Transcript of interview with Chew Chong Gee (conducted by Amanda Lee), 18 October 2016, 8 pm, Skype.
Chew Chong Gee is a 60-year old male Chinese Singaporean who is a senior Course Control Officer at the Land Transport Authority. Chong Gee enjoys listening to both English and Chinese pop rock music. He enjoys English pop rock music by the Beatles, Paul Anka, and Rod Stewart. He finds their music to be meaningful and evergreen. Chong Gee thinks that this music expresses his identity to a certain extent, as it brings back old memories from when he used to listen to them. He thinks that this music expresses a cultural connection of Singaporeans with other Western countries as English pop music is something they all have in common and that they listen to. Chong Gee seldom listens to Western classical music. He thinks that he would listen to it if it were playing, but it is not something that he would go out of his way to listen to. He likes Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony (1804) as he thinks the melody and rhythm is nice. Chong Gee listens to Chinese pop rock music by artists like Teresa Teng, Hacken Lee, and Samuel Hui. He likes them as he can understand the language and finds their music soothing. He thinks that there is a cultural connection of Singaporeans with Taiwan and China through Chinese pop music. However, this same connection is not extended to Hong Kong as they mainly listen to Cantonese music. Chong Gee likes some traditional Chinese instruments like the pipa and guzheng as it sounds interesting, but finds music played by the erhu to be depressing and sad. He thinks that traditional Chinese music makes one think of their heritage and ancestors, and that this music does connect an ethnic Chinese person with mainland China. Chong Gee liked the musical extract of Chinese crossover music as he found it to be an interesting combination. He thinks that the music is a good way for the younger generation to accept traditional Chinese music as it is lively. Chong Gee did not like the musical extract of experimental Chinese music as he found it to be dull. Chong Gee does not listen to Singaporean music. He thinks that National Day songs can be considered as part of Singaporean music. He thinks that the songs help to create an authentic sense of group belonging. Chong Gee thinks that Western classical music best represents Singapore as he thinks that most Singaporeans listen to English music.
“The band – Beatles, and also ... like the English songs, er, some of the old songs, ah. The Paul Anka, ah, Rod Stewart – Rod Stewart. Ah, like ah – the – he sang this ah, Sailing (1975), I Don’t Want to Talk About It (1975). Er, so these are the kind of songs I – I listen.”
“Because these old [English pop] songs is like, something like evergreen you know, when you listen, you keep listen again and again. Because maybe I think – because I think during my time right – during my younger days like maybe secondary [school] these – these are the kind of pop music, lah.”
“Western classical to be frank ah, not often. Sometimes I come across, then I’ll – I don’t like very often will listen to it. I’m more like the – the pop music, lah.”
“Like example the – the Fifth Symphony (1804), the tune is – is quite – quite nice, lah. Quite – feel it – the feeling is good lah, when you listen to it. So the tune and the – the rhythm all these ah, you – you sometimes you like – I like it because of the rhythm, the tune all these.”
“Like these, er, Samuel Hui, ah. Samuel Hui the Hong Kong singer ah, last time ah, ah, and then also ... ah, Tan Yonglin ah, singing those, er, Cantonese songs. Ah, Li – Li Keqin also they, er, sing those Cantonese songs. I do listen.”
“But for Hong Kong mainly is the Cantonese [pop] music – connect, lah. But for – for Taiwan, China, and Singapore ah, more – more people will get connected with this, er, Mandarin [pop] music rather than Cantonese.”
“The songs that they play from the erhu ah, it sounds like very sad like this. Ya, as for the pipa ah, it’s – can be very, very – sometimes very interesting. And also the guzheng. Guzheng sometimes you play like the running water, you know. Ah. You listen like you can hear like the running water – all these.”
“This Chinese traditional music ah, can bring up the background of the Chinese. And it does connect – connect to the Chinese, mainland Chinese.”
“It’s good thing to preserve lah, but is – I don’t know – how – how can you carry on lah, because less and less people listen to it. But for – for – to – to be able to appreciate this kind of [traditional Chinese music] ah, er, er, the person must be – must like the Chinese language quite – quite a lot.”
“I think this is definitely is a good music, lah. Is a good music. I think more people will be able to appreciate ah, than just, er, traditional Chinese music. Crossover will be more acceptable, I feel. In my opinion, lah.”
“This crossover, ah – you know – it’s – the music sounds more like lively, you know. So I think especially for the – the younger generation ah, I think this is, er, using this, er, this kind of music to let them, connect with traditional music is a good – good idea.”
“Because [experimental Chinese music] is – this I find that this kind – this one is a bit dull, lah. A bit dull, the music.”
“[It] sort of bring out the Singaporeans’ identity. Some of the songs quite – quite – quite nice. Like Home (1998) ah, there’s one Home ah, National Day song. Home is quite nice. Then some of those like Count on Me, Singapore (1986), all these.”
“Xinyao, yes, I have. But frankly I don’t – I don’t – I don’t quite like it. I don’t know, I find that the music ... and the lyrics, I don’t quite like, lah. I don’t know. I did – I ever listen, but I don’t quite like it.”
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