SINGAPORE 60's: ANDY's POP MUSIC INFLUENCE IS A PERSONAL MUSIC, MEMORY TRAIL. BLOGGER DOES NOT OWN THE RIGHTS TO VIDEOS, AUDIO TRACKS AND IMAGES. THEY ARE UPLOADED FOR FUN, EDUCATIONAL, ILLUSTRATIVE PURPOSES AND HAVE BEEN CREDITED. BLOG IS NOT SPONSORED NOR ADVERTORIAL IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER. INFORM BLOGGER OF COPYRIGHT ISSUES AND POST WILL BE DELETED IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT COPY THE POSTS; GET PERMISSION N CREDIT ME IF YOU DO. ANDY LIM LA (NOVEMBER, 2008) -
(新加坡六十年代安迪的流行音乐影响力), SUDI MAMPIR !
Showing posts with label Chinese New Year. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chinese New Year. Show all posts
Enjoy this original song as we learn how to call our relatives the proper Baba Malay way! 'Sedara Baba Nyonya' is written, composed and arranged by Alvin Oon.
Lead vocalist - Tony Quek; Children vocalists - Denzil Kwah, Darius Oon, Doran Oon; Additional vocals - Alvin Oon.
THE ARTICLE BELOW IS WRITTEN TONGUE IN CHEEK:
Wow! Here is ALVIN OON again with another creative, informative but humorous song to help you remember how to call members of your family, with courtesy and respect, using PERANAKAN or BABA language. Not easy to remember them though! No kidding!
😄 Good Luck!!!
Below and detailed, my own creation and explanation:
In Peranakan or Baba Language, if she's your Elder Sister, call her TACHI.
If she’s your Brother's Wife, call her ENSO.
If she’s your Father's Elder Sister, call her MAK KO.
If she’s your Mother's Elder Sister, call her TUA EE.
If she’s not married and she's free, what do you call her? WOW WEE!
😍
Maybe it's best that you listen many, many times how the video explains the name change.
After listening to the video, are you able to name your relatives in Baba Language, depending on your own status in the family? If you manage, that's truly wonderful because it's important to do so, otherwise, you may have a problem relating to them.
Nah! Just kidding. But then, some of your relatives may be KAY-POH, which means BUSY BODY? Oh!
😎 Hmm!
Thanks, ALVIN OON and his singing group for the YouTube Video, without which this blog post could never have been produced.
HAVE A HORSPICIOUS, HEALTHY, SAFE & ENJOYABLE TIME
An AI view of MERLION meeting HORSE as 2026 suggests, with a group of musicians ushering in the year.
Scroll to the end to see what's in the CNY store for you.
Chinese New Medley by Angela July.
YouTube Video by Angela July.
The Chinese character HORSE 馬 [ma] looks like a horse head with a galloping body and tail. Most times, especially during CNY, red signifies good luck. The horse ranks 7th among the 12 animals in the Chinese Zodiac Cycle.
HERE ARE SOME HORSE TAILS, ER, TALES…
From creator FREDA HANUM, Malaysia, accomplished pianist and former girl group member/recording artistes, The TEEPEES. A beautiful GIF of galloping horses marching into Lunar New Year 2026. Thanks Freda.
In 2026, the Year of the Fire Horse will bring a year filled with energy, vitality and independence. It will begin on 17th February 2026 and will end on 3rd March 2026. Apparently, there will be intense energy, emotional surges, and rapid shifts, encouraging individuals to take bold actions and embrace personal freedom.
The Fire element amplifies the Horse's energetic traits, making it a time for leadership, risk-taking, and following one's instincts. But it may also lead to excessive and emotional overwhelms if not balanced with rest and patience.
It would be a year of liberation, passion, and personal transformation, urging individuals to act with intention and trust their inner fire. [As depicted by AI.]
Roy Rogers with 'A Four-Legged Friend', Trigger from movie: 'Son of Paleface'. A YouTube Video by Cowboyandthesenorita.
Cowboy Roy Rogers sings, ‘A FOUR-LEGGED FRIEND’ with his horse prancing amidst the crowd. As a child reading my favourite comic book hero, he has this wonder horse called, Trigger. The lyrics of the song appear below.
They are literally 'Horse Shoes'.
This video above was a Good Morning gift from JIMMY PRESLEE, Singapore's answer to the late King Elvis. Thanks Jimmy.
