latda siworanan: oh, thun kramom

artist: ลัดดา ศรีวรนันท์ (latda siworanan)
album: โอ้ทูลกระหม่อม (oh, thun kramom)
tracklist:
01. โอ้ทูลกระหม่อม (oh, thun kramom)
02. หัวใจมาร (hua chai man)
03. จักรวาลแห่งดวงใจ (chakkrawan haeng duang chai)
04. ลมรักลมลวง (lom rak lom luang)
05. หวานลิ้นกินตาย (wan lin kin tai)
06. พอกันที (pho kan thi)
07. ว่าแล้วเทียว (wa laeo thieow)
08. รอยรักรอยทราย (roi rak roi sai)
09. พลาดรักสิ้นหวัง (phlat rak sin wang)
10. มารชีวิต (man chiwit)
11. ฝันถึงน้องบ้างนะ (fan thueng nong bang na)
with นริศ อารีย์ (narit ari)
12. ผกาฟ้า (phaka fa)
with นริศ อารีย์ (narit ari)
13. โอ้บุพการี (oh, bupphakari)
14. รักนิรันดร (rak nirandon)

i tried my best to dig up some thai christmas songs this week, but this is as close as i got! though the cover may promise all the holiday cheer your heart could desire, the songs are a bit incongruous (to say the least), featuring titles such as "heart of the devil", "a sweet tongue will eat you to death" and "hopeless failed love". latda siworanan is a top practitioner of the bangkok blues sound, luk krung, with tasteful horns and jazzy rhythm section to back. so despite the dissapointment of promised yuletide themes, there should be enough schmaltz to keep everyone happy... merry christmas!!

iw phimphayom rueangrot

this week's post comes courtesy of mr. peter, possibly the most prolific concert-goer in thailand (almost certainly, among foreigners). he makes it to over 100 shows a year, and as you might imagine, has learned quite a bit about the music he sees. today he'll be sharing the first tape of thai music he ever bought.


artist: อิ๋ว พิมพ์โพยม เรืองโรจน์ (iw phimphayom rueangrot)
album: รวมฮิต 16 เพลงหวาน 1 (ruam hit 16 pleng wan)
tracklist:
01. รู้ว่าเขาหลอก (ru wa khao lok)
02. สัญญารักปากช่อง (sanya rak pak chong)
03. ลั่นทมลืมทุ่ง (lanthom luem thung)
04. แก้วรอพี่ (kaew ro phi)
05. น้องคิดถึงพี่ (nong khit thueng phi)
06. แว่วเสียงซึง (waew siang sueng)
07. ช่างร้ายเหลือ (chang rai luea)
08. ร้ายนักรักนี้ (rai nak rak ni)
09. โหดนักรักนี้ (hot nak rak ni)
10. เขาดวงนักร้อง (khao duang nak rong)
11. คนสวยใจดี (khon suai chai di)
12. สาวชาวสวน (sao chao suan)
13. แม่พิมพ์ของชาติ (mae phim khong chat)
14. ลมหนาวที่เรณู (lom nao thi renu)
15. ตะวันรอที่หนองหาน (tawan ro thi nong han)
16. แล้วคุณล่ะพอหรือยัง (laew khun la pho rue yang)

here's what mr. peter has to say about it:

"this tape was released in june of 1994 and is titled "16 sweet songs". iw has a very clear delivery and a captivating voice and while some listeners may think the sound somewhat sweet, i love the quality of her vocals. unfortunately, although she made over 20 albums (some with male singer ot oppart tossaporn), little of the material is original and is mainly covers of other singers' output, including a re-make of the classic mon rak luk thung soundtrack. iw appears to have started off with an outfit called the d.c. band in the 80’s, and by the early 90’s she was famous enough to appear solo on the covers of popular magazines such as "chiwit jin (chinese life)". she is a rarity in a thai singer in that she also recorded many albums of chinese songs (although she is not of chinese origin herself). these include the famous songs of taiwanese star teresa teng who died in thailand in 1995, at just 42. iw retired from full time singing in 1997 but did release a comeback double album of love songs in 2003. the songs on here are mostly luk thung and luk krung. another singer once pointed out to me which were which but i have forgotten, and it is difficult to tell, as iw sings them in her own particular style; sweet indeed."

