Henry Fu Su Yin: Song Sold 100,000 Copies In '65

A CNY ang pow ( 红封包). Chinese Mandarin Pop Oldies (國語流行歌曲):

Singaporean singer, songwriter and lyricist Su Yin (舒雲) had a deep, powerful, bass baritone voice suitable for the Mandarin songs that he belted out. Whether it was an Eric Burdon, Engelbert Humperdinck, a Bobby Helms, Mick Jagger, Ray Peterson or even a Blue Diamonds hit Su Yin could make each song his own. And in Chinese.

His singing style went down well with local Chinese fans. Also known as Henry Fu, he became one of the most popular pioneers promoting Mandarin songs during the 60s and was instrumental in establishing Chinese artistes like Rita Chao, Sakura Teng and others from the EMI Mandarin pop stable.

Su Yin, as was the culture in the 60s, covered western pops widely and released several albums with another home grown guitar group, The Quests. Some of his tracks included: Ramona, Greenfields, Green Green Grass Of Home, Love At First Sight, Yesterday, Lady Jane and Fraulein.

                              Tell Laura I Love Her -Fu Su Yin
Then comes: You Don't Have To Say You Love Me, House Of The Rising Sun, Portrait Of My Love, First Bend Of The River, Summer Wine, Tell Laura I Love Her (above) among others. Apparently, these translated versions by Su Yin, proved popular enough for Mandarin listeners to buy them in quantity profitable for the industry.

He was a manager with a record company and would usually sing covers with lyrics written by a well-known Chinese composer Li Tian (黎天). 

One song, which attracted much attention is Mona Lei (蕾夢娜), a Mandarin version of the Gilbert/Wayne 1940 evergreen Ramona which appeared on his Long Play album called, A Green Pasture At Dusk (黃昏放牛＊一片青青的草地), released in 1967. 

Another, Tell Laura I Love Her came with Grand Prix sound effects that haunted me for days!

Because of his following, he had appeared in many pop shows at the National Theatre, Victoria Memorial Hall and other venues all over Singapore. Since hecould sing Mandarin favourites too, his regular appearance on the Chinese television channel, radio and Rediffusion proved as successful and Su Yin who often sang on stage with his own guitar, became synonymous with 60s music.

But the one song that launched Henry Fu Su Yin's career in 1965 was Yodelling Cowboy (黃昏放牛) which sold a staggering *100,000 copies in Asia. That was big, anytime!

*Information from local TV series: Rollin' Good Times screen crawler uploaded by: shcg1shcg.

Images: Andy Lim Collection.

Sundowners: Twisting 'Bengawan Solo' In English

                                Sundowners - Bengawan Solo - Video: Vernon Cheong

 Reflections from 1963:

It was a lucky break for two brothers and a cousin when a popular Indonesian folk song Bengawan Solo (a 1940 Gesang Martohartono composition), was released with original English lyrics on world label Warner Brothers by the three lads. Covered by so many artistes that it's hard to list, this evergreen Asian favourite was given a new twist.

The flip side of the single was Cotton Fields, a 1940 composition by Huddie Ledbetter. It had been covered earlier by Harry Belafonte and singers like The Seekers, The Highwaymen, New Christie Minstrels, The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, CCR, Elton John, Johnny Cash and even in French by Petula Clark.

Tony Seow (image 1, left) and brother Lawrence (right) at 18 and 16 with cousin and group guitarist George Lim at 17 (centre), singing schoolboys from St. Andrew's, pressed the 7 inch single with their parents' blessing.

The single (image 3) was released officially for sale in July 1963 for both Singapore and the international market. When the trio, who called themselves The Sundowners, first heard their own recording at their home in Serangoon Road, they beamed with joy and excitement and felt they owed their success to a supportive family and encouraging friends.

Don't forget that it was the early sixties and, according to the news report, was the second singing group in Singapore to cut a record for world-wide distribution. You must surely know who the first local group was?

