Andy 60s Music Visits Tan Tock Seng Hospital Atrium For A Christmas Sing-along With Richard Rajoo.

Andy visits the Tan Tock Seng Hospital to watch music artiste Richard Rajoo and his entourage of volunteers for a Christmas Cheer.

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The poster tells it all. It was held on Monday, 15th December 2025 with the hospital's popular, The Art of Healing programme that has been going on...

The lady who introduced the musical group. A pretty MC indeed: Ms. YVONNE.

The singers who brightened the Hospital that day. Richard Rajoo is at far right. Cheers for taking time off to entertain the crowd.

Part of the audience and music participants watching from the side-lines.

Dr. Bernard Thong, Chairman of the TTSH Medical Board and Dr. Devaraj, Director of TTSH Corporate Communication can be seen at the microphone. 

Mr Roney Tan, the man behind the organisation, has planned many such events for the hospital with his family and friends. He is related to the late Mr. Tan Tock Seng.

Mr Richard Rajoo and blogger Andy chat during the short interval. They exchanged notes about the show and TTSH's Atrium longevity as a music venue.

Quite a gathering in the audience that includes out-patients, music and food enthusiasts, some staff-members and concert lovers.

‘Jingle Bells’ by the group that performed at the atrium with a cheerful and active audience moving around. It is only a sampling and could have been longer. Hopefully some songs would be ready for posting soon. YouTube Video by Andy Young.

AND RICHARD RAJOO.

Mr. Richard Rajoo, a good friend and active guitarist, told me about a Christmas sing-along concert called, Once Upon A Song, at Tan Tock Seng Hospital's very popular atrium that fronts the food court and other meal outlets. And what a treat it was with the concert participants dressed in colourful Santa hats and red polo-Ts. 

The group sang well and presented their Christmas carols and fun songs for this season, ranging from Santa Clause Is Coming To Town, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer and Silent Night, Holy Night. At least 20 concert participants, *doctors, staff and volunteers were involved in the music event that afternoon. Gifts were given out too for members of the audience.

Merry Christmas everyone and a Happy New 2026.

More Music, Mute Meaningless Military Mayhem!

Comments from readers and participants are welcome!

*Read under Comments page below and check what Merlin Lim, guitarist and former patient, has to say about TTSH's doctors and staff in all honesty.

[This is an original posting with photographs by Andy Lim. Copyrights Reserved.]

Andy 60's Music First Time Favourites Since The 50's

COWBOY SONGS

they were once called. Now it's

COUNTRY AND WESTERN

'San Antonio Rose' - Lou Baldino 

(Featuring House of Hamill and Ken Nelson) 

YouTube Video by: House of Hamill.

Here's a video on Lou Baldino's 'San Antonio Rose'. My kinda music I could listen to all day...

When I sent this song around among my WhatsApp connections, they replied with all the support and agreed with my selection of what music was like those years when we were younger. 

Here are some reactions and replies from viewers:

Eddy Eng:

This is music!

Richard Rajoo:

Yes, I really love San Antonio Rose too, because I started learning to play the guitar with an elderly neighbor of Bukit Merah. He plays with the Clan Association in Chinatown. So I sing at all their events, mainly Hank Williams and others at the music sessions. It was a real experience for me to sing to mostly vernacular speaking audiences.

Rickie Chng:

Simply nice and relaxing.

Tan Soo Khoon:

Very enjoyable. Thank you for sharing.

Vincent Tan:

Thanks for sharing.

👍👍👍👏👏👏

Merlin Lim:

Reminds me of the late, great Chet Atkins. Beautiful way of playing; all the fingers and thumb are alive. Played chords instead of single notes; makes the sound whole, complete and rich. Would have loved to learn that style of picking and playing. Had the intention to learn but lacked the motivation. Thanks Andy.

Johnny Yeo:

Nice! Nowadays I also like erhu since I have been attending weekly classes for the past two years. I love the old spaghetti Italian cowboy movies and their soundtracks.

Horace Wee:

Good to know your endorphins are working well.

Not dolphins 😅

Ronald Ho:

Thanks Andy. I listened with my bass headphones. They are excellent musicians. Yes, my kind of music too. I grew up on country music. Thanks.

Cedric Collars [Perth/Aust.]

