A National Day Special 2022: Social Harmony In Kampong Amber: Pianist Baba Sam Gan

Renowned pianist Sam Gan at the keyboard with 

Michael Bangar in sunglasses and Horace Wee in black.

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Sam Gan is a baba or peranakan [Straits-born], so the reader might have to go through Malay words in his letter below but they have been carefully explained, so go a little slow to read. Unless you are familiar of course...

Hi Andy,

Bringing back memories of my family and me growing up in Kampong Amber [Amber Village], from 1947 to 1953. Best years of my childhood... Malay, Chinese, Indians, all living in harmony... We played, ran around barefooted, shirtless, in the rain, in the sunshine. 

According to the time of year, playing gasing [top spinning], layang layang [kite-flying] ,keeping fighting spiders in match-boxes, fighting fish in glass jars, rubber-bands competitions, *goli [marbles], catching, rounders [simple baseball] not many arguments, but a lot of fun. 

Playing marbles *[goli] in the 1960s

https://onedollaronly.com.sg/blogs/the-dollar-blog/traditional-games-in-singapore-we-used-to-play

We were very proud of our kampong [village], so when asked, "Tinggal di mana?" [Where do you live?]

We would proudly reply, " Kampong Amber!" I still consider myself a Kampong Boy from Kampong Amber! 

Puasa Time [Fasting Month] was different with the Carbide Cannons made from Bamboo, booming in the evenings; the Kenduris [food social gathering] and kompangs playing at Malay Weddings. 

Then there's the rains that flooded our Kampong every year during the N.E. Monsoon from November to late January; kids selling fresh nasi lemak [coconut rice and fried fish with chilly-paste] and kueh kueh [Malay cakes]. They come in the mornings for ten cents a bungkus [banana-leaf packet] for breakfast. 

The Mee Siam [spicy Thai noodles] from the Javanese lady selling her tikar2 [mats], and the 30 cents takeaway (bring your own duck egg) Mee Goreng [fried noodles] from the Mamak [Indian] provision store , Plain Roti Prata was five cents a piece and a glass of Kopi [coffee] and Teh Susu [tea and milk] costs ten cents from the **Sarabat [Indian drink-hawker] stall next to the Chinese Swimming Club new pool at Amber Road.

**Selling Sarabat Tea [1963]. 

Photo credit: MITA/NAS Geraldine Soh.

Then there was the Pasar Malam [night market], Chinese Wayang [Chinese street opera] during the Chinese 7th month and of course the Orang Minyak [Oily Man] stories to frighten the young girls and ladies to be home before dusk. ..these are just some of my memories of My Kampong Amber!... what a time to grow as a boy in the old days, 75 years ago.

[It took me a bit to edit this one Sam, but it's well worth it. Thank you.]

NB: From what I understand, having read Finance Minister & Future PMs, Lawrence Wong's Facebook posts, his parents lived in Kampong Amber in the 60s.

This article is original and has been copyrighted.

Google image sources have been identified individually.

'Di Tanjong Katong' with ***Sakura Teng. 

YouTube Video by Medan Fan.

***One of the more renowned lady pop singers from Singapore 60's.

'Di Tanjong Katong' is a traditional Malay folk song describing the East Coast seaside. It is close to Kampong Amber where Sam Gan used to live.

Sam Gan: 'I Love You For Sentimental Reasons'

YouTube Video by Sam Gan.

A HAPPY NATIONAL DAY 2022 TO ALL READERS, 

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS, FRIENDS & FAMILY.

ENJOY BUT STAY SAFE.

Singapore 60's Covers Sell Better Than Originals

Rita Chao n Quests, ' How To Catch A Girl' 

YouTube video by luposol66. Thank you.

 [recording of '16 Candles' is copyrighted].

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Songs I Love:

In the 1960's when the craze among our youth was to buy local records (i.e. Singapore vinyl), they were more familiar with the covers of Western pops sung by our own artistes than the original ones.  In fact, some record buyers were not even aware of the versions by our British or American counterparts.

I have listed five hit songs below that fit into this category. The original version comes first and the Singapore copy-cat beside it. Most were songs from the late 1950's and recorded in the 60's. 

The Singapore artistes were the top stars those years and, if it's true of what I've been told, each recording would have produced at least 20,000 copies. They were the dominant players in the recording industry then. Some of these records would have been reprinted if sales were good. Let's take a look at them.

