Canto-Pop, Hong Kong Pop Chats: 8 Singaporeans, 1 Japanese. [For English Speakers]

Sam Hui [above] and Alan Tam

For those who are not too familiar with Hong Kong pop, below is

 a chat with blogger, 8 Singaporeans and a Japanese who lives in Spain.

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Andy Young:

Hello my friends, I would like to focus interest this month on HONG KONG POPS and CANTO-POPS and would love to learn from music friends and readers. Please contribute your stories if you can about your own experiences watching or performing with them in Singapore, in Hong Kong or in other countries. Photographs too are most welcome. Thank you.

Colin Colin:

I can only mention the 1st music band from Hong Kong that sort of introduced me to their music scene were The Wynners featuring Alan Tam, followed by Sam Hui.

Then all these HK songs and their bands were available on cassettes. And the Old Bugis Street that time frequently air-played these HK hits. I remember a cassette stall playing Shanghai Bund, the theme song by Francis Yip.

Fond memories...

A youthful Frances Yip, Canto-pop diva.

Andy Young:

Colin Colin yes, that's right. Wynners were really winners. And Alan Tam with Sam Hui. That's what we need to keep the memories flowing. Thanks Colin. You've contributed much. Bugis Street too. Cheers. Shanghai Bund belongs to Frances Yip. Wow!

Fred Ching:

Thanks for this interesting topic Brother Andy. Sam Hui sang beautifully and flawlessly at most of his concerts that I have attended in Singapore. Was listening to this album in my car stereo when this classic came on.. 

Regarded as a legend in Cantopop and movies scene from the 1960’s to 1990’s, Sam popularised Cantopop songs by striking a chord with the everyday man. His songs and lyrics echo the trials, tribulations and triumphs of the ordinary working man and has made him much - loved performer across the region. Thanks for the good memories, Sam.👍❤️🥰..

Andy Young:

Fred Ching thanks for continuing the thread of the HK Pop and Canto-Pop story. I am not familiar with Sam Hui but your writeup is informative and helps. I hope to read more about him.

I have also been listening to your video, Fred but don't understand Cantonese. The video dramatization is meaningful. Thanks.

許冠傑 Sam Hui - 日本娃娃

YouTube Video by: Kenji

Stephen Han:

I went to see Francis Yip when she performed in Singapore on a few occasions. Others include Grace Chang, Chan Poh Choo, Sit Kat Yin, Sam Hui。

Andy Young:

Stephen Han it's interesting that you are just as familiar with Canto-pop as you are with the Western pop stars. Thanks for the support.

AN A COINCIDENCE INDEED: COCO LEE HAS PASSED AWAY JUST AS WE ARE DISCUSSING CANTO-POP. Do feel free to write about this lovely lady who graced the 90s and beyond in both the East and the West. May she REST IN PEACE. Condolences to her family. 

Chow Wen Hing:

A coincidence indeed Andy, and a sad day for music lovers worldwide, especially the circumstance of her passing. Depression is definitely a condition to be taken seriously as it is non-discriminatory. It can inflict the rich or the poor, the famous or the ordinary. RIP Coco Lee 😢

Andy Young:

Chow Wen Hing thanks. It's true. Easy to get depressed nowadays with the world situation and how media is conducted daily on the Web. We all do need to be careful.

The late Coco Lee who had just

passed away a few days ago.

Hiroshi Deguchi [writes from Spain]:

It was when I happened to go see "Mr Boo The Private Eyes" that I became interested in Sam and The Lotus. I liked the guitar interlude so much that I tried to find out the chords and how to play the interlude. I'm afraid it was not in the 60s but in the late 70s. 

Then started listening to other singers and bands. It was not easy to do so in Japan those days. I got the tapes and CDs when I visited SG. I remember singing Sam's Japanese Girls at Europa Singapore, a live house in Marine Parade long time ago. I want to sing his Drifter Song but my dream hasn't come true; the language is difficult.

