Music of a Bygone Era
Friends,
For this weekend, I like to take you on a nostalgic journey into the Fifties at the height of the Cold War when the Russians were thought to be grizzly bears, thanks to the very effective western propaganda, especially by Communist haters in the strongly anti-Communist United States when Senator Joe McCarthy and his associates in the Senate ruled the roost and conducted massive investigations against so-called communist elements.
I choose with Earl Grant with his popular renditions of “An Imitation of Life”, “Because of Rain” and “Till the End of Time”. “Imitation of Life” became the theme song of a movie with the same title starring the hearthrob John Gavin, Lana Turner and a starlet, Sandra Dee. I remember seeing that movie at the Rex Theatre in Alor Star, where New Yorker Bean used to hang out, munching kacang kuda rebus. I have also included a sampler of hits since the 195os in the hope that they will bring back a happy memories of a bygone era.—DJ Din Merican
Earl Grant –An Imitation of Life
Earl Grant —Because of Rain
Earl Grant—Till the End of Time
Hits since the Fifties–A Sampler
Sandra Dee?? Well, who can forget America’s sweetheart?
Those were the days when Din Merican took time off when his mother was not looking, to go play billiards at the Amusement Park adjacent to Rex Cinema. The owner later had his name carved on the very same billiard table he played because without Din Merican billiards would not have gone on to give us pool and snooker. Wat Siam only came to light (literally) on certain occasions and not every month. Meanwhile he had to put his entrepreneurial skills to good use somewhere.
Cik Cun was nowhere around ( her parents have yet to meet) to keep a tight leash on him. Oh yes, girls develop such ‘motherly’ skills early in life.
Mr Bean - June 13, 2009 at 7:12 pm
That is a fine tribute to the late Sandra Dee. She was indeed America’s sweetheart when we were teenagers, you and I , New Yorker Bean. She was featured in the movie, “Summer Place” with the late Troy Donahue. We can dream of days gone by and say to ourselves what a great time we had growing up in Alor Setaq. Our environment defined and shaped us. We were not imitations.—Din Merican
dinobeano - June 13, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Bean and Din,
Dream on. Don’t forget Gidget and Gidget Goes Hawaiian and meet Moon Dawg and Big Kahuna.
shrek - June 14, 2009 at 5:37 am