This 7” vinyl was a commemorative record pressed in Singapore in 1967 at the newly opened Philips Phonographic Industries Ltd factory at Commonwealth Drive. The record commemorated the official opening of the factory on 24 Nov 1967, an event officiated by Dr Goh Keng Swee who pressed a button to produce the factory’s 500,000th record since its soft opening in April that year. Side One contains a speech by Dr Goh marking the opening of the factory, while Side 2 features the Singapore National Anthem performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leopold Stokowski. Both recordings are pressed in mono. The design of the record sleeve features a colour photograph of the People’s Association Band (left) and the Gurkha Pipes and Drums Band (right) playing in front of the City Hall steps at the Padang before the commencement of the National Day Parade.