Sam Hui 许冠杰: 浪子心声/Drifter’s Song 

(Sing along with English translation)

YouTube Video: Keat Leong.

Andy Young:

Hiroshi Deguchi hello! Your story intrigues me, and I'm sure other readers too. Thanks for taking me nearer to Canto/HK pop. I shall check out Sam Hui's Japanese Girls and Drifter Song. That's the problem with some pop song listeners in Singapore, ie: not understanding the Chinese dialects nor Mandarin songs. Appreciate your sharing Hiroshi. 🙏👍 Thanks. A whole new world for me...

Audie Ng [Silver Strings leader/bassist]:

The Wynners were called Loosers till their Manager Mr Pato Leong changed it and they became popular. The Silver Strings [Singapore] were invited to appear on HKTVB by our Mr Robert Chua and they appeared on the same show, Enjoy Yourself Tonite.

Sam Hui appeared on the same show too. The Cantopop music was influenced by the Filipino musicians and I brought in the first Cantopop band called, HongKong Radio, to perform at Club 97 owned by the Europa Chain group.

Andy Young:

Thanks Audie, with your 50 years plus experience with Singapore and S.E. Asian showbiz, you're the man to explain the scenario in a more crystalized view, from the inside out.

Sam Hui: Me and the Elephant. 

YouTube Video: ioujenny.

Jimmy Chng [Percussionist/The Decibels]:

Interesting chats on Canto-pop. Sam sings well both in Cantonese and English. Although I have a poor grasp of the Cantonese dialect, I enjoy listening to many of his Cantonese songs. 

The movies he starred in together with his brothers Michael and Rick e.g. Aces Go Places, The Private Eyes, etc. were popular too. I like his rendition of, Me and the Elephant as well.

Andy Young:

Again thanks for the information provided Jimmy. You are knowledgeable indeed and will check out the movies the brothers made. I am familiar with, Elephant. It is still popular today.

Irene Yap:

I'm afraid I can't contribute much to Canto music. It was in the late 70s, I think, a period where Canto songs were in. Besides Sam Hui's popularity time, I think also at a time when Cantonese dramas were shown in our TV channels. Their theme songs became popular. I remember I had to learn them to cater to the requests, during my hotel or nightclubs stint.

Andy Young:

Thanks Irene. I think it’s very informative, what you’ve just written. I didn’t realise all that you’ve just told me. Now I remember that there was a period where there was so many Cantonese dramas on TV. And you had to sing them too? 

💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

Thanks for the generous contribution of HK music stories from AUDIE NG, COLIN COLIN, FRED CHING, HIROSHI DEGUCHI, JIMMY CHNG, IRENE YAP. These stories, for a non-Cantonese speaker, are exceptionally interesting. And thanks also to CHOW WEN HING, STEPHEN HAN, for their comments.

Samuel Hui: Interlude [Time is like a Dream]

YouTube Video by: leopold coutrier.

💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

Images: Google. All connecting links will be put up soon.

Hong Kong Protests Bring Back Pop 60s Music (香港抗议 60S 音乐, 是)

This Connection Post is dedicated to my school mate Yeo Choon Meng

who loves HK Pops. Thanks, Meng, hope you enjoy the music and stories.

The poster above is for illustration only since some of the music stars have passed away.

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The Hong Kong protests and riots have lasted for some months now. It is indeed in a sad state of affairs. 

Let's hope the situation will improve and the island will once again turn on its neon lights to dazzle, sparkle and illuminate itself. In music history, HK has one of the most excellent entertainment industry on this side of the world. It must channel its forceful creativity back to the energetic island that used to spell the best in popular culture.

I have, in the past years, posted many articles about Hong Kong's 60s and 70s pop musicians and singers. Most of the artistes have strong ties with the island.

Below are some connections that may interest you.

Irene Ryder sings 'You Don't Have To Say You Love Me'. Thank you.

