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 !
Hello my friend. Thanks for your support all these years. This blog started in 2008, and it is 2026 now. That's about 18 years of writing, reading and listening to music from Singapore and its influence from around the globe.
Let's all wish for peace and stability these coming years! More love and music, not war.
HAPPY NEW 2026 TO YOU and FAMILY.
‘AULD LANG SYNE’ BY EMILY LINGE
YouTube Video by: EMILY LINGE.
Special thanks to the original contributing writers who helped to make this blog a success. Names are permanently found on the right-hand column of the page>>>>>
Thanks to FREDA HANUM for her creativity
in producing this poster.
This blog will hit 5 Million Views soon! The above Statistics appeared on: 2nd January 2026.
German synth-pop band Alphaville originally recorded "Forever Young" [1984 debut album] and was a huge success in Scandinavia, German-speaking European countries and Singapore; became a signature song for the band and covered by numerous singers. The late Ms Branigan covered it in 1985.
Mariah Carey: 'Auld Lang Syne' YouTube Video from: Maria Carey Lambily
Greetings from everywhere:
Andy Young
Happy New Year to YOU and all my friends and fellow Facebook readers. Thanks for the support you gave to the blog.
FL
.Hi, Andy, I wish you and loved ones at home,
A very happy new year, 2024 ! Also, best wishes and good health, too.
May you have more good articles and interesting items in your blog.
Rose Khoo
Happy new year Andy!
Andy Young
Hi Rose, A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU TOO. GOD BLESS.
John Cher
Happy New Year to you and your loved ones ❤️.
ALL the very best to you always 💗.
Cheers!!
Andy Young
John Cher hi, to you too John, regards to Betsy and family.
God Bless.
John Cher
Andy Young Betsy asked me to convey her best regards to you 🙏
Colin Colin
Have a great happy new 2024 year. 🎉
Yen Chow
Happy New Year 2024, Andy!
Looking forward to many more new articles from your blog.
Chee Chien
Andy Young Happy New Year to you and your family!
May it be filled with Joy, Happiness and good Health! 🥂
Somkid Lakhawat
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Freda Hanum [KL, Malaysia]
Wish you & the blog a very HAPPY NEW YEAR 2024
and the very best always 🙏🎉🎊
2024 NEW YEAR WISHES...
Wishing You 12 months of success,
52 weeks of laughter,
365 days of fun,
8,760 hours of joy,
525,600 minutes of good luck, and
31,536,000 seconds of happiness...
Happy New Year.
Fred Ching
Compliment Of The Season Brother Andy. Thanks for the warm greetings. Found this treasured box set in my collection; the beautiful words give me chills especially from Bing Crosby. To everyone A New Year Filled With Peace, Love & Happiness👍❤️🥰… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ36gbGlm8Y [edited].
Also from:
Stephen Han
Lim Kuan Min
Jimmy Chng
Ronald Ho
Daisy Chew
Fabian Foo
Malcolm Hyder
Saram Jerry
Eddy Eng
Ivor Lesslar
Siti Z.
Joey Koh
Dr Phil Chan
Audie Ng
Mike Bangar
Cedric Cork
Tony Kwek
Eddie Wee
Mark TSL
Jerry Fernandez
Merlin Lim
Paul Ibrahm
Johnny Yeow
Alfred Wong
Steve Ho
Tony Tan
Joseph Woon
Jimmy Yap
Victor Lam
Sam
Anna Low
Md Noor
Jalani Md.
Danny Boy
Chen Jen Toa
James Kwok
Jimmy PresLee
Vincent Tan
Charlie Yap
Peter Han
Chew Hee Hong
Raymond Koh
JK Lim
John Lim
Foo Don Wan
Mun Chor Seng
Oliver Balasingham
Clarence Perera
Stephen Francis
Tan Soo Khoon
See CS
Matthew Tan
Happy Tay
Sam Toh
Roop Singh
Yen Chow
Ann Rowena Lim
Francis Anthony Rozells
Shirley Zhang
Tracy Ng
Steve Ho
Michael Cheng
Wilfred Lim
Martin Ong
Eric Bronson Wong
Manny Said
Herry Jusuf
Chow Wen Hing
Tin Leong Lim
Chan Boon Ban
Roop Singh
Martin Ong
Jennie Law
Peter Cheong
I try not to leave names out; if I have done so,
forgive me, let me know and I shall insert them.