I remember that song played by Chet Atkins and sung by Willie Nelson. Ah yes, we did enjoy them but nowadays they don’t play that style of music artistry. It has been put in the annals of music history. Sadly, it is we people who lament on their passing.

Richard Tham:

Andy, I love country music. It makes one wanna get up and dance! Thanks for sharing.

Chet Atkins, Willie Nelson.

When Music Hits You, You Feel No Pain.

Jimmy Chng:

Yup, it's all pleasure to our ears! Good morning, Andy.

Wilfred Lim:

Yes, music lingers on momentarily... then it's whisk off like a puff of smoke...  Such is our life span... we're here today... gone tomorrow! Unless our lifetime is recorded in stone or digitally... we sail into oblivion. Cheers.

Merlin Lim:

Music gives you the highs, lows and flats. Without the cravings and withdrawals...

Anonymous: 

I remember calling them cowboy songs, like Have I Told You Lately That I Love You, and China Doll. Later on, we know them as Country and Western songs. Again, lyrics today would be understood differently, "I'm tired of crying, and all your lying. That's why I'm buying a China doll. Her eyes are bluer; her faults are fewer..." Not today's China dolls! Ha! Ha!

More comments are welcome!

Slim Whitman: 'China Doll' [1952].

(Country Music Greats) HQ

YouTube: FromTheBasement.

Images: Google.

60s Music Guitarist Merlin Lim ['Philips' Vinyl Recording Artiste] Had Pet ChowChow Sailing With Him

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Writer Merlin Lim in Shanghai, when 

he explored the 7 Seas as a sailor boy.

The Young Sailor Boy from Singapore

 And The Abandoned Chow Chow From Hong Kong.

A True Story From 60s Musician Merlin Lim.

While Staying In the Kampong, Yes Our Family Had Dogs. 

There Was One At the Next House Used As A Store Room. This Dog Was Very Friendly With Everyone. It Was Not Suitable As A Guard Dog But He Was There Because Of His Size, To Act As A Deterrent, Hoping To Fool Any Intruder.

There Was Another When I Was A Seaman On Board A Ship. While in Hong Kong, With Boats Loading And Unloading Cargoes Alongside Our Vessel We Found A Dog On Board Our Ship The Next Morning. Someone Had Abandoned What Resembled A Chow Chow, And Disappeared. 

While On Board The Ship, Yes Our Crew Nursed A Dog.

The Doggie Was In Bad Shape. We, the Crew, Took Care And Nursed Him Back To Health. So The Doggie Sailed With Us From Hong Kong To Singapore, The Straits of Malacca, Indian Ocean, On To East Africa, i.e. in Kenya And Tanzania, Eden And Up To the Red Sea, Then Back To Singapore. 

The Background Beach Scene, Reminded Me Of The Six Crew Members From Our Anchor Ship When We Paddled Our Dinghy To Shore, Including One Guy With Doggie Swimming Alongside. We Had Fun.

While On The Way Home, Yes Our Family Adopted The Dog.

Before Our Trip Back To Shanghai, I Took It Back Home, Because No One On Board Wanted To Take Responsibility. I Had To Take It Home First Because If It Bit A Chinese Worker While In Shanghai Or Anywhere Else, We Would All Be In Trouble. But Thanks To The Doggie It Took A Liking And Stayed Close To My Father. So The Chow Chow, Born In Hong Kong 😊, Became My Father's Protector, While I Continued On My Journey Across The Seas...

I Remember When Dad Was In Bed, Doggie Would Be At Dad's Feet And When Mum Was Around It Would Growl To Protect Dad. A Very Protective And Loyal Pet It Became...

Author: Merlin Lim, who writes 

as well as he plays the guitar.

'Sailing' By Christopher Cross [1979]

YouTube Video from: Rhino.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEO6gYCFbr0

NB:

I Started Working On Board Ship Doing On The Job Training With Zero Knowledge. Somehow, For Those Old Seafarers, That Was Good, Because I Didn't Have To Carry Some Of Those Useless Excess Baggage So It Was Easier To Teach Me.

I Worked My Way From OJT, To Sailor; Quarter Master And Boatswain, All the Time Having Tremendous Respect For Those Old Seafarers. They Had the Experience And  Knowledge And I, The Youthfulness To Present Their Ideas Into A Safe Working Environment. The Camaraderie Worked Very Well. All's Well That Ends Well. 

