Andy's 60's Music Blog Reaches 4.4 Million Plus Views on 22 September 2025

It was more than 4.3 million views on 1st September 2025. In less than a month the blog acquired another 100,000 views to achieve 4.4 million plus views.

+PLUS Views

On 22nd September 2025.

The Impossible Dream

Reaching 4.4 Million Plus Views. Now That's

A Lot Of Readers For A Singapore Music Blog!

Lulu, Elvis Presley, The Platters, Charlize Theron, Papas and Mamas,

Tom Jones, The Rolling Stones, Cliff Richard, The Shadows,

Paul McCartney, Babra Streisand, Dionne Warwick. 

Check them and others on this music blog! Four point four million plus views cannot be wrong!

Do you know our guest stars above?

Is there a mistake somewhere regarding these stars?

Answers and Comments are welcome.

"The Impossible Dream" Elvis Presley. [1971]

YouTube Video by Mr. A.P.

Images: Google.

Singapore 60s Music Posters: Titles & Singers Quiz

UP TO 1,200 VIEWS - TRY THE QUIZ.

Quiz

Name the song and singer on each poster.

There are 10 songs.

'Lonesome Cowboy' Art piece is by:

 Betty Harper [www.bettyharper.com]

Images from: E.S. [Singapore]

Please send to a friend. Thanks.

Images: Google

YouTube Video from: Heimatfilme

The Platters: "But Only God Can Make A Tree."

Early one morning, about two weeks ago, I saw a very old tree being trimmed along a road that I pass frequently. I have fallen in love with this tree and so have my grandchildren because whenever we walked up to it we would feel and touch the rough, scarred surface of its enormous trunk. 

Strangely, the tree seemed to react to our touch as some tiny pieces of bark and green moss would stick on our hands.  

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest, 
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast.

                                                  This trunk feels to our touch.

When we asked the gardeners who were trimming it what had happened they explained that a thunderstorm which occurred a few days earlier had ripped part of it and, like a surgical knife, removed a large giant arm off.  This black stump lay quiet and still on the ground today.  

A tree that looks at God all day, 
And lifts her leafy arms to pray. 

Singapore is exceptional because this tiny little island, in ratio to its land mass, has more than enough trees everywhere; many were specially planted by its citizens. 

And November is a month for trees because that's when our first PM, Lee Kuan Yew,  consciously reminded every Singaporean to plant trees, lots of it, during this month. 

                           Promoting Trees On Jan's T.

At the same time, the month is also one where damp devastation takes place so when the monsoon blows and cries and sings its songs of woe, trees come down, forced by the destructive nature of the weather.  This wicked climate worsens in December and January.   

Upon whose bosom snow has lain, 
Who intimately lives with rain. 
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.

The beautiful growth is a heritage lychee tree that doesn't fruit under Singapore's condition.

Songs I Love:

A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair...

Trees is a song by The Platters. It was recorded in 1961 and based on a poem written by Alfred Joyce Kilmer in 1913 and set to music by Oscar Rasbach in 1922.  This particular composition comes with 7 other songs by the group with Only You, one of 1001 songs you must hear before you die.

Trees...
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray

Trees...
Upon whose bosom snow has lain
Who intimately lives with rain
Poems are made by fools like me
But only God can make a tree
Poems are made by fools like me
But only God can make a tree
(I think that I shall never see...)

Above is the large arm that was amputated by lightning.  Below is the aftermath

There are many songs about trees or lyrics that have the particular word in them. Here is a short list of 20:

Annie's Song - John Denver
Big Bad John - Jimmy Dean
Cottonwood Tree - Marty Robbins
Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree - Andrews Sisters
Draggin' The Line - Tommy James/The Shondells

Dream A Little Dream Of Me - Louis Armstrong
Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
Lemon Tree - Trini Lopez/Peter, Paul and Mary
Lemon Tree - Fool's Garden (1995)
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds - The Beatles

No More Walks In The Woods - Eagles
Norwegian Wood - The Beatles
Oh, What A Beautiful Morning - Ray Charles
Rockin Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
The Happiest Christmas Tree - Nat King Cole

The Lumberjack Song - Monty Python
Tie A Yellow Ribbon...  - Tony Orlando/Dawn
Trees - The Platters
What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Wooden Heart - Elvis Presley
You and Me - Moody Blues

It is a heritage lychee tree.

