Apparently the translation on the video I've been referring people to is WAY off... so if anyone out there speaks Bahasa and would like to try to attempt a better translation of this song -- you can read the lyrics below on the back side of the original 45 sleeve!
This song, Bunyi Guitar, written in 1964 by the legendary P Ramlee for the classic film Tiga Abdul was (in my opinion) a predecessor to some of the Pop Yeh Yeh sounds that came a few years later -- it's got a swingin rhythm (the Twist!) and prominently features electric guitar, but it's not actually considered Pop Yeh Yeh by the experts. P Ramlee was the most legendary of all composers in Malaysian music history. And the fact that he took a more popular western direction with this song is a good example of how he opened the door for Pop Yeh Yeh, even if it was completely unintentional.
According to a friend of mine, P Ramlee didn't wholeheartedly approve of the whole Pop Yeh Yeh craze. He allegedly once stated that the fashions were too wild, and the music wasn't well composed.. this may have just been his initial reaction. It's also possible that Pop Yeh Yeh artists drastically affected his record sales with the younger audience.
P Ramlee remains the most highly revered, and legendary of all Malaysian Pop musicians and composers, and his music is considered by many as the truly "classic sound" of Malaysian pop music.
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