The one-hit wonder ('San Francisco') but what a hit for Scott McKenzie!

Scott McKenzie, who sang the 1967 hippie song, "San Francisco (Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)", died last Saturday of illness but ST only reported it today in its Life! section:

The mid-1960s to early1970s were a time of Vietnam War protests in the United States. Here in Singapore, we youths wore bell-bottomed long pants and had long hair too (If I can find my old photos, I'll put up one here). Then it was off to the army for National Service (I was in the sixth batch). Long hair became military "four by two" and after NS, we had to apply for a "Suitability Certificate" -- just to make sure we had no left-leaning ideas -- to get into uni.

McKenzie's sole hit was a favourite of me and my friends, even though we had no idea what hippie culture was all about and most of us had never been abroad, let alone to San Francisco! Here is Huffington Post's orbit piece, which includes the YouTube video of the song:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/20/scott-mckenzie-dead-dies-san-francisco-73_n_1809989.html

--------------------------------------------------

But I did make my first visit to San Francisco in the 1980s (one would look odd wearing flowers in one's hair by then). I was there as a journalist on the US International Visitor Programme together with ST buddy Tom.

I fell in love with the City on Golden Hills with its wonderful fresh air and great summer weather, and I felt safe going to all the must-see places. Our hotel was a stone's throw from Chinatown, comfy but no star. I remembered asking at the front office if there was air-conditioning (I'm beginning to understand why Daikin chose "Everywhere with you" as its slogan for the Singapore market). Anyway, the hotel staff, with exaggerated bemusement, said: "We do not need airconditioning here!"

Indeed, that very first night, I was glad for the heater provided even though it was a really antiquated one.

I have since been there again, and enjoying my time there. Here's Tony Bennett's rendition of "I Left My Heart in San Francisco":       

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryF9p-nqsWw

-------------------------------------------------------

Sassy comedienne Phyllis Diller -- of that era too, of those times of pre-colour monochrome TV sitcoms -- has died too, in her sleep, aged 95, on Monday. As reported in ST Life!, she was quick on the draw with one-liners:

 Here's an episode (1960s) from The Phyllis Diller Show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBhcw_qO3Y0

And, finally, here are more of her wacky quotes:

"The only thing domestic about me is I was born in this country."

"They say housework can't kill you, but why take the chance?"

"I became a stand-up comedienne because I had a sit-down husband."

"Always be nice to your children because they are the ones who will choose your rest (nursing) home."

"Best way to get rid of kitchen odors: Eat out."

"Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shovelling the walk before it stops snowing."

"We spend the first twelve months of our children's lives teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up."

"Never go to bed angry. Stay up and fight."