The Trailers signed with Cosdel label and released their first SP in 1966. An original composition, “Do it right“, reached No. 1 in Singapore. The line-up were: Victor Woo (lead), Edmund Tan (rhythm), Eric Tan (bass), Tony Zee (drums), Michael Teo (organ) and Benny Koh (vocals). The Trailers followed it up with another No. 1 with a cover of Lucille. A Chinese New Year EP was released in 1967. It featured Jimmy Chan who had replaced Michael. The joyous instrumental rendition of a popular CNY song, “Phoenix Theme“, became a standard.
Golden Venus Records, 2005: The Trailers (Singapore Pop 60’s)
Do it right, Thunderball, Don’t laugh (you’ll cry), Lucille, Pheonix Theme, Lara’s song, Ding dong song, Ali san, Quiver, Run away hide, Irene goodnight, Mohair Sam, Girl of my dreams, You only live twice, Come back my love, Be faithful be true, I’m ready now, Peter Gunn, Raise yor hand, Gimme little sign.
Naomi Suriya endears her fans as the girl who always has to “say goodbye to her baby.” Her brother, Robert, composed several memorable hits for her with this undertone of tears all through.
The first lineup of The Boys consisted of Robert Suriya (lead), Peter Richards (organ), Moses Tay (rhythm), Henry Richards (bass), Jose Ahmad (drums). Naomi & The Boys released their first record with Philips in early 1965. An original composition, “It’s all over” quickly became No. 1 on the Singapore and Malaysia charts. The Boys then went through some changes. A new lineup emerged with Robert Suriya (lead), Peter Thomas (rhythm), Moses Tay (bass) and Alphonso Soosay (drums) which lasted until the end. With Naomi, their next record also produced another No. 1 hit with a cover version of “Happy happy birthday, baby!” Another original composition on the EP, “I know“, was also a smash hit. Robert’s song-writing machine continued to produce many more hits for Naomi & The Boys. They distinguished themselves as a local band with the confidence in themselves to sing and play their own original compositions. Naomi & The Boys were also credited with the first local Christmas EP.
Henry Suriya , an older sibling, had his own separate singing career. Henry was also backed by The Boys and recorded with Philips in 1967. His first hit, “Love is a golden ring“, was a classic. Some of his other hits were “It’s no sin (to love you)“, “I’m so lonely (I could cry)“, “Loving you” and “Donna“.
Polygram, 1995: Remembering … Naomi & The Boys with Henry Suriya
Disc 1: Happy happy birthday, baby; I know; It’s all over; Please baby, please; Poncho; I’m the loser; I’d like to know; As life goes on; Call me your clown; Blue mist; How was I to know; It doesn’t matter; Old photographs; Why I’m walking; I’m crying inside; Happy birthday, sweetheart; If you change your mind; A woman’s world; Bad loser; I’ll never be the same; Don’t be surprised; Today; He’s mine; Life I wanna lead.
Disc 2: Silver bells; Mary’s boy child; My first Christmas without daddy; An old Christmas card; Love is a golden ring; I’m so lonely (I could cry); I lost her; I love you a thousand ways; It’s no sin (to love you); The unfaithful kind; It’s left to be seen; I’ll always love you; Thank you!; That’s all I have to say; Loving you; It’s a little more like heaven; Walk through this world; The best of me; I love you; I won’t miss you; The time has come; Get you outta my mind; The wind blows your face away; Talk; I need somebody; I call your name.
(HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY)
Happy happy birthday, baby
Although you’re with somebody new
Thought I drop a line to say that
I hope that this happy day
Will find me there beside you
Happy happy birthday, baby
No I can’t call you my baby
Seems like yers ago we met
On a day I can’t forget
Was the day we fell in love
Do you remember
The names we had for each other
I was your sweetheart
You were my baby
How did we say goodbye
Hope I don’t spoil your birthday
I’m not acting like a lady
So I’ll close this note to you
With good luck and wishes too
Happy happy birthday, baby
(I KNOW)
I now you’ve found somebody new
It seems she’s the one you adore
So darling, please be fair
Although you don’t care
I know you could never be mine
It seems like only yesterday
You said that you loved only me
But now I can see
Your love could never be
So please, I wanna be free
You told me that it’s true love
Called me your turtle dove
I’ve learned you’ve lied to me
So please, set me free
Tell me is she just like me
Do you use the same old lines
So here’s good luck to you
Lots of happiness too
I know you could never be mine
(AS LIFE GOES ON)
Looking back into the past
I can see mistakes I’ve made
If I could only relive those years
I have loved and I have lost
I’ve learnt about the cost
Memories linger on
As life goes on
I’ll pretend I’ve never lost
And hope someday I’ll find
Someone whose love is true
As life goes on
True love is so divine
True love’s sublime
Why is it so hard to find?
This love I could call all mine?