1) Mr. Twister: Connie Francis (original)
    Mr Twister: The Crescendos (cover)
    No details on date and composer
   
Although Connie Francis was a multi-hit maker in the 60's with her songs like, Who's Sorry Now, Stupid Cupid and Where the Boys Are, her song Mr Twister was not as popular in Singapore.   Instead the local vocal group The Crescendos hit the air waves with the same song and made it a sell-out on the island. The late Susan Lim sang it.

2) Happy Happy Birthday Baby: The Tune Weavers (Original)
    Happy Happy Birthday Baby: Naomi and The Boys (cover)
    Margo Sylvia, Gilbert Lopez - 1957

Many fans thought that Happy Happy Birthday Baby was an original song by Naomi and The Boys. In fact it was recorded in the US by a group called The Weavers. Another Naomi hit song, I Know which is a Boys original was thought to be a western hit. Naomi's Happy Birthday became so popular that many pirated copies were on sale in the market.               

 3) Sixteen Candles: The Crests (Original).
     Sixteen Candles: Rita Chao (Cover).
     Luther Dixon Allyson R. - 1958.

Similarly the late Rita Chao's version of Sixteen Candles was more popular than The Crests.  Many local listeners had never even heard of The Crests. Rita Chao's, together with top pop guitar twangers The Quests' version was heard all over the country. 

Our cute and petite lady was Queen of Pops those years and did a Chinese version of the same song. Even good friend Sakura Teng could not outshine her.

4)  Don't Play That Song: Ben. E. King (Original)
    Don't Play That Song: Keith Locke and The Quests (Cover)
    Ahmed Ertegun, Betty Nelson - 1960

One of the most popular songs when it was around in the mid-sixties, this number was performed all the time whenever Keith Locke and his team-mates came on stage during variety shows, charity shows, theatre shows and during night club acts. 

Keith Locke was a sensation and made a name for himself. Everyone in the audience could chorus, "You lied, you lied, you lied. Yeah, yeah, yeah..."  The Ben King version was over shadowed a thousand times over.

 5) Silver Threads And Golden Needles: Skeeter Davis (Original).

     Silver Threads And Golden Needles: The Crescendos (Cover).
     Jack Rhodes, Dick Reynolds - 1956.

A classic, the song by our local group did not hit the headlines but was part of an EP with three other songs. The Crescendos EP's usually sold well and the vocal group was on an uphill curve with the vinyl records they pressed. 

It was very impressive indeed and they were the first artistes from Singapore to have recorded with an international company like Philips.  Skeeter Davis came earlier with her version but this was a hit song by any means.

Mr Twister - Crescendos: YouTube

Video by eosyeo. Thank You

A very strong support group for our local bands and singers uplifted the record sales. It was a novelty then, the only time in Singapore's history when our own boys and girls could hit the pop song parade together with international stars.

Credit must be given to the fledgling music industry in the 1960's. The incentives activated a new vehicle to promote it, local music producers like Reggie Verghese and composers like, Robert Suriya, Henry Chua and Harvey Fitzgerald. This new and exciting onslaught of local hits flooded the market. But that's another tale.

Comment anyone?

Images: A Personal Collection and Google.
You Tube Videos: Alvin Tan and eosyeo.

Copyrights reserved: Don't copy.

Disclaimer: 
The article is my own personal view. Information may vary according to sources.

Blog Hits Monthly Record High: Thank You All

Usual monthly record is 14,000 to 15,000 readers a month. This month it's 20,000+ (as of 23rd July 2016).

Popular Postings 

Statistics as on 30th July, 2016

Statistics on 29th July 2016

Thanks to readers, friends, Facebook n Twitter followers. 

Click names under Labels below to read each posting:

Fabian's Music Milestones In Rock n Roll Singapore

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Fabian Foo supports this blog for its cause and has commented on the postings about our local music in the 1960's. He is also an avid photographer and a movie-maker having recorded many videos on You Tube showing performances by our local 60's music boys and girls.

When I asked him if he could write an article about his experiences as a young man enjoying his rock and roll years, he responded immediately and positively.  As he starts the engine of his vintage beauty, let's ride with him and enjoy his music milestones.

Thank you very much Fabian for this nostalgic piece.


