got to having a chat. He looked forever young.
He sent me this autographed copy of his then newly released CD. He was X'ho at that time.

ANDY
Thank you Richard for the photograph.