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 !
They are mostly very easy, except for one or two. Most movies are from the 1950s with a mix of others from later years. Write your answers on the Comment Page or on Facebook. Good Luck.
I managed to keep these 5 beautiful black cards because of the Shakespearean quotations printed so heartfully on them and I thank the organisers of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra's Celebrating The Bard concert on 23rd July 2016. Much thought and feeling have gone into creating these lovely souvenirs.
Richard Clayderman: Romeo and Juliet Theme Song YouTube Video biarritz59
I have added only the context to each individual quote, just in case the reader is interested. You need to check the Act, Scene and Line numbers.
A Happy Valentine's Day to all lovers ❤.
Play: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Beatrice: I love you with so much of my heart
that none is left to protest.
Benedict:Come bid thee do anything for thee.
Beatrice: Kill Claudio!
Play: ROMEO AND JULIET
Juliet: That which we call a rose by any other name
would smell as sweet...
Romeo: I take thee at thy word: Call me but love
and I'll be new baptised;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
Play: ROMEO AND JULIET
Juliet: Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow...
Romeo: Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Lysander: The course of true love never did run smooth;
But either it was different in blood.
Hermia: Oh cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low.
HAMLET
Polonius: This above all - to thine own self be true.
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not be false to any man.
Farewell. My blessing season this in thee!
MEASURE FOR MEASURE: Angelo: The tempter or the tempted; who sins most?
The Holy Bible: lst Corinthians Chapter: 13, Line 13. From a Wedding Card. Images: A Personal Collection.
JT is a karaoke king, an expert in the field. He also writes well. So what you will read below is a combination of both his vocalizing and literary abilities merging as one. Thank you, JT for contributing to this blog. And congratulations on winning the competition. The Bright Spot in My Life Andrew Goh, 54, who sang Frank Sinatra’s My Way, was among the 10 solo contestants and one group who vied for the top three spots in the finals of the Inaugural Seniors Got Talent Competition at Hotel Royal yesterday. The contest was organised by the Singapore Association for Continuing Education. Ms. Irene Wee, chairman of the competition organising committee, said, "Our main driving force in undertaking this project is to help people – both the public at large and the seniors themselves – to see our senior citizens as potential stars and not write them off as not worthy of our attention or admiration. We think the five minutes or so in the spotlight will be a bright spot in their lifetime, and for their supporters, the memory of sharing this experience and cheering them on will be cherished long after the moment is over."
JT Chen sings He'll Have To Go, a Jim Reeves classic hit, during the competition. The youthful expression and the snazzy outfit of Andrew captured the expectation and the adrenalin that coursed through us in those five minutes mentioned by Ms. Irene Wee. We seized these challenging five minutes of fame on that day on 29th December at the Hotel Royal stage. As I awaited my turn, I witnessed what could be viewed to be an attack of nerves for some of us. After what seemed to be a long time, I barely bounded onto the stage when the compere called out my name, JT Chen (image below). I attempted a bit of humour in giving myself this moniker of Jurong Town Corporation to help anyone remember me better. Then as the backing strain wafted onto the stage, I sang the first line ‘Put your sweet lips a little closer to the 'phooone’ on cue, as I had done hundreds of times in my practice.
As I stretched on ‘phooone’ I looked in front of me and could hardly make out the audience blacked out by the spotlight, leaving me to see the three judges quite clearly. As they nodded, my confidence grew and I responded by marshaling some meaningful gestures in sympathy with the words which I could begin hearing clearly myself singing. It was a balance between remembering the lyrics and holding the notes the way they were taught. Thankfully, I remembered the last time singing ‘he’ll have to go” and thanked the audience before walking woodenly off the stage. The rest was history. The skit team was announced the 2nd runner-up. Alvin was the 1st runner up with ‘You Raise Up’. To my surprise, well not totally, I was declared the winner. MY friends and supporters believed that I had a good chance. Chiefly among them were Anthony Tan, Cecilia Tan, and Den Klass. I must thank my other supporters, Russel Tay, and fellow karaoke kakis for their support as well. It was a bright spot in my life.
60s pop songs, sexy food, great friends and a peaceful entertaining culture among SGs.
I would like to end on Irene’s prophetic note about experiencing and cheering being cherished long after the moment was over. Indeed, ten individuals remained in contact in a chat group. This chat group was spawned after twelve individuals attended a voice training course conducted by Singing Lodge and sponsored by SACE. The photo below showed most of the members. Two went on to capture the two top placings at the 2018 SGT competition. That will be another story.
