Singapore Band In London Had Three Names?

ANSWER TO QUIZ TIME:

This group went to England in 1962 and were paid for their services when they played in a West End nightspot in London accompanied by their manager Tom Gan. Leading the group was 19 year old guitarist George Teo, cousin to brothers Andrew (18) and John (19) Gwee. Andrew played bass guitar while John the drums.

The two brothers were from the Singapore Junior Trade School and had gone to London to study music. Known as The Hilltoppers, the four became popular when they were runners-up in The Blue Diamonds Show Case in the 60s. They had played at parties and functions but when they acquired the engagement in the West End, they called themselves Singapore Islanders.

(Hardly anyone attempted the Quiz. Only current DJ Mr William Xavier got the answer correct. Apparently the group was also called The Etceteras. A phone conversation with pop music culturalist, Singapore 60s image collector Dennis Tan, confirmed the information.)

Besides recording the single in 1964 on Oriole (image) with Now I Know and Little Lady, Dennis also revealed that the group recorded another earlier single, Bengawan Solo with an original song on the flip, Where Is My Love. So the quest ends here; it's the same band but with three names: The Hilltoppers when they were in Singapore, as Singapore Islanders when they performed in England and became The Etceteras as recording artistes. If there are corrections to be made regarding information please let us know.

Thanks to LL for the connection, Mr X, Dennis and blog follower 'Jimmy', who recently provided the same answer! Four lunches for all. Anytime.

Images from: You Tube by 'my7inch'

Pan Wan Tjing, Rebecca - Sings, Acts, Travels

Pan Wen Tjing or Rebecca Pan, born in Shanghai, China, is possibly one of the top divas from the 60s who still enjoys the privilege today, having accumulated about 50 years of show business experience.

In 1957, she began as a singer in a band at Hong Kong Caesar's Palace Nite Club where she replaced a friend for a few weeks. She gained a following, had the first ever fan club formed for her in HK and Nie, Nie, Wo, Wo became the theme song, written specially for her by Diamond Records where she cut her vinyls after going solo.

As she is able to sing in many languages namely: French, Italian, Arabic, Indonesian, Thai, Japanese, Malay, Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, Pan was able to tour the world. With her multi-lingual singing ability she recorded the international evergreen, Rose Rose I Love You (1961) in both Chinese and English. Another hit, Second Spring (1965) by Yao Min, followed. Pan also recorded Ding Dong Song with the success of the musical, The World Of Suzie Wong by Lionel Bart.

In 1972 when other singers were still struggling to achieve stardom on stage, Pan had already formulated her own Broadway-styled movie musical and acted in Pei Niang Niang. She even directed this movie which is better known as Madam White Snake among her English speaking fans. It is a modern interpretation of the classic Chinese folk tale and the fusion musical proved a controversy, but it drew crowds. If Loving You Means Hurting You became the most successful song from the show.

She had starred in more than half a dozen art-house films and won a Golden Horse Award (equivalent to the Hollywood Oscar) in a Hong Kong production called, Days Of Being Wild. Pan is so popular that her music can be heard in many Hong Kong films. One movie is In The Mood For Love with her interpretation of Bengawan Solo and another movie is Flowers Of Shanghai.

According to some websites, she was credited with introducing Mandarin songs to an international audience, became Hong Kong's biggest music export and had performed in Singapore, India, Thailand, Israel, Australia, England, France, Spain and the U.S. She is still known as the Travelling Star.

Did she sing her swansong in Singapore and retired afterwards? Anyone?

Edited articles from 2 websites: Andy Lim.

Image/Information: http://www.cutsleeveboys.com/music.htm

Information: http://www.simonyam.com/hkmw/actors/rebecca-pan-wan-ching/

Gesang Martohartono - Riwayat Mu Ini, Sedari Dulu Jadi, Perhatian Insani...

GESANG MARTOHARTONO (image) has passed on at 92. One of the more familiar Indonesian composers, the song Bengawan Solo (inspired by the River Solo in Java) was penned by this gentleman in the 1940s.

It has been sung by numerous artistes and these include, Rebecca Pan, SK Poon, Waljinah, Toshi Matsuda, Frances Yip, Anneke Gronloh, Sam Saimun, Sajekti and many others. English versions are by Hong Kong pop star Mona Fong and The Sundowners, a Singapore vocal group from the 60s, sing it in their own easy style. Instrumental ones are too many to mention. One of the better interpretations of the melody comes from The Stylers. And it's hot. (Check side-bar) >>>>>

The song's bigger than the composer. It has brought Gesang lots of royalties and for a song that was composed on a bamboo flute in keroncong style, it has been translated into a dozen languages. In 2009 Gesang said, "Unfortunately (the river) is not as beautiful as before..."

"Air mengalir sampai jauh/Akhirnya ke laut..." May you rest in peace pak!

Image: bocahiseng.blogspot.com/2010/05/gesang-mening...

Original article: Andy Lim.

