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 !
Showing posts with label Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tharman Shanmugaratnam. Show all posts
1] Number 2 on the top 15 'Best Music Blogs in Singapore'.
2] Number 21 on the top '50 Best Music Blogs in SE Asia'.
3] Read by President Tharman S.
4] Archived by National Library Board Singapore.
5] Mentioned on VintageRadio.SG interview, 'Music n Me'.
From CHAT GPT:
"Andy Young's Singapore 60s Music is a blog dedicated to the music of the 1960s in Singapore. It is run by Andy Young, a music enthusiast and collector who has been researching and collecting Singaporean music from the 1960s for many years.
The blog features reviews of music from the era, as well as interviews with musicians and other Singaporean music aficionados. It also includes a comprehensive discography of Singaporean music from the 1960s, and a list of recommended albums. The blog is a great resource for anyone interested in the music of Singapore in the 1960s 𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥𝅰𝆕."
DPM Tharman on his Facebook profile picture. Mr Tharman is now Senior Minister (2020).
Since 1st September, 2023 Mr Tharman has been elected President of Singapore.
UP TO 2,400 VIEWS, 40+ CHATS, COMMENTS
DPM Tharman Shanmugaratnam, in his usual cool and unhurried way, could have browsed through this blog after I provided him with a copy of the Tharman Quotes Elvis article last week on Facebook.
I have never sent a posting to any VIP, let alone a VVIP. It was my first time. But below is his encouraging reply.
Thank you very much, DPM.
Sunday4 November 20184.47pm.Dear Andy,Thanks for sharing the blog post with me. Your whole blog is most interesting. It adds to the memories of those of us who grew up with the music of the era. Best wishes, TS.
Elvis Presley and Deputy Prime Minister, Singapore: Tharman Shanmugaratnam
Since 1st September, 2023 Mr Tharman has been elected President of Singapore.
I have always appreciated Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, with his quiet humour and intelligent ways. Look at his eyes when he's being questioned and you can see them darting back and forth behind those glasses. He's one for a quick reply but scribbles on paper first before he provides an answer. So what has Mr Tharman, Chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, to do with a 60's music blog? A surprising connection. He quoted a famous superstar from the 60's at the end of his speech. During the Group of 30 International Banking Seminar on October 14, on a lighter note and to the delight of serious looking participants, he recited famous lines from The King of Rock n Roll: "This was an economist called Elvis Presley, who unfortunately deceased now but made a significant impact on economic thought. And in one of his master treatises, he said, 'A little less conversation, a little more action, please. A little less fight and a little more spark. Close your mouth and open your heart, and baby, satisfy me.'"
Elvis Presley: A Little Less Conversation... From the movie 'Live A Little, Love A Little'. Video from Jimmy Cool. Thank you. In context and as Co-ordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies he felt that there should be an urgency for more action and less conversation amongst the economists and policymakers across the world. Everyone thought so too, listening to the applause.
Mr Presley would have been pleased to know that he's being quoted using a song composed by Mac Davis and Billy Strange in 1968 for his movie Live A Little, Love A Little. Bravo.
(An original article by Andy Lim written in2018.)
Mr. Tharman Loves This Blog. Read His Letter. Click Below:
These blog comments found at the end of postings through the years were picked at random. I must thank all these musicologists, musicians, friends and readers for their support. It's nice to know that there are people who appreciate my blog and write to tell. Andy Young.
UP TO 2,200 VIEWS
(Random Order Below.)
Sunday 4 November 2018 4.47pm:
"Dear Andy,Thanks for sharing the blog post with me. Your whole blog is most interesting. It adds to the memories of those of us who grew up with the music of the era. Best wishes,
THARMAN SHANMUGARATNAM, Deputy Prime Minister, Singapore."
[Mr. Tharman is now The President of the Republic of Singapore.]
"His writing is very much similar to his singing - pure, unadulterated and effortless. Even when singing pop songs, he has the discernible air of a scholarly
gentleman: EDDIE ENG: Engineer, Retired Businessman and fan of the Silver Strings.
"This is one of the few blogs I read regularly as it is a treasure trove of memories and information on the golden age of local music." - The LateADRIAN TAN: Singapore Wind Symphony Conductor.
I grant Andy Lim my permission to post the Amazon Website where my Kindle book 'So you Want To Be In A Rock Band' can be found. Thank you for helping me to publicize my book. PETER DIAZ member of pop international band, THE OCTOBER CHERRIES.
He has probably the most comprehensive music blog in SG! I like his style of writing and commentary including his comments here. That is Andy. DICK YIP: Ukelele Player and Coach, Blogger, Educationist.
"You are writing a great blog and I do read that. Keep doing it and try and tell the musical story of Singapore when we were younger!" - DR JOE PETERS: Musicologist, Journalist.