QUICK DRAW MCGRAW
The latest CNY 2026 card from MICHAEL BANGAR and FAMILY. His own creation of a hand-made card that he sends every year. The miniature guitar is from LAWRENCE LIM and the fluffy doll-head from ALFRED NG. Thanks guys!
A Four-Legged Friend
Composed by Jack Brooks
Sung by Roy Rogers [1952]
Chorus:
A four-legged friend, a four-legged friend
He'll never let you down
He's honest and faithful right up to the end
That wonderful one-two-three-four-legged friend
[1] A woman is like cactus and cactus can hurt
'Cause she's just a tight-waisted winky-eyed flirt
She'll soon have your land and your pride and your gold
And bury you deep long before you grow old
[2] A two-legged hombre is worthless as sand
He'll smile like a saint with a gun in his hand
He'll promise to stick by your side like a pal
But he'll also promise the same to your gal
[3] Who carries your burden, who carries your load
On tumbleweed land or a long dusty road
Who asks you no questions, who tells you no lies
That four-legged friend with the two honest eyes
That wonderful one-two-three-four-legged friend.
CNY IS FAMILY ORIENTED
From TIKTOK VIDEO.
The above video was contributed by Singaporean WINSTON KOH. But there is no indication as to the originator of this video. Please write in to blogger so that the person can be identified and the name published. Thanks.
And the last words come from this very famous TALKING HORSE, who advised all blog readers with sound wisdom. MR ED, who came from the TV 60’s sitcom, had since left us. Actor ALAN YOUNG portrayed his owner.
Thanks to CHEW HEE HONG for letting us have a glimpse on video the uniquely new style of fireworks display from CHINA.
THANKING FOLKS BELOW FOR SENDING CHINESE NEW YEAR GREETINGS AND FOR KEEPING IN TOUCH THROUGH THE YEARS:
It is this time of the year that we start sending out greetings for the Chinese Lunar New Year. That message may include some songs from that era when Shanghai Pop started.
Today, may I invite you to listen to some of the originals from 30s and 40s with some accompanying footnote.
One of the most popular times is 恭喜恭喜by brother and sister team of 姚敏and 姚莉 （attachment 1)。They work their magic with their interweaving vocals accompanied by a guitar. This song a cathartic expression of the daily survival of the difficult time China was undergoing through with occupation by Japan and the concession of certain parts to western nations during 他the war years of the 30s and 40s.
The concession carved out a safe conclave in which denizens of Shanghai escaped into a make-believe world of movies, both local and western, and enjoyed the melding of western music and local folk fare.
Big band and jazz descended upon Shanghai with the immigration of Russian musicians (picture of band in attachment 2). They plied their artistic talents in recording studios, primarily dominated by Pathe, and dance floors of well known clubs such as the Black Cat （attachment 3）
This period spawned a genre known as 时代曲 'shi dai qu'. Apart from having the light and competent flight of fingers over piano, guitars, flutes, these war years were blessed with academically trained writers such as Chen Ge-Xin and Liu Ru-Zeng, not forgetting Yan Hua 严华 and Yao Min 姚敏. The result was stunning with intricate arrangements of the various instruments, and the weaving of the vocals. Example is 醉人的口红虹（attachment 4 ）。
May I wish a happy new year with 贺新年by 张帆（attachment 5）。It borrows very heavily from ‘Jingle Bells’.
Comments are always welcome.
Author: JT CHEN.
Very grateful JT for such an awesome peek into this period of Shanghai's popular scene. Andy.
Many thanks to JT Chen for this massive article. Happy Lunar New Year to you, Brother Andy and all friends here! Wishing you great health and happiness.
I was fortunate to be attending this concert on this day 30 January, nine years ago, where Taiwanese Mandopop’s Iconic Diva Stella Chang performed some of her hits with a New Year’s twist. The two time Golden Melody Award winner for Best Mandarin Female singer belted some of her great hits and brought music souls on a beautiful reminiscing journey and a trip down nostalgic lane.
Love her crystal clear and distinctive vocals with powerful penetrating high notes. Many were touched by her voice as it grew in strength and vibrance over the course of her show. Here is Chang who was nicknamed Dongfang Bubai (The Invincible East) for her stellar record sales in the late 80s and early 90s with this CNY jingle songs.
Great to hear again JT Chen blast from the past and this upbeat tempo renditions. Thank you for posting once again, Brother Andy.