Shao Fong Fong:
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2011/09/shao-fong-fong-sings-in-impeccable.html

The Fabulous Echoes 1:
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2015/09/fabulous-echoes-were-called-rock-n.html

The Fabulous Echoes 2:
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/05/fabulous-echoes-instrumental-group-is.html

Irene Ryder (Part One)
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2014/11/irene-ryder-ryding-high-in-hk-60s-part-1.html

The Wynners: I'll Never Dance Again. One of the top HK groups in the 70s.

Irene Ryder (Part Two)
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2014/12/hong-kong-pop-music-60s-ryding-high.html

Teresa Teng, Mummy And Mahjong:
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2015/11/playing-mahjong-with-teresa-tengs-mother.html

Mona Fong:
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2014/03/mona-fong-50s-charm-still-attractive.html

Jimmy Lin Chong:
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2011/01/jimmy-lin-chong-singing-thief-from-hk.html

The Wynners:
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/09/wynners.html

Anders Nelson, MING:
https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2009/11/blog-post_24.html

The poster above is for illustration only. The group is 'Danny' Diaz and The Checkmates.

Meeting Teresa Teng And Mother @ Kuala Lumpur Part 1

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The band leader of the Silver Strings, Audie Ng sent me an SMS revealing his meeting with Teresa Teng and her mother. When I contacted him on the telephone he revealed that:

He used to service hotels all over S. E. Asia in the late 1960's and early 70's by supplying them with Filipino pop bands. He would fly from Singapore and visit these places regularly to either sign a contract with the hotel management for his bands to perform, or to check on the welfare of his musicians. 

It was usual that during some of his business visits he would meet singers and musicians. On one of these occasions he met the late diva, *Teresa Teng and her mother. 

He remembers that when he met her she was still very young and that she could have already cut some records with a company then. He confirmed the year to be around the early 70's.

Ms Teng's mother was a friend of one Mr Gan Ngoh who was the owner of the Mayflower Night Club at the Fortuna Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He cannot describe Mr Gan but he can still recall the club where he saw her for the first time; Ms Teng would jam with the hotel band by singing with them during the afternoons' leisurely breaks.

In the meantime, he would join in the mahjong games at one of the tables in the nightclub. Seated at the table was Ms Teng's mother. So they both became mahjong friendly. 

Even at the time that Audie knew Teresa Teng he realised she had the potential to be a successful singer because she was very pretty and had such a pleasant voice. A professor of cultural theory once remarked that it was the sweetness of her voice that made her famous.

During one of his chats Mrs Teng had jokingly asked that he managed her daughter but since he was not familiar with Chinese singers and the Taiwanese music market, he declined the proposal. 

He exclaimed that he fell in love with her voice and pretty face, otherwise he would probably be rich and famous managing her. As he chuckled over the phone I sensed the tone of humour, "I was also married la..." 

During his time in show business since the 1970's he had the opportunity of meeting and chatting close-up with four South East Asian divas, Anita Sarawak from Singapore and Malaysia; Francis Yip from Hong Kong; Irene Ryder from the Philippines but based in Hong Kong and of course Teresa Teng from Taiwan.

*Teresa Teng (January 29, 1953 – May 8, 1995) was a Taiwanese pop singer and well know for her romantic ballads and folk numbers.  These songs have become so familiar that The Moon Represents My Heart and When Will You Return have become evergreens, even among the non-Chinese.

She had recorded songs in Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hokkien, Cantonese, Japanese, Indonesian and English.   At 42 she passed on in 1995 from a severe respiratory attack while on holiday in Thailand.

Images: A personal collection; Google.

The tale above is by Audie Ng, leader and bass player of Singapore's pop 60's band The Silver Strings. 

Disclaimer: Blog owner cannot ascertain as to the authenticity of the story.

                Teresa Teng Full Album of Hits from Candy Channel.

Rolling Good Times Singapore 3: Frances Yip Interview

Frances Yip: "Shanghai Bund" on Rolling Good Times - Media Corp.

