Sam Saimun
02 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Music and Songs Tags: 1960s, Indonesian Singer, Music, My Favourite Singer, Nostalgia, Sam Saimun
Awal tahun 1960, aku baru duduk dikelas 3 SD. Karena kelasnya sore dan tidak ada bus disore hari yang bisa membawaku pulang kerumah, aku tinggal dirumah nenek di Solo. Waktu inilah aku sering ikut mendengarkan lagu lagu yang tante Yan dengarkan dari RRI Solo.Dari semua lagu lagu Indonesia yang tanteku dengarkan waktu itu, lagu lagu-nya Sam Saimun yang paling enak. Tante bilang kalau sudah mendengarkan suaranya Sam Saimun rasanya jadi seperti terbang di awang awang. Ha….Tanteku itu terus duduk sambil memejamkan matanya dan menggerakkan tubuh dan kepalanya mengikuti irama alunan lagu. Lucu juga, suatu kenangan indah yang tak akan kulupakan. Karena masih kecil saat itu, lagunya Sam Saimun yang paling kusenangi adalah Indonesia Pusaka.
Bagi mereka-mereka seangkatanku, siapakah yang tidak mengenal dan menyukai suara penyanyi Indonesia yang satu ini. Suaranya begitu mantap serta empuk dan di Indonesia belum ada taranya sampai saat ini. Banyak yang memanggil Sam Saimun sebagai Nat King Cole-nya Indonesia. Sekarang setelah aku mendengarkan lagi lagu lagunya beliau ini, kurasa suara penyanyi terkenal ini adalah paduan antara suaranya Nat King Cole dan Pat Boone.
Sayang sekali tak bisa kutemukan profil tentang Sam Saimun. Maklum disaat itu ditahun 60-an media informasi boleh dibilang hampir tak dikenal. Kalau adapun mungkin hanya akan terdapat diradio, koran atau majalah dan cepat terlupakan begitu saja.
Yang jelas Sam Saimun itu penyanyi seangkatan Ismail Marzuki, Maladi, Gesang dan kemudian Bing Slamet. Disebutkan bahwa Bing Slamet mengenal Sam Saimun disaat bertugas di Yogya ditahun 1944.
Rekaman waktu itu banyak yang dibuat oleh perusahaan Piringan hitam dan Broadcaster Lokananta di Solo. Untuk musik pengiring, banyak lagu lagu lama dimasa itu didukung oleh pianis Indo-Belanda yang terkenal bernama Nick Mamahit. Diantara lagu lagu yang dinyanyikan oleh Sam Saimun adalah ciptaan Ismail Marzuki dan Mochtar Embut.
Setelah lewat tahun 70-an, lagu lagu Sam Saimun mulai jarang didengar dan menjadi langka. Piringan hitam atau cassette lagu-lagunya Sam Saimun juga tak kumiliki. Aku hanya bisa mendengarkannya kembali dari YouTube. Hal ini begitu amat disayangkan.
Untuk mendengar lagu Sam Saimun dari YouTube. Terima kasih sebesar besarnya untuk Pak Dede61 yang sudah memberi kami semua kesempatan mendengarkan lagi suara emas-nya Sam Saimun.
Beberapa lagu lagu terkenal yang dinyanyikan oleh Sam Saimun:
Diwajahmu Kulihat Bulan (Ciptaan Mochtar Embut)
Bujang Dara
Di Sudut Bibirmu (Ciptaan Mochtar Embut)
Kasih Tak Terbalas
Pujaan Kalbu (Ciptaan Mochtar Embut)
Selendang Sutra (Ciptan Ismail Marzuki)
Sepasang Mata Bola (Ciptaan Ismail Marzuki)
Rindu Lukisan (Ciptaan Isamil Marzuki)
Juwita Malam (Ciptaan Ismail Marzuki)
In Memory Of Luciano Pavarotti
13 Oct 2008 Leave a Comment
in Music and Songs Tags: Luciano Pavarotti, Music, Nostalgia, One Year In Memoriam
It has been more than a year since the world lost one of The Three Tenors. Luciano Pavarotti, a son of a baker from Modena, Italia was born October 12, 1935 and he died on September 6, 2007.
Although his early dream as an average young boy was to become a goal keeper in soccer game, his father’s collections of music from popular tenors of that time like Beniamino Gigli, Giovanni Martelli, Tio Schipa and Entrico Caruso had influenced young Luciano to love classical music. His own favorite tenors were Giuseppe Di Stefano and Jan Kiepura. During his younger years he loved to see Mario Lanza’s Movies and he would imitate him singing in front of a mirror.
Soon he forgot his dream of becoming a professional goal keeper and in 1964 at the age of 19 he started to take seven years in vocal training. He was famous in having a perfect pitch.The first professional performance was in 1961 in Italy, followed by various shows all around Europe. His Australian tour was his first world-wide recognition as he accepted the invitation from a well known Australian soprano Joan Sutherland. Soon he made his first debut in Miami, USA. In 1968, he debuted at New York City’s Metropolitan Opera, earning considerable acclaim.
The first time Pavarotti stepped out of an exclusively opera tenor singer and ventured into popular singer was when he sang together with Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo at the 1990 World FIFA Cup in Italy. The trio was known as The Three Tenors.
Together with Domingo and Carreras, The Three Tenors were known for doing charity concerts for refugees, Red Cross ant many other causes. He had 4 daughters, three from his first wife.
