(7) Chuck Berry, Bobby Darin, Frankie Avalon, Buddy Holly, Coasters - A Keg Of Dynamite

Thursday, October 15, 2009

TOP TUNES INFLUENCE: 1959 - 60

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters
Venus - Frankie Avalon
Lonely Boy - Paul Anka
A Big Hunk O'Love - Elvis Presley
*1. Mack The Knife, 2. Fever,
3. Splish Splash - Bobby Darin
Heartaches By The Number - Guy Mitchell
Why - Frankie Avalon
*1. Maybelline, 2. Roll Over Beethoven
3. Sweet Little Sixteen - Chuck Berry
1. Great Balls of Fire, 2. Whole Lotta
Shakin' Goin' On - Jerry Lee Lewis
1. Peggy Sue, 2. Oh Boy - Buddy Holly/Crickets
1. Ain't That a Shame, 2. Bluberry Hill - Fats Domino
1. Donna, 2. La Bamba - Ritchie Valens
Sixteen Candles - The Crests
Charlie Brown - The Coasters
Shake, Rattle & Roll - Big Joe Turner

The list shows some of the hits around 1959, the year before the big 60. Chuck Berry, an African/American, shook the world with his rockin' and rollin'; Bobby Darin, of Italian descent, fevered, knifed and splashed us with his jazz renditions (images).

These were the singers that many Singapore 60s music bands could relate to as they grew up with the classics. Many of our local bands covered the songs and many of our singers impersonated the top stars.

So in the last years of the fifties with its vital mix of Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Everly Brothers, The Coasters, Perez Prado, Les Baxter and Elvis Presley, our local boys and girls had the keg of dynamite they needed for the fuse and trigger - Cliff and his Shadows.

"Look out, old Macky's back..."

(This is the last posting in the series: Top Tunes Influence 50s.)

Images: http://www.dancetothesixties.nl/ &

http://www.earyago.com/

Original article: Andy Lim Collection.

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(5) Radio Malaya Orchestra, Caldecott Hill, Andrew Road, Singapore - 1957

Saturday, October 10, 2009

TOP TUNES INFLUENCE: 1957 - 1958

Arrival of Buddy Holly & Sam Cooke:
Too Much - Elvis Presley, Don't Forbid Me - Pat Boone, Young Love - Sonny James, Young Love - Tab Hunter, Party Doll - Buddy Knox, Round and Round - Perry Como, All Shook Up - Elvis Presley, Butterfly - Charlie Gracie, Love Letters In The Sand - Pat Boone.

Teddy Bear - Elvis Presley, Tammy - Debbie Reynolds, Diana - Paul Anka, Honeycomb - Jimmie Rodgers, That'll Be The Day - The Crickets Wake Up Little Susie - Everly Brothers, Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley, Chances Are - Johnny Mathis, You Send Me - Sam Cooke, April Love - Pat Boone

In the 50s Singapore had its big bands too. Because we were still a part of Malaya, the image shows the Radio Malaya Orchestra in 1957 at a studio situated in Caldecott Hill, Singapore. It comprised strings, brass, a guitar, a xylophone, a double bass and percussion.

The band members were usually full time professionals employed by Radio Malaya. Some expatriates who lived in Singapore also played for the orchestra. These musicians were also able to play local Chinese, Malay and Indian melodies. They played local songs way before Anneke Gronloh sang Burung Kakak Tua or Nina Bobo. When Malaya won independence in 1957, the radio service was split into Radio Malaya and Radio Singapore.

As we follow the Top Tunes, melodies like Lisbon Antigua by Nelson Riddle, The Poor People Of Paris and Unchained Melody by Les Baxter would be the usual fare. Instrumental versions of hits by Pat Boone, Debbie Reynolds and Tab Hunter would be played regularly too. Notice too that all the songs are still known today by many pop tune enthusiasts. And Paul Anka is still singing!

Do you know anyone who was in a big band in the 50s in Singapore?

Image: National Heritage Board Singapore/Singapore Press Holdings.