Author: Merlin Lim.

[This story, as in all original stories on this blog, has been rightfully copyrighted.] 

During his guitar days...

Little Ship: The Blue Diamonds.

YouTube Video by: bbb1972.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEXc-ou0tA8&list=RDKEXc-ou0tA8&start_radio=1

While Reading His Story, Yes, I Thank Merlin For This Dog Post.

"Sailing, 

Takes me away to where I've always heard it could be

Just a dream and the wind to carry me

Soon I will be free..."

Christopher Cross

Thanks Merlin for the inspiration you gave. Life is NEVER all music and nothing else. Your sailing period was truly an achievement. Not many Singaporean musicians could have done what you did and still stand today to tell your Salty Doggie Tale Of Joy...

Comments are welcome! 

Merlin Lim, retired today, was an adventurous sailor boy, 

a successful recording artiste and a contributing author for this blog.

This posting has been forwarded to 6th July, 2025.

Mother's Day 2019: From Merlin Lim & FL: Mother Of Mine

(1) I have known Merlin Lim for about 50 years now, a pleasant, honest and sincere young man who joined the Silver Strings and played rhythm guitar with us since the mid-60s. Merlin was involved in all the 12 Philips vinyl recordings done. This guy has no agenda with you. He's a good friend, period.

Merlin has always been supportive of this blog and wrote a note two years ago with so much feel about his mum I thought I'd repeat it on an individual posting; it deserves the honour.

(2) FL is my unknown supporter and even to this day, I don't know who he or she is. FL remains anonymous, a person who has written so many comments for this blog, recommends a song which I think is a sincere dedication to a lady that we all love so much.

Thanks again to both Merlin and FL.  

(1) Merlin Lim Musician:

My Dearest Mum,

Has since departed about 10 years ago and up to this minute, I still miss her very much. She is a gentle lady, strangely though, I don't ever remember her saying harsh words or swearing at anyone.

Her life may be tough but her living is simple. Cooking for the family, watching soap operas, cowboy and Native American Indian movies on TV.

When you talk about religion, her reply will always be, "As long as I don't harm others... I'm fine." It's simple but effective.

I knew we will part one day and I work on preparing towards that goal. So when the time came, I was prepared, physically and mentally. Mum also did her preparations. She had a list of what to do, by whom, up to where her ashes should be kept.

Well, a mother is not one day in a year. Mother is ever present, in life, death and beyond. Mother is and will always be part of our existence. Without my mother, I would be...

Love you, mum, always. Rest In Peace.

Mother of Mine (1971) by Neil Reid: A song with meaningful lyrics by a young man who's 12. Above YouTube version by Florence Aguilar. 

(2) F.L. Blog Supporter:

Hi Andy, 

Although my mom is longer around, I still think of her and memories of her keep coming back. I remember one beautiful song "Mother of Mine" with meaningful lyrics first made popular by a young boy of 12 years called Neil Reid in 1971. 

May I dedicate this song to all mothers on this Mother's Day. 

If you have songs to recommend on Mother's Day, please do so and I shall list them below, a space for your song and your name.

Images from Google and Merlin Lim's Facebook.

Rolling Stones Celebrate Chap Goh Meh In Singapore

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A Chap Goh Meh Posting 2018

A Chap Goh Meh Treat 16 February 1965

This story has been told many times but not from the man himself because he was there on stage with his own group and facing a crowd that was so huge you think it was a free show. Big money to pay for a performance which cost as much as $8 per head. It was the 60's.

I must thank Audie Ng, leader and bass guitarist of the Silver Strings for penning his experience when he appeared with one of the most exciting bands in the world.

An illustration of The Rolling Stones on stage which mostly result in healthy chaos and noise.

In 1965, The Silver Strings was invited to be the introductory band for the hugely successful and well-publicised Rolling Stones performance at the Singapore Badminton Hall on February 16. 

It was Chap Goh Meh and you can imagine the crowd, noise and fanfare the whole show created. It was chaos night with fire-crackers on the streets outside at Guillemard Road and twanging guitars with screaming Mick Jagger at the microphone and his troupe on stage.

The Badminton Hall during its hey-day when it was used daily for a different purpose.