NB:

This posting is especially for my 3 Jays, whose love for trees and most of nature takes them to the Botanical Gardens nearly every week.

Images and article: A Personal Collection.
You Tube 'Trees' by The Platters - Video from Mr. Tripeo47.
Poem by Alfred Joyce Kilmer (1913)/ Music by Oscar Rasbach (1922). 
Book: Tony Visconti and Robert Dimery, 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die.  (The Fifties Page 67). 

Lychee Tree Update: 7.7.17.

Passed by the same tree this morning and they are propping it up, like an old man with a walking stick. This tree, according to the workers, is 200 years old.

Great news because the tree might just crash to the ground during a storm. It will take about a month for reinforcement and about 8 workers are doing the hard labour.

It has been nearly 3 years since the first awareness post (above) has been put up. Visit this post again in a month's time and we'll meet the people who made this difficult job possible.

How our authorities saved a tree.

Before the job and afterwards when steel structures were erected to prop the lychee tree to its glory. Cheers.

IMAGES - A personal collection and the poster is a mix from Google and my own ideals. 

Songs I Love: Gearing Up For Long Haul Home?

Song By Bud Green, Les Brown and Ben Homer (1944). Sung by The Platters.

Gonna take a sentimental journey,
Gonna set my heart at ease.
Gonna make a sentimental  journey,
To renew old memories.

Got my bags, I got my reservations,
Spent each dime I could afford.
Like a child in wild anticipation,
Long to hear that, "All aboard!"

Seven... that's the time we leave at seven.
I'll be waitin' up at heaven,
Countin' every mile of *railroad track,
That takes me back.

Never thought my heart could be so yearny.
Why did I decide to roam?
Gotta take that sentimental  journey,
Sentimental journey home (repeat).

*Lyrics can be meaningful to Singaporeans who have been away for some time and who long to come home permanently, substituting 'railroad track' to 'plane trip pack'.

Song has been covered by Les Brown and His Band of Renown, with Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney, Ames Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald, Ralph Materie, Ringo Starr, Booker T. n the M.G.s, Barry Manilow .                                                  

50s/60s Music Scene The Platters "Only You"

Remembering Tony Williams, lead tenor, was not a problem especially when he was a 50s singer in one of the most renowned vocal groups in the U.S. and possibly the world . David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed and Zola Taylor were THE PLATTERS. And "Only You", their first song, became a Top Ten on the charts for weeks.

Then came "The Great Pretender" and a string of other hits that are still being played around the world today. They appeared in the movie, "Rock Around The Clock" with Bill Haley's Comets together with a host of other rock and roll greats. The Platters recorded about three dozen songs and most have lasted generations and become evergreens.

"Buck Ram is remembered for his long association with The Platters, whom he signed to a management contract in 1953. Ram was working as a talent manager, A&R man and saxophone player in a dance band when Tony Williams, the brother of one of Ram's clients, auditioned for him. Ram was looking for a group to sing the songs he wrote and found the voice he was looking for in Williams.

He built The Platters around him. Ram arranged and produced all recordings by The Platters, from their signing with Mercury Records until his death, and wrote their biggest hits including Only You (And You Alone), The Great Pretender. Magic Touch, and Twilight Time."

From: http://religion.wikia.com/wiki/Buck_Ram

During the Singapore 60s music scene, our local boys and girls formed vocal groups too and the more popular ones were, The Tid-Bits, The Crescendos, The Three Bambinos and The Gay Lads (Gay = Happy).

Key YouTube: the platters twilight time.

By: Andy Lim