THE MAD CHINAMAN by Dick Lee (Full Album Listen)

"Richard Lee Peng Boon" (born 24 August 1956) is a Singaporean singer-songwriter, playwright and film director. You'll know him as "Dick Lee". His Wikipedia mentioned:

"Dick Lee started his career in 1971 when, at the age of fifteen, participated in various talent contests with the group, Harmony, and Dick and the Gang (teaming with his siblings). His first album, Life Story, featuring his compositions, was released in 1974.

Throughout the 70s and 80s, Lee championed the acceptance of Asian elements in pop music. His pioneering album, Life in the Lion City (1984), won acclaim. But the album that shot him to regional prominence was his 1989 release, The Mad Chinaman. Lee has also won several awards in Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. In 1983, he co-produced Zircon Lounge's debut album Regal Vigour."

I had first known of his name with his "Flower Drum Song" heard on local radio, and instantly marvelled at the Pop-fication of what I recognised as a (somewhat) traditional Chinese folks tale, with a refreshing musical treatment, and quite frankly was hooked on since, and have attempted to track down his albums thru the years - from Vinyl LPs (which I did not have a Player to listen from ironically), to cassettes and CD albums - to which THIS particular blog-feature will feature on "The Mad Chinaman", with a Full Album Listen!




As "alien" as the soundscape was to me, it perhaps was borne of the performer's own identity, as seen in his album images of him dressed in Chinese Wayang outfit, and as a "alien" (?)... but of course I am speculating without any facts other than my own interpretation, and perhaps a reflection of myself, back in the day? Specifically when I "hid" my listening to Dick Lee's songs from my school mates, because no one I knew listened and liked his songs, and have openly laughed at his usage of tunes and Singlish, while everyone else - including myself - chased after Kpop and British New Wave, like they were apart of our own culture and heritage LOL

Featured are are two "music videos" made and released during that era, with no further archived visual records if these are deleted from YouTube, alas...



Interestingly, while there is a Wikipedia entry on the man itself, his individual released albums are but mentions, and not chronicled in full. Whether by intent or otherwise, it is a loss for folks who want to know of one of Singapore's prominent music-makers, who was one of my earlier music heroes in the local music scene. Scroll thru for a full album listen, courtesy of YT embedded Audio Only videos.

TRACKLIST:
1. Rasa Sayang
2. The Ding Dong Song
3. Mustapha
4. Little White Boat
5. I Am Baba
6. The Windchime Song
7. The Centre of Asia
8. Bengawan Solo
9. Wo Wo Ni Ni
10. Let's All Speak Mandarin
11. The Mad Chinaman




This album was a wonderful rojak of cultural references and languages around the Asia region (immediate to Singapore), with traditional and recognisable tunes remixed with flair and fun, with even a playful dig at local Government-endorsed national campaigns (with "Let's Speak Mandarin"). And another aspect which I personally adore, was the usage of "Singlish" with restrained aplomb, breaking the stereotype that "Singlish" was "low class" and not a recognised language, which I've always felt it doesn't need to be, for us to foster communication amongst ourselves, while also be able to communicate with folks around ur island country. Singapore is after all also a melting-pot of different cultures and languages, innit?

Regardless of my own personal opinions, I certainly hope you'll enjy the following songs, and in time I certainly hope to feature more from Dick Lee, who is very rightoly one of our nation's icons in music, IMHO.



Track: "Rasa Sayang"
Producer, Vocals: Dick Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Backing Vocals: Leslie Pillay
Backing Vocals: Moe Alkaff
Backing Vocals: Rizal Ahyar
Composer, Lyricist: Dick Lee



Track: "The Ding Dong Song"
Producer, Vocals: Dick Lee
Backing Vocals: Elizabeth Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Composer, Lyricist: Dick Lee
Composer: folk song sampling



Track: "Mustapha"
Producer, Vocals: Dick Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Backing Vocals: Jacintha
Lyricist: Dick Lee
Composer: Mohammed Fawzi



Track: "Little White Boat"
Producer: Dick Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Lyricist: Dick Lee
Composer: Folk Song
Composer: Public Domain



Track: "I Am Baba"
Producer, Vocals: Dick Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Backing Vocals: Jacintha
Backing Vocals: Stephen Joseph
Composer, Lyricist: Dick Lee
Composer: folk song sampling



Track: "The Windchime Song"
Backing Vocals: Andrew Lee
Backing Vocals: Deborah Png
Producer, Vocals: Dick Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Backing Vocals: Henson Lim
Backing Vocals: Jacintha
Backing Vocals: Karen Tan
Backing Vocals: Mitet Sun
Backing Vocals: Selwyn Lemos
Backing Vocals: Vaughan Tan
Composer, Lyricist: Dick Lee



Track: "The Centre of Asia"
Backing Vocals: Ann Hussein
Backing Vocals: Ann Weerapass
Vocals: Dick Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Composer, Lyricist: Dick Lee



Track: "Bengawan Solo"
Producer: Dick Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Lyricist: Dick Lee
Composer: Gesang Martohartono



Track: "Wo Wo Ni Ni"
Producer: Dick Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Lyricist: Dick Lee
Composer: Li Bao Xuan



Track: "Let's All Speak Mandarin"
Producer: Dick Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Composer, Lyricist: Dick Lee



Track: "The Mad Chinaman"
Backing Vocals: Andrew Lee

Backing Vocals: Deborah Png
Producer, Vocals: Dick Lee
Mastering Engineer: Frank Lee
Mixing Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Engineer: Frank Lee
Programmer: Frank Lee
Backing Vocals: Henson Lim
Backing Vocals: Jacintha
Backing Vocals: Karen Tan
Backing Vocals: Mitet Sun
Backing Vocals: Selwyn Lemos
Backing Vocals: Vaughan Tan
Composer, Lyricist: Dick Lee