The English lyrics for Bengawan Solo was composed by the brothers' father Thomas Seow and the arrangements for both the songs were their own. They had an All Stars Quintet to accompany them. They explained that the public would not pay for a carbon copy of a popular song when they could buy the original, so after working with the songs for about three months the father decided on the keroncong backing with a twist tempo to keep the music current.

During a newspaper interview after the release, The Sundowners had ideas of including a girl since they were hoping of expanding into Malaya and making it big. But, according to the group, if the plan did not work out they had to think of other ideas.

The Sundowners had also released a second single in 1964, Malaysia Wonderful and That's The One For Me accompanied by The Tornados (image 2) comprising, Derek McCully, Freddie Koh, Stanley Lee, Lennie Lee.

You may think it strange today that three Singapore boys would want to praise Malaysia in song? But the situation was different because our island was still with the federated Malay states in 1963 when the vinyls were recorded. Singapore's short-lived merger with Malaysia ended when it left the federation in 1965.

Just wondering how these recordings would go down in history? Any comment?

Images: Andy Lim Collection.

ALL THE BEST FOR A 60s MUSIC DRAGON YEAR IN 2012

Questing For A Singapore 60s Christmas Record

Having met five of them recently but separately, I decided to highlight this particular recording of our top local pop music stars. I had kept on the shelves this vinyl to wait for an opportune moment to post it. I am not the first to do so.

So when I was in touch with former rhythm guitarist Jap Chong and wrote to him about this EP, he explained that this special pressing (CHK 1063) was recorded before a live audience to enact a rousing Christmas party ushering in the season of plenty. It was the first time that pianist Jimmy Chan, the band's latest member, made a pressing with them. This vinyl was completed just before they left for their first trip to Hong Kong near the end of 1967.

For the new readers of my blog, after some changes in their line-up since they first started in 1960 and before they disbanded in 1970, here are The Quests (lst image) once again with (from left): Jap Chong (rhythm), Sam Toh (bass), Jimmy Chan (keyboard), Lim Wee Guan (drums), Reggie Verghese (lead) and Vernon Cornelius (vocals).

And how old were these guys then? In their twenties. Forty-four years down the road with Jingle Bells, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, White Christmas, We Wish You A Merry Christmas. Yes, and a Happy New Year too.
Images/Article: Andy Lim Collection.

If you have stories to tell about The Quests and other local musicians, pop bands and singers please contribute in the Comments column. We must keep our pop music heritage going for the young ones. Some of them know that we had a golden age of music once upon a time but most of them don't.

It doesn't matter what your story is, even if you say, "It was so hot at the Singapore Badminton Hall at Guillemard Road when I saw The Quests on stage the first time..." It is such an important comment because our young boys and girls don't know that we were devoid of air-conditioning in the 60s and we were practically fanning ourselves with newspapers, souvenir programmes and paper fans but at the same time cheering and screaming for our own pop stars, dancers, comedians and MCs on stage.

Your take on the stories of yesteryear is so important. Let's help each other and please give generously. Thanks.

The Quests will appear in a Queentown Festival get-together at their old school concert hall in September, 2013.

SMRT Trains, Christmas And Vintage Elvis Presley

SONGS I LOVE:

Our problems with SMRT trains here in Singapore remind me of vintage Elvis with Mystery Train. No connection whatsoever with the lyrics. There are hundreds of train songs but this one is the best ever by the best singer ever. But I am not sure about Singapore having the best train service ever. Seems to have made many Christmas shoppers unhappy. Cannot go to Orchard Road... (Song is on the right side-bar of this blog).

Train arrive, sixteen coaches long/ Train arrive, sixteen coaches long/ Well that long black train got my baby and gone/ Train train, comin' 'round, 'round the bend/ Train train, comin' 'round the bend/ Well it took my baby, but it never will again (no, not again)/ Train train, comin' down, down the line/ Train train, comin' down the line/ Well it's bringin' my baby, 'cause she's mine all, all mine/ (She's mine, all, all mine)... by: Junior Parker n Sam Phillips 1953.

