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 !
Always an experience to listen to worthwhile pop covers, especially from our own Asian musicians. Repeated originals can be boring, especially for so many years since the 50s. Just my take...
Yesterday:
SWAY is an old hit by the late Dean Martin in 1954. Then Michael Bublé revived it in 2003 followed by the Pussycat Dolls in 2005. There are about a dozen versions that include pop singers like, Cliff Richard, Rosemary Clooney, Bobby Rydell and Julie London.
The song was originally called QUIEN SERA and composed by Mexicans Luis Demetrio and Pablo Luiz. With English lyrics and recorded by Dean Martin it became an international hit at number 5five.
Now, a pretty young lady from Korea covers it [video above] in the best style ever to suit her generation. *Gyubin revitalises the song with her own charisma and a cute Korean accent but with that gentle swing of oomph, fresh subtlety and scat.
Today, if the singer doesn't make it within the thr3ee minute life-span of a young person's patience and listening endurance on the smart phone... that's it!
But GYUBIN did! One million hits within 2two years on YouTube. And she's only 17 with a long career ahead. Wow!
Congratulations Gyubin. I hope the Seniors who read this blog will love your version as much as I do and add more viewers to your tally.
[축하해요 규빈님. 이 블로그를 읽는 선배들이 나만큼 귀하의 버전을 좋아하고 귀하의 집계에 더 많은 시청자를 추가하기를 바랍니다.]
Sway has been sung by Dean Martin [top],
Michael Buble [centre], Pussycat Dolls [last]
Gyubin
Original Songs:
Satellite - Single. Satellite - Single. 2024.
Special - Single. Special - Single. 2024.
Really Like You (Spring Version) - Single.
Really Like You (Spring Version) - Single. 2024.
Really Like You - Single. Really Like You - Single. 2024.
Start To Shine (feat. Gaeko) - Single.
Scribble - Single. Scribble - Single.
Now in more pensive mood, it's flying to the moon...
This story was featured on 23rd November, 2014 during Brian Richmond's 90.5fm radio show, Sundays With Brian during the 'Reminiscing with Andy' segment.
EXACTLY 60 YEARS AGO TODAY. 21st JULY, 1964: Mine is not a political blog but I have to address this matter because it shaped my mind for later years and because the Velvetones pop guitar band and I were together that day. We met during this holiday and spent our time till late.
The Velvetones in 1964 and morphed into The Firebyrds [Philips Records.]
Members of the pop guitar band called The Velvetones were jamming at a bungalow in Lorong 39, Geylang that day; the house was diagonally opposite the former Chief Minister's Lim Yew Hock's bungalow on Sims Avenue. This group consisted of our usual Singaporean mix. We had been practising for a few weeks and I was enjoying myself as one of their many singers. It was the first time that I had joined a band and it was extremely exciting for a 24 year old. While we were practising the leader of another Singapore pop band visited us to watch me sing. Both of us had thoughts that I could join his group as a singer since I had met him some time ago to discuss it.
The jam session lasted till late evening when we decided to call it a day. Meanwhile there were goings-on in the streets that we were not aware of. My friend only told me when he was sending me home in his car since he did not want to alarm the others during our practice. Although I was living around the corner I took his offer only after learning what had happened earlier. Quietly in the car he told me how he had to dash through a barricade at one of the roads in Geylang before coming to the bungalow. He was not sure whether it was a police barricade or otherwise. No one stopped him as he sped to where we were, fearful for his life. When he left me at my home at about 6.30 pm I experienced a strange quiet and uneasy stillness in the air. There was not a single vehicle or human being anywhere near my home or street. It was an eerie, eerie feeling as I felt my hair behind my head stood on ends.I felt as if an atomic bomb had dropped on Singapore and that the whole island had been devastated.
"Not a soul on earth..." was the thought in my mind. The whole stretch of Geylang Road, from the Paya Lebar end on one side, to the other where I could see the distance at Lorong 30, was totally empty and quiet. It was truly frightening. And the memory lives to this day! My family, who were anxiously waiting for me and huddled behind the door, told me that a racial riot had started at the Kallang Gas Works earlier that day. I realised how serious the situation was when I read about it in the newspapers the next morning. The Gas Works was not too far from my home.
We shouldn't, as Singapore citizens, let this incident happen ever again!
On the music scene, the Beatles were hot those years with so many of their songs on the Top Hits list, "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "She Loves You", "A Hard Day's Night", "Love Me Do" and "Please Please Me".
But the most ironical song those months was Dean Martin's, "Everybody Loves Somebody Somehow." I wish! Ironical it was!
[I cannot remember the details but the story is reasonably accurate.]
Dean Martin: 'Everybody Loves Somebody Somehow'.
YouTube Video from Dean Martin.
Were you aware of this 1964 Singapore riot? Comments are welcome.
The roads were empty with
a few bystanders and the police.
Racial riots affected the country as
people were in chaos and business disrupted.