The applause is appreciated but the New Year looks turbulent...
A hearty congratulation on achieving the blog with the National Archives - no easy task. Yours was a labour of love and passion.
Is it really 2022 already? Where did the past year go? I've been very quiet since August 2021 - hospitalised for various health issues including Covid-19, which I caught while in the ward. Was discharged after 28 days of swabbing to prove that I'm cleared. I would be free from this virus for quite a while but now there is the Omicron to worry about.
While in the ward I watched how harrassed the nurses were attending to the many elderly (slightly demented), forever calling out to go to the toilet and wanting to sit up but when the nurse came they changed their minds. When advised to just stay in bed while the nurse went to attend to someone else, some tried to get out on their own! Not a harsh word to reprimand from the nurse.
2021 - Song: 'When I look back to yesterday'
2022 - Song: 'Till the storm passes by'
Yes, Andy, song: 'Enjoy yourself' (Doris Day).
Letter sent by: CY Lin.
I would advise readers who have not had their vaccination to go for it. You never know what creatures still lurk up there in the mist, until the storm passes...
Ralph McTell: Streets of London Video: wildfiremedia.
UP TO 1800 VIEWS
[This article has been updated from 29th December, 2012. Perhaps we could give away some, if we have a little to spare...]
Used as a teaching aid in a Singapore school textbook some years ago, this international pop anthem about the street poor was first recorded in 1969. It is the third time I am posting *Streets of London on this blog. I would probably post it again in another year to remind us of the squalor, deprivation and loneliness of many homeless people in this world today. Some things never change.
When you are sipping that glass of champagne and slurping the caviar, tucking into succulent chicken rice and downing it with Tiger or just watching the ushering in of New Year 2021 on TV please remember the very poor who need our help.
I am not being hypocritical but perhaps just two Singapore dollars placed in the hands of someone who needs the money is sufficient. Or more if you wish. Depends on how much your heart (not head) is willing to give. Don't force yourself. If you can't, don't.
Watch the above video to the end because it's different from the others available on You Tube. wildfiremedia who produced the clip had an interview with Ralph McTell on the streets of London.
The streets of London today - 2020 and now. We have the poor in charity homes in Singapore. Do help them if you have some to spare.
Streets of London is written by Ralph McTell, first recorded for his 1969 album Spiral Staircase but not released in the United Kingdom as a single until 1974. It was his greatest commercial success, reaching number two in the UK singles chart, at one point selling 90,000 copies a day. As McTell explains on the video it could be any street in any big city in the world. He was inspired by an older song called, Poor People of Paris (1954) made good by Les Baxter and Orchestra. I remember this one, do you?
Over two hundred artists have made covers of this song including Cliff Richard, Blackmore's Night, Mary Hopkin, Raffi, Sam Hui, Sinéad O'Connor, Schooner Fare, Anti-Nowhere League, Roger Whittaker, Cleo Laine, Cat Stevens Oskar Weise/Tom Brner, Tommy Korberg and Liam Clancy. Its popularity was also the subject of a comedy sketch on BBC show Big Train. McTell celebrated his 70th birthday with a concert at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, on 7 December 2014 (video clip below). Read more from wikepedia..
Ralph McTell with John Williams 70th Streets Of London Live. On YouTube since 2016. Video from the man himself. Thank you sir.
1956 HITS ARCHIVE: The Poor People Of Paris - Russ Morgan. Video by the45prof.
Here's another piece of nostalgic wealth from Horace Wee, RTS/SBC guitarist, saxophonist and music guru, who had performed on many stages in Singapore. Inspired by an article I wrote, about a 60's Easter Ball at the Victoria Memorial Hall, he reflects about the 6 C's: Countdowns, Clock Tower, Clubs, Cordials, Cigarettes and Camaraderie. Sounds frivolous? No it isn't:
"The Victoria Memorial Hall holds many memories for me as well, having played at many functions there. The prominent promoter in the late fifties till early sixties was Kingsley Morando.*
In fact during the British era, the New Year's Eve dance was held there and the clock tower was the center of the countdown for the new year. The atmosphere created a miniature of the countdown in London with Big Ben.