Dear Andy,

Music lover of the 60's

From my young days of a 10 year old, I have been listening to music when my paternal uncle would play his singles vinyls both in English and Chinese. I remember that he liked Rita Chao and Sakura songs both in Chinese and English. As a young teenager at 14, my parents subscribed to Rediffusion and I started to listen to programmes like Top Tunes of The Week, To Each His Own etc. 

Mike Ellery, Larry Lai, Joseph Goh and many others were answering requests on radio and Rediffusion throughout the weekend. On some occasions I also made requests on radio sending greetings to friends and classmates. Also I participated in some programmes sponsored by Hacks and Hudson sweets guessing the top 5 songs of the week ( in the order of merit) and managed to win token sums on some occasions.

However in the year before PSLE examination, there is a red mark in one of my result slips, my parents immediately took away the Rediffusion subscription. I brushed up and assured my parents that I would get into and be within the top 5 students in the class. My efforts paid off and in the next semester I was honoured to be in the top position in class. It was a great Rock n Roll feeling in those early years of 1962 to 1965 when we had the Beatlemania craze, Rolling Stones, Herman Hermits, Yardbirds, Peter & Gordon, Lulu, Petula Clarke, Cilla Black, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck and many others. 

Those years in secondary education (1966 to 1968 ) were also exciting for me. I remember that a group of us ( cheeky boys ) will sit on the last row in class. We had pocket size transistor radios and when the subjects were not interesting, we listened to music and songs on the quiet. Also a few of us saved our pocket money (skip recess) and hit for Kwang Sia Record in Hill Street to buy our singles and EP. 

Those were the good old days when we saved and built up our vinyl record library and kept ourselves occupied by cleaning them every few months. The biggest regret is that the whole set of LPs ,EP's and singles were thrown away when we started our journey into married life and there is no space in our new home to store away those precious vinyls. What a pity as they are now worth every ounce. 

During the late 80's my passion for music continued and visiting Tower Records ( Pacific Plaza ) and other record shops had been a good pastime. I began to buy and keep some compact discs of the 60's music. The good time I had is knowing so many of the 60's musicians in the late 80's. We were then active members of the Lions Club movement and the club had some of the best 60's music makers in the local scene. Names like Veronica Young, Henry Chua, James Choa, Tony Kwek, Lawrence Lee, John Cher, Victor Lam and others. 


After each monthly meeting on Friday evening, the group of musicians would start to jam and we all enjoyed our fellowship and fun. The club did a great show for charity in September 1989 known as “Thanks for the Memories” and all the local bands performed to a full capacity audience at then The Neptune Theatre. We contributed our time and effort to help the needy but same time we enjoyed good music and long lasting friendship. That is the power and influence of music …

Fabian Foo 
Copyrights Reserved

               The Silver Strings Perform: Video by Fabian Foo December 2014

            Fabian Foo Videos on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jffoo289

These items below that were mentioned by Fabian Foo are still around and we can find them if we look hard enough but they are hardly used today. The mint sweet was popular with school children then.

If you have a story to tell about your experiences in the past please write in and it will be published.

Images: A Personal Collection; Google.

Rita Chao And Mike Ellery Have Both Passed Away!

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RITA CHAO PASSED AWAY IN JULY 2014.

ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST STARS IN THE SINGAPORE 60s MUSIC WORLD MS CHAO LEFT A LEGACY THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED BY ALL WHO KNEW HER AND LOVED HER, BOTH AS A SINGER AND AN ENTERTAINER.

MAY SHE REST IN PEACE

When I posted the above news item a few readers wrote in to comment about Ms Chao. Writing to a few friends who had worked with her on stage, I received three replies, one each from Ronnie See of Ronnie and the Burns; Victor Koo, a blogger; Larry Lai, 60s DJ from Rediffusion and Danny Koh, pianist and leader of Danny and The Musicators.

From Ronnie See:

Rita Chao was popular during the 60s; she was singing a duet with Sakura Teng during the Musical Express Sunday Morning Show at the then Capitol Theatre. The duo was better known as the a-go-go singers. Rita has a sweeter voice than her partner Sakura.

Both of them are pretty good but Rita has a slight edge over Sakura because she sings both in English and Mandarin. During that time Henry, Soon Yin the Managing Director of local EMI was promoting them.

I was singing with The Stylers then and backed the girls and the late Soo Yin too during the morning show. Tan Swee Leong was the emcee. Rita's manager was none other than her elder sister Mimi Chao. I am not sure if Rita had emigrated but Sakura lives in WC, USA.