MERRY XMAS FOLKS AND FOR A HAPPIER TRAIN RIDE 2012! GIMME A BREAK!

Image: Google

Lyrics: You Tube

Bowler Hats, Checkered Vests: Singapore Dixieland

"Way down in New Orleans at the Golden Goose/I grabbed a green-eyed dolly that was on the loose/Well I dig that music and she sent me too/I said pretty baby come on let's do/The Dixieland Rock /Well the Dixieland rock /Let your hair down sugar, shake it free/And do the Dixieland Rock with me...

With the blue light shining on her swinging hips/She got the drummer so nervous that he lost his sticks/The cornet player hit a note that's flat/The trombone hit him while the poor cat sat..."

Elvis Presley, King Creole: Dixieland Rock lyrics.

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"Dixieland music, sometimes referred to as hot jazz, early jazz or New Orleans jazz, is a style of jazz music which developed in New Orleans, USA at the start of the 20th century. It spread to Chicago and New York City by New Orleans bands in the 1910s. Well-known jazz standard songs from the Dixieland era, such as Basin Street Blues and When the Saints Go Marching In, Tiger Rag, Basin Street Blues, Panama are a few known songs. Edited: Wiki."

New Orleans came early to Singapore and this island has no Golden Goose Club but the above lines from Presley's song prompted me to write this posting as I vaguely remember when a *Dixie band performed in the sixties in Singapore. These were music artistes well-versed in their craft and as the above images prove, were well established and even televised in black and white way back when.

The music caught on some in Singapore and there has always been a steady stream of enthusiasts who love the genre. Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Louis Armstrong were some of the imports that locals listen to.

Check out their full regalia too - bowler hats, checkered vests, special bow-ties and sleeve garters that were usually worn by musicians playing this genre, be it barbershop, ragtime or Dixie. But suspenders (master interviewer Larry King's favourite) and straw hats, familiar accessories for the uniform, were not used here. To all 21st Century male fashionistas. You don't know what you've been missing. Cool Cats they were man!

The first image features a Radio Television Singapore (RTS) camera in a studio at Caldecott Hill, filming a group playing Dixieland music for a Special Easter programme. The second one shows Anthony J Danker with his solid Hofner guit with bowler hat intact. The third shows, from left, Eddie Fernandez, Harry Klass, Anthony Danker, Claude Olivero and Jimmy Gan. If there's ever to be a 50s Music Hall Of Fame line-up, these boys would definitely fit the bill.

Today, Dixie is alive and well on our island, thanks to the various schools, Community Clubs and music institutions that help to organise groups. One group, the Summertimes Big Band (Singapore) has a thoroughbred of jazz players, vocalists and music directors trained, qualified and schooled from licentiate colleges in the UK and US to lead the way.

The pictures above could have been taken in the mid-sixties after the advent of television in 1963 but are labelled under a 1958 portfolio. Is this a mistake? Anyone?

*Read Horace Wee's (previously with RTS/SBC Orchestra) under Comments below:

Images: Thanks to Anthony Danker for them. Courtesy of National Archives, Singapore (for online reference viewing only).

Original article: Andy Lim.

Dixieland Rock: Elvis Presley: 

Movie: King Creole. 

YouTube video by: 13 AMTRY.

Singapore Sixties Music Is Spreading Positively

Has this blog been hijacked? Yes if the whole blog is taken and put under another name. No if only one posting with a particular theme is taken verbatim. The practice is common. But it's interesting news because the above screen snip was taken from Rock Is Alive at coffinride.com on 8th January, 2011.

The above image reads: Rock Is Alive: We Gonna Rock n Roll All Night Singapore 60s: Andy's Pop Music Influence: Rock n Roll Yodeling … 新加坡60年代安迪的流行音乐的影响. सिंगापुर निश्चिंत संगीत. ஸின்கபொரெ முஸிக் இன் தெ 60ஸ்

Read more here: http://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2011/01/one-of-worlds-greatest-45s-album-cover.html

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I guess this one isn't but helps to spread Singapore 60s music news. That's good. And what a shapely, lithesome body... the guitar I mean.

