"40 YEARS ON"

Last update:  25 January 2006

 

Allan Wong wrote (25 January 2006, 2119 hours):

Greetings. I'm afraid I don't recall this incident at all. How's your ankle now and who took this photo?

 

Mike Chan wrote (21 January 2006, 1745 hours)

Yes indeed. This was the class YAC stormed in and met his nemesis TTC. You are in left 1st row behind Alan Wong and Owyang something. there's Tan Kim Ping, Alan Ng, Ng Kok Cheow, Joseph Sheares, Yap Boh Ann and way back 'David' TTC, who stood up to face the gorgoyle YAC. Alan Wong. don't you remember the incident?
 

Choo Teck Long wrote (21 January 2006, 1641 hours):

Mike - is this the photograph? (click to view photo)

 

Eio Eng Hua wrote (21 January 2006, 1143 hours)

Since none of our great composers are responding to Teck Long's call, may I humbly suggest something as a layman?

Making use of the tune from "John Brown's body lies a-moulding in the grave", can we have our own Class of 59/63 song as follows?

We are of the class of fifty-nine in ACS,
Some of us are from the class of nineteen sixty-three
Dosen't matter when you became one amongst us all
We belong to ACS.

Glory, glory, hallelujah! Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
We are always marching on!

Suggestions or improvement - welcome! I just want to start the ball rolling. Others might like to write the 2nd or 3rd stanza.

 

Forty Years On

[Click here to hear the song sung]

Forty years on, when afar and asunder
Parted are those who are singing today,
When you look back, and forgetfully wonder
What you were like in your work and your play,
Then, it may be, there will often come o'er you,
Glimpses of notes like the catch of a song -
Visions of boyhood shall float them before you,
Echoes of dreamland shall bear them along,

Chorus
Follow up! Follow up! Follow up! Follow up! Follow up!
Till the field ring again and again,
With the tramp of the twenty-two men.
Follow up! Follow up!

Routs and discomfitures, rushes and rallies,
Bases attempted, and rescued, and won,
Strife without anger, and art without malice, -
How will it seem to you, forty years on?
Then, you will say, not a feverish minute
Strained the weak heart and the wavering knee,
Never the battle raged hottest, but in it,
Neither the last nor the faintest, were we!

Chorus

O the great days, in the distance enchanted,
Days of fresh air, in the rain and the sun,
How we rejoiced as we struggled and panted -
Hardly believable, forty years on!
How we discoursed of them, one with another,
Auguring triumph, or balancing fate,
Loved the ally with the heart of a brother,
Hated the foe with a playing at hate!

Chorus

Forty years on, growing older and older,
Shorter in wind, as in memory long,
Feeble of foot, and rheumatic of shoulder,
What will it help you that once you were strong?
God give us bases to guard or beleaguer,
Games to play out, whether earnest or fun;
Fights for the fearless, and goals for the eager,
Twenty, and thirty, and forty years on!

Chorus

Mike Chan wrote (21 January 2006, 1050 hours):

Tay Theng Huat (TTH), Mr Hercules, and best friend of Tan Tock Cheow (TTC), was already a composer in Form 4 (Earnest Lau's class). He used to compose love songs and sang them to TTC and I heard because I was seated nearby. Why not ask TTC to get hold of TTH to compose the song?

Some corrections to my narration YAC vs TTC .... It was Form 4 and not 3. CTL was deft in the class, seated behind Tan Kim Ping ... look at the photo I gave CTL some time back.... Joseph Sheares, Alan Ng, Yap Boh Ann, Lim Chin Hock, Teo Kim Yam, the Yong brothers, Robert Gay etc.

I just found out that not only CTL could not remember the incident, so also Robert Gay, Tan Kim Ping, Alan Wong....it means either the incident was "traumatic" to me but not to the rest OR I have elephantine memory.... YAC was wearing his usual white short-sleeved shirts and long white trousers when he stormed into our class in 1958... If I close my eyes, I can recall the whole incident like it was yesterday .. photographic/video memory?

But to ensure that it happened, could you, CTL, verify with TTC when you see him at the CNY lunch on 26 Jan? I'm sure he would remember if it happened as I narrated. If he says no, then it could be just a dream of mine. Anyone from F4 1958 Earnest Lau's class, if you remember, please email to me or CTL.  I'm 100% sure it happened as I narrated.

 

Wee Ban Bee wrote (20 January 2006, 0212 hours):

I think "40 years on" is the best song although we have past the 40 years already. The song still rings bright and clear to my mind bringing back memories of the wonderful days we had at Barker Road. Never fail to bring a tear in my eye whenever I sing this song although cannot remember all the words. Surely one of the greatest song ever written and sung, even by us! It reflects of the camaraderie of our school days.

 

Ronnie Kwok wrote (19 January 2006, 1452 hours):

How about "What a friend we have in Jesus" which I was informed is Japan 's most popular wedding hymn. Song is attached (Note:  As the file Ronnie attached is rather large, we are providing a link (click here) to another site where you will find the music and the lyrics of the hymn).

 

Eio Eng Hua wrote (19 January 2006, 1319 hours):

I agree with Michael that "40 Years On" may not be appropriate. What about the beautiful tune, 'I vow to thee my country." ?

 

Choo Teck Long wrote (19 January 2006, 0955 hours):

I don't think Benjamin Khoo Beng Chuan (who sadly passed away on 27 November 2005) was the one who introduced the song. If I recall correctly, it was Earnest Lau.

 

Michael Hwang wrote (18 January 2006, 2303 hours):

This is actually a most inappropriate song for us to resurrect.

First, it is the school song of Harrow School, so why should we sing someone else's song? We only sang it because Benjamin Khoo (having just come back from England) thought it was a good song.

Second, it is bloody difficult to sing, especially the chorus.

If we want to revive any song, why not our old favourite, "Onward Christian Soldiers" which isn't so popular now?
 

Robert Gay wrote (18 January 2006, 1457 hours):

Quite moving.
 

Gilbert Chiang wrote (18 January 2006, 0920 hours):

I volunteer our composer extraordinaire. You all know who.
Will the composer please own up?

 

Choo Teck Long wrote (17 January 2006, 2228 hours):

Some of you will remember singing "40 Years On" in school.

Click here to listen to this stirring song.

As we will be celebrating our 50th Anniversary in three years time, perhaps we should have someone compose "50 Years On" for the occasion. Any volunteers?