                                               The Stylers
From Larry Lai:

I remember Rita Chao as a sweetly innocent girl, but painfully shy and reticent. In all the times we worked together with Sakura, I hardly had more than a few polite words with her.  Her sister Mimi, who was her manager, was the one I negotiated with...  I wish her well.

From Danny Koh:

I did two records with Rita Chao but was not close to her at all. Tony Zee, the Trailers' drummer, had worked with her during recordings too. It has been a long time.

Rita Chao with the Chinese [Mandarin] version of  WOOLY BULLY. Thanks to YouTUBE and video enthusiast, 'stereocandies.' 

From Mr Rainbow

Rita Chao, aka Seow Mei-Mei, the A-Go-Go Queen of the 60's. Recorded her first EP with The Quests that included one of her greatest hits during that period, Shake, Shake, Shake or Yeow, Yeow, Yeow in Mandarin. 

Like Sakura, she sang in Mandarin, English and Japanese. Most of her recordings were accompanied by The Quests. Sixteen Candles was one of her most popular English songs.

From Victor Koo:

I remember being mesmerised by the young pretty faces, the sweet singing and the suave dance moves of the a-go-go duo Rita Chao and Sakura Teng when I was a kid in the 1960s. 

I was staying in a cramped 4-storey SIT flat in Cheng Yan Place with my parents and 4 growing siblings. Lying down on a bed, I watched their performances from a close distance via our very first black-and-white TV set mounted on the wall next to the bed, much like in the hospitals nowadays. I believe this could be a contributing factor to my developing high myopia from a very young age. 

*As for Mike Ellery, I remember him as a DJ. His voice came through the Rediffusion service which we also subscribed to at $5 per month in those days. 

Fortunately, there was a limit to how loud the Rediffusion set could be turned on. Hence my hearing was not badly affected by Mike Ellery's music. May Rita and Mike rest in peace.

From Kwee Eng YouTube (2016):

Further to my comments on the 2-2-15 on Rita Chao, I thought Rita's fans might like to know more  about Rita. Rita was a Singaporean, the youngest of six children. She had 3 brothers and 2 sisters and mother, aged 91, alive and well. Rita's family kept the sad news at low key.

They only disclosed the sad news when Rita's old pal, duet singer and Singapore TV show partner, Sakura came to Singapore in February 2015 and wanted to visit Rita.

Only then, Sakura learnt that Rita had passed away and so were the Singaporeans!. Rita's ashes were scattered into the sea. The above info was from one of Singapore's newspaper when I was in Singapore.

Image/Video from Google and YouTube.

MIKE ELLERY AT REDIFFUSION STUDIOS IN THE 60s SINGAPORE.

*SLIP-NOTE:

NOT SOMETHING I LIKE TO DO, ANNOUNCING THESE NEWS PIECES, BUT MIKE ELLERY HAS JUST PASSED AWAY ON 3rd FEBRUARY, 2015. 

TRAGEDIES ABOUND AS FATHER TIME COMES AROUND!

Mona Fong 方逸華: 50's Charming, Attractive Has Passed Away

Mona Fong: EMI Record: S-CPAX-334. Cover design is by Jimmy Law.

Sad to know Mona Fong passed away on 22 Nov 2017. She used to perform at the Cathay Restaurant. Saw her singing, The Wedding in English and Mandarin in the film, The Lark and simply love her voice.

RIP Mona aka Li Menglan 方逸華:
(January 1, 1934 – November 22, 2017) 

SONGS I LOVE:

Mona Fong (方逸華) was a hit name in the 60s especially with her simple attractiveness and sweetheart smile (see image). I managed to buy one of her LPs, Summer Love, some years ago when it cost only two Singapore dollars. The surface of the LP looked good but scratchy when I played it. A patient cleaning up job didn't do much good.

The songs from Side Two which were in English were mostly covers from hits those years and included Magic, San Francisco, Lavender Lace, Summer Love, My Love Forgive Me and There's a Kind of Hush uploaded on YouTube in 2011 by RegalPCS.

Side One contained six songs in Chinese (Mandarin) and had titles in English namely, My Dreamboat, The Wedding, Blue and Black, Clouds and Mud, Tonight and Shooting Star.  

Again these were hit Chinese songs from yesteryear and Ms Fong had put her signature blush on them.  Never loud, never harsh, Mona sang them with dignity and calm. It was that 1950's charm still attractive today.  The upbeat version in English of The Wedding that she sang for this LP was one example.

