The First Singtao Amateur Singing Contest took place in 1960. Among the thirty finalists was Wong Jum-sum, who had adopted the stage name ‘Wong Jim’ for fear of being embarrassed from losing.

The contest was divided into a Mandarin and a Western pop section, with, rather symptomatically, no Cantonese section. More than a thousand people joined. Their choice of songs reflected closely the musical leanings of the time.

Wong Jum-sum was ousted at the final 15, an event he regretted for life. By contrast his good friend Judy Jim comfortably got the grand prize in the Western pop section, by taking a leaf from the Patti Page songbook.

The winner of the Mandarin section was Cheung Hoi-wan. She received classical music training and sang the ever-popular Liang Le-yin composition ‘The Song about Selling Sweets’ with a tantalizing mix of inflections.

Very soon, singers from both sections would take a big stride forward, stepping into a brave new world we call the 1960s.

清明的月 (1950s)

作曲：金流
作詞：金流
主唱：吳鶯音

天上的月正清明　
我來把它當面鏡
每個靜夜將面臨　
照我美貌年輕

哥啊　你可把妹來看得清　
妹妹比嫂嫂更多情

天上的月正清明　
我來把它當盞燈
每個靜夜將我照　
照我純潔的心

哥啊　你可把心兒看得清　
妹妹的心正對著哥的心

清明的月在眼前　
我來把他當哥的面
每個靜夜來相見　
相見只恨太晚

哥啊　你可否天明不要走　
陪同著妹妹到明天