"So true, inspirational and I am touched, but without a writer like you to create a blog about the 50s,6 0s 70s, I don't think the young or even the older generation would have any knowledge about what the yesteryear happenings were. The credit is definitely yours for being such a passionate writer." - MS. FREDA HANUM/WONG from pop 70s girl-group THE TEEPEES.
"I don't know if you see this but, if you do, I wouldn't mind being contacted by you. I'm Charles Lazaroo's grandson and, while I may not know my grandfather enough, I'm hoping to be able to provide whatever assistance I can." -CHARLES LAZAROO.
"Thanks Andy for the work you do to honor others. Love the layout on your blog. Amazing work at your age." - PERRY KOH: Jazz singer, events manager, son of Walter Koh, Singapore's Pat Boone.
"Terima Kasih banyak Andy. Playing the song brought back many fine memories of visits to my father's employees homes, to visiting my Che'gu (teacher) when he still lived in a kampong, and to the festivities in the kampong at the Turf Club. Many of the lyrics came right back to me." - TRACY RICHARD: From the UK who lived in Singapore in the '60s.
"I still keep up with your really good and very popular music blog" - DR LEE YAN SAN (PENANG, MALAYSIA).
"Love your blog. What a lively and attractive scene you had back then and very well detailed by your good self "- July 13, 2011, 11:04 PM. ANONYMOUS.
"Stumbled across your blog while researching about Hawker Trade in Singapore. I am a "modern day hawker" myself and my name is Erich-I operate a German Sausage Stall in Chinatown since 2004. I find your blog entry most educational and a superb glimpse back in time. May I ask your permission to link your blog to my FB group - Hawker Trade In Singapore revived. Our fellow members of the group will appreciate your documentation and maybe some are inspired to drive the Hawker Trade forward. For sure you inspired me. Tks and all the best, Erich. (I also can be reached on FB under Hawker Trade in Singapore revived-and Friends of Erich's Wuerstelstand and Backstube-Chinatown, Singapore." ERICH WUERSTELSTAND.)
"Andy, congratulations! The articles herein have been - wholesome and delightful." - The Late VICTOR WOO (Top right: LEAD GUITARIST) THE TRAILERS
"It’s always good to hear from a friend from back home. Keep up the great work with the enjoyable and informative blog, Andy - it’s priceless!" TLT: LADY CONCERT PIANIST: VANCOUVER, BC, Canada.
"I am also a collector and I buy 1960's records whenever I come across them. Because those records were so popular, I found I had doubles of them in my collection and so I was able to give copies to Andy" - DR STEVEN FARRAM (DARWIN UNIVERSITY, AUSTRALIA).
"OMG. It's nice to see a blog so different and full of nostalgia. Good Job Mr Andy! I was surfing around to find out about the old Rex Theatre and came across your blog. Do you have any fond memories of it and its vicinity? " WOMAD: One Of Andy's First Blog Readers.
"Hi Andy I just stumbled onto your blog and I must confess that I am more of a 70s music fan (I am slightly younger than most of you:)) but I am quite familiar with 60s music ... Hollies, Tremeloes, Beatles, Letterman, Lulu, Petula Clark, Glen Campbell, Seekers, Cliff Richard and the Shadows (I also remember the local Tit-Bits Talentime winners, October Cherries, Ahmad Daud, P. Ramlee,) etc. This is great memory lane stuff and a wonderful resource for those seeking to indulge in nostalgia or doing some serious research! (I should know... being a professional historian.) Congratulations!" FRANK-MICHAEL CHIARA.
"Keep up the good work. Your blog is something you don't gain overnight with that many views; I am sure many other chroniclers of Singapore music want to have a blog like yours. Remember, just because we write does not mean we want every Tom, Dick, and Harry to be our friend. It's best not to spread ourselves too thinly, like those people in one social media, with more friends than they can manage in a lifetime. I don't like social media for this reason. Who can hang out with 3,000 friends? Ridiculous to me. If I can have just friends as many as my toes I am happy, friends I can trust, and count on, to respect my privacy... like you and Horace Wee, that is enough for me." GUITARIST from FRIED ICE, MATT TAN, CANADA.
"Keep up the interest of your readers. You have gained many friends in the process through your passion for writing. Now I am convinced that you have to put it together in a book. Really again :-) " LEAD GUITAR, THE TREKKERS, HENRI GANN.
"Hi, Andy. It's true that I copied many popular songs from textbooks with a pen. I started this very young during my early teens, and my own compiled songbooks are still with me till today! Well, too bad, during our years we didn't have a computer like today. Yes, you said it correctly, I'd would cut out pictures of pop stars or groups and post on my own songbooks. The pictures were from the former "Radio Weekly" which was sold for 30 cents a copy in the early sixties. Thanks, Andy for your wonderful postings." ANONYMOUS called, FL.
"I was lucky enough to get a ticket to watch this film at the Roxy Theatre in the late fifties. The moment Bill Haley appeared and started belting out the song 'Rock around the clock' the whole audience stood up, clapped their hands and gyrated to the music of rock and roll. I enjoyed the show so much that I watched it no fewer than 3 times. Thanks, Andy for the nostalgia." ANON.
