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.

All for the Love of a Girl (1959)

Composer: Johnny Horton
Lyricist: Johnny Horton
Vocalist: Johnny Horton

Well, today I'm so weary
Today I'm so blue
Sad and broken hearted
And it's all because of you

Life was so sweet dear
Life was a song
Now you've gone and left me
Oh where do I belong?

And it's all for the love
Of a dear little girl
All for the love
That sets your heart in a whirl

I'm a man who'd give his life
And the joys of this world
All for the love of a girl

And it's all for the love
Of a dear little girl
All for the love
That sets your heart in a whirl

I'm a man who'd give his life
And the joys of this world
All for the love of a girl