Everybody in Malaysia seems to be holding P Ramlee in high esteem, even wanting to award him the title of Tun posthumously. They may feel that it is the right thing to do but personally, it's carrying hero worship too far. What's the use of honouring P Ramlee with so many accolades when he was already made a Tan Sri in death? Even as a Penangite, I don't agree to it.Now, the person who should be honoured is this man. In his lifetime, he was also a big name in the Malaysian entertainment industry. A jazz musician and composer of many well-known tunes, he's hardly remembered nowadays. But his most recognisable effort, Putera Puteri, is still performed by local artistes today. Yes, Putera Puteri, an incomparable patriotic song bequeathed to the nation by an Anak Pulau Pinang.
The composer of this song was the late James W Boyle, a Penangite of Eurasian descent. Jimmy Boyle, as he was more popularly known, was born in Penang in 1922 and educated at the St Xaviers Institution. Later, he returned to his alma mater as a teacher where among the subjects he taught was English.
As a composer, his music was not unknown outside Malaya or Malaysia. The BBC and the Voice Of American had both broadcast his music. Jazz critics knew of him. International jazz musicians like Charles Lloyd and influential jazz trombonist Jack Teagarden rated him highly.
Boyle composed, arranged, played and recorded his music for radio and television. I remember that as a schoolboy, the English Service of Radio Malaysia used to have short, regular programmes featuring the Jimmy Boyle Trio. His composition of Kemegahan Negara Ku was played at midnight on the birth of Malaysia in 1963. According to the New Straits Times (11 May 1971), his proudest moment was on 31 August 1957. As the Negara Ku wasn't ready, the first Malayan flag was raised to one of Boyle’s tunes. He passed away in May 1971.
Recently, someone told me an anecdote about Boyle. I was told that towards the end of the Japanese Occupation in Penang, he was arrested by the Japanese army for listening to shortwave radio (banned at that time) and subjected to the water torture. The story I heard was that he was forced to drink water until he was bloated and then continually stepped on by his Japanese interrogators. If this was true, that's extreme war-time cruelty.
9 comments:
my classmate in primary school was a relative of his and my secondary school teacher in literature was too.
I remember growing up listening to the famous song sung and played in many different versions.Its sad that sometimes recognition comes after a person passes on.Was Jimmy a regular at the E&O lounge? Its been many years.Ahhh, memories!
I knew Jimmy Boyle as a teacher,scout master and musician.I have a historic book of his music with the music score sheets,introduced by Dol Ramli.
Jimmy should be given a datoship and a Jimmy Boyle Day held each year to remember him and his music..maybe one day even a book and a movie.Cecil Rajendra,easily one of Malaysia greatest poets, was even thinking of a museum and a music festival. And there is the historic house of his in Kelawei Road,that caught fire sometime ago..
I knew Late Jimmy Boyle as a teacher at La Salle Penang. He taught English Literature. A Great musician and composer, he also had great sense of humor. Among the many lasting memories was when he conducted the Negara Ku during the monday morning school assembly. He will not let us leave until we have sung to his expectation.
For his contribution to music in Malaysia, he should be given a Datoship or any national award.
Putera Puteri is still played over our national radio.
It's not mentioned in my story but Jimmy Boyle did receive an AMN (Ahli Mangku Negara or "Order of the Defender of the Realm") from the Agong, but I wouldn't know when he received it.
The Star today has an article about Penang's Kelawi Road where the Eurasians set words to music. It has a much clearer picture of Jimmy by a piano.
But then I noticed yours has Jimmy's signature! Was that 'Yours truly' he wrote? Cool!
I believe it was "yours sincerely."
I am indonesian but i have no reservations when i say that this man was a great musician/composer and totally agree that he should get a datoship (or any posthumous recognition for that matter). One of our beloved singers Bing Slamet covered mr Boyle's beautiful song Chendering. Check it out on youtube!
Yes, indeed, Jimmy Boyle, almost a polymath, if not one, was subjected to the infamous Japanese water torture treatment. The Good Lord intervened as he was seconds away from death when news came that the Japanese had surrendered.
My entire class and I heard his own testimony in a history class in Form 2A2 in St Xavier's Institution (SXI), Penang, in 1963 (Form Teacher: Mr Lim Boon Chong). Yes, he was caught listening to a radio, the only channel of communication for those under Japanese-Occupied Malaya who learned about the game-changing Battle of Midway from June 4 to 7, 1942.
Although he thanked the Lord for being "saved by the bell," he suffered in his entire short life because the water treatment - hosing water into his stomach through his mouth and then jumping on his stomach - robbed him of his physical continence. Thanks to the Japanese militarists, Mr Boyle's anus used to bleed and he would rush out of the class.
He was despite all these ailments a very good teacher, always very helpful and cheerful.
A Penang state sports coach, he has also taught a lot of fortunate boys the finer elements of athletics. He was also good as a simming coach. That was why I said he was almost a polymath. At the age of 68, I harbour great thoughts of his kindness. Of course, he was also mischievous.
On another aspect, I believe this radio-listening was organised by Force 136, a freedom-loving group,one of whose members, an SXI teacher. later became a Federal Court Judge.
Stephen Tan Ban Cheng
I read in another site that Kemegahan Negaraku played on 31st August when they raised the Malayan flag because they had yet to decide on the National Anthem. Can you verify this?
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