Image from: http://www.coffinride.com/

Rollin' On Canadian Highway With BTO Rockers...

SONGS I LOVE:

Thanks to my wonderful Canadian buddy Rob M. for the songs I've learnt and the ride along the scenic Canadian Highway:

My own knowledge of heavy metal or rock bands is hardly enough for me to write any decent posting on the genre. But I truly appreciate my first ever heavies when I listened to Deep Purple in the 70s and except for a few songs like Smoke On The Water, Highway Star and Black Night the interest stopped there because I could not take too much of the cacophony and extremely high decibels emanating from both the powerfully voiced singers and their amplified instruments. It was only by chance that I listened to this genre of music again.

On a nostalgia trip in the mid-nineties I returned to Vancouver, Canada and travelled from there to Winnipeg in a car. A really wonderful Winnipegian friend (image 2) came all the way from his home town, drove West to B.C. for two days, picked me up from the city in his purple, 1995 two door sports Chevvy Cavalier and we drove back East for the next 8 days, seeing sights across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskachewan, Manitoba and hearing songs by *BTO (image 5, 6) and other 60s to 70s rockers from his car-radio.

We met many friendly bikers along the way (image 4), bears catching trout on the Canadian rivers, deer that walk the roads, camouflaged white goats amidst the pale hills and sometimes soaring eagles in the skies. In the background, the rugged mountains, hush pines and glacial plains (image 1) were a bonus.

"You seem to love loud music?" I asked on the second day of our journey.

"To keep me awake Andy," he replied. "You don't wanna drive the car since you guys drive on the wrong side of the road in Singapore and I have to keep myself awake all the time. Besides, BTO music is truckers' music and drivers keep themselves awake and entertained with heavy metal and CBRadio."

I understood what he meant. It was hard for him to keep awake during the long and quiet drives (image 2), especially after lunch. I kept my mouth shut for the rest of the journey realising that if it weren't for my good friend I would have to suffer a bus trip that would take more days. But I always made sure he was awake and chatted with him when the player was switched off.

The baptism of gutter guitar filled me with fire and after some driving practice I took over Rob's car on the fourth day. I learnt a few songs on the road like, Taking Care Of Business, Roll On Down The Highway, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, Take It Like A Man, Let It Ride, a favourite American Woman and other rock hits.

I also realised that the growling guitars and gruff grinding of voices from heavy rock kept me awake while we were on the long Canadian roads from two o'clock in the afternoon, sometimes under a blazing Canadian sun in the middle of June. But when the eyes just would not open, we would shade under a large tree on a side road and take a cat nap.

I was sad, not glad, when I had to leave Winnipeg again and missing the BTO stuff that I never got to collect. I am still learning about this genre of music. Anyone got any vinyls or CDs of truckers' music to spare?

*"Bachman–Turner Overdrive (frequently known as BTO) is a Canadian rock group from Winnipeg, Manitoba, that had a series of hit albums and singles in the 1970s, selling over 7 million albums in that decade alone. Their 1970s catalog included five Top 40 albums and six Top 40 singles.

The band has sold nearly 30 million albums worldwide, and has fans affectionately known as gearheads (derived from the band's gear-shaped logo). Many of their songs still receive play on FM classic rock stations (Wiki)."

Images 1, 2, 3, 4/original article: Andy Lim Collection.

Image 5, 6: You Tube and Google.

100 Country Stars n Legends For Easy Ridin'

When Victor Koo of FOYers Bloggers' Group wanted to meet me on the afternoon before National Day (8.8.2011) I thought he wanted to celebrate the occasion together. We did actually and had coffee n cake at a quaint roadside cafe near the Novena Church. But he also brought along a book (image) as a gift. In fact, this same gentleman introduced my blog to yesterday.sg and helped establish it somewhat. Thank you very much, Victor, for your kindness and friendship.