(I’M SO LONELY (I COULD CRY)
I am waiting
Just hoping you’ll call me
I am wishing
You will drop a line
I’m so lonely I could cry
I miss you
I’m longing to kiss you
Please hurry back to me
I’m so lonely I could cry
*Now what’s keeping you
Keeping you so long
Don’t you know
I love you so
Miss you so
And I want you to know, my darling
I wish you were by my side
And holding me tight tonight
I’m so lonely I could cry
(LOVE IS A GOLDEN RING)
Love isn’t just for tonight
For two arms that hold me so tight
Love is a song that you must learn to sing
Love is a golden ring
Love’s not a satin romance
The kiss that follows the dance
Love is a forever and everlasting thing
Love is a golden ring
The wedding in the church
The happiness and tears
A little ring you wear
Will last through all the years
And in our golden days
We’ll find eternal spring
Love is a golden ring
So please wouldn’t you wear it for me
The faith sweet charity
And for only lovers
Last this message we will bring
Love is a golden ring
The Thunderbirds was formed in 1962. The lineup of Derrick Fitzgerald (lead), Harvey Fitzgerald (vocals, rhythm), William Wee (bass), Freddie Tan (drums) recorded a single in 1966 with “My lonely heart” on the A side. The song became No. 1 in Singapore and Malaysia. Harvey sang the haunting ballad with Derrick playing some very effective slide guitar licks using a comb. In 1967, they released another successful SP but it was the slip side “You were made for me to love”‘ which became another favorite hit.
My lonely heart, My hula girl, You were made for me to love, Michael and the slipper tree, Mohair Sam, Move it, Pixie, Silence is golden, Sloop John B, Tell me you are mine, The house that Jack built, Tracy, Tribute to my love, What goes on, Wild nature, Always in mind, Birthday, Blame it on the bossa nova, Call your name, Hey girl, I miss your love, I’m as sad as I can be, I’m sorry she’s mine, Lamplight, Little lady.
The Thunderbirds (L-R):
Derrick Fitzgerald (lead)
Ivan Fitzgerald (percussions)
William Wee (bass)
Freddie Tan (drums)
Harvey Fitzgerald (vocal, rhythm)
(MY LONELY HEART)
The music was a’playing
And my heart was a’swaying
But I knew right then
I wouldn’t dance again
The people were a’laughing
While I, I was a’crying
For you were gone
And I was left alone
You, you stole my heart that night
The night you said goodbye
And now, now I beg of you
Please return my heart so I may cry
Every night I dream
I will meet you someday
But I know it’s true
I won’t be seeing you
*You, you’ve been my only one
But now, now I’ll always be blue
For I, I’ll be the lonely one
Just wishing and hoping to find someone like you
I guess I will never
Ever find another
For I knew
It will always be you
Shirley Nair was easily one of the top singers of the 60’s. More so, she wrote and sang her own songs like “Don’t leave me” which was brilliantly backed by The Silver Strings.
Don’t leave me, If you ever go, You’re the boy, Too late for tears, Come home to me, I won’t let you see me cry, I’ll remember today, Two people.
The Silver Strings in the 60’s: Audie Ng (bass), David Chan (replaced by Dickie Tan, lead), Danny Boy (replaced by Mohammad Khan, drums) and Merlin Lim (rhythm)
(DON’T LEAVE ME)
Don’t leave me, my little baby
Don’t leave me and break my heart
I know, oh yes, I know
I could never fall in love again
Remember you said that you loved m
The promise you made to me
But now you’ve changed your mind
You are hurting me but you just don’t care
I gave you everything that I could give
My heart, my love, my soul
Another has taken you away
And now what else can I say?
Don’t leave me please have pity
I’m begging with all my heart
I know, oh yes, I know
I could never fall in love again
(From left to right: James Ong (rhythm), Jimmy Ho (lead), Peter Ho (bass), Jalek Zula (drums)
The distinction of being the first English-language recording group from East Malaysia went to Rose Iwanaga & The Avengers from Kuching. They released three very successful EPs. A splendid cover version of Too Young was probably the most memorable song by the group.
First EP (Please tell Terry, Will you love me tomorrow, Too young, Say you’re mine)
Second EP (Why, I’ll never find another you, Pretend, You belong to me)
Third EP (Oh, handsome boy, True love will come to you, Take me back again, I hope you won’t)
(TOO YOUNG)
They try to tell us we’re too young
Too young to really be in love
They say that love’s a word
A word we’ve only heard
But can’t begin to know the meaning of
And yet we’re not too young to know
For love will last though years may go
And then some day they may recall
We were not too young at all
The Jets’ line-up consisted of Edward Tan (lead), Alan Poh (bass), Harold Chiang (rhythm) and Bertie Lim (drums). Richard Tan replaced Bertie just before The Jets recorded in 1965. This first EP featured four original instrumentals. Edward composed Aurora which stayed No. 1 on the chart for three weeks. In July they released their second EP with four more instrumentals which included the very popular Alice in dreamland. The Jets went through still more personnel change over time. In 1967, The Jets with Edward Tan released its third and final EP on the Blue Star label. The band brokeup the following year.
