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 !
You've all done it again. Thanks for the new statistics to an 18-year-old music blog from Singapore. It's 5 point 5 million views now and still growing.
I owe it all to the authors too who helped compose the articles and the friends who helped to circulate the postings I sent them.
Without all your help this little music drone wouldn't have gotten off the ground so easily. Now it's flying all over the world.
Taken on 5th June 2026 @ 8.59 pm Singapore Time, from LIVE Statistics Counter on the right-hand column of the blog page.
'By the Light of the Silvery Moon': Doris Day, To my honey, I'll croon love's tune, Honey moon, keeps a-shinin' in June...
Now it's Beautiful Sunday with October Cherries.
Beautiful Sunday: October Cherries. YouTube Video by: kt jong
Well, just playing with days, weeks, months and years! Remember them so you won't get dementia...
The days of the weeks feature in many song titles too. Limiting them from the 50s to 70s compositions, there are already a few hundred songs.
Beginning from *The World Hits 'Beautiful Sunday' Album (1972 - image) by the October Cherries, a Singapore group, there are titles like, Blue Monday by Bob Seger, Sunday, Monday Or Always by Frank Sinatra.
Ruby Tuesday is by The Rolling Stones, Melanie, Twiggy, Bobby Goldsboro. Wednesday Evening Blues by John Lee Hooker, Thursday by Jim Croce, Black Friday by Steely Dan, AnotherSaturday Night by Cat Stevens, Sam Cooke, The Bay City Rollers, The Eagles and Earth Wind and Fire.
Sunday Best is by Bobbie Gentry, Sunday Morning Coming Down by Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, That Sunday, That Summer by Nat King Cole, A Monday Date by Louis Armstrong, Rainy Days and Mondays by The Carpenters. The list goes on...
*Beautiful Sunday, available by October Cherries on World Hits 1973 Single ES6-A, A Baal Production on Elastic Record. Composer/original recording is by Daniel Boone.
Here comes Ruby Tuesday...
"Ruby Tuesday": Melanie; YouTube Video by: Melanie Safka [official page]
Any other song you know that relates to calendar connections?
Just keep on commenting...
'Wednesday Evening Blues': John Lee Hooker. The guitar man on a lonely evening.
'Thursday' by Jim Croce: 'Cause I was looking for a lifetime lover, And you were looking for a friend. [reversed?]
'Black Friday': Steely Dan: When Black Friday comes, I'll collect everything I'm owed, And before my friends find out, I'll be on the road...
'Another Saturday Night,' Cat Stevens: I got in town a month ago, I seen a lot of girls since then, If I could meet 'em I could get 'em...
I have the above Long Play [LP] 1957 recording and was surprised that when I presented a song from the selection to friends, not many were aware or even knew the song.
My accompanying comment was, "One of my fave songs was when Elvis did his 50s song, Any Place Is Paradise; still one of his most memorable hits, personally. Not many folks know this one. With the guitar solo in between and that 'cling, cling cling jazz.' "
Quite a number were nice and honest enough to mention, "You're right, I'm one of those who don't know [haven't heard] this song. Now I know. thanks!" Another commented that he was in the group as he had just heard it because I mentioned it. It was a typical Elvis, R&B blues song. A third friend loved the solo in between. And a fourth good friend said, "Andy, I was still a baby!"
Thanks to all my friends above. Yes, I am old.
The image shows the back cover of the Elvis Presley No. 2 record in the last posting. Elvis the Pelvis, as he is usually known, gyrates and hip-swivels his way through this LP with: Rip It Up, When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again, **Long Tall Sally, Paralysed, Ready Teddy and How Do You Think I Feel.
'Any Place Is Paradise', Elvis Presley. YouTube Video by: Rychie Tube.
His other songs though, reveal his more subdued and pensive mood when he delivers, Love Me, First In Line, So Glad You're Mine, Any Place Is Paradise, How's The World Treating You and Old Shep.
Another favourite of mine is the hot, sweaty, Paralyzed. Check it out below.
While checking this first impression record, *HMV/CLP 1105 which is made in Great Britain, I find that it is a collector's item. The price will not be mentioned. Produced in 1957 it is in mint condition. Because Presley pressings run into millions, only certain records are collectibles.
*Elvis Presley No 2 Also known as Rock n Roll No 2 HMV CLP 1105 1957. Matrix G2 WP 7207 2N/7208 1N, Label Side 1.
