Here’s to a Good Weekend
March 3, 2012
Here’s to a Good Weekend
Friends,
We have come to another weekend, the first for March 2012. And we are already in the third month of this year and are reminded of the Ides of March (Bill Shakespeare makes an immortal play of this in his Julius Caesar). Don’t worry. It has significance to those who are superstitious but to ordinary folks like us, it is just another time in our lives.
Dr. Kamsiah suggested that we should bring back some teenage idols of the 1950s who sang to the rhythm of Rock N Roll. It was a time of Elvis Presley, Connie Francis, Connie Stevens, Joni James, Bill Haley and His Comets, Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Buddy Holly.
We also had James Dean. Talking about Dean, I remember Hang Mongkut Bean walking by the Great World Park, Alor Setar to see the movie, Rebel without a Cause at Rex Theatre. He was in Blue Jeans, with a White Tee-Shirt and a red wind cheater like Jim in the movie. He must have purchased these items in Padang Besar, the town on the border between then Malaya and Thailand. He became a wannabe James Dean with a swagger. I can’t imagine how he looks now, but he was rather dashing in his youth.
We are pleased to feature Tommy Sands, Tab Hunter, Pat Boone ( the nice looking, clean cut American student at Columbia University, New York), Britain’s Cliff Richard and Canadian born teenage sensation and young composer, Paul Anka who immortalised sex bomb shell, Britain’s Diana Dors with a hit titled Diana. May these songs bring back all the memories of those happy and carefree days of our teens.
Din thought we should play Anka’s tribute to the late Sammy Davies Jr titled I am not Anyone. The song should in his view inspire our rather timid young Malaysians to speak up and make a difference. He is also reminded of Frank Sinatra who will sing for us an Anka composition, Let me try again.
Both Sammy and Frank were of the generation before Din’s, and should not be forgotten for they entertained millions around the world. To Sammy and Frank, we say thank you for your contributions to the American Bandstand. You both and Dean Martin are gone but you will never be forgotten. Have a great weekend. –Dr. Kamsiah and Din Merican
Tommy Sands–Teenage Crush
You’re Adorable
Tab Hunter–Cherry Apple Blossom Time
Young Love
Pat Boone–April Love
I almost lost my mind
Remember You’re Mine
Cliff Richard–Living Doll
Long Ago and Faraway
Outsider
In a Matter of Moments
Paul Anka–Diana
I am not Anyone
Times of My Life
Frank Sinatra-Let Me try again
Comment deleted.
Former Senior ASEAN Diplomat from Malaysia - March 3, 2012 at 11:14 am
Thanks for the right up guys but I think our Dato was reminiscing about his early days when he would dress like James Dean with rolled up collars and rolled sleeves with hair combed back (a comb in his back pocket) hair secured in place by a greasy hair cream which has long gone out of fashion, and in tight jeans. What was missing then was only a leather jacket to complete the James Dean look.
That was Din Merican, in the ‘50s, the momma’s boy that he was, sought after by nurses when on a frolic of their own near Tokong Hindu. At other times he would be under the watchful eyes of his much loved and admired matron mother who was very protective of him; and nurses in their starched and crisp spotlessly clean white uniform would not dare think of dirtying their uniform by rolling in the grass near the field adjacent to Tokong Hindu..
Pat Boone? He may have been my favorite of the ‘50s once with “April Love” a movie he did with Shirley Jones. He refused to give her an onscreen kiss in that movie. This guy did gospel songs before breaking out into pop and R&B but none were originals and almost all were by Black singers.
Today he made clear his dislike for Barack Obama saying Obama is not eligible to be U.S. President, that he used to read the Koran in Arabic, understands Arabic and never once celebrated a Christian festival in the White House. So Dato you may want to take this gospel singer Pat Boone off your list.
There’s nothing better than taking that walk up memory lane with this song “The Young Ones” by Cliff Richard. That’s right. We were young once. My only fear is that Dr Mahathir whose wife was the medical superintendent of Aloq Setaq’s only hospital may want to lay claim that he too was young once – and join the gang.
_____________
Pat Boone is entitled to his opinion as just as you are yours. I saw him perform live in Singapore and he was still good.–Din Merican
Mr Bean - March 3, 2012 at 12:09 pm
ooops …. write up
Mr Bean - March 3, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Let us also remember Davy Jones of the ‘monkees’ who passed on yesterday at the age of 66.
Mr Bean - March 3, 2012 at 12:17 pm
A fan of the Monkees wrote:
“The Monkee’s songs & show were great! Davy Jones was way too young to go. All these great people/groups are dying off. I am glad youtube is around for generations to come to see all these things we grew up with. The 60′s, 70′s, & 80′s had the best songs. There are a few good songs in the 90′s and the past decade but no where near the volume & variety of the 60′s, 70′s, & 80′s.”
Mr Bean - March 3, 2012 at 12:20 pm
I have nothing against this gospel singer Pat Boone but when I read his opinion on Barack Obama, he lost my respect. That comment put him alongside the likes of Rush Limbaugh – at the lunatic fringe of the Republican party.
Mr Bean - March 3, 2012 at 12:32 pm
First song I ever sung in Karoake was Pat Boone’s “Speedy Gonzales”. It was in Spain and (according to my mates) got the joint buzzing because of the Spanish connection and the Mexican girl crying “lal la la ….”.
Somebody, please post the song ( can’t do it from work). You’ll know what I mean.
Ai Tze - March 3, 2012 at 4:00 pm
Comment deleted.
basta - March 3, 2012 at 4:04 pm
what would our youth have been without all these people and music?
this song is for Najib; Maha….and umno made a ‘superstar’ out of you! listen to the lyrics, dear PM, it describes you.
reeperbahn - March 3, 2012 at 4:19 pm
That there are Americans who still don’t want to believe that Barack Obama is a Christian goes to show how bigoted they are – and you can find them in the T-party and the extreme right of the Republican party. I have a good collection of 45 rpm and 75 rpm records of songs sung by Pat Boone. I wll now give them away for free. They are now not worth a dime.
scarlet.pimpernel - March 3, 2012 at 9:53 pm
Listeners would like the significant half of Din Merican, DrKam to give her motley of favourite songs while growing up. It will of course give away her age. But we already know that she was a teeny-bopper in the early ’70s. Today she is a big girl.
scarlet.pimpernel - March 3, 2012 at 10:06 pm
drkam - March 4, 2012 at 12:48 am
drkam - March 4, 2012 at 1:01 am
drkam - March 4, 2012 at 1:05 am
drkam - March 4, 2012 at 1:16 am
Wow … !! Where have you been all my life??
Mr Bean - March 4, 2012 at 2:02 am
Something tells me that the following from Bon Jovi’s “It’s my life” resonates well with DrKam:
It’s my life
And it’s now or never
I ain’t gonna live forever
I just want to live while I’m alive
(It’s my life)
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frankie said
I did it my way
I just want to live while I’m alive
‘Cause it’s my life
Better stand tall when they’re calling you out
Don’t bend, don’t break, baby, don’t back down
scarlet.pimpernel - March 4, 2012 at 2:59 am
So here goes … again !!
——-
This kind of girl could have killed her boyfriend !!
scarlet.pimpernel - March 4, 2012 at 3:03 am
Marc Anthony was a fool to marry that Puerto Rican slut, Jennifer Lopez. Now he’s out of her life.
scarlet.pimpernel - March 4, 2012 at 7:21 am