Original article: Andy Lim Collection.

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(1) Sincerely Learning The Blues, Cherry Pink, Yellow Rose, Autumn Leaves, Let Me Go Lover

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

(1) TOP TUNES INFLUENCE: 1955/1956. First in this series of 8 postings:

It is important to realise that Postings 1 - 7 under Top Tunes Influence is written to explain that the songs featured on the music charts in the mid-50s have in many ways shaped Singapore 60s music. Surfers need to realise that Cliff Richard just didn't materialise from thin air and appeared at the Badminton Stadium with his Shadows.

My own ideas revealed:

Like most teenagers who love pop music, the mid-50s in Singapore was an exciting time for them especially if their home radio was tuned to English language broadcasts. In 1955, when the rock n roll era began, the following songs were heard often on the radio.

Let Me Go Lover - Joan Weber
Sincerely - McGuire Sisters
The Ballad Of Davy Crockett - Fess Parker
Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado/Orchestra
Unchained Melody - Les Baxter
Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley & His Comets
Learnin' The Blues - Frank Sinatra
The Yellow Rose Of Texas - Mitch Miller & His Orchestra
Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing - Four Aces
Autumn Leaves - Nat King Cole (1956)
Sixteen Tons - Tennesse Ernie Ford

Autumn Leaves, Learning The Blues, Let Me Go Lover, Sincerely, Unchained Melody and A Many Splendoured Thing had English-educated women, swooning as they listened to these tunes from the kitchen. These songs were categorised under 'sentimental love songs'.

Splendoured Thing had patrons rushing to the cinemas to watch William Holden and Jennifer Jones hold hands and fall in love. Sighs and theme music mingled in the cinema halls as the images kissed (image). Cabarets at the amusement 'Worlds' were playing the same tunes to crowded dance floors.

Cherry Pink and Yellow Rose were being whistled all over the country as listeners fell in love with the Latin flavour of the first and the marching beat of the second.

Image: http://www.thewoundedbird.blogspot.com/

Original article: Andy Lim Collection.

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(D) Jamaican Jive, Combo Band, Not Belafonte

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

The Mysterians only single on Cosdel with My Girl Les and *Forget The Time sold quite well even though there was not much airplay on Radio Singapore or Rediffusion. Even today people still remember Forget The Time. Singer Mike left the band after the record was released.

There were two more releases afterwards, a single, You've Got To Move On and Searching, and an EP, Forever, They Lied, Is Everything Alright and Down In The Valley. But this time around the band had Leroy Lindsay (image) from the U.K. fronting them. And Searching had shades of Jamaican jive and combo backing. I love the exceptional presence of the harmonica (mouth-organ) in Is Everything Alright?

There were also changes in the band line-up when Michael Gan and Charles Koh replaced Mike and Jeffrey Tan. From 1970 to 1979, James Choa (check previous postings) from The Flamingos Combo and Gaylads vocal group, joined the Mysterians. James Choa is one of the best keyboardist in Singapore.

With new members came a new policy and although they retained the group name, they identified themselves during their performances. They had nothing to hide. The third record (image) shows the very distinguished studious looking gentlemen with their glasses.

Image: from EBay. Original article: Andy Lim

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90.5FM DJ Brian Richmond with Henry Suriya

Friday, June 5, 2009

Brian Richmond and Henry Suriya (image) are well known personalities in our local 60s music scene. Richmond hosts the 90.5 fm Gold Classic radio broadcast, Nites With Brian and Vintage Sundays on MediaCorp Station. He will one of the hosts for Eurasiana, a musical tribute, on 26/27 June, 2009 at the Esplanade Concert Hall.

Henry Suriya (check older posting), is a well-known crooner and has recorded many songs during the 60s with his brother Robert and The Boys. Two of his songs are included in The Definite Collection. Brian Richmond has a part in the promotion of this box set.

Image: Henry Suriya Collection.
(1st posting on MCs, comperes, radio personalities from 60s).

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