I learned much reading it and realized how the spurts of information, glossy photographs, sidebars, precious *nuggets about each star and a greatest-hits list make the book mighty informative but easy ridin'. Like reading a great blog on an iPad.

Legends of Country by Liz Mechem and Chris Carroll introduces the CW hit list of pop singers that helped put this genre of "music on the map and keep it there." From Roy Acuff, Bill Carlisle, Defore Bailey, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Thompson (I honestly haven't heard of them before) to familiar ones like Alabama, Chet Atkins, Gene Autry, Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, Merle Haggard, Barbara Mandrell, Jim Reeves, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty, Shania Twain and Elvis!

There are 100 mostly known names, all covering 160 pages of pioneers, storytellers, and musicians who had, "left their imprint on this unique art form." And like how the Introduction explained, "Country's all about using small stories to represent big themes, and using big themes to illuminate small moments", this huge publication tells a lot.

So much for the **book. Now the authors. Liz Mechem is a freelance writer and editor teaching fiction writing in New York City. Chris Carroll, her husband is a photographer whose work has appeared in many national magazines.

And this ain't no old dusty document! It's 4 years young and published by Dalmatian Press (Dalmatian Publishing Group, Atlanta, Georgia 30329), Copyright 2007. And I'm still browsing through.

Nuggets: 
1. "Barbara Mandrell was known as the Princess of Steel for her prowess on the steel guitar." 

2. "Sonny James became the first country artist in 1971 to record a program for a moon flight." 

3. Did you know that Floyd Tillman recorded, G. I. Blues before Elvis in 1941? Ah, but is it the same song? Interesting facts.

Again, thanks Victor for your present. More book-gift postings for Chun See, Yusnor Ef, Larry Lai, etc. in later weeks.

Image/Original article: Andy Lim Collection.

This blog is 3 years young. Thank you for the support. I could never have done it without my readers and modern black and white amah chay...

1962 'Baby Elephant Walk' Again Now In Singapore Save Our Asian Jumbos From Extinction!

Please make our children aware:
Grandparents, mum and dad take your children to view the stampede at Orchard Road, not of the shopping crowds but of the elephants that are everywhere in Singapore. I did the safari with my grandson J. and we enjoyed every moment.

The cutest one is the durian elephant at Orchard Road (image 1). These elephants remind me of a popular 1962 instrumental hit from the film Hatari called, Baby Elephant Walk by Henry Mancini and his Orchestra (song is on right bar).

It is a piece of music written in 1961 for the 1962 release of the movie. "The composer combines brass instruments with repeated blasts from the tuba and woodwind elements to convey the sense of a toddler that is large and plodding, but filled with the exuberance of youth. The catchy, jazzy simplicity of the tune has made it one of Mancini's most popular works (Wiki)."

The Elephant Parade statues exude similar feelings with colourful, huge babies but created to raise awareness and money to save the Asian elephant from definite extinction. Each statue of the jumbo is decorated by a different artist, then displayed in public places across Singapore for view. The first Parade took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and the event has spread across Europe, from London to Copenhagen to Milan.

At the end of the exhibition, these artistic statues are auctioned with profits going to the Asian Elephant Foundation. The charity is for an Asian animal and Singapore is the first Asian city to hold this Parade. More than 160 elephants are currently on display across the island.

They are displayed along Orchard Road, in other shopping malls, at the Botanic Gardens and the Esplanade Waterfront up to January 31, 2012. Better pursue them before they're hunted down by poachers!

Do you know of other songs from yesteryear with the elephant theme?

(This posting is not an advertisement to promote Singapore tourism but one to SAVE our elephants!)

Images: Andy Lim Collection.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Elephants/58282388160

From Records To Night Spots, To Magazines: Irene Yap Part II

UP TO 1,000 VIEWS, 13 COMMENTS

When Irene Yap decided to turn professional, a singing contract during her school holiday in 1971 took her to Genting Highlands, Malaysia, where she performed and was accompanied on stage by The Commandos from Indonesia.