Pavarotti died after losing a battle with pancreatic cancer on September6, 2007. He left four daughters, three from his first wife and a young daughter from his second wife. The world had lost one of the best tenors. We will forever miss the smile of a generous man with the golden voice.
La Donna E Mobile By Luciano Pavarotti:
Sukiyaki
11 Oct 2008 Leave a Comment
in Music and Songs Tags: Food, Music, Song, Sukiyaki
Back in my early teens, one of my favourite songs was Sukiyaki which was sung by The Blue Diamond. Until to day I still love the song and recently I found and enjoy the original Sukiyaki song which is a Japanese song.
If people talk about Sukiyaki, it can mean two things. It is either the food or the song.
The Song
In 1961, a Japanese singer Kyu Sakamoto released a single that in the future became the world sensation. It is a love song called Ue O Muite Aruko which literally means “I Look Up When I Walk”. It is a sad song about a man who lost his love.
This is the song translation in English:
I look up when I walk, so the tears won’t fall
Remembering those happy spring days, but tonight I’m alone
I look up when I walk, counting the stars with tearful eyes
Remembering those happy summer days, but tonight I’m alone
Happiness lies above the cloud, happiness lies above the sky
I look up when I walk, so the tears won’t fall
My heart is filled with sorrow, for tonight I’, all alone
Remembering those happy autumn days, but tonight I’m all alone
Sadness hides in the shadow of the stars
Sadness lurks in the shadow of the moon
I look up when I walk, so tears won’t fall
My heart is filled with sorrow, for tonight I’m all alone
In 1963, about two years after becoming a hit in Japan, Ue o muite aruko started to hit popularity in Europe and Us.
From Wikipedia, it is written that in 1963, the British record label Pye Records released a cover version of the song by Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen. They were concerned that English-speaking audiences might find the original title too difficult to remember/pronounce, so they gave it the new title of “Sukiyaki’”. This title was retained when Capitol Records in the United States, and His Master’s Voice in the UK, released Kyu Sakamoto’s original version a few months later.
Since then many singers from all over the world sang this song in many various languages.
One of Sukiyaki Cover by 4PM:
Sukiyaki the Food:
It is known that Sukiyaki actually is a name of a Japanese popular dish. It is some type of one pot meal. The main ingredient is thin sliced meat, mainly beef, and it is simmered in a skillet or a pan using sukiyaki sauce. Then various of vegetables can be added along with noodles and slices of tofu.
Cooking Sukiyaki:
Who Was Your First Crush?
22 Sep 2008 2 Comments
in Music and Songs Tags: Cliff Richard, Music, Nostalgia
At that time in the early 60s we were not as lucky as kids today. No TV shows, not even a cassette player yet (not till about early 1970s). The lucky ones could afford a record player , but we did not have one, so I relied on our radio to hear his songs.
Thinking back, it was so funny how my older sister and I used to argue whose idol was the best. Her idol was Ricky Nelson. She used to say that Ricky Nelson was the best looking guy on earth and his voice was the smoothest and the clearest. At the time being still at Primary School, we knew nothing of English. We only started to study English at the start the Junior High School. However, we managed to get a copy of letter in English to send to singers or film stars to ask for photos. We didn’t miss the chance, and we both sent a few hand written copies of the letter to our idol.
How my heart was beating fast when finally I got a letter from Cliff. I was so proud to receive a signed black & white photograph. I said to my self: “Cliff Richard had read my letter and sent me a photo, just imagine that!!!” …… I was behaving like all my dreams came true. At the time, it never crossed my mind that Cliff himself would know nothing of my letter. It was of course his secretary we who had (more than likely) read my letter and sent the photo.
Later on, when my sister received a much larger and trendier letter from Ricky Nelson, I felt really beaten because I knew what she was going to say to prove that her idol was better. Surely she showed off 3 full colour photographs, double postcard size. One of Ricky himself, then another one with all the Nelson Family and the last one with his wife……
She bragged how generous Ricky was and said that Cliff was just shockingly stingy. Then I said that at least Cliff was still single, and Ricky has been married. It shut her up…….. Ha….
I continued to enjoy Cliff’s songs until my early adulthood. But now more than 45 years later, I found out that his voice was nothing very special (*I’m so sorry, Sir Cliff). The heart throb of my younger years was just a memory. Occasionally I still like to listen to his songs, especially the latest ones.
For those who are too young to know who Cliff Richard was, this is a bit of profile about him. By the way, Cliff Richard who now is known as Sir Cliff is never married, until today he is still single (Once again I beat my sister about this (ha…), especially knowing that Ricky Nelson was sadly no longer with us. He died in a plane crash in 1985)
Cliff Richard:
Birth Name: Harry Rodger Webb
Born: 14 October 1940 in Lucknow, United Provinces, (British) India.
Nationality: British
Genres: Rock and Roll, Pop
Occupations: Singer and Actor in his younger years
Instruments: Vocals, Guitar
Years Active: From 1958 – Present
Labels: EMI, Columbia, Epic, Rocket, Papillon
Band: The Shadow
Sir Cliff: After an announcement earlier in the year as part of the Queens Birthday Honours List, Cliff Richard became Sir Cliff Richard at 10:30am on October 25 1995.
Cliff Richard was known for his youthful look and long lasting careers.
Some of his popular songs:
Living Doll, The Young One, Summer Holiday, The Minute You’re Gone, Congratulations
His popular songs after 1970: We Don’t Talk Anymore, Mistletoe & Wine and Millennium Prayer, Wired for Sound, Miss You Nights, Ocean Deep, Give A Little Bit More etc.
