The Lang Ding Dang Man

As a child, I was often full of awe of the lang ding dang man. He would go around the kampong (village) playing his Chinese mandolin. He was an itinerant poet and songster who also carried a hurricane lamp with him to illuminate his performance at night. The musician would have some nicely fashioned wooden tags hanging around the head of the mandolin. He would give these tags a twist and ask his customer to pick one tag. He would then read the words in Hokkien or Mandarin and start singing a song. After that, he would ask the customer to show his/her palms so that he could read his/her fortune. Customers could also request for certain songs and for some extra payment, he would also tell tales from Chinese folk lore. For those of you who live in Europe, the lang ding dang man is like the wandering ministrels from days of yore in Olde England.

Although I could not understand some of the Hokkien/Mandarin the Lang Ding Dang Man used, nevertheless I enjoyed every session whenever I watched him play and sing. He had a powerful and rich voice. One particular song stood out in my memory. It is something like this.

Tong kim eh char boh lang, (Today's ladies)
Beh kian seow, (D'ont feel ashamed)
Tak tak meh, ki disco, (Every night go to disco)
Tiao, tiao, tiao ah. (Dance, dance, dance)
Ai buak bedak sejok pun, (Must put the special cooling, water powder)
Ngo tay mu ji toh, (They don't even know)
Truly I yearn for the good old days ah,
Ki ah ki see lang ah, ki ah ki see lang ah. (It will be the death of me (twice)

(Supposedly sung by an old grandpa, lamenting on the atrocities of modern ladies)

Tong kim eh tar boh lang, (Today's men)
Goh kee chew, (Colour wolves)
Tak tak meh, puak keow, (Every night, gamble)
Tak tak meh, lim chiew. (Every night, drink)
Ai kut lat cho kang pun, (Must work hard)
Ngo tay mu ji toh. (They don't even know)
Truly I yearn for the good old days ah,
Chi ah chi si ren ah, chia ah chi si ren ah! (It will be the death of me (twice)

(Supposedly sung by an old grandma, lamenting on the atrocities of modern young men)

By talking about the lang ding dang man, I have given away my age. But I am never afraid of growing old! Remember my article "3 Score Minus 8" which I had posted in my blog on 12th December 2005? That is my age! Sad to say, I have discovered that today's generation does not quite realise how much a score is.!! One score equals 20.

If any Penangnites or Malaysians happen to read my blog, please drop me a line.
You would probably recognise the above song. The younger generation would not know about the Lang Ding Dang man because he is now obsolete. Let Penangnites in their 40's to 80's get together!!! How we treasure things/memories when they are gradually disappearing!!

Kah kee lang,
Gan chau:-)