"Good read. I was still a young kid in Tanglin Halt back then and became aware of this as I grew up there. Thanks for sharing this. I love reading your articles. That's history right there." LESLIE WILSON JOSEPH.
"This open-air theatre belongs to my great grandfather... and I lived on the left side of the picture... as kids, we would stand on the stool - just to take peek at the movies... ha ha ha... life was simpler then." DAVID NEO.
"Thanks a million, Andy ..it's so interesting to discover that Singapore has its own musical talents all along... since the early 1950's ...... anyhow, I learned a lot these days from your blog, Andy... always a delight to read your blogs ..keep up with the great work!" PETER LIM.
"Hi, Andy,
It is an achievement to be able to sustain the interest of even 2000 people a month on a regular basis on any given topic. What you have done could not be the result of a faint heart or a lame endeavour. It takes passion and consistency to incessantly create stories that your international readership can relate to and is stimulating enough to make them keep coming back to your blog for more.
Your enthusiasm for your work makes the difference! Without it, there would be no zest! Like Coke without the bubbles! Flat! On behalf of all your readers, I wish to appeal to you to not even consider stopping your very fine work but to keep up with your enthusiasm for your unique blog.
I am still hopeful that one day soon, the relevant authority in SG would officially recognize your work! It is strange but nonetheless true, no prophet will find acceptance in his own country! A case in point, recently the Australians conferred an award on Matthew Tan for his contributions to Country Music.
I am of the view that it is SG that should have taken the initiative for such an award! Of course not only for Matthew but for other iconic local musicians as well, like Henry Chua and others!
Be that as it may, here's wishing you continued success in all your efforts to preserve our music heritage! God bless!" JOHN CHER of The Silver Strings.
"You did good Andy... preserving the history of local music... and by the way, you are such a nice guy as well. Well done, for your passionate and unselfish writings, highlighting the musicians of Singapore in that era, without which, most of us would have been forgotten... The Late JIMMY APPUDURAI-CHUA of 'Stray Dogs'.
"It’s wonderful to look forward to individuals like you who help keep Singapore 60’s music heritage alive." ALPHONSO SOOSAY of Naomi and The Boys.
And read about these famous stars who connected with this blog when they read the posting about Rex Goh from Air Supply.
'You're The Boy,' 1965. Watch this 3-minute video if you can, and don't be afraid to shed a tear.
Shirley Nair and The Silver Strings were one of the local bands that sprang up in the 60's. They were different from most others because they wrote their own songs – like the hit single in 1965, ‘You’re The Boy’, and ‘I Won’t Let You See Me Cry’.
"I’ve been following music for decades, but there’s always something special about the 60's. It has that simple, stirring quality. The local bands were often multiracial. And they had the spirit of the times - people just took their chances. As Audie Ng, the founding member of The Silver Strings, put it recently – 'We never thought of success and fame. We liked it and we worked very hard, took every chance to get some exposure and hoped people accepted us for what we were'.
The Silver Strings was formed by four students of music teacher Harry Martinez - Audie Ng on bass, David Chan lead guitar, Merlin Lim rhythm guitar and Danny Boy on drums. Andy Young was their original singer. Others came later. When Andy left to pursue an academic career, Shirley Nair joined them when she was 19. She had an unusual voice, that brought stardom. When the Rolling Stones performed at the Singapore Badminton Hall in 1965, they were an opening act. The Silver Strings also wrote the theme song for the famous 1964 Malay comedy film, Mat Tiga Suku (starring Mat Sentol), and had cameo roles in the film.
Shirley Nair has left us, succumbing to cancer two decades ago. But The Silver Strings have had a few reunion performances in recent years, now in their late 60's and early 70's. They were like the other pioneering bands of the 60s. Some of you will remember the names. Naomi and The Boys, fronted by Naomi Suriya, with hits like ‘Happy, Happy Birthday' – the 1965 song of the year in Singapore and Malaysia. The Crescendos - originally with Susan Lim, who unfortunately died tragically off the coast of Terengganu.
The Thunderbirds, with hits like ‘My Lonely Heart’.The Quests, with pop hit Shanty,The Stylers, who like The Quests performed in English, Chinese and Malay. Matthew Tan and the Mandarins, who made it big with Country Western songs. The Cyclones, with brothers Siva and James Choy, who sang together with the Checkmates. Then the duet, The Blue Diamonds, with Ruud and Riem de Wolff, who came from Indonesia. The video 'You're the Boy' is among those produced by SG50 in commemoration of our 50 years of nationhood.
(This article has been edited to suit blog content).
The original Silver Strings: Singer Andy Young, Lead guitar Dave Chan, Bassist Audie Ng, Rhythmist Merlin Lim and Percussionist Danny Boy.
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