Singapore 60's Favorite Drink With Music: Rum And Coca...

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The Dance:

In Singapore 60's, Saturday nights were called golden nights because it was the time when pop bands were playing at most of the night spots in Singapore. My friends and I would meet and proceed to one and since we lived on the East Coast, it was usually the Paya Lebar Airport nightclub with its tiny dance floor or the Ambassador at Meyer Road. The latter had a choice of two dance venues. We would go to listen to the latest songs, to dance and to buy a drink or two. 

There was also a joke running around those years, that boys and girls were hugging each other tightly on the floor rather than dance because the waltz and slow foxtrot were an excuse to do so. Instead of dancing the couples were actually lam-sing (translated lam in a Chinese dialect is to hold or hug). 

So during quieter moments when the band played sentimental melodies the dance floor would be packed. All the more for a squeeze. Cliff Richard's, When The Girl In Your Arms and The Shadows, Midnight would be the favourites. Soft slow, caressing music...

But there was the rhumba, samba, mambo or the cha-cha. Except for the cha-cha and the off-beat version, the other dance-steps didn't make a difference to many of us. 

The Drink:

The ladies would usually have a lemonade or an orange juice with ice. For the men, it's mostly beer or an alcoholic mix.  It was always Bacardi Coke for me. I've heard of Tequila but never touched it. In fact, it was so popular, that like Rum and Coca-Cola, there was a song dedicated to the strong and crazy drink, Tequila by a group called the Champs.

A teetotaller my whole life, I have always stuck to drinking only Barcadi Coke because it was the only drink I knew. Never had a chance to drink other mixes like Gin and lime or Soda and Whisky. Always loved my drink sweet and I was told I could get diabetes if I drank too much Rum n Coke.

I knew the taste so well that there were times when the bartender gave me an adulterated mix of the cheapest rum. But I had always asked for another glass, with the real thing and true brown that is dark rum. But without the slice of lemon.

Invented at the beginning of the 20th Century, this drink became so famous that it is only known as Rum and Coke in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, India and Singapore. In other parts of the world, it's Cuba Libre - not Canta Libre, which is a Neil Diamond song.

Rum and Coca Cola. The Andrew Sisters. 

YouTube Video by: Scrambled Eggs 1969.

The Song:

The drink was so well received by the public in Singapore and the world, that almost every nightclub carried the concoction. In fact, there is even a song by a well-known vocal group called The Andrew Sisters. 

Drinkin' Rum and Coca Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar
Oh, beat it, man, beat it...*

It is a very old song with a Calypso beat and composed in 1945 but became popular through the years as the drink would have. Singers like Chubby Checker, Julio Iglesias and Wanda Jackson had recorded it. The original version by the Andrew Sisters had been recorded three times on three different labels, Decca, Capitol and DOT.

And Andy [blogger] compered one evening with 

the Velvetones playing Shadows and Cliff numbers.

At another hotel, dancing and drinking Rum n Coke:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/01/ballroom-of-adelphi-hotel-on-9th-may.html

This article is an Original Composition.

The Ambassador Hotel at Tanjong Katong by the East Coast beach. 

It has since been demolished.

*Songwriters

AL STILLMAN, JERI SULLAVAN, MOREY AMSTERDAM, PAUL BARON

Published by

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Song Discussions is protected by U.S. Patent 9401941. Other patents pending.
Video from: Kevin Allen.

When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart. 

Cliff Richard Video by: Kevin Allen.

Adelphi Hotel Ballroom Singapore: With The Velvetones

The Adelphi Hotel many years ago fronting Coleman Street and North Bridge Road.

There is no intention to show off or self-project here but just a personal memory I enjoyed and the group of boys I still remember. It happened more than half a century ago. Cheers.

The former Adelphi Hotel [image 1] stood at the junction of North Bridge Road, opposite the present Funan Mall on its left and the St Andrew's Cathedral on its front, along Coleman Street. Some memories about this hotel and my lovely parents when I was a child. But for this posting, about a night's outing with a band that initiated me to sing, non-professionally though, at this touristy area. They were my neighbourhood kampong band, as opposed to the garage band in the west [the common factor is - these bands started as a home-based hobby.]

The ballroom of the Adelphi Hotel on 9th May, 1964 when I sang with the Velvetones, Wilson Khoo is on lead guitar, during a charity dinner called, A Nite To Remember.  The song was Cliff Richard's, When The Girl In Your Arms and many of the patrons were locals and foreigners on the floor dancing and listening to our repertoire of songs and instrumentals [image 3].

The Velvetones. We didn't have many pictures then; this one is only one of a few that we have. 

The Velvetones [image 2], played some instrumental numbers too. Our group was fresh, youthful, wearing the cleanest garb and using the newest Hofner guitars. These were golden nights where we were able to express ourselves in songs and melodies.

Notice the big, fat microphone and the long fan hanging from the ceiling. You guessed it, the night was also sponsored by Matterhorn Cigarettes [image 3]. Today it would be a miracle if a charity night is sponsored by a cigarette company. Where would dancers and diners smoke?  Perhaps outside the Adelphi on the streets of North Bridge Road.

This particular gig was one of a few that I participated in, with this very friendly and harmonious group. We split company as we went our own way. I was invited to join the Silver Strings and the others formed their own bands. One well-known group was called the Firebyrds, who went on to cut a vinyl recording. Paul Ibrahm [image 2 - back row, right] later became a member of recording stars, Tanya.

No intention at all to be a musician or full time singer. I found the scene, although bright and promising, difficult and a challenge to a young person. Imagine when one gets older, as a nightlife was never for me. But to be fair, many of these young friends have done well but some have also left the music scene to pursue other careers.

The Adelphi building still stands but is today a shopping mall selling mostly audio-visual equipment and of course, IT based goods and services.

Memories.

When the girl in your arms: Cliff Richard 

YouTube Video from: VanAllesWat33

Image: Andy Lim Collection (Copyrights Reserved).