This new life lasted for 15 years and included stage appearances with Rahim Hamid (Singapore's Nat King Cole) and The Pebbles, Sonny Bala and The Moonglows and many other top pop Singapore bands.

She entertained at a string of hotels all over Singapore from about 1972 to 1980 including the Apollo at Ion Bar in Kings at and the Ambassador in the East Coast. Her nightclub stints included the El Amigo, Lido Deluxe (image 2), the Cappuccino at Plaza Singapura and other popular spots.

A journalist from an English newspaper remarked in an article that Irene "has a voice that is light, almost ethereal." With a voice so heavenly like the songbird herself, it was not a wonder that she had encore performances at the clubs that she was in. Irene remembers that in a particular nightspot "management kept asking me to come back..." She did and remained a resident singer for almost five years. And that told a lot about her!

There were moments in her youthful career that Irene sung duet with guitarist and keyboardist Edmund Tan. They entertained audiences with hits like Jackson, Love Me With All Your Heart, He'll Have To Go. Her nightly club acts widened her repertoire and she sang in other languages too.

Irene added, "The regulations in the nightspots were very strict. Being underaged I had to apply for a licence to perform. We were not allowed to patronise customers and had to wear decent costumes."

But it was a varied, colourful and successful life's journey for this songbird. From the first vinyl record contract offered, where the Charles Lazaroo Orchestra accompanied her in Pretty Ribbons and where she went through "hard gruelling sessions of recordings", up to the time that she retired to get married, she never regretted a moment.

Irene moved to the US for a short while, living in two major cities. She had been a housewife since except for a comeback at two nightclubs in 1995. During her very early years, one newspaper headlined her as the "pint-sized veteran of show business".

Today this true veteran reminisced, "When you start singing at such a tender age, you never think about anything else. Singing becomes your life and doing something you love. No regrets except that it had taken some of my childhood."

Irene's story reveals her positive attitude towards a life and career that she chose to take. It is a musical journey spanning quite some years but she has made it a successful one. Thank you, Irene, for sharing your past moments with me. I appreciate it very much.

Images from Irene Yap Collection:

1) Nightclub poster. 

2) Chinese New Year songs with two other singers. The three of them did a Chinese Variety Show appearance and also recorded children's songs.

3) Irene's photograph had also appeared in full colour on the cover of a magazine promoting expensive watches. Here's one below:

Original article: Andy Lim. All copyrights reserved.

Irene Yap Singing At 11 With 10 Albums By 14: Part 1

UP TO 1,600 VIEWS; 40 COMMENTS

In 1966 when Irene Yap (image: 1,2) was only 11 years young she was asked by a Mr Heng to sing with a Singapore guitar group called The Sandboys while watching them during a rehearsal. According to Irene, the gentleman was affiliated with White Cloud Records (more popular with the production of Chinese pops) and signed her up for a recording contract after listening to her voice.

Irene made her first vinyl singing the very popular Pretty Ribbon by Engelbert Humperdinck. But her version was different because she sang it in both English and Chinese. It was a hit and sold about 8,000 copies! She carried on with White Cloud and in the next four years, up to the time she was 14 in 1970, Irene had released seven EPs and three LPs.

Irene recalled that before the singers had final recording sessions they had to be properly trained. She continued, "So when I was only eleven Mr Heng sent me for vocal training by Liang Pin a famous Hong Kong singer then. Besides singing scales, I had to do the Por por mor fer, a Chinese pronunciation course."

As her popularity peaked, Irene was well publicised by the local English papers. Stories about this youthful singer, her recordings and pictures appeared in The Straits Times, New Nation, Singapore Herald, Eastern Sun and other vernacular newspapers. Within the short span, she had appeared on the little home screen during Chinese Variety Show produced by RTS (Radio Television Singapore) and other programmes like Take Four, The Guthrie Hour and on the Malay Variety channel.