First EP (Aurora, Meteor, Fantasy, Escapee)
Second EP (Blues away, Express train, The big bat, Alice in dreamland)
Third EP ( 500 miles, Unchained melody, When I was young, Fever)
(From left to right: Henry Chua, Vernon Cornelius, Reggie Verghese, Jap Chong and Lim Wee Guan)
The classic lineup for The Quests was: Reggie Verghese (lead), Jap Chong (rhythm), Henry Chua (bass) and Lim Wee Guan (drums). Raymond Leong was the original lead guitarist but did not record with the band. Keith Locke joined as singer and they performed together as Keith Locke & The Quests. When Keith left, Vernon Cornelius replaced him. When Henry left, he was replaced by Sam Toh. Jimmy Chan joined as keyboardist when they went to Hong Kong. When Jimmy decided to stay in Hong Kong, he was replaced by Peter Richards.
(In Hong Kong from left to right: Lim Wee Guan, Jimmy Chan, Sam Toh, Reggie Verghese and Jap Chong)
The Quests signed with EMI in 1964 and the A-side of its first record, an original instrumental composition, Shanty, quickly shot to No. 1 on the Singapore hit parade chart. Other original instrumental hits like Gallopin’, Tea Break, Pop Inn Theme, Champagne and I’m Feeling Good followed.Keith Locke, a British serviceman of Jamaican descent, then joined The Quests as the front singer. They recorded a wonderful cover version of “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)” which left an indelible mark on the local music scene.
When Keith returned to UK, Vernon Cornelius took over. The band kept it up with more original vocal hits like Silly Girls and I’ll be your man. The band’s fame and fortune continued to soar high as the new song Roller Coaster Man topped the charts all over the region including Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand. The Quests had reached the pinnacle of their career locally. They needed to expand and grow. The group, now with Sam Toh and Jimmy Chan, set out to conquer Hong Kong, the “Pearl of the Orient”. There were an abundance of local favorite bands in H.K. The Quests played to a discerning audience but soon, had their No. 1 hit Mr. Rainbow and their own TV show on HKTVB. The group disbanded in 1971.
Being fine musicians and playing very tight as a group, The Quests were regularly sought out to provide backing for other singers. The legacy of Quests music is not complete without the inclusion of the band’s brilliant interpretation and solid performance on the Mandarin covers of popular English hits sung by Rita Chao and Sakura Teng.
(DON’T PLAY THAT SONG)
Don’t play that song for me
It brings back the memory
Of days that I once knew
Those days that I spent with you
Oh no, don’t let it play
It fills my heart with pain
Please stop it right away
I remember every word you said
You said it (Darlin’ I love you)
You know that you lied!
(Darlin’ I love you)
You know that you lied!
(Darlin’ I love you)
Woe baby you lied, you lied, you lied, lied, lied, yeah, yeah
*Remember on our first date
I kissed you and you walked away
You were only seventeen
I never knew that
You’d act so mean, my darlin’
You told me you loved me
You told you cared
You said I’ll go with you darlin’, almost everywhere
But darlin’ (Darlin’ I love you)
You know that you lied!
(Darlin’ I love you)
You know that you lied!
(Darlin’ I love you)
Woe baby you lied, you lied, you lied, lied, lied, yeah, yeah
You are currently browsing the QUESTING bandstand blog archives for November, 2006.
Introduction
NOTE: We are online again. Enjoy!
This blog is intended for showcasing the best of the local singers and bands in the Far East in the 60's. To display Asian characters properly, you may need to update your browser for additional language support. Since the music files are constantly being updated, you also need to refresh and clear the cache in your browser to hear the changes. I encourage listeners to actively support the local artists and recording companies. You can do this by purchasing commercial re-release of the songs if you have enjoyed them here.
Contributing articles and info are welcome and will be properly credited.
1) The Quests, Part 1
2) The Quests, Part 2
3) The Quests in Malay (with Malay artists)
4) The Surfers
5) The Thunderbirds
6) Susan Lim & The Crescendos
7) Naomi Suriya & The Boys
8) Heather & The Diamond Four, The Thunderbirds
9) Shirley Nair & The Silver Strings
10) Rose Iwanaga & The Avengers
11) Suyin (舒雲) & The Quests
12) The Fabulous Echoes
13) Off-beat Cha Cha with Kong Ling ( 江玲) & The Fabulous Echoes
14) The Early Years: Wong Ching Yian (黄清元) & The Melodians. The Stylers
15) Radio show – Retrospective Part 1 (The Decade)
16) Radio show – Retrospective Part 2 (Instrumentally Yours)
17) Radio show – Retrospective Part 3 (A Spiritual Sojourn)
18) Sakura Teng & The Quests.
19) Rita Chao & The Quests, The Surfers
20) Hot August Nights: Rockin’ with “RJ” in Manila
21) QBS Christmas Party (Keep Christ in CHRISTmas!)
22) Gong Xi Fa Cai! (Chinese Year 4714)
23) Happy Valentine’s Day
24) Happy Mother’s Day
25) Reg Guitar 乐雅吉打乐队 (Part 1)
26) Reg Guitar 乐雅吉打乐队 (Part 2)
27) Remembering Jap Chong (of The Quests)
28) The Inimitable Teresa Teng (鄧麗君)
29) The Tielman Brothers (Andy Tielman)
30) Remembering Reggie Verghese (of The Quests)
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