Singapore Street-Hawker Calls And Elvis' 'Crawfish'

Singapore street hawkers or vendors in the 60s have been highlighted as being unique and special. Many stories have been written about them and one author, Chan Kwee Sung in his book, One More Story To Tell, highlights the street laksa (page: 44) sold in the Katong area in the East Coast and the hot porridge (page: 49) in downtown Chinatown. These memories are etched forever in the minds of those who have lived the period and seen the food-sellers .

I remember my own encounter with these street hawkers along Geylang Road in Singapore where they advertise their food using their own unique/special hawker calls to draw out customers from their homes.

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The meat-bun man will shout his, "Char siew pau..." as he pushes his cart filled with hot, steaming buns in containers balanced over a charcoal fire. Then there's the chicken porridge man selling his, "Kaiiiii choke."

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The won-ton noodle hawker's assistant who strikes a small bamboo piece with a stick, using a rhythmic beat to announce his delicious meal for 30 cents a bowl. "Tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tick, tick, tock..." I even recall the Indian rojak (spicy salad) who shouts his ware along the pavements of Geylang with, "Rojak, rojak..." Street sounds we call them. Or food sounds?

The food hawkers mentioned by our local writers are not uncommon in other parts of the world (images). There are street hawkers everywhere and Singapore is no different. In fact the opening scene of the Elvis Presley movie, King Creole (Paramount: 1958) depicts street hawkers selling their wares in downtown New Orleans in the 50s. (please watch video above). After the film title, Elvis duets with singer Kitty White to sing Crawfish.

Elvis describes the catch:

"I went to the bayou late last night

There wasn't no moon but the stars were bright

Put a big long hook on a big long pole

And I pulled Mr Crawfish outta his hole

The street call:

Crawfish, craw-aw-aw-feeesh!

See I got 'em see the size

Stripped and clean before your eyes

Sweet meat look good

Fresh and ready to cook...

Craaawfeeesh!

The sales pitch:

Now you take Mr Crawfish in your hand

He's gonna look good in your frying pan

If you fry him crisp and you boil him right

He'll be sweeter than sugar with every bite

Crawfish..... crawfish...

(Song credited to: Fred Wise/Ben Wiseman)

Whether it's food culture or otherwise, the world has been connected a long time ago. Like the funeral bands in New Orleans and our own Singapore funeral marching bands - the similarities are astounding.

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Perhaps there is one difference between Singapore's street vendors and those from the West; they are more imaginative and sing their wares.

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Can you remember other popular 60s songs with food as a theme?

Images: 1. Paramount Studios/Elvis Presley Estate. 2. National Heritage Board Singapore.

Original article: Andy Lim.

Book Quote: One More Story To Tell - Memories of Singapore - 1930s to 1980s (Chan Kwee Sung: Landmark Books, 2005).

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(This posting is for Derek Tait who's just joined as a Follower. Thanks Derek. Welcome home!)

SINGAPORE HAWKERS' FOOD

New Orleans Jazz Bands And Chinese Funeral Bands

As a child I remember street music in Singapore which comes from Chinese funeral processions. These funeral bands play melodies from both Chinese and English pops. One particular pop song that I can still recall, Today, (You're) Not Coming Home (Jin Tian Bu Hui Jia 今天不回家), has been played so many times at Chinese funeral street marches that it's been accepted as the unofficial theme song for the occasion (Image 2: a band at Kim Yam Road taken in 1970 in Singapore).

Books from the US that discuss the history of jazz music claim that jazz bands began from dance bands or social orchestras. These were African American bands that played on the streets in New Orleans, U.S.A. officiating at funeral processions. They play solemn music on the way to the burial yard and hot jazz on the way back (Image 1: a New Orleans jazz funeral).

It is common knowledge in the 60s that some Singapore band boys who play in the night-clubs freelance and work as funeral musicians in the day. Again the parallel; New Orleans dance orchestras do not confine themselves to playing in the ballrooms but played at funerals. Nothing to be ashamed of because it's honest living.These funeral bands could comprise from eight members onwards and the instruments included trumpets, trombones, snare drums and cymbals.

The Chinese funeral bands have the same number of people with similar instruments. During a bigger and longer procession at a Chinese funeral (indicating the wealth of the deceased), more instruments could be used, like the larger bass drums and a tuba. When questioned why music is played during such a tear-jerking occasion, the band members explain that the noise drives evil spirits away. Comment?

Original article: Andy Lim

Image 2: National Heritage Board, Singapore.
Image 1: http://www.allaboutjazz.com
(GARY MOORE PASSED ON 6TH FEBRUARY, 2011. GARY GUITAR GREAT.)