With such a success story and because she wanted to pursue her love for singing Irene made a decision to turn professional and it was during her school holiday in 1971 when Irene decided to...

(More about Irene in the next posting and what the newspapers say about her and the special licence she had to obtain to perform because of her age.)

Do you remember Irene and her White Cloud recordings? Tell us.

PART 2 BELOW:

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2011/11/from-records-to-night-spots-irene-yap.html

Images: Irene Yap Collection. Copyrights Reserved.

Article: by Andy Lim as told by Irene Yap.

Mel n Joe Ferdinands: My, How They've Grown!

Mel agreed to meet Andy for a personal interview but everytime they fixed a date, one of them got too busy. They had postponed it a few times but since Mel and his brother Joe would be launching their book soon, all decided that blog readers should be given a peek of the book instead. It's not out for sale yet but here's a morsel from the blurb:

"Stalwarts of the local music scene, Mel & Joe have played, sung and done it all. Household names since they first appeared on television in 1971, Mel & Joe are not only two of Singapore’s best-loved musical talents; they are living proof of our rich musical past and vibrant present.

From the early days of Talentime and the black-and-white broadcasts of RTS (Radio Television Singapore) to their glorious heyday with one of Singapore's top bands, Gypsy, they continue to rock on with passion.

Throughout their musical journey, family support – parents, siblings, wives and daughters – has been instrumental in giving them the love and inspiration that was needed to strive to continue to be the best they can be musically.

Music brings the brothers even closer, and at the same time, continues to forge a strong spirit of camaraderie that they share with their audiences.”

Do you have comments to make about Mel and Joe? Tell us...

Article from book: I Play And Sing. Copyrights reserved.

Image 1, 2: Mel n Joe Ferdinands Collection.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mel-Joe-40-Years-On-Still%20Rocking/250131127355#!/profile.php?id=559476181

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mel-Joe-40-Years-On-Still-Rocking/250131127355

Did You Guess? Who's This Guy?

Why it's Willie Nelson. Did you guess? But his voice remains intact. You can always tell.
Images: Google.

It's Not Another Elvis Posting. Martin D28 Guitar

I have been asked many times if I play the guitar. Yes, I replied, but only using the 4 basic chords on C. Well, that's not too bad, some cynics replied, better than not being able to play at all. But deep within I know I can play more chords than that.

On another occasion, someone who has been reading my blog regularly (I have some blog fans too you know) asked me if I knew anything about musical instruments. A very superficial knowledge I said. Well, this gentleman replied, you need to write some articles about the guitar at least. What's a music blog without stories about musical instruments? True!

So with a mission to accomplish, I decided to buy another guitar to learn about the guitar and with the help of an exceptionally good lead guitarist from a Singapore 60s band (don't ever sound my name, he says) I went searching for one. And that was when I rediscovered the Martin D-28, one twang twang that I had salivated over for some time.

So without anymore fanfare, here's a brief from Internet websites and my own experience about this particular guitar that Elvis Presley fans will be definitely be familiar with (image 1). Or are they?

Do you own a D-28. Want to tell your story before I begin mine?
Image: From Scotty Moore's website: http://www.scottymoore.net/TributeD28.html

Radio TV Singapura Family Album: Thanks Horace!

A note from Horace Wee:

"Thanks for posting Joy Suares on your blog. I don't know if its of interest, but I found this picture (image 2) taken on January 2009 of the four of us. L to R: John Lee (Tenor saxophone/Music arranger), myself Horace Wee (Guitar), Joy Suares (Double bass under Gus Styne and Ahmad Jaffar orchestras) who was 90+ years then but passed on recently at 93 and David Chen (Trombone). Both John and David were with the TCS Orchestra till its disbandment. It was a sort of reunion that day as we had all worked with the Radio/TV orchestra at one time or another.

