Greeting Cards: Tim Sum Personal Flavours

In this season of doubts and trials 

and tribulations, it's great advice.

A joke it is but the message is serious.

I'M FULLY VAXED.

A reminder on the dash board. 

Do your booster too.

The 2019 line up of the Silver Strings, 

the LAST concert we had BEFORE Covid struck!

just walkin' in the rain: 

johnny ray. youtube video by:

klar name.

Lines from a 50's song by Johnny Ray: 

'Just Walking in the Rain'.

Lines from Boz Scaggs composition: 'We're All Alone'.

Bob Scaggs: We're All Alone

YouTube video by: Bower Wilkins

Without positivity today, we'd be in a hotter pot of soup. 

Have faith!

Patrick Teng [Musician]

'Hi Andy, I salute you for keeping the historic chronology of Singapore music events and activities alive. You have faithfully kept the archive for years, beginning in the 60s when it all began. Your work is very important because it holds the identity of a nation through its music. I wish you long life and continue to do the good work for later generations to appreciate the golden years and heritage of the previous generations.'

Images: 

A Private Collection, Google and Patrick Teng.

Fabian Foo

Hi Andy, We are fortunate to have you so passionate to keep a blog for the music in our earlier years. Without it nothing is in record and our music heritage will be limited to those in our national archives. A salute to your enthusiasm in keeping us informed on the music scene in those days and to keep in contact with some of the local music makers in those years.

Click to read:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2015/12/fabians-music-milestones-in-rock-n-roll.html

Andy's 60s Music Blog - Now 14 During Covid Quarantine On 21.11.21 Singapore

This Blog Celebrates 

Its 14th Anniversary 

On 21st November, 2021.

21.11.21 😆

This year is a fast moving one.  It seemed like only yesterday I was thanking everyone for the support given. So again dear people, truly appreciate the success of this Singapore music blog because of the solid backbone of viewers, visitors, friends, folks, contributing writers, readers , What's App. phone kakis, not forgetting Facebook, Twitter  and StatsCounter too.

Special thanks to Blogspot.com n Google.

It's coming to 3 million views soon.

Thank you.

The list below shows wonderful friends from all over the globe, who helped to guest-write, although quite a number have been doing so many times before.

I guess writing is also a mental remedy to ease the pain of a Covid-19 quarantine that comes around this season. Writing is a balm for the mind, eases the pain somewhat...

Their articles have approximately between 1,000 to 2,500 viewership each and written between December 2020 to November 2021.

Thank you all so much.

Guest Writers

Mrs. Elaine Sung-Tang

Mr. Henry Gan [California]

Ms. CY Lin

Mr. Stephen Han

Mr. Chow Wen Hing

Mr. Horace Wee

Mr. Tan Soo Khoon 

Dr. Phil Chan 

Mr Robert Suriya [Boys/Guam]

Mr. Paul Ibrahm [Tanya]

Mr. Jimmy Chng [Decibels]

Mr. Joey Koh

Mr. Daniel Abidin [Dukes]

Ms. Eunice Chua [SG uni]

Ms. Megan Lye [SG uni] 

Mrs. Judy Chong-Lee

Mr. Martin Ong [Cliff R/Sarawak]

Mr. Fred Ching

Ms. J. Dick [Manitoba]

Mr Cedric Collars [Perth]

Mr Suituapui [Sarawak]

Mr Scott van Dort [Melbourne]

Their articles can be read by writing their names on the SEARCH BOX on the right column of the blog page.  

In My Life - Beatles

YouTube video from The Beatles Stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqpysaAo4BQ&t=61s

There are places I'll remember

All my life, some have changed

Some forever, not for better

Some have gone and some remain.

All these places have their moments

With lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life I've loved them all...

[by John Lennon/Paul McCartney]

     TURNING 14     

   IN QUARANTINE 

   WITH COVID-19  

Andy roams the streets of Brisbane, Australia, 

chatting with youthful buskers who play 60s music. 

Cheers. [June, 2019]

Images - Google.

November Music Posters - Andy 60s Blog: Rid Covid.

  UP TO 1,200 VIEWS  

24 CHATS, COMMENTS

2021

Friendship Endurance Love Time

(FELT) posters below.

November Notes

November Never Says No.

This posting is a potpourri of themes to do with the Friendship, Endurance, Love and Time - FELT posters. It's the beginning of the  ending of another year. So with wet November, we're still home bound with the rain. Hopefully with age we won't get nuttier but to check each other out time and again? 

Singapore 60s music-makers are mostly seniors now and they visit the doctor more often than before. So as friends keep the connection going; there's not much time left for some.

I think this blog has achieved its goal to get like-minded music folks together for a kopi-tiam [coffee-house] chit-chat. So we ask Covid-19 to leave soonest...

Thanks again.

The YouTube video is below.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

End Of The Year

Wet November's Here.