The Wedding  - Mona Fong from Summer Love album: with Video by RegalPCS.

Ms Fong Yat Wah is a Cantonese born in Shanghai. She is a TV and film producer today and became one of the most popular nightclub singers and recording artistes in Singapore and Hong Kong in the 50s. She often sang English popular covers and since 1977 had produced over a hundred films. Also known as Lady Shaw she married media mogul the late Run Run Shaw.

The man behind the recording was Filipino musician Vic O. Cristobal with the usual backing of E.M.I.'s big brass and strings band. Mr Cristobal had much to his name having produced numerous recordings for SEAsian artistes during the 60s.

Summer Love was pressed with stereophonic sound capabilities in 1967. Many of these Hong Kong stars flew from the island to ours and recorded vinyl at one of the best studios at MacDonald House, Orchard Road. 

It was the same building that was bombed on 10 March 1965 by two saboteurs, during the Indonesian Confrontation under Soekarno's regime of Konfrontasi from 1963 to 1966.

There's a kind of hush all over the world tonight,/ All over the world, you can hear the sounds of lovers in love...  Keep the peace man.

Outside MacDonald House in March 1965.

Images: Google and Personal Collection.
YouTube Video: Thank you PCSRegal. 
There's A Kind Of Hush was written by Les Reed and Geoff Stephen, a hit in 1967.

Is Sakura Teng Really Quitting The Stage?

Rita Chao

Sakura Teng.

Is it true? Is Sakura Teng really quitting the stage? She said that it will be her final performance this Sunday where she will appear at a theater in Singapore.

Whatever it is, *read about this lady who sings in so many languages that she became a sensation in the 60s with another petite and cute singer called Rita Chao.

Can singers ever quit the stage? Many of them are still performing their routine and singing ever so gladly the tunes they love.

The Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Lulu, Engelbert Humperdinck, Paul Anka, Tom Jones, Tony Bennett, Chaka Khan and locals like Poon Sow Keng, Ling Xiao and Matthew Tan are some artistes who are already in their 60s and 70s but still doing their thing.

Bennett is in his 80s and he's still one of the best. Even Glen Campbell was lead to the stage not too long ago to sing his hits with his family members. He said the same about quitting but then Campbell has Alzheimer's.

                       

I have a feeling that Sakura will not sing her last but I am not certain because it looks like more male singers are still active and the ladies aren't. Now is that true?  Anyone?

*Connect: 
http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.sg/search/label/Rita%2FSakura

Images from personal collection.
Original article.

A Happy, Safe Lunar New Year 2013 Everyone!

 

^"16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matthew 10:16. King James Version.

Serpents have always been an emblem of wisdom and cunning, (Genesis 3:1). The Egyptians used the serpent in their hieroglyphics as a symbol of wisdom. Probably the thing in which Christ directed his followers to imitate the serpent was in its caution in avoiding danger. No animal equals them in the rapidity and skill which they evince in escaping danger.

Doves are, and always have been, a striking emblem of innocence. Most people would foolishly destroy a serpent, be it ever so harmless, yet few are so hard-hearted as to kill a dove.



Image left: from Larry Lai. Image right from Google.
You Tube Video from justiniong1120.

Blog Reader Says Ling Seow Is Magically Enticing

It's been a while since this blog features local Chinese singers.   Well a pleasant and kindly reader magg  jnne, who lives overseas, wrote:

Ling Seow 凌霄 with The Melodians Chun Te Mong video choonheng57

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Hi Andy,

I am wondering if you have any uploads or if you know any links for Ling Seow/Ling Xiao's concert DVDs - his nostalgic 40 years concert 2007 and the one in 2011?  Any idea where to get the DVDs?  I can't find them anywhere in the stores.

I really love his rich and soothing vocals and would love to view his past concerts in recent years. any idea if the singer is ever married... or some profile on him? Please assist. Thanks.

My reply:

a. Thanks for visiting this blog but I am not in contact with DVD shops nor suppliers. I hope readers can help you.

b. Regarding your second query. If you wish to help you can write a profile of him and I can post it on this blog. Readers can expand it somehow with their contribution. Would be a nice idea.

Her response  and pretty piece of prose profiling of Ling Xiao:

Thanks, Andy for your quick reply.