Reference:
'The Singapore Story. Memoirs of Lee Kuan Yew'
Pg: 556-559. (SPH/Times Edition 1998).
Images:
Google; National Heritage Board, Personal Collection.
In trying to follow the times and not get held back in the 60s, I tried a few postings on fashion but have been told they are, "too much". I wasn't sure so going through the video clips from YouTube, there are many pleasant pictures of ladies in their latest garb looking bright and cheerful, sexy yes but definitely dignified and attractive.
The majority of readers say, don't bother. Just post the clip. After all the topic is just watching our ladies go by. So here goes.
And it ain't being sexist!
Image from Meditation Space.
When a friend sent me the above video my first thought was Dean Martin's song, 'Standing On The Corner.' But this scene isn't from the US. Apparently, and for many years now, Asia has its own version of The Decade's Daring Darlings and Dare-Devils. And they are up there, revealed.
Brother, you don't know a nicer occupation
Matter of fact, neither do I.
Than standing on the corner
Watching all the girls (X3) go by...
(Dean Martin)
A long time ago if you appreciate and stare at a pretty lady walking by, she might just display an unappreciative smile but today it's the opposite reaction, as you can see on the video.
Police with 'Every Breath You Take':
YouTube: Police Official Video Live.
The full video reminds me of other songs like:
Walk Right Back
Walk All Over You
Walking My Baby Back Home
I'm Walkin'
You'll Never Walk Alone
Walking On Sunshine
Walk On The Wild Side
Walk On Out Of My Mind.
When China Girl Meets China Boy
Brother you can't go to jail for what you're thinking
Or for that woo look in your eye.
Then there's one by Andy Williams: 'Music To Watch Girls By' and, The Police with 'Every Breath You Take'. Need I write more?
So whether it's Billy Joel or Westlife screaming their heads off with 'Uptown Girl,' it doesn't really matter because you can find them this side of the Pacific.
Poor Donald.
[If you know of any popular Chinese 60s pop songs about ladies fashion and walking down the streets, please share. But then in the 60s, China was not what it is today...]
So here's the big deal now. We used to walk to make our phone call. Now we walk with our phone call.
UP TO 2,0OO VIEWS
30 CHATS, COMMENTS
Fun Time, Quiz Time
As the world progresses technologically, I don't know if it does in an emotionally matured way, many things around us become obsolete. Here's my take:
Not too long ago when telephone booths were in vogue and when people had no phones in their pockets, let alone video clips, photographs or the latest news items, these special structures usually found at street corners, were the only way you could get or relay an urgent message, if you were on the go.
In London, England and surrounding counties, these booths were red in colour. When I first saw them in London in the 70's I thought they look like big *ang pows or red packets.
But there were other ones of different colours, shapes and sizes. And these booths were very popular some years ago. In later years, when phones became portable, they had other uses for the telephone booths e.g. as mini-libraries, tiny street bars, etc. and props as shown in these pictures. Here are some booths with their music superstars.
Can you guess who the stars are?
Here are some great songs where telephones are mentioned in the lyrics.The artistes in the images have no connection with the song titles:
Chantilly Lace - Big Bopper (1958)
Beachwood 45789 - The Marvellettes (1962)
634-5789 Soulsville USA - Wilson Pickett (1964)
Party Line - The Kinks (1966) Happy Together - Turtles (1967)
Syvia's Mother - Dr Hook and The Medicine Show (1972)
That's Not The Way It Feels - Jim Croce (1972)
Long Distance Operator - Bob Dylan (1975)
Telephone Line - ELO (1976)
Hanging On The Telephone - The Nerves (1976)
Love On The Telephone - Foreigner (1979)
Call Me - Blondie (1980)
I Just Called To Say I Love You - Stevie Wonder (1981) Here's an American version of phone booths from Bob Dylan's perspective. There are thousands in the phone booth Thousands at the gate There are thousands in the phone booth Thousands at the gate Everybody wants to make a long distance call But you know, they're just gonna have to wait Just a phone call to a girl-friend but tone stems anger, unhappiness. Dylan's songs spell other meanings. But the venue was a phone booth.
You Tube Video: Off The Hook from Rolling Stones
Video by creekmorebanks' channel
This picture above with five gentlemen in phone booths can only be answered by Singaporean readers. Name this group and where these booths were?
This last image by American comic book artist, Michael Allred is a little tougher. So clues coming right out. They are British Rockmusic stars of the 60's and 70's. You can find JH, The W., BJ, MJ, MF in her Girl on a Motorcycle leathers. Then comes DB (Ziggy Stardust). Anyone else? All celebrating on Carnaby Street, with an obtrusive, larger than life, telephone booth. It's 2017 now so these artistes look younger in the picture. Good luck and have fun.
NB Singapore Phone Booths: Having booths in Singapore will be useless. The weather's too hot. Singapore coin phones long ago were open-air ones.
*An ang pow is a red packet with money inside given away during Chinese New Year. Images: Google (telephone booths).