The most practical greeting ever: the Chinese New Year handclasp; it's cute, clever and clean.
Try the original Chinese way of wishing another this year. Yes, just clasp your hands together to wish the other person. Parents will love it, grandparents will cherish it and of course, you need to put on a smile to do it, fake or otherwise.
But it's the healthiest greeting ever known to man. Handshakes, hugs and humble kisses? Hmmm! They are not as practical.
It's your choice. Kung Xi Fa Cai! 恭 喜 发 财 2019
Everlyn James YouTube Video in Chinese, Malay and Bahasa Dusun. Thank you, Ms. Sharon Tan. Image: Imagehit Asia 85735717 YouTube Video: Chinese Pod with Iona. YouTube Video: Everlyn James.
This video was done in the year of the monkey but it applies to the Pig Year too.
Worth a watch if you need some assistance. Cheers.
Another sad news piece for this blog. It's a fact that 60's music makers are now biting the dust.
UP TO 1,600 VIEWS. 40 COMMENTS Johnny van Leeuwarden, Dutch pop singer who was with the guitar group Jumping Jewels, had passed away on Thursday, January end, 2019. He made a hit in his country with Sophietje. He also was known for Wheels, All In Dallas. In Singapore, he did many popular covers like Devil Woman, Judy and Let's Make a Habit of It. 1.) Mr. Stephen Han, who often writes for this blog, obligingly returned me an SMS when he heard the news. Here is Mr. Han's tribute to the handsome star: "I'm sure every music lover appreciates the song, Teenage Senorita. This pop hit was on top of our Singapore radio chart and the singer was Johnny Lion. He was accompanied on this recording by the Jumping Jewels.
Johnny Lion with JUDY recorded on vinyl in the mid-sixties. THANKS TO YOUTUBE. I was extremely excited when they came to Singapore to perform at the Odeon Cinema in 1964. I missed the first show because I was late and my brothers invited instead our pretty lady neighbor. Somehow, I managed to purchase a ticket for the next day's show. These Dutchmen didn't let us down. They put up a really good performance and I enjoyed every song Johnny sang. They came again together to Singapore in 2005. This time around they sang and played instrumental numbers in a concert at Suntec City. The particular show also featured Riem De Wolff of the Blue Diamonds. So many years later but they all performed just as well if not better. Johnny Lion is gone now. May he Rest In Peace." (Thanks so much for the tribute, Mr. Stephen Han. I am sure readers will appreciate it to remember this singer.) Johnny Lion had been sick for some time and died of lung cancer. He also had Alzheimer's disease and was 77 years young. With the passing away of Lion, the very famous foursome from the Netherlands, that included Anneke Gronloh, Ruud and Riem de Wolff are now just memories and recorded songs and pictures. Condolences to his family.
2) Mrs. Daisy Koh was still a schoolgirl in uniform when they tried to meet JL and JJ. Here's her tribute. "I was at the Goodwood where JL and the JJ were staying. I was not allowed to go out at night then. We schoolgirls invaded the Goodwood... back then hotel security wasn't that tight. Armed with flowers and love notes we hung around in the hotel corridor. Excitement reached its peak when we saw the freshly laundered jackets with the initials JJ embroidered in gold on their pockets. We slipped love notes in their pockets and left flowers at the door before we left reluctantly. Crazy schoolgirls. Johnny Lion and the Jumping Jewels were big time then, in Holland like the Beatles in England." RIP Johnny Lion.
Singapore celebrates its bicentennial this year. It means that starting from the year 1819, we're 200 years young since Sir Stamford Raffles landed on our tiny red dot.
This blog has connections to some of Singapore's music "history", not the long-long ago stories, but tales that were enough to cause a stir when I first started this blog in 2008 November, more than 11 years ago.
Channel News Asia: https://singapore60smusic.blogspot.com/2015/03/channel-news-asia-50-years-of-singapore.html Below are connections where you can start the journey but it's best to browse around using the ❤CONTENT column on the right side of this blog. It has been read by about: 2,000,000 readers from 204 countries, with 2,200+ postings, 9,000+ comments And it's connected to Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, WhatsApp and the email.
Seriously, it may take you some time to browse around with its many stories from myself, contributing writers, music connections, etc.
Bon Voyage!
When souvenir magazines were printed with its typo-errors and exaggerations.
