From Eurodance Hit to Underground Anthem: The Unexpected Connection Between ‘Million Tears’ and Singapore’s Salakau Gang Chant
Groove Coverage, the German trance group, faces an unusual challenge during their world tour—an issue they only encounter in Singapore. The problem? Their hit track ‘Million Tears’ prompts gang chants from the audience, something that doesn’t happen in Germany or Hungary, their previous tour stops.
This phenomenon is unique to Singapore, where the song has become an unlikely backdrop for the Salakau gang chant. The chant, rooted in the secret society Salakau (which means ‘369’ in Hokkien), has been part of Singapore’s underground culture since the 1970s. When ‘Million Tears’ plays, the crowd instinctively breaks into this chant, blurring the lines between musical enjoyment and gang affiliation.
For Groove Coverage, this wasn’t the first time they encountered this situation. In 2019, during a performance at District 9, they faced a similar dilemma, though this time they knew how to handle it and still provide a memorable experience for their audience.
Outside Club Axis in September, the air was thick with anticipation, especially for ‘Million Tears.’ Fans, often described as the “ah bengs” and “ah lians” of Singapore, were eagerly waiting for the moment the track would play.
The song itself, a catchy Eurodance anthem, starts with smooth synthesizer riffs, building into an emotional ballad before transforming into an upbeat techno crescendo. This beat coincidentally matches the rhythm of the Salakau chant, giving the gang’s words a deeper resonance and turning the chant into an electrifying experience for both performers and fans.
Interestingly, the origins of this connection between the song and the gang chant date back to 2002, when Singaporeans first embraced ‘Million Tears’ and paired it with the chant on their CD players. The symbiosis between the two elements continued to evolve, with the chant’s infectious power complementing the song’s infectious beats.
The impact of this pairing goes beyond just the club scene. A YouTube video from 11 years ago, titled ‘Groove Coverage — Million Tears (Playboy Remix),’ has garnered over a million views, with many Singaporeans in the comments section celebrating the song’s significance in their culture.
For Groove Coverage, the widespread influence of ‘Million Tears’ in Singapore was entirely unexpected. The track was written in just three days and became one of their first hits, though no one could have predicted its immense popularity in a country so far from their native Germany.
Despite the gang connotations, the song’s true meaning, as explained by Groove Coverage, is about heartbreak—a love song reflecting the pain of lost love. However, in Singapore, it has been adopted by the Salakau gang and transformed into an anthem of belonging.
In the nightclub scenes of the 1990s, where both techno and gang culture thrived, the chant became a symbol of unity for youths who felt marginalized by Singapore’s national project of rapid industrialization. For them, both the gang culture and dance music provided a sense of community.
Today, ‘Million Tears’ continues to evoke a sense of nostalgia, encapsulating a time when Singapore’s underground youth culture collided with the rising popularity of dance music. For many, the song is both a reminder of those rebellious days and a celebration of unity among those who found strength in the music and the chant.
For Groove Coverage, this connection between their music and Singapore’s gang culture is something they have learned to navigate. They continue to perform the song, acknowledging the unique history that has intertwined their music with Singaporean street culture. As DJ Novus of Groove Coverage says, “All we want is for you to have fun with our music. No problems or political stuff. If you have fun chanting, just do it.”