The Straits Times headlines the next day read, Stones Lose To Firecrackers. Pandemonium At Badminton Hall As British Pop Group Clashes With Chap Goh Meh.

The show was held sometime after Veronica Young won the Millie Small Competition at the Sky Theatre at the Great World Amusement Park, Kim Seng Road. Accompanied by The Strings, she achieved instant stardom and all were invited to play with the Stones after that.

The second line up of the Silver Strings during the Stones concert at the Stadium. 

Kingsley Morando was the show manager and assisted by Wilson David (Singapore's Elvis Presley impersonator in the 1960's) the Rolling Stones were contracted to perform in Singapore by Singstar's Freddy Eu (Eu Tong Sen Street was named after this family.)

The Silver Strings line-up included Audie Ng (bass), David Chan (lead), Merlin Lim (rhythm), Danny Boy (drums) and Veronica (vocals). Apparently, the instruments used that evening were supplied by the event company and amplifiers belonged to The Dukes but this information was unconfirmed.

A Rolling Stones $2.00 ticket stub from the website The Lion Raw.

Audie remembers that the show opened with Veronica Young singing her signature hit, My Boy Lollipop followed by Stupid Cupid, These Boots Are Made For Walking, Where The Boys Are and See You Later Alligator. These songs were at the top of the 50's and 60's hit parade and brought the capacity crowd to pitch rock and roll fever. It was just the ignition key as to what was to follow.

The Rolling Stones rolled into the Stadium late because of the traffic jam and the tremendously energetic Chap Goh Meh (literal: 15th night) crowd on the streets. 

It was the last night of Chinese New Year and the community was celebrating it with vigour and the unbelievably loud explosions of firecrackers. The whole of Guillemard Road, from Geylang Road and the Kallang area, was overflowing with merry-makers. Since the Badminton Stadium was easy to access from most parts of Singapore - they converged there - you can imagine the pandemonium it caused.

"I doubt this phenomenon can ever be repeated in Singapore!" remarked Audie when I interviewed him for this story.

For illustration only: The Rolling Stones - during their early days when young, raw and hot.

Well I told you once and I told you twice

But ya never listen to my advice

You don't try very hard to please me

With what you know it should be easy...

From the opening lines of The Last Time, the show erupted like dynamite, this time from the top English band of the century. 19th Nervous Breakdown, Honky Tonk Women, followed and the crowd went wild. Even the ballad, As Tears Go By had no had no calming effect on the crowd. They were swooning and singing every line as if they were the composers of the songs.

Nobody really sat on the wooden chairs that night. From the jumping and screaming British servicemen and their families to the sensible Singaporean fan, there was no time to relax. Some of the younger Caucasian girls sobbed on bended knees and broke down hysterically. Even our local teenagers were screaming throughout the concert, enjoying live rock music that was a rarity those years.

Rolling Stones Singapore Concert 1965 promo acetate. Video from Parlogram YouTube.

When Satisfaction came on the sound system to announce it was the grand finale; the crowd wanted more. The packed stadium was like a burning furnace in Singapore's weather. The only factor that saved the evening was the breeze that came in through the huge window-like openings above the hall; natural ventilators they were since the twirling fans bedecking the high ceiling didn't help much. 

The Straits Times report about the show that evening attracted many newspaper readers.

An incident mentioned was the gatecrashers who tried to come in and a gate collapsed as the police (or mata-mata) were called in to help with the milieu that resulted. I understand the Black Marias and Ang Chia (Red Vehicles) were outside the stadium too. These were huge vans that would transport rioters and put them in lock-ups.

Now those were the days of rock and roll in Singapore in 1965 when our tiny island left Malaya to become an independent city-state and boys were still roaming the streets with long hair. What a way to go.

The more expensive $8.00 ticket with row and seat number. It was a lot of money those years.

The performance described was only part of the whole story. Many people saw this show and it was an unforgettable double happiness, Chap Goh Meh evening and the Stones presence.

Did you attend this particular concert and do you have something to say? We need some more information. Do write on the comment page. This concert was also the first time the Stones performed in Singapore. They came a few more times afterwards. 

Any comment?

Thanks to Dr Steve Farram (Darwin U.) for the inspiration, after enticing me with the video and ticket as bait, to write this article.😉

Article: All Rights Reserved.
Images: The Straits Times and Google.