Simon Lee, the father of Michael Lee, receiving his OBE. Check out this post. Who are these people? Shouldn't they be in the annals of Singapore's history?
At the National Orchid Gardens @ Botanic Gardens many celebrities, from all over the world, have specially bred orchids named after them.
I Overlooked An Orchid (While Searching For A Rose): Mickey Gilley. These celebrities include politicians, world leaders, royalties, movie stars, music makers, etc. This practice started in 1956 and to date, there are about 200 names.
Offhand, some of the names included:
Lee Kuan Yew,
Kwa Geok Choo,
Lady Anne Black,
Indira Gandhi,
Emperor Akihito,
Queen Elizabeth 2,
Princess Diana,
Margaret Thatcher,
Nelson Mandela,
Gloria Macapagal-Aroyo,
Laura Bush,
Annika Sorenstam,
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The 1950 song, I Overlooked An Orchid While Looking For A Rose was first recorded by Carl Smith but became a number one hit for Mickey Gilley in 1974. It has been covered by other singers. Yes, an orchid, never an outrageous beauty like the rose but an everlasting, lovely, and strong presence in the living room or garden, and great for a country symbol.
The list goes on as the celebrities visit Singapore and the Botanic Gardens. They include: Zhou Xun (image above),
Jane Goodall,
Joe and Jill Biden,
Paloma Picasso,
Shah Rukh Khan,
Michael Kors, Serena Williams, *Xi Jinping/Peng Liyuan
Ban Ki-Moon,
Amitabh Bachchan,
Aun San Suu Kyi.
Prince William/Duchess of Cambridge
Even our pop stars are honored:
Elton John (below),
Ricky Martin,
Andrea Bocelli, Bae Yong Jun (image above),
Stefani Sun and
Jackie Chan.
If there are more names to add, please write in on the Comment Connection below.
A HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR TO YOU, MY FRIEND. Disclaimer: This posting, like all other ones on this blog, does not promote any person, place or product. It is my own personal musing. Andy Lim.
Stephanie Sun, Singapore Pop Star who has made it big overseas, has an orchid named after her.
Maroon 5 Sugar; A Long Way From Pickett's Sugar, Sugar: This posting is actually a comment from Dr. Steven Farram in response to a previous article about song titles with the word, sugar. I searched and found some vinyl covers. In the 1960s many original songs from the West were translated from English to local Asian languages and dialects; the lyrics may differ in meaning but music and rhythm are retained. These 3 song samples are only a few of them. Thanks, Steven for the support. Your expertise is always welcome.
Sugar, Sugar by Wilson Pickett: YouTube Video by northernsoultrain. Hi Andy, Thanks for mentioning the Wilson Pickett song Sugar Sugar. I had never heard it and had to look it up. It is actually a version of The Archies song, but a more mature version. It's great. Girl band The Teepees, from either Singapore or Malaysia, did a version of the same song (following The Archies style) in Malay. They called it Perchaya-Lah (Believe It). It was on an EP on the Eagle label. And both Nancy Sit and Lara and The Trailers did versions of Nancy Sinatra's Sugar Town. Both of them sing it in Chinese. Best Wishes. Steve
The Teepees Cover: If you have a clearer version please send me a copy and I shall replace the above. Images: Google and YouTube Videos
Lara and The Trailers with a cover version of 'Sugar Town' in Chinese (above), YouTube video is by OVI, that experiments with beautiful and vivid HD images. The song was also recorded by Nancy Sit below:
SONGS I LOVE: When you watch the children grow and see them going up on stage a few years later to receive an award, that's the most pleasurable reward any Senior could receive. It was a double whammy when the grandchildren, accepted with some vigor, their certificates for an education achievement from Defence Minister Dr. Ng Eng Hen. Quietly, the parents and grandparents sang their song ❤❤❤with calm delight.
You Decorated My Life. The song is sung by Kenny Rogers. "It takes a village to raise a child." So says the African proverb. Thanks to all involved for guiding the kids on a hopeful educational journey that is paved with much learning. Then meeting Dr. Ng after the ceremony was a pleasant encounter. Much appreciation for accommodating two very proud Seniors for the group photo taking. And the kids? Yes, you both decorated our life... There was no harmony Life meant nothing to me Until you all came along... It really takes a village to raise a child. ❤❤❤ Congratulations on getting the awards!!!
Singapore's Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen during the education award ceremony 2018 and 2019. *Edusave Good Progress Award (GPA). Images: Google and A Personal Collection.