It was two days before the dragon year [8 Jan 2024] when I made an urgent SMS to Eddy Eng to write a piece for this blog. And he did, this good friend. In all honesty he related his encounter with this fearsome beast at a garden gate; face to face. Eddy is a straight forward, no fuss gentleman and so are his stories.
Thank you Eddy, a different kind of story but a real one indeed...
The Chinese Dragon:
"Dear Andy,
The Chinese have been fascinated with the mythical dragon for more than 4,000 years. It is obviously the product of imagination of the ancient Chinese. It was imagined as a composite creature with the head of a camel, the eyes of a fiery demon, the horns of a deer, the claws of an eagle and the scales of a carp. Unlike the Caucasian dragon that spews fire and looks naughty and devilish, the Chinese dragon symbolises divine power, strength, good fortune and benevolence. It can control the weather and the seas - a shaker and mover of heaven and earth.
I was once asked by a local Chinese businessman to install a pair of dragons vying for a pearl on top of the wrought-iron gate that I supplied. As someone who would go out of the way to please a customer, I thought long and hard. How would I design the intricate dragons with a pearl shrouded with fire using wrought-iron. Would my guys be able to cut and weld all the tiny pieces together. Would they think it was another crazy idea from me. In the end, logic triumphed over passion.
I went back, told the customer that to do the pair of dragons with the precious pearl would be like a Caucasian dressed in Chinese robes. From an aesthetic perspective, they would look incongruous. It was a clash of cultures. He gave a hearty laugh.
On another occasion, I offered a wall-mounted decorative wrought-iron dragon to a customer as a gift after having completed my work to his massive house. The dragon was made with the finest German craftsmanship that came with a hefty price tag from my German supplier.
He said, "Eee! I don't want it! Your Caucasian dragon looks like a four legged snake. He had a point.
To my friends who were born in the year of the long nien [dragon year], may I wish you good luck, good health and good fortune."
Written by: Eddy Eng.
Eddy Eng.
CNY 2012 Dragon Year 恭喜恭喜 鄧麗君 邓丽君
テレサ・テン Teresa Teng.
This video is the only one found.
YouTube video from: archchula.
2023 New Year’s Concert of
the China Philharmonic Orchestra
中国爱乐之声
YouTube Video: China Philharmonic Orchestra
Images: from Google.
Poster is a gift and created
by Freda Hanum [Teepees]
Thank you.
This blog has 3.4 million viewers since January 7th, 2024.
Looks like there's still some interest in the article as new comments keep trickling in? Thought I'd add some comments regarding the Copicat Echo Unit.
Vacuum Tubes Or Valves:
1. The electronics in use then was based on vacuum tube technology. This was followed by transistor (solid state) technology. There are several vacuum tubes (also known as "valves") used in the electronic circuit and one of which is the 6BR8A as depicted in the picture below.
2. Due to wear and tear, these tapes would sometimes burst whilst in operation. As replacement tapes were quite costly I had also resorted to make spare ones [like what Cedric Cork, the Vietnam War drummer, did], that is, cutting appropriate lengths from open reeled 1/4" magnetic tapes and splicing them.
3) As for the Schaller, it's true that the magnetic coated drum does get hot as mentioned by Michael Lee. Not only that. The magnetic coating on the drum would get worn out after sometime and a replacement drum is costly. What my dad did was to cut short pieces of open reeled magnetic tape and dissolved them in a solvent (acetone) and brush painted it over the worn part/s of the drum. Another cost saving measure.
Separately, a reader who's close to my heart commented that the article was an interesting read but kind of ended abruptly. I had indeed shortened the article by omitting a small part about DECIBELS' performing at hungry ghost festivals - i.e. Getai. Appended below is the part I omitted.
An example of a getai performance with the
guitar group accompanying a-go-go girls and singer.
Getai [歌台] is a Chinese term which literally means, song tower, stage or street concert. It is one of many activities to entertain the Chinese gods, with a related 'officer' from Hell and people who donated funds for the annual Hungry Ghost Festival celebration. It falls during the seventh month of the Chinese lunar year; around August.
From the recesses of my fading memory cells, I could recollect that our very first Getai performance was at Strathmore Avenue. The stage was on the open space between a row of SIT (Singapore Improvement Trust) flats facing the QSTS (Queenstown Secondary Technical School) school field.
On another occasion, we played somewhere in Kampong Bahru. And on the third occasion I played (as stand-in drummer for the Wong family who were all professional musicians) somewhere off Bencoolen Street. I felt truly honoured to be invited to play alongside them.
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