Watch the interview with Dick Lee tonight on ROLLING GOOD TIMES (Media Corp: Channel 5 @ 9.45 pm) and let her explain how, as a police inspector from Hong Kong, she came to Singapore to sing.

According to the interview, Ms Yip has recovered well from an illness. She is in her 60's but looks 35. Just as pretty and slim as she was many years ago, Ms Yip sings gospels too besides the usual pops. Her biggest hit ever, *"Shanghai Bund", was so successful it rocketed her to fame. With some of her funds she put a deposit to buy an apartment in Singapore. Smart lady.

When Lee mentioned that she looked petite and young in her tiny dress, she replied that her retro dress was 30 years old.  Listen for the applause afterwards.

*The song which is in Cantonese, was not performed on local television.  For those who are not familiar with the dialect, a translation:

 Seung Hoi Tan (上海灘)

" Rushing waves, ever flowing waves
 Thousand miles of torrential river flowing ceaselessly
 Washing away all worldly affairs
 Bringing in a new world for you and me
 Is it happiness or sorrow
 In the rushing waves struggling
 Unable to differentiate the two
 Success or failure
 In the rushing waves unable to for see our future
 Loving you despising you
 Don't you realize that
 My love is like an endless flowing river
 Once it flows, will not retreat
 Flowing through the many bays
 And still struggling...
 My feelings I'm unable to suppress them
 In happiness and in sorrow
 Unable to differentiate them...
 Though wishing still to overcome those waves
 My heart has endured enough
 Of the rising and falling of love and of life..."

Translation by White Libra Texas.

Images: Richard Toh's Facebook and Media Corp Channel 5 screen grab.
 You Tube Video not from "Rolling Good Times".

 SLIP NOTE: LATEST NEWS FLASH

The tragedy of the Mount Kinabalu quake that killed young Singaporeans shocked many people. As a nation we send our condolences to the families and friends of these innocent victims. They were children, teachers and mentors who came from Tanjong Katong Primary School. May their souls rest in peace.

All flags fly at half mast with a minute's silence before each SEA Games Singapore 2015 competition.

 Monday, June 8th, 2015.

Images: Google.

Rolling Good Times Singapore 1: Rick Astley, Dick Lee, Silver Strings

Mathilda D'Silva, Reuby, Wendi Koh, Dick Lee, Rick Astley, Tabitha Nauser, Andy Lim, Audie Ng, John Cher, Rickie Chng, Nicholas Stravens.

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Music and songs are from about the 60's to the 80's.

The Silver Strings will appear on "Rolling Good Times". Line up for the live recording on 4th May are: John Cher, Andy Young, Audie Ng, Mathilda DSilva (Ms Tina Turner), Nick Stravens, Rickie Chng.

The show will highlight our island's music heritage from the 60s onwards and feature pop stars like Larry Lai, Veronica Young, The Dukes, Western Union Band, Julie Sudiro, Ramli Sarip, Jive Talking, Speedway, Masquerade and other local artistes.

Rick Astley With Andy Young

International singers featured will include *Rick Astley, Frances Yip and Johnny Hates Jazz. Dick Lee and Tabitha Nauser will host.  The first telecast in the series that features The Silver Strings will be aired on Channel 5, May 17th, Sunday, from 9.30 pm.

Silver Strings Drummer John Cher and Band Leader Audie Ng with Rick Astley.

*From CNA Website:

SINGAPORE: Singer Rick Astley will be among a host of both local and international artistes who will be performing on the new Rollin’ Good Times, a reboot of the popular 1990's Singaporean music variety show.

The 1980's music icon revealed that he will be performing some of his hits like Together Forever on the show, which celebrates Singapore’s musical heritage, and said he hoped his music will resonate with Rollin’ Good Times viewers.

Andy Young, blogger with Dick Lee, compere, backstage (after show actually).

