POP YEH YEH RESEARCH TRIP: Guest Blogger Ghaz: POP YEH YEH SOUND FROM SIGLAP, EAST SINGAPORE -

( A 1961 map of Siglap, east Singapore and the present signboard of Siglap Road. )

According to Wikipedia, the present area of Siglap in east Singapore was founded by Tok Lasam, chieftain of Siglap. It is believed that he sailed to Singapore to escape the Dutch attack on his Sultanate of Gowa in the 1660s. According to legend, it was said that dark thunder clouds had appeared when he first landed in the area which led to the name "Si-Gelap", derived from the Malay word ‘gelap’, meaning "darkness that conceals". Coincidently, there were two pop yeh yeh bands from this district that had managed to accompany several singers between 1966 until 1970 – The Siglap Five and The Siglap Boys.

THE SIGLAP FIVE

The Siglap Five originally consisted of Mohamed Ali, A. Karim, Khamsin and Hamidon Abdullah before the later admission of Jaffar Kupek. The band was formed in 1963. Throughout their career in the 1960s, they had recorded their musical performance under international recording giants like Philips and EMI, apart from small independent labels like Ngee Fat-Playboy. Besides accompanying singers for their respective recording works between 1966 and 1969, they also recorded an EP with Philips Singapore as themselves in 1967.

The Siglap Five – Tanah Ayer-Ku Permai (My Peaceful Country) the siglap five _ tanah ayerku permai (1967)

The Siglap Five – Tiada Ku Tahu (I Don’t Know) the siglap five _ tiada ku tahu (1967)

The Siglap Five – Ku Kan Setia Pada-mu (I’ll Be Faithful to You) the siglap five _ ku kan setia padamu (1967)

The Siglap Five – Gadis Di-Depan Rumah-ku (The Girl in Front of My Home) the siglap 5 _ gadis di depan rumahku

Jeffridin (b. 1947)

Jeffridin and The Siglap Five performing “Jangan Merayu” (Don’t Beg at Me) in the film “Aksi Kuching” (The Cat’s Act) (1966), a Shaw Brothers’ MFP Studio release. Jeffridin & The Siglap Five - Jangan Merayu (Aksi Kucing 1966) (HQ)

Prior to their assignment on record labels, The Siglap Five had always performed onstage with A. Ramlie (1948-2001). However, after their audition with Philips, A. Ramlie was not included and instead, they teamed up with Jeffridin, A. Ramlie’s close friend in entertainment, upon the instruction by the recording company. Nevertheless, A. Ramlie had nothing to lose as he was offered a contract with Teo Kwang’s Eagle Record in 1966, where he teamed up with The Rythmn Boys and other bands later. Between 1966 and 1967, Jeffridin made 4 records with The Siglap Five, the songs in which had managed to hit the radio charts in both Singapore and Malaysia. Due to the remarkable success in which the records sold well, Jeffridin earned the title The Best Malay Artiste by Philips in 1968.

Both Jeffridin and The Siglap also appeared as guest stars in the film Aksi Kuching (The Cat’s Act) (1966), in which they performed a song called Jangan Merayu (Don’t Beg Me). The song was later re-recorded by Ahmad Daud and John Lee Quintet on an EMI’s SP in the same year, owing to contractual obligation.

After a long hiatus, The Siglap Five made a comeback album with Jeffridin in 1997, this time with a Malaysian label called SRC. For this recording, The Siglap Five consisted of Eddie Salim Salleh (guitarist), Mohamed Ali (bassist), Rahmat Mulok (drummer) and Hamidon Abdullah (keyboard). They worked together for an album titled Tiada Bayangan Nyata (There Is No Clear Shadow), and that marked the end of their collaboration since then. For this album, they recorded completely new songs but still applied the same pop yeh yeh concept, the same approach that Jeffridin took for his albums made since the early 1990s, upon the request from his fans.

Four EPs recorded by Jeffridin and The Siglap Five from 1966 to 1967.

Jeffridin & The Siglap Five: NONSTOP 60AN JEFFRYDIN THE LEGEND

Songs in the above URL: Kenangan-ku (My Memories)/Termenung (Daydreaming)/Peristiwa-ku (My Event)/Seruling Anak Gembala (The Young Shepherd’s Flute)/Siti Haida (Siti Haida)/Cipta’an Abadi (An Eternal Composition)/Gadis Manja (The Young Girl)/Berjanji (Promising)/Adek-ku (My Baby)/Harapan-ku Hampa (My Disappointed Hope)/Gadis-ku Pergi (My Girl Has Gone)/Puja’an Terhina (An Unsung Idol)/Peristiwa Di Awang-awang (A Happening on the Heaven)/Seruling Bambu (A Bamboo Flute)

Jeffridin & The Siglap Five – Menari (Dancing) DIGITALLY REMASTERED "MENARI" JEFFRIDIN DAN THE SIGLAP FIVE 1967

Jeffridin & The Siglap Five – Nada Suchi Untok-mu (A Sacred Song for You) Jeffridin & The Siglap Five - Nada Suchi Untok-Mu

After a long hiatus, The Siglap Five made a comeback album with Jeffridin in 1997, this time with a Malaysian label called SRC. For this recording, The Siglap Five consisted of Eddie Salim Salleh (guitarist), Mohamed Ali (bassist), Rahmat Mulok (drummer) and Hamidon Abdullah (keyboard). They worked together for an album titled Tiada Bayangan Nyata (There is No Clear Shadow), and that marked the end of their collaboration since then. For this album, they recorded completely new songs but still applied the same pop yeh yeh concept, the same approach that Jeffridin took for his albums made since the early 1990s, upon the request from his fans.