A British cigarette brand called Craven A with a black cat logo even had a special anti-cough cigarette. Another big sponsor was F&N with a crowd favourite of their fizzy orange drink in tall round bottles.
I'm still of the opinion that the surroundings around the Victoria Hall including the Cricket Club, Singapore Recreation Club and the Padang with the clock tower as the centre piece is still the ideal venue for a New Year's Eve party and countdown. It evokes the simplicity and nostalgia of the past and welcomes the modernity of the present.
Certainly an event that will give the present generation a glimpse and link to the earlier years of Singapore. It certainly would be a memorable annual event with more emotional depth, rather than the "rah rah rah, are you having a good time," being inundated with just too many flashing lights and other modern stage technics.
Incidentally, why has Singapore forgotten about Auld Lang Syne*, a very traditional way of singing good bye to the old year. This universally accepted and used tune is a wonderful segue to the countdown towards the new year. It embodies the camaraderie of people around you and at times with arms interlocked, a hope for better things to come.
Today's cold countdown of Happy New Year feels as flat as a pancake and devoid of all emotion.
*Kingsley Morando was known as Mr. Talentime i.e. the Singapore 60's version of today's American Idol or copycat, Singapore Idol.With much entrepreneurship and sharp wits, he created an awareness of the potential in the music pop industry then.
NB: The information on Kingsley Morando, who initiated the Talentime contest. Certainly American Idol is not an original idea at all. Maybe Simon Cowell had British relatives stationed in Singapore those days and heard of this during ties he heard of them reminiscing. 😉 The picture of Kingsley Morando voicing his program with the technician at the record turntables is exactly when the term Disc Jockey was coined. Eventually the program announcer self operated the turntables. Perhaps to save manpower costs as well as ore flexibility in programming. In those years, the Radio Singapore call sign was D D B G played on a Hawaiian guitar. These are the four opening of Terang Bulan, a folk song with Indonesian/ Malay origins that became the Malaysian National Anthem. Article: Horace Wee: Copyrights Reserved. Images: Mun Chor Seng and Google.
This prescient lady wrote to me some time ago with this email below.
She was the late CYLin.
Andy,
A New Year Letter
Am trying to put my thoughts together and write something about which I cannot run away from - 2017. That is if the Good Lord does not take me home before then.
Do I look forward to a new year? A fresh start? Why does it have to be in January and on the first day of that month to make new year resolutions? Do I have to trudge through 365 days before I can make a turn? How did all these practices come about? Some will say that they are just a done thing.
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne
The bible says God gives man three score and ten years. Every year after that is a bonus but it comes with sorrow and trouble. If we look around there is much uncertainty in the world, much suffering through natural and man-made disasters. One day at a time sweet Jesus,
That's all I'm asking from You
Just give me the strength
To do every day what I have to do Cristy Lane
The youths today appear very self-absorbed, self-indulgent, self-important.However, there is hope for mankind when we hear of them dirtying their hands to save the environment; spending days clearing and cleaning homes of elderly hoarders; and performing many other good turns.
Our generation unlike our parents' may seem to be the lucky ones - not having been through world wars and now enjoying our retirement years. We have much to be thankful for. Now there's talk of us living to nine decades or even a century and many more will suffer from dementia and Alzheimer's. But there are ways to keep the disease at bay with the help of medicine and science.
Do I look forward to 2017 as I look back at 2016 with nostalgia? Yes, and I will never forget to sing:
Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think
Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink
The years go by as quickly as a wink Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself,
It's later than you think
Doris Day Wishing all a Healthy, Happy New 2017.🎉🎈 Cheers, CYLin. Gif images: Google. You Tube Video.