Apart from recording the first episode, alongside local band The Silver Strings and singer Wendi Koh, Astley is also in Singapore to perform on the first of a two-part special of The 5 Show on Tuesday (May 5), which aims to raise funds to help those affected by the recent deadly earthquake in Nepal.

Click to read Part 2:
http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/2015/05/rolling-good-times-peek-behind-cameras.html

FYI: 26th May, 2015. Live Recording: Johnny Hates Jazz, Frances Yip.

Images from top: Silver Strings on stage; Mathilda DSilva aka Ms Tina Turner; R.G.T. poster; Dick Lee interviews Strings; Andy With Astley; John Cher, Rick Astley and Audie Ng.

                           Rick Astley: Never Gonna Give You Up.

1975 - SuZanna Teo, Final 1: 'Loving You'

In April 1975 a young lady from the U.S., with a five-and-half-octave vocal range, composed and recorded a song, Loving You (not the Elvis Presley version) with much success. The singer was able to enunciate in the high registers to set her apart from other whistle-register singers. Unique *Minnie Julia Riperton became a star when Loving You sold a million copies and opened her to the pop music world.

Eight months later in December, a young lady from Singapore sang the same hit and won the 1975 Discovery #Talentime at the Shangrila Hotel in Orange Grove Road. Her main prize was a recording contract with EMI where she recorded the Riperton number with 11 other covers on an LP titled, SuZanna Teo Loving You (EMGS 5003).

Nineteen year old Suzanna, who was a Pre-University student at Victoria Secondary School, owed her singing success to Curtsie, the guitar she strummed and hugged during the competition. In her last year as a teen, Suzanna explained that music was her life for the moment and something which she could do "wholeheartedly." When asked about her future plans during her interview with The Straits Times, she added that she wanted to be a social scientist.

In addition to her grand prize, she won a trip to Hong Kong and an appearance at the **Frances Yip TV Show. Suzanne also bagged a pewter tropy, a $200 record voucher, a cassette player and other useful gifts. 

According to the Straits Times report, an RTS (Radio TV Singapura) announcer Adaline Scheerder was the runner-up and Samuel Owen, a veteran vocalist, won the third prize. The judges were a distinguished line-up of personalities then and included, George Favacho from RTS, Daisy Devan and Keith Bruce from EMI and Lawrence Magnan from Shangrila Hotel.

                                                          Video By: eosyeo

This interesting LP was the only one recorded by Suzanna. It was produced, arranged and conducted by Reggie Verghese (Quests' Lead Guitarist). The recording/mixing engineer was Vincent Lim. The sleeve design was by THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE with photography by Bernard Chan.

                                                               

Side One: Follow Me, Rock and Roll Coaster, This Time I'd Be Sweeter, Danny's Song, When The Party's Over (Riperton), April Fool. Side Two: Loving You, Never Can Say Goodbye, Please Tell Him That I Said Hello, Tomorrow, You're No Good, Special To Me.

Like our own Olivia Ong today, Suzanna Teo was a hit in the mid 70's. According to Audie Ng, music impresario, he contracted her to sing at the Imperial Hotel Singapore in the early 80s when she was at the top of the hit parade. Have you heard Teo singing or listened to her recording before? Tell us.

*Wikipedia: Singer/Songwriter Riperton died of cancer in July 1979.
**Pop lady singer of the 70s who hails from Hong Kong.

#Many young hopefuls those days participated in singing competitions which might help them secure a recording contract and some fame. Fortune is something else. Click 'Talentime' label below for similar themes.

So there you are Singaporeans, before Final 1  from Media Corp in 2013 and Singapore Idols in the years before, there was Talentime.

Information from: The Straits Times Press, Singapore 5/12/1975, Pg 10.

Images: EMI Records Singapore/Andy Lim Collection.

Singapore Pop 60s Fashion On Vinyl Covers (Part I)

15,000+ readers on
this posting alone.  