**Long Tally Sally, Recorded by Crescendos/Philips/Universal Music, Singapore.
Image/Original article: Andy Lim Collection.
This posting is an extension from one dated: 8.9.2009.
'Paralysed' Elvis Presley. YouTube Video by: Simone Presley Brasil.
Disclaimer:
This blog does not advertise nor try to sell vinyl records.
Here's a group that was pretty hot in Singapore 60s. Consisting of Caucasians who were with the British Services on our island, a group of five guys formed a band called The Dee Tee's, spotted by Philips Records and produced a vinyl under the label.
Consisting of Walter [Brad] Bradbury on vocals, Peter Crane on lead guitar, Texas [Tevan] Scott on rhythm, Peter Crowley on bass and Antony Greenwood on percussion. This band made it good at The Golden Venus, dishing out weekly Rhythm and Blues numbers.
Out of the usual four songs on the Extended Play [EP] vinyl, they had one original called, 'Just Because', [different from Elvis’] and sung by Brad. The one on YouTube, below, 'Got Love - If You Want It'; repeats the title and it sounds typical R&B with lead guitarist Peter Crane. Another hit, 'She Belongs To Me', a Bob Dylan original, with Side Two's, 'Big Boss Man', an Elvis hit.
The Dee Tee's, 'Got Love If You Want It'.
Garage from Singapore, original 45 EP: 1966
YouTube Video by: Rocking Soho
Their manager G.N. Anastasi penned a back-cover write-up. He said, "It was originally a quiet afternoon. Then the peace was irrevocably shattered. The Dee-Tee's had moved in the studio, and what turned out to be a memorable occasion was under way.
After many hours a great deal of sweating [for the benefit of the ladies, after copious perspiration] this masterpiece came to its fantastic conclusion.
It was sheer madness from the start, but if fellow souls exist in this world of ours, I vow that they will join us in raving about this group of joy bringers."
Below: The Golden Venus hotspot in the 1960's where folks explore the bottles galore and also listen to the pop groups playing there. [Pix from: coconuts.co]
The writer himself, or a friend, at Albert Street Night Market
during the 60's in Singapore, checking out vinyl records to buy.
UP TO 700 VIEWS
Fabian Foo Jong Fook reminisces:
When The Record Shop Comes To You:
I was born in Albert Street, currently the Albert Food and Hawker Centre. During the day Albert Street was just an ordinary road but in the evening from 6pm to 10pm, it became a very busy Pasar Malam or Night Market.
There were many makeshift stalls selling everything we needed [last image below]. What was more an attraction to me were the record stalls, blasting music from the vinyl of our many Singapore bands like The Stylers, Travellers, Melodians and Chinese singers who sang in Mandarin, like Rita Chao or Sakura Teng.
Vendors would come early to set up their stalls [last image below] and as the sun set, people who live around the area would come by after their dinner for their evening stroll and check out the shopping mall that visits the residents. 😄
The songs the vendors played were mostly Chinese pops. We kept hearing the same songs every night when those LPs [Long Play Records] and EPs [Extended Plays] were hot on the market.
Chinese records like these sold well among Singaporeans in the 60s who find them entertaining and the record covers were attractively designed to show off the musicians and singers.
Hawkers' food [image below] was at every corner, but I was too poor to eat night snacks. Only on special occasions were we able to buy these titbits with some extra pocket money that we had. The extra funds that I used to save were spent, not on food, but to buy records at Kwang Sia Records at North Bridge Road. But that's another story.
"Those were the days my friend; I thought it'll never end..."
Any experience on night markets in your own country?
Comments are welcome.
16.11.19.
Food stalls @ Albert Street Night Market in 1966.
Photo from 'flickr' by David Ayres.
Vendors come early to set up their record stalls; the
early bird too gets his share of vinyl selection in broad daylight.
One could buy almost anything at a night market.
Do we still have them around in Singapore today?
Author and good friend:
Fabian Foo Jong Fook.