I checked also the mention of Guantanemera (image 1). Yes its my vocals, and very strangely, I only got a copy of the 45rpm vinyl disc from a friend who was getting rid of his LP's quite recently. Funny thing - after all these years (40), many people come up to me and recall this recording. PS. The making of this recording. I had the guidance for the pronunciation of the lyrics from the (then) Spanish wife of veteran violinist Julai Tan, who had recently returned after many years living in the UK. Cheers,
Horace"
Thank you for the contribution.
Image/article: Horace Wee.

Copying Pop Lyrics With Pen And Paper: 50s Way

During the 50s or earlier:

FL, who comments frequently on my blog, tells of teenagers buying exercise books to copy popular lyrics. There were no computers nor lyric websites to download from. So they bought notebooks to copy their favourite songs.

Remember the trademark? It had a Light House Brand and produced by a firm called Goy Liang Book-Making Company. Remember the back cover with its set of multiplication tables? I think these notebooks still exist today. Or do they?

Usually, the enthusiastic pop song collector would listen to a particular song from the record, radio or Rediffusion and copy the lyrics onto a sheet of paper. The trick is to copy the salient words and rewrite the whole song later. Like a stenographer (what's this?), but writing in words rather than using shorthand.

Most times enthusiasts bought exercise books with hard covers to document their precious lyrics but these books cost more than the ordinary ones which cost 20 cents a copy. I managed to find two copies from my cupboard (image 1).

The more enthusiastic followers would cut images from newspapers and magazines and paste them on the pages of their treasure trove and be showing off their collection. Those with money to spare would buy glossy black and white photographs to paste.

Later years:

Songbooks were printed and sold with guitar chords. Images 2 and 3 illustrate the smaller version. You can still find them in the shops today but the thicker ones that contain 400+ songs may cost as much as S$60 each.

There are still adults today who collect pictures, photographs and newspaper cuttings of their favourite pop bands and singers? Do you have any recollection of copying songs using scraps and pencils? Sketching pictures of your favourite stars perhaps? Tell us.

https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2023/05/song-book-from-past-personal-n-precious.html

Images/original articles: Andy Lim Collection.

West Point: Memories Of A Teenager In The 50s

I had mail recently in response to my article about West Point Gardens at Pasir Panjang, so instead of publishing it under Comment and be left unseen, I thought I'd post it for all. I must thank Ms Gloria Yap, who is in her early 70s, for taking time to pen these beautiful lines.
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West Point Gardens - Nostalgia of a Teenager in the 1950s
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Swaying coconut trees
Balmy ocean breeze
Feathered dresses
Halter-neck dresses.
A sprawling open Garden
A special, tiled dance floor
On green grass below -
Starry skies above
Mirroring the quickening heartbeat
of young love.
Dancing feet
To the beat
Of a live orchestra playing
And bodies in love, swaying.
Sweet smiles and sweet gestures
Sweet drinks and many beer glasses
Thus walking on air
Thus dancing on air
Nevertheless, romance was in the air
Oh West Point Gardens of the 50s
So etched in my heart and in my memories.
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Image: Google
Original article: Gloria Yap.

11.06.2011

First Liverpool Artiste With US Hit Before Beatles

The interview with Russ Hamilton by Dr Lee Yan San was in 1999:
"Russ was the first Liverpool artist to have a big hit in the US before the Beatles. His song Rainbow reached number 3 in the US chart. He also had a big hit We Will Make Love in UK and Asia and was very popular in Malaysia, Singapore and other parts of Asia.
RTM Radio 4:
He was my favourite singer especially during my high school days and I have all his records. His music is still being sought after in Malaysia. On my own initiative, I did the interview with him for RTM Radio 4's very popular regular Sunday night programme produced by a very well known D.J. Reezal who introduced me to his listeners. Russ Hamilton became a close friend of mine and had since passed on. This is a tribute to my friend." Watch the videos on right bar>

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Article and image from: You Tube.
Original article by Lee Yan San who hails from Penang, Malaysia.
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