Music, besides writing, has always been a therapeutic retreat for me, ever since I was a child.

I grew up with a fusion of English and Mandarin melodies, though I am not that proficient in Mandarin. But music cuts across all languages; it bridges boundaries.

I love listening to some of the soothing oldies. First, it transports my mind back to cherished moments of yesteryears. Second, it reaffirms the timeless beauty of good music and vocals.

Personally, I feel that the veteran singers in the 70s and 80s have richer vocals that even till today, continue to delight our ears. I love listening to songs by Sakura & the lyrics as much as I do over the years, the melodies were enough to soothe and inspire me i.e. Rita, Ling Xiao, Maggie Teng and Yang Xiao Ping. I was just a little kid and thought I couldn't appreciate.

Ling Xiao (凌霄) dazzles audience with timeless vocals

Singapore singer Ling Seow/Xiao (凌霄) is a legendary icon in the music industry. His love ballads remain as soothing and magically enticing, even till today.

I am grateful for the many uploads of his albums on the web, and just listening to his rich, melodious voice is indeed heartwarming. One can truly feel all the emotions in his songs, and the magical part is that his voice is so amazingly smooth, gentle and rich.

Even till today, I believe he continues to dazzle the audience with his timeless vocals and evergreen looks, especially that alluring smile that is so personable and real.

So far, there is no male singer who can match his unique voice that is rather feminine yet masculine in some ways, and perhaps that remains his charm. I believe like the characters in a good play that live on long after the play is done, his songs and voice will leave lasting imprints in our hearts and minds as the years roll by.

There has been nothing said about his personal life, and it will be good if some can shed light on this here. He still has the looks and composure, and in his heydey, he was the delight of women. It will be insightful to know a little about his private life.

I missed his concerts in 2007 and 2011 as I am based overseas now, and I would really be grateful if anyone can offer to upload them or sell me the DVDs.

Yang Xiao Ping

"Music, when soft voices die, vibrates in the memory."

From:
magg jnne

Thank you for your response and beautiful writing. If readers can provide some information about Ling Xiao we will all be grateful.

Readers write: Click 'comments' below to 

Original article by: magg jnne.read about support for our local artistes.

Images: Andy Lim Collection.

My Personal Choice Of Singapore Pops (Part I)

Silver Strings with Mike n Herb on stage.

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12 June, 2021

Written 10 years ago, this post is now suffering the trauma of COVID-19 of which we are all either under home 'quarantine' or being unable to walk around free without wearing surgical masks. 

30 March, 2011

I am trying to ease the trauma and tragedy of these past weeks and the postings I had of the Japanese tsunami, the radioactive leak and the passing away of a great, pop 60s keyboardist friend... So, change of subject.

Young Matthew Tan

LOCAL SONGS I LOVE:

Friends have asked me my list of favourite songs by Singapore 60s artistes. They noticed that all the songs I love are not Singapore ones. It is a long list but I thought about it and decided that the eleven songs below could be my choice. Some of the hits are covers of US and British ones sung by our artistes while others are originals by Singaporeans Robert Suriya, Henry Chua, Matthew Tan, Shirley Nair, Harvey Fitzgerald and others.

Sensual and brooding Rita Chao

I have included The Blue Diamonds' Ramona under local as Ruud and Riem de Wolffe are so familiar in our music scene. In fact I like them better than The Everlys. Rudy has passed on but Riem is somewhat Singaporean. The songs are not in any particular order. And remember, we were young then, in our 20s?

1. Shanty - The Quests.

2. Ramona - The Blue Diamonds.

3. You're The Boy - Shirley Nair and Silver Strings.

4. It's All Over - Naomi n The Boys.

5. My Lonely Heart - The Thunderbirds.

6. Happy, Happy, Birthday Baby (Chinese) - Rita Chao.

7. Mr. Twister - The Crescendos.

8. I Believe - The Tidbits.

9. Do It Right - Benny n The Trailers.

10. Singapore Cowboy - Matthew and Mandarins.

11. Sausalito - Western Union Band.

Sausalito Album - Western Union Band - 

Remembering Chris Vadham.

And the song that transports me back to the 60s? Most of them. Do you have a local 60s or 70s favourite?

Images: 

The LIFE Records Ltd, Nathan Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong. 

Andy Lim Collection and Google Websites.

Singapore Cowboy - Matthew Tan and The Mandarins - One of the best remembered Singapore compositions.