Down Memory Lane

Yesterday, Su was tidying up some of the vinyl records we had picked up from Ivan Wong at Yaumatei and at old record shops in Sham Shui Po, when two pieces turned up in particular. Su recalled that I had picked them, because she was not familiar with many of the songs on them.

The first one was a 1972 production which was a collection of major musical movie themes, played by Geoff Love and his Orchestra. I was not familiar with this Geoffrey Love (1917 – 1991) but had learnt from Wikipedia that he was a prolific British arranger and composer of easy listening and pop versions of film theme, famous in the late 1950s. Well, he certainly did a good job with this one which featured on Side One six numbers, viz., America (West Side Story), Sound of Music, I don’t know how to love him (Jesus Christ Superstar), I could have danced all night (My Fair Lady), People (Funny Girl) and As long as he needs me (Oliver). All these were extremely popular songs in the late 60s and early 70s when Su was probably too young and had only barely arrived Hong Kong. On my part, as I had said before somewhere, I was either too financially challenged or too busy with my first job which turned out to be my only paid job. I knew the lyrics of all the songs and enjoyed singing most of them. I probably had learned by heart most of the songs in The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady when I was reading for my matriculation.

Side Two also had six numbers. They were Cabaret, Day by Day (Godspell), If I were a rich man (Fiddler on the Roof), Wand’rin’ Star (Paint your Wagon), Lost Horizon and Impossible Dream (Man of La Mancha). Once again, they are all my favourite pieces. I first came across the music and lyrics in Fiddler on the Roof when I was an undergrad, when a hallmate had a pick-up in his room so that we all gathered there to listen as we played Bridge or Hearts. The title song Tradition was easily our signature tune those days. I was a fan of Peter O’Toole (1932 – 2013) after watching his Lawrence of Arabia epic and I became an even greater fan after seeing him play Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha. Indeed, The Impossible Dream is one of my star piece which I often ask restaurant artistes to sing, which I was rather upset when the Amigo group couldn’t do it during our last visit.

Turning to the second record which had the young pretty face of Bobby Vinton on the cover, it was billed as “Top Hits of 10 Years Before” but there was no mention of the year of production, and the record itself had printed on it “Made by Sunshine Co. Ltd in Japan”. The record and its cover had all the hallmarks of a pirated production, while the genres of the collection of songs and artistes suggested that it would be a mid-60s production. Bobby Vinton was born on 16 April 1935 and is still around, aged 90. The record collected in all 18 tracks, nine on each side; and the singers included: Bobby Vinton – two songs – Roses Are Red and Blue on Blue; Ricky Nelson (1940 – 1985) – three songs – Teenage Idol, Gypsy Woman and One More Chance; Brian Hyland (b. 1943, now 81) – three songs – Sealed With A Kiss, Ginny Come Lately and Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini; Johnny Cash (1932 – 2003) – one song – The Voice Of Love; Johnny Mathis (b. 1935, now 81) – one song – Gina; and others. Of particular interests are the following other oldies. First, River Of No Return, which was first released in 1954, based on the movie by Marilyn Monroe (1926 – 1962) and Robert Mitchum (1917 – 1997), reputedly sung by Mitchum; Young Lover released in 1962 and recorded by Paul and Paula; Limbo Rock, first released in 1958 and sung by Chubby Checker (b. 1941, now 83); Goodbye Jimmy Goodbye, first released bin 1959 and recorded by Kathy Linden (1938 – 2024); Tonight from West Side Story; Paper Roses; Look for a star and some others. My point is that most of the songs if not all were household names and songs that all young people in those days would bend over backwards to learn the music and lyrics so that they could show before their peers that they knew what were hit and in fashion. Listening to these songs today certainly brings back memories and nostalgia. Often, it reminds me of when I had heard the songs the first time and with whom, and so on. Memories are certainly made of this.