SINGAPORE FASHION AMONG CHINESE POP 60's ARTISTES:

Ladies fashion in the 60s seems to focus on colours and tones but less on accessories. Dresses are elegant and evening gowns are usually full-skirted. For casual wear, the ladies have British fashion guru Mary Quant's mini-skirt for leggy jaunts. And the word 'mini' comes from the iconic 60s Cooper mini-car. 

Compared with their sisters in the West, our local Chinese pop singers dress conservatively when appearing on the covers of the vinyl they publicize. Sakura, Frances Yip, Mona Fong and Carrie Ku Mei (images) look resplendent with their pleasing, eye-catching and fashionable dress sense. 

The light purplish dress with fluffy puffed sleeves that Sakura wears, is either for a concert or nightclub act. Note her bee-hive hairdo. Is she over-dressed? Not really. Carrie Koo Mei and Mona Fong are also ready for a formal evening concert in a darker purple cheongsam with psychedelic prints (?) to woo audiences with their stage presence and songs. I love their simple but charmingly styled hair and stilettos. 

A very young Frances Yip appears set for a stroll in the park with her short, captivating sun-hewed print mini. Perhaps she's ready to sing a twist or shake 60s hit during a tea-dance. Or is she?

Then the Bunga Sakura (trans: flower) above. Now whether they finally put her on a vinyl cover she recorded is a question to ask. But I do find her garb a little heavy. Like they say, though, one man's meat...

One very outstanding vinyl and I have reproduced it whole, is the cowgirl in a simple light-coloured blouse and dark pants with boots to match. Very outstanding, especially with the bee-hive hair to add height. But the holsters and plastic guns are a wee bit too small in comparison.

I am no expert, so do write in if you are familiar with Singapore 60's dress code and comment on the fashion sense then. 

For those interested in the Chinese record covers above: 

Image 1: Sakura COLUMBIA/EMI ECHK. 614. 

Image 2: Frances Yip LIFE RECORDS/EP 2092. 
Image 3: Carrie Koo Mei and Mona Fong PATHE/EMI: 7EPA-206.
Image 4: Sakura again but without a vinyl cover. The background looks similar.
Image 5: An odd one out. A Chinese cowgirl outfit from 60's.

Images/original article: Andy Lim.

Naturally BBC: English Gentleman Without The Stiff Upper Lip - Larry Lai Interview - (Part II)

Backstage with Larry, songstress Frances Yip in silver, before a show. 

"You speak and behave like an English gentleman. All you need is a bowler hat, an umbrella with a whangee handle and polished leather shoes. Like John Steed in The Avengers?" That was the truth about this celebrity broadcaster because he did not have a phoney accent and spoke as naturally as the announcers on BBC. And according to him, "The BBC was where I learnt my trade... yes... listening to the station daily... from home." So as we started on our Katong laksa, Larry Lai, who never liked to talk about himself, reluctantly related in impeccable Queen's English his 18 year relationship with Rediffusion.

He came with his family from Shanghai, China, had his education at Pearl's Hill Primary and studied commercial subjects at Outram Secondary. He started as a Rediffusion announcer in 1960 with Tan Swee Leong. They had replaced Tan Hock Lye and Steven Lee who left for Radio Singapore. Being a broadcaster was challenging but he loved his profession at the station, working with the Rediffusion family until he retired as manager and producer in 1978.

Straits Times Advertisement 29th September, 1966.

Larry remembered how difficult the job could be. Besides doing the routines where he had to broadcast, make announcements, play music requests, prepare scripts, etc. in the studio, Larry had also to carry out extra curricular activities outside.

When his boss Len Thorne phoned him in December, 1961 to interview U.S. crooner Frank Sinatra at Singapore Airport, he lugged his heavy, bulky tape recorder and sped all the way to the tarmac hoping to get a scoop. He was excited when Sinatra finally emerged from the plane but before he could approach "Ol' Blue Eyes", the singer made an about turn and disappeared. Larry was so upset, he refused to play Sinatra records on air for a week!