Read another 60's music story about vinyl records:
Through my own blogging experience I found that some local musicians are not familiar with the Indo/Dutch invasion in the 60s. It's simply what it means... We had the familiar Blue Diamonds [two brothers], pretty Anneke Gronloh and the well-known Shadows group from Holland, Johnny Lion and the Jumping Jewels visit us in Singapore. [This article has been updated: 5.06.2024 from 1.07.2009]
The song titles are familiar and the band names are fantastic. The titles are from an album, The Very Best Of Indo-Rock:
1 Pretend / The Dakotas 2 Let's Have a Party / Black Dynamites 3 Once / Hurricane Rollers 4 Mama Papa Twist / Crazy Rockers 5 Smokey Mountain Boogie / Ricky & The Rhythm Strings
6 I'll Never Let You Cross My Mind / The Hot Jumpers 7 Ajoen Ajoen /Willy and His Giants 8 Any Time / Rockin' Shadows 9 Should I / Electric Johnny & His Skyrockets 10 Ole Sio / The Entertainers
11 Twist in the Mood / The Black Dynamites 12 I Go Ape / The Hot Jumpers 13 Carioca / Fender Rollers 14 Rosalie / Tony Light 15 It Keeps Right On Hurting/ Boy & His Rollin' Kids*
Ajoen Ajoen /Willy and His Giants
Youtube Video from: Sam Sam Music
16 Memories / Emeralds 17 Raindrops / Explosion Rockers 18 Mukwai Hula / Tielman Brothers 19 Bumble Boogie Woogie/ The Desmounts 20 Slippin' and Slidin'/ The Fire Devils
21 Ling Ting Tong / The Javelins 22 You Win Again / The White Waves 23 Sweet Malaya / The Rollers 24 What'd I Say / Rock of Ages 25 Little Bird / Sebastian
*In memory of Boy Jansen (1935-2006), composer/lead guitarist of Boy & His Rollin' Kids. They are an Indonesian/Dutch pop group from Zaandam, Holland. Their instrumental, Midnight InMalaya (318 869PF), was released in Singapore and Malaysia and became a hit. The flipside, China Rock, was also written by Jansen.
I am not too sure here but noted the big drum sound in the accompaniment. Could it be the big gendang used by Asian musicians. If you are familiar...?
NB:
Images below show some of the most popular Indonesian Dutch bands that had their days in the 60s carrying songs with rock n roll Western beats, mostly following Cliff and the Shadows tradition...
Many music lovers are aware of Ray Anthony the 1950's famous band leader and trumpeter. Shakespearean lovers would be aware of Mark Antony, Caesar's loyal friend in the play who was also with Cleopatra.
Not many though would remember Richard Anthony, the French singer who recorded a song that I love, even till today.
J-Pop or Japanese popular music reminds me of two songs significantly Japanese, but neither is J-Pop. One of these songs became popular because of Marlon Brando's encounter with Miyoshi Umeki and Hollywood's exotica about everything eastern.
'Sayonara' the movie (1957), from the book by James Mitchener and 'Sayonara' the song by famous lyricist, Irving Berlin, encompassed everything that was stereo-typical about the Japanese in the eyes of the Americans.
"Sayonara, Japanese goodbye
Whisper sayonara, but you mustn't cry
No more we stop to see pretty cherry blossom
No more we 'neath the trees, looking at the sky..."
.
But the public absorbed the song like tears to tissue paper and it became a hit in Singapore in the late 50s and lingering beyond the 60s. And Brando's line, "Well, that's the cutest thing I ever saw honey..."after listening to the song, confirmed America's ideas about Eastern people and culture. Definitely the mysterious East.
The original version by Miiko Ta'aka, is from the soundtrack of the film, while the one played on radio was by Miyoshi Umeki. Her 45 rpm vinyl, Sayonara - Japanese Farewell Song - has, Be Sweet Tonight on its flipside (Mercury 71216). Both versions are great to listen to.
.
It is still a popular song and there were numerous covers done in Asia. Singapore pop band, The Quests, did an instrumental version in the 60s and in the 70s. Listen to the solo interlude by Jimmy Chan. He's playing from the heart.
Tracy Huang our beautiful, sophisticated recording artiste did a cover too. These two are the popular versions. The book by Mitchener? A good read indeed.
Sayonara 黃露儀 sung by: Tracy Huang.
YouTube Video by: wang0928051789
The book!
A stock phrase, "When
East meets West"
Miyoshi Umeki sings SAYONARA -
YouTube video by: dfactoryusa.
The English language performance of the Irving Berlin song, "Sayonara" was from the December 1957 movie of the same name, She performed a different version in the movie. Eddie Fisher released a version prior to the movie coming out which stole some of her thunder. She also performed a different song called Sayonara (The Japanese Farewell Song) in 1956.