phon phirom: nam ta la sai

artist: พร ภิรมย์ (phon phirom)
album: น้ำตาลาไทร (nam ta la sai)
tracklist:
01. น้ำตาลาไทร (nam ta la sai)
02. กระท่อมทองกวาว (krathom thong kwao)
03. บัวตูม บัวบาน (buatum buaban)
04. น้องนุชสุดท้อง (nong nut sut thong)
05. สุดสวยทั้งสอง (sut suai thang song)
06. บัวหลวง (bua luang)
07. แววตา (waew ta)
08. สวรรค์สวาท (sawan sawat)
09. ลานรักลานเท (lan rak lan the)
10. ลมจ๋า (lom cha)
11. ฝากใจไว้กับจันทร์ (fak chai wai kap chan)
12. รักคุต (rak khut)
13. หลานรักวัยรุ่น (lan rak wairun)
14. เห็นใจสาวสาว (hen cha sao sao)

i'm very sad to report that this past week the great phon phirom passed away, at the age of 82. i thought it would be nice to honor his legacy by sharing one of my favorite luk thung albums, this collection of his earliest singles, dating from around 1962. phon was born into a theatre family from phra nakhon si ayutthaya, and from a young age was fascinated by the world of thai classical music. growing up, he studied the arts of the piphat ensemble and chinese opera, in addition to traditional thai vocal forms. after touring for a number of years with a traveling liké troupe, he was persuaded by famed chularat bandleader mongkhon amatayakun to apply his talents on the burgeoning luk thung stage. phon found a way to integrate the folk & classical styles he so loved into the framework of the latin-inspired pop styles of the day, and became an inspiration for generations of future stars. since the early 80's, however, phon had left the entertainment world behind to join the buddhist priesthood, taking the monastic name phra punyawangso. he lived out his last days at wat rattanachai in his home province of ayutthaya.

a farewell concert will be held on dec. 17th at the thailand cultural center in bangkok. also, you can purchase a beautifully remastered version of this album (with a number of different tracks!) from maemaiplengthai

saman hongsa: molam sammapi

artist: สมาน หงษา (saman hongsa)
album: หมอลำสัมมะปิ (molam sammapi)
tracklist:
01. หมอลำสัมมะปิ ตอน 1 (molam sammapi, pt. 1)
02. หมอลำสัมมะปิ ตอน 2 (molam sammapi, pt. 2)

this week we will hear from molam saman hongsa & his fantastic group of isaan entertainers! saman, from ubon ratchathani, is one of the greats in the world of lam performers. he's known to some degree outside of thailand as the leader of the isan slété group, who recorded & toured through the u.k. in the late 80's. within thailand, however, he's probably best remembered for his string of comedy albums, one of which is presented here. this tape is great, because to me it captures the feeling of a typical molam performance.. not strictly musical, but more like a variety show, with comedic skits and banter woven seamlessly between the songs. comedians from the phetlaemthong troupe (inculding "pan", "choi sa" & bunthaeng khenthongdi) jibe with the audience while molam saman & kai chomtalok engage in clever wordplay and skillful vocalizations. the band is great as well, phin & khaen, bass & drums, all ready to whip the audience into a dancing frenzy when the time comes. enjoy!

loy krathong

this week's post comes to us courtesy of norwegian record collector gojira... he specializes in popular music across asia, from turkey to thailand, and he's just started his own great blog, stereomono!

artist: various
album: loy krathong
tracklist:
01. loy krathong
sung by ดอน สอนระเบียบ (don sonrabiap)
02. loy krathong
sung by ฉันทนา กิติยพันธ์ (chanthana kitiyaphan)

in late november (specifically, the full moon night of the 12th lunar month, this year the 21st), thailand celebrates loi krathong, a brahmin festival where little rafts made to resemble lotus flowers are loaded with candles & floated downriver for good luck, an offering to the river goddess ganga. the holiday is a big hit with locals & foreign visitors alike, and as such, there is a catchy theme song to go with it! the original is a ramwong from the 50's by the suntaraphon big band, but here we've got two peppy string versions, sung in charmingly halting english by 70's disco stars don sonrabiap & chanthana kitiyaphan. enjoy! and suk san wan loi krathong!!

shadow prayuk

artist: various
album: ชาโดว์ประยุกต์ (shadow prayuk)
tracklist:
01. พม่ารำขวาน (phama ram khwan)
02. แขกต่อยหม้อ (khaek toi mo)
03. ต้นบรเทศ (ton borathet)
04. ยะวา (yawa)
05. สร้อยแสงแดง (soi saeng daeng)
06. นางนาค (nang nak)
07. กระแต (kratae)
08. กลองยาว (klong yao)
09. กราวกีฬา (krao kila)
10. สีนวล (si nuan)
11. สุพรรณหงษ์ (suphannahong)
12. ไทรโยค (saiyok)
13. มอญกละ (mon kla)
14. ลาวกระทบไม้ (lao krathop mai)
15. ลาวเสี่ยงเทียน (lao siang thian)
16. ลาวคำหอม (lao kham hom)
17. ซัดชาดรี (sat chatri)
18. ลาวแพน (lao phen)
19. ลาวครวญ (lao khruan)
20. นกขมิ้น (nok khamin)

tracks 1-5, 7-8, 12, 17: พี.เอ็ม.พ๊อกเกทมิวสิค (p.m. pocket music)
tracks 6, 10-11, 13-16: จอนนี่ส์กีตาร์ (johnny guitar)
tracks 9, 18-20: เดอะซันออฟพี.เอ็ม. (the son of p.m.)