With Covid Around

We're Really Homebound...

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

It's November, My Month...

Sagittarius In Waiting.

November Twilight - Julie London [1956]

Blogger Andy [white shirt] with 

the late Mike and Bobo, on his right. 

2008 VivoCity Concert - Sentosa Area.

Make It A November

Just To Remember... 

With Music To Play 

And Covid To Stay.

Images - Random designs taken from the internet and SMS-Greeting icons.

Andy Young with The Silver Strings 

Ceylon Sports Club.

YouTube Video by Fabian Foo.

A 60s Music Recording from Singapore.

This post is  from October, November, 2021.

Elvis, Beatles, M. Jackson: Mask, Wash Hands, Come Together? Mother Earth Retaliates!

A long time ago, MJ wore a mask, the Beatles self distanced and Elvis believed in the clean hands habit. You may ask why. Here's a theory.

Michael Jackson, The Beatles and Elvis Presley apparently were well aware of the Corona Virus pandemic years before it happened?

The pictures show the Beatles practise self-distancing measures when walking, during their Abbey Road recordings; Elvis was always keeping his hands clean, metaphorically and literally, as his song explains. In fact Jackson predicted that there would be a major outbreak of a virus he thought would occur from way back in the early nineties. 

Jackson had reasons for the mask. He was always worried about getting sick and concerned for both himself and his fans, their crowding him during his appearances, etc. 

His genuine love for Mother nature had him recording, 'Heal the World' and 'Earth Song', powerfully presented on video-clips. Many fans love these two hits but how many heeded the message?

Treated carelessly and so wantonly, Nature hit back in retaliation with a force so great we see 14 million helplessly sick individuals (July 2020), suffering the consequences of Covid today. Currently more than half a million people are dead! And bodies are still falling.

Elvis' song was a warning by a father to his son about being tracked by bloodhounds and imprisoned because the father didn't "keep his hands cleaned". Today we know what "bloodhounds" mean. The virus comes after you and envelopes your insides if you washed your hands in muddy water. So don't "fall in with bad companions".  

"Come Together", an Abbey Road track gives the opposite advice. We shouldn't, should we, come together during these unseemly times? A song meant for a presidential campaign ended up so unique and different. But it became a hit and one of the first few songs I learnt a long time ago.

When you get cooped up too much at home, this blog post is what you finally try to get away with. 

Keep well guys.

Come Together: The Beatles. Thanks to the artist too for creating such imaginative and beautiful live caricatures of the four lads from England. I cannot imagine how it's done but I hope the creator will allow me to share it with my readers. 60 million views! Wow! 

[Copyrighted 2015 Calderstone Productions Limited (Universal Music Group/Apple Films Ltd.)]

Truly one of Elvis' most fantastic songs ever recorded. Not many of his fans know this song because when I asked around, there was silence. It's everything Elvis.

I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water: Elvis Presley.

VIDEO BY: Y.D. ENTJES.

One of his most prized video-clips ever recorded was 'The Earth Song'.

You can watch it full blast if you haven't but view it to the end. 

260 million views to date.

Thanks to the people who loaded these pictures and videos without whom this posting could never have been possible.  If copyrights have been infringed, please write in under Comments below  and pix/videos will be deleted.

Stay Home Comfort Music Series By Perry Brady

I've heard Perry sing. And he's good. The first time was at a night club in town. Then we met again at a private club in the East Coast with good friends Alfred, Laurence and their kakis (buddies). That's when I found out Perry's dad is the famous Walter Koh, the Pat Boone of Singapore. 

Perry is unassuming, with great looks and a sultry, sexy voice that resonates when he sings what he's most comfortable with i.e., jazz standards and pops.

Thanks Perry for the gift of songs for the households in Singapore during this  rather unstable moment when everyone's roosting and relaxing in their nests.

UP TO 300 VIEWS

Stay Home Comfort Music series by Perry Brady

The mention of the word Home should always denote a sense of happiness and comfort and it is my utmost hope that that is true for everyone.

What comforts us? For some, it would be reading a good book, the joy of hearing the laughter of our little kids, the smell of the wife’s home cooked food etc.

Yet that daily journey of comfort is almost usually accompanied by the music we love- whether played over our home stereo or heard quietly over our earpiece.

In that light, I’ve decided to share the music that many of us grew up with while paying tribute to music icons. Share these “comforts” with me as I relive the magic, memories and melodies of yesteryear through the Perry Brady Stay Home Comfort Music series. God bless us all!!

Best regards,
Perry Koh.

Perry Brady sings Cliff Richard songs for us home bound earthlings, imprisoned by Covid aliens. 

Below is Perry singing selections from Nat King Cole. Perry must have been a baby when Nat Cole came out with his hits.  Enjoy guys; it's not everyday someone sings free for you. 