On another occasion, he and Tan Swee Leong climbed a tree, risking broken bones, to catch a glimpse of 60s Calypso singer Harry Belafonte at the Raffles Hotel. When the singer saw them perching precariously beneath the pale moon and fearing their safety, he quickly agreed to the interview. It was an exclusive for Rediffusion and a pat on the back for the "terrible twins" (Lai & Tan).

Clockwise: Larry Lai with the late Reim de Wolffe [Blue Diamonds], 

Andy [Blogger/Silver Strings], the late Jap Chong, Vernon [Quests].

But then there were other moments of joy too when Larry compered game shows with beautiful, perfume scented ladies. Like when he hosted and interviewed Philippino songbird Teresa Carpio, Hong Kong superstar Jennie Tseng (sidebar image), Cathay Pacific's ambassador, Frances Yip (above image) and other glamorous celebrities during live shows at the National and Victoria theatres, cinemas, shopping malls and the Rediffusion auditorium.

At this point of the interview I interrupted him and asked, "And the lady in your life, Larry. Tell us about your very pretty wife. We've been introduced, so perhaps you'd like to recall how you met her the first time? "

"Oh," he said, "that's with Saloma and Ahmad Daud... at the Lido Cinema. And she was with this gentleman. But it's another story... "

Image: Larry Lai Collection: (The lady next to Frances Yip is Katherine Kan from an earlier metamorphosis of Media Corp, possibly RTS. It was backstage at the National Theatre during an end-of-year show in the early 80s.)

Original Article: Andy Lim.

Check out: Saturday, May 08, 2010
Larry Lai King Of Singapore 60s Airwaves (Pt I)

Philippines Rivera Floods - 70s Songbird Gracie

The people from the Philippines that blogger has encountered are mostly warm, gracious and gifted with music in them.

D' Starlights and The Fabulous Echoes came in the 60s and Freddy Aguila later. In the 70s a pretty young Philippino lady sang her way to the hearts of nightclubbers in Hong Kong and S. E. Asia with her beautiful voice and charming personality. 

Gracie Rivera signed up with EMI/HK and produced a number of English records. This particular selection from GRACIE (image) includes: Torn Between Two Lovers, Fairy Tale, Morning Of My Life, Somebody Waiting, Both Sides Now, The Music Of Love, It's Time, Fly Away, Like A Sad Song, I Am A Rock and personal favourites, Erestu and of course Amazing Grace. 

Gracie Rivera: House of the Rising Sun: An Animals Original. Thank you.

EMI Records were big because they released a string of English albums in the second half of the 70s by artists that included Teresa Carpio, Esther Chan, Rowena Cortes, Felicia Wong, Tracy Huang, Frances Yip and Gracie Rivera.

Then there was George Lam, The New Top Notes and The Western Union Band. Two independent labels also released English albums in the 1970s. The company's main rival was Polygram.

The vinyl was recorded in 1977 (EMGS 6012). It was arranged and conducted by Fabulous Echoes and Kong Ling personality Vic Cristobel. 

Comment anyone?

(F) Frances Yip - Cathay Pacific - Hong Kong - Geylang Sipaku Geylang - Oh Di Mana - Rak Khun Kao Laew - Beautiful Seoul - Widuri.

A sequel to Frances Yip's Discovery Album in 1974 by Cathay Pacific Airways, this album is Discovery 2 where, 'songs from the heart of Asia and beyond' had been recorded. With her strong, crisp and beautiful voice, Ms Yip sings melodies from 13 different countries.

They are Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.

Until 1973, singing was only part time for her but when she came in first in a talent competition, the contracts came in fast and furious. She joined Cathay Pacific to promote the airline and has cut many singles, EPs and LPs too. The image shows the back cover of this particular EMI Long Play recording done in Singapore in 1978.

If the reader still cannot remember Frances Yip, then one of the greatest hits in Chinese pop history may. Shanghai Beach.

Frances Yip: 'Shanghai Beach'

YouTube Video by: waiting87

Image: Google.