Information: Internet.

Bengawan Solo And Foreign Songs (Part III)

FOREIGN SONGS BECOME ENGLISH HITS (3):

ITALIAN: Nel blu dipinto di blu, known also as Volare is Domenico Modugno’s signature song. It is the only song ever by an Italian artist to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 charts. His recording won the Grammy (1958) and is the only foreign-language recording sung entirely in Italian.

Written by Modugno himself and Franco Migliacci, it came in third in the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest. But only Dean Martin's version (1958) made its way into the hearts of many Singaporeans. Beats even Bobby Rydell's more upbeat version!

PERUVIAN/ANDEAN: El Cóndor Pasa or Flight of the Condor (1913) is a song by Peruvian composer Daniel Alomía Robles based on traditional Andean folk tunes. It is popular worldwide because it is covered by Simon & Garfunkel in their Bridge Over Troubled Water album (1970). This cover version is called El Condor Pasa (If I Could). When Simon heard a version called Paso Del Condor by Jorge Milchberg, he personalized it by adding his own English lyrics. They are all listed as songwriters in this version.

Perry Como released a cover of Simon's English version on his album It's Impossible. Simon & Garfunkel did release their version as a single in the U.S. and it reached 18 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart.

SPANISH: Singapore guitar groups are familiar with Perfidia (1939), The Ventures classic. It means faithless, treacherous or false and was written by Alberto Domínguez in the 1900s. Aside from the original Spanish, other renditions exist, including an English version by Milton Leeds.

The song became a hit for Xavier Cugat in 1940 and used by Chinese director Wong Kar Wai in some of his movies. Perfidia has been recorded by many artistes as early as the 50s, including Gene Autry, Charlie Parker, Mel Torme, Glenn Miller, Nana Mouskouri, The Shadows, The Ventures, Linda Ronstadt, Nat King Cole, Lawrence Welk, The Four Aces and Perez Prado.

INDONESIAN: Bengawan Solo (1940) in Bahasa Indonesia is by Gesang Martohartono and sung in kroncong style, a popular folk music with influences from the Portuguese. The Japanese, who occupied the country during World War II, brought the song to Japan afterwards. It has become an international hit since.

The song became popular amongst the Chinese community in SE Asia after Malaysian singer Poon Sow Keng recorded it in Mandarin for Hong Kong Pathe (1957). It was further boosted by Ms Koo Mei, who sang her version for Philips Records. Many Chinese language singers have written their own lyrics for the tune, making it one of the greatest classics in S.E. Asia.

The English recording of Bengawan Solo is called, By the River of Love from an early 60s Hong Kong record sung by Rebecca Pan. Sakura Teng and Mona Fong (image) sing it both in Chinese and English. While Teng heats it up, Fong gives it a cha-cha-cha beat!

And so this short journey ends in Asia again. We have come one full circle. If you happen to know of pop songs that have been translated into English, please write in.

Image: You Tube

Information: Wikipedia Songs

Original article: Andy Lim

Krontjong Indonesia Yang Tulen - Sajekti & Sam Saimun Dengan Achmad And His Band.

SONGS I LOVE: Another friend, with lots of records to give away, called me a few days ago and I came home with a box of beautiful krontjong (Indonesian spelling) vinyls. Since I grew up with this music, it was elation undescribed. One of the pieces found is this fantastic vinyl by Sajekti and Sam Saimun with Achmad and his Band (Record detail: Orkes Krontjong Asli XCSV 94824).

The songs, 12 in all, include an English explanation for each krontjong. What more can anyone ask for? The titles on Side One include: Krontjong Rindu Malam, Rangkaian Melati, Krontjong Penawar Duka, Krontjong Hanja Untukmu, Krontjong Sapulidi, Krontjong Telomojo.

On Side Two: Krontjong Senjuman Chandra, Bengawan Solo, Krontjong Air Laut, Krontjong Mawar Sekuntum, Krontjong Hanya Engkau, Krontjong Senda.

As a sampling of the quality and details given on the back sleeve to explain the lyrics, Bengawan Solo (internationally popular) is presented thus: "The story of a river in Solo (Central Java), made famous in song and story, that during the dry season is almost empty of water but when the rainy season comes overlflows its banks, bearing the prahus of merchants with their wares.

Originating in the Seribu Gunung (Thousand Mountains), the river flows turbulently at times, quietly at others, till it empties into the ocean beyond. The melody became famous during the Revolution of 1945." (Composer: Gesang; Singer: Sam Saimun)

And this piece of information is only one of 11 others. Another favourite, Krontjong Air Laut has a shorter piece, "Ocean Water, the title, is like other pantun songs, for improvisation, the name being just a name." (Improvisation, where singers 'battle' their wits with on-the-spot lyrics, is common in Indonesian, Malay and Peranakan pantun, a form of verse in the Indonesian/Malay language).

Comment anyone?

Original article/Image: Andy Lim Collection.