We're all just hoping the CV evil will leave us. It's gonna end soon - I hope.

Perry Brady sings songs he enjoys with his dad and family. Thank you Perry.

Covid-19 Pandemic: Perth Musicians Rise To Meet Challenge: Cedric Collars Writes From Australia

I'd like to thank Cedric Collars, who writes from Perth (Australia), for this informative piece about how we can meet life's challenges positively with a musical upbeat. Thank you Cedric.

UP TO 2,200 VIEWS

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the world and it is at the moment of human frailty that the best of God's given gifts appear. Talent that lay dormant suddenly takes a life of its own and like a spring or a blossoming flower it rises to meet the challenge. 

Music is the medication for all illness and within its web lives the cure. Yes my friends musicians come together and like a jigsaw puzzle the intimate web of music is woven and presented for all to enjoy and be touched in some form or another. A certain calm will arise and all will be well once again. 

Here they are folks. Perth Musicians United in Iso 2020 - 'Heal The World'. Video: AViiDA Duo.

These musicians played their parts and my brother in law complied them to get the final picture you now see. Enjoy it for what it means and live life like our good God had intended it to be. 

The bassist is Marc Pereira, my brother-in-law and a professional musician here in Perth.

Written by Cedric Collars.

Thanking everyone who participated in the music video and for allowing it to be posted on this blog.

Musicians in the video:

Reilly Stewart - Percussion

Sidney Harvey - Cello

Kathryn Lee - Violin

Marc Pereira - Bass

Michael Tan - Organ

Andrew Suhatam - Keys

Paul Millard - Tenor Sax|Horn Chart

Bill McAllister - Trombone

Mark Underwood - Trumpet

Singers On the video

Paula Parore & Clay Darius - The Voice 2012 & 2015, Musical Theatre, Soul Singers

Jordan Anthony - The Voice 2019 Top 4 Finalist

Amanda Dee - Soothe Vocalist - Queen of Perth RnB

Bloom - International & National Touring Artist

Sabrina D - PINked Perth Artist

Maera Paki - Lead Vocalist | Guitarist Ora

Holly Denton - Musical Theatre, Pop Superstar, MC & Actress

Blake Williams - Proof The Band | Radio Announcer 94.5FM - The Scene

Ella Bourne - Perth singing sensation

Jamie Mercanti - Slim Jim Enterprises

Video Editing - Reilly Stewart

Category

Music

Corona Virus Covid-19: No April Fool Joke

Bob Dylan:

For Times They Are A Changin'

Come Senators, Congressmen... 

Please heed the call.

PEANUTS: Charles M. Schulz.

Peppermint Patty: 

What surprises you most about this Corona Virus predicament?

Charlie Brown:

It has done what no woman has been able to do. Cancel all sports,

shut down all bars and keep men at home.

"They're kidding me. It's gonna take more than 14 days to flatten the curve."

Cary Cooper during a scene in 'High Noon' (1952). Looks somewhat familiar today.

Husband:

We are told to stay safe, stay home!

Wife:

Yes, so keep your social distance!  10 metres away!

It's Corrine, Corrina by Ray Peterson and not Corona, Corona. She's another.

Seriously? It's not an April Fool joke. So listen to what the authorities and health specialists are telling you. Stay home because the times are a changin'.

The Seekers: A World of Our Own. YouTube Video by awhwong. Thank you.
Some good advice from this 60's group:

Close the door, light the lights
We're stayin' home tonight
Far away from the bustle and the bright city lights
Let them all fade away, just leave us alone
And we'll live in a world of our own...
(Composer: Tom Springfield)

Boy Dylan: For Times They Are A Changin' YouTube

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.
(Composer: Bob Dylan)

Images: Google, pluspng.com

Of Covid-19, China, Europe, U.S. & Pop Music Decadence

  UP TO 1,500 VIEWS  

25 COMMENTS, CHATS


My blog is not a political boxing ring and never will be but when a good friend writes so convincingly to defend a strong belief, which includes music artistes from the 60's and 70's, I have no option but to publish this very short paper, with the writer's permission of course. Andy.

When A Civilisation Declines Everything Declines

This Covid-19 has revealed how efficient China has become and conversely how lax and inefficient the West has become. The Westerners are now at the final stage of  their decline - same as Rome was around the 4th Century when St Augustine was bishop in a town in North Africa. 

What a pity. They are losing their influence, power and culture, everything European. Pity, their music is so rich and beautiful (not American music, especially their pop songs and dance by people like Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and others).  Our descendants may not be able to appreciate the classical music that we are privileged to enjoy.

Andy, I am not condemning all things American or all their music and dances. Some of them are just plain vulgar. I mean just listen to the music of the last few decades.  There were many artistes, composers especially in the first half of the last century - composers like Romberg, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lowe and Lerner, etc.

If I have written biased, sweeping statements that offended you or are contradictory to your favourite singers, music, please accept my apologies. When a civilization declines everything declines.  This is my first and last experience of witnessing the signs of a decadent civilization.  

I remember you once told me that America is 'plastic' while Europe is not. You were so right. In the last century America made so much progress in science and technology and medicine. However many of the people who made this possible were Jews and Europeans. The great Irvin Berlin was a Russian immigrant. Romberg studied music in Vienna and was from there. 

Sometimes I think that if I had been educated and raised in China I would have had learnt and be able to appreciate Chinese poetry, music. But I might not have become Catholic - the most important thing in my life.  Of course I would have suffered terribly the evils of communism under Mao and the terrible Cultural Revolution.  Sadly, China will one day also decline like the West but unlike the West the Chinese civilization has remained intact after going though so many dynasties and systems of government.

My mentor, a French priest who spent 18 years in China, told me that it was the family that helped the Chinese to remain intact. In the midst of the present prosperity, I don't know whether they can preserve the family as Confucius so wisely taught the Chinese to preserve because if the family is destroyed the civilization will be destroyed. This has happened in the West.

The Catholic church has taught the same thing. Although many Catholics divorced, the Church has stood firm on the indissolubility of marriage. I think it's very wise. This is God's law, not a man-made law.

Sorry for boring you. Thanks for reading the rambling of an old man, Andy.

We welcome comments from readers.

(The writer wishes to remain anonymous but I'd like to thank the person for  views and ideals presented so truthfully and sincerely.)

Images: Google (1/2) China/US flags (3) Bernhard Romberg (4) Michael Jackson; (5) Confucius (6) Irving Berlin. 

Covid-19: Singapore: Only The Strong Survive: Elvis

     Nearly 2,200 views         
        Since its posting           
    On Twitter n Blogspot      

A song written by Jerry Butler, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff and originally sung by Jerry Butler in 1968, released on his album The Ice Man Cometh.

Because of the world crisis today, I thought the title would be inspirational enough. The song had not been in the limelight, even though it was sung by the King, but the chorus is a great war-cry against the virus.

With much support and help from Singapore Front-Liners, all will survive. So psych yourselves everyone! 

Be strong, think positive, believe in the people who are in charge.

Thanks again to the doctors, nurses, hospital assistants, security people, attendants and other front-liners who face the patients.

Partial lyrics below: Elvis Presley's version - 1969. 

"Oh, there's gonna be, there's gonna be
A whole lot of trouble in your life
Oh, so listen to me, get up off of your knees
Cause only the strong survive"

That's what she said:
"Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Oh, you've got to be strong, you'd better hold on
Don't go all around with your head hung down"

And she said it:
"Only the strong survive, only the strong survive
Oh, you've got to be a man, you've got to take a stand
Only the strong survive, only the strong survive..."

'From Elvis In Memphis' - LSP 4155 RCA VICTOR (17.06.1969) Rockaway Pressing  US -vinyl record.

Images: Google.

Many Thanks To Corona Virus COVID 19 Front-Liners: Singapore 60s Music

TODAY IS 20.02.2020

Up to 1,500 viewers
Since  it was posted

Thank you front-liners who helped the fight against the Corona Virus (COVID - 19), especially the staff in hospitals, clinics and other medical institutions.

From all in Singapore, thank you very much.

Below are a few songs of gratitude and thanks.

(1) Gratitude by Earth Wind n Fire You Tube Video from M. Skavinsky.

Lyrics extracts

Wanna thank you yeah
Wanna thank you
Wanna thank you yeah
Wanna thank you

Holy sound
Holy sound yeah yeah

We just wanna give gratitude yeah
We got plenty love we wanna give to you yeah
With feel good music we're tryin' to say, say
Thank the good Lord's gonna make a way

(2) Thanks To You - Nat King Cole Tube Video by: MusicWorks07

(lyrics extract)

For teaching me how to live
Putting things in perspective
Teaching me how to give
And how to take
No mistake
We were put here together
And if I breakdown
Forgive me but it's true
That I'm aching with the love I feel inside
Thanks to You

(3) You Make My Life Worthwhile - Adam Faith

There is so much I want to say
I love you more and more each day
You make my life worthwhile

You turned my Winter into Spring
You gave my heart a song to sing
You make my life worthwhile

Chorus...

I can't find words enough to say
How much I need your love each day
You make my life worthwhile.

Adam Faith's song had also been recorded on the late Sugiman Jahuri's vinyl album, Born Free (above). He was one of Singapore 60's music most popular singers who sang in both English and Malay. 

Thanks, Front-Liners! 💝

Images from Facebook: 

Singapore General Hospital, Tan Tock Seng Hospital

and National Centre For Infectious Diseases.

Disclaimer:

Photos from these sources, including The Straits Times have been used without permission. If for copyright reasons they have to be deleted, do let me know on the Comment Page.