this week we'll hear from some of thailand's fantastic shadow bands & their surf-rock rollicks through the classical repertoire! the shadow movement was the brainchild of maestro phayong mukda, who had already begun experimenting with updating thai classical melodies to a latin/big band format. to complement the changing live music scene of 1960's bangkok, which was moving from spacious dancehalls into more intimate nightclub settings, phayong saw a need to condense his modernized ensemble. following a wildly successful asian tour by cliff richard & the shadows, phayong settled upon a similar combo of electric guitar, organ, bass & drums, and to emphasize the compact nature of the group, he called them "pocket music" (which also happened to be his own initials!). he gave his adoptive "son" khabuan mukda the lead organ slot, backed by chakkrin rasana on guitar & don sonrabiap on the drums, though chakkrin soon left to join rival organ star noppharat thiposot's band, johnny guitar. p.m. went through several more line-up changes, first expanding to 7, then settling down to 5 as backers for drummer-turned-frontman don sonrabiap in the 70's. shadow music seems all but forgotten in thailand, but you can find lots internationally, either anthologized by sublime frequencies or online at radiodiffusion internasionaal, as well as in a great recent post at brain goreng... enjoy!!

rungruedi phaengphongsai: phuea thoe chan thon dai

artist: รุ่งฤดี แพ่งผ่องใส (rungruedi phaengphongsai)
album: เพื่อเธอฉันทนได้ (phuea thoe chan thon dai)
tracklist:
01. เพื่อเธอฉันทนได้ (phuea thoe chan thon dai)
02. เธอไม่สงสารฉันหรือ (thoe mai songsan chan rue)
03. เฉือนหัวใจ (chuean hua chai)
04. เธอคือดวงใจ (thoe khue duang chai)
05. หน้าไหว้หลังหลอก (na wai lang lok)
06. เธอรู้หรือเปล่าว่าฉันแค้น (thoe ru rue plao wa chan khaen)
07. ชีวิตคนเศร้า (chiwit khon sao)
08. ปลงเสียเถิดความรัก (plong sia thoet khwam rak)
09. ใจหวนครวญรำพัน (chai huan khruan ramphan)
10. เพราะเธอเป็นคนทำ (phro thoe pen khon tham)
11. โจโจ้ซัง (cho cho san)
12. นักรบชายแดน (nak rop chai daen)
13. บันทึกดวงใจ (banthuek duang chai)
14. คำปฏิญาณ (kham patiyan)

this week, we'll be treated to the smooth, orchestral lounge stylings of rungruedi phaengphongsai! rungruedi was born in bangkok and enjoyed a privileged upbringing; at age 19 her parents sent her to live with the suntaraphon big band, to pursue her love of singing. she excelled in the group, and was set to be the leading lady of suntaraphon's 70's incarnation, but after 3 years singing with the group, rungruedi decided to strike out on her own. she became a fixture in bangkok's nightclub scene, and took to singing enka & otherwise japanese-themed material for the benefit of foreign clientele. this tape features some excellently produced, string & horn-infused schmaltz, with flourishes of thai & japanese folk sounds. her little dog, unfortunately, makes no contribution. enjoy!!

thao dakdae: takua chup thong

artist: ท้าวดักแด้ (thao dakdae)
album: ตะกั่วชุบทอง (takua chup thong)
tracklist:
01. ไร้สารตะกั่ว (rai san takua)
02. ถูกหวยมาหรือเปล่า (thuk huai rue plao)
03. ตัวเองยังเลี้ยงไม่รอด (tua eng yang liang mai rot)
04. ล้มโต๊ะ (lom to)
05. คัม ฟรอม แอล.เอ. (come from l.a.)
06. ไม่ได้แอ้มหรอก (mai dai aem rok)
07. พอกันที (pho kan thi)
08. สาวโรงงาน (sao rong ngan)
09. เออ! เอ็งเก่ง (oe! eng keng)
10. คนอีสาน (khon isan)
11. ตุ๊กแก (tukkae)
12. ปั๊มน้ำใจ (pam nam chai)

i wanted to do a holiday-specific post here, but i'm running low on spooky thai stuff! the best i could find is this creepy gentleman... "lead dipped in gold", as the title goes. admittedly, i don't really have any idea what's going on here. thao dakdae is a comedian/singer from isaan, and this seems to be his only album? just some workstation-heavy 90's molam luk thung. enjoy! and check out some real thai ghost songs at radiodiffusion internasionaal, here and here, plus the fantastic "lady cat ghost" by the fox!

monruedi phromchak: nong daeng khuen thin

artist: มลฤดี พรหมจักร (monruedi phromchak)
album: น้องแดงคืนถิ่น (nong daeng khuen thin)
tracklist:
01. น้องแดงคืนถิ่น (nong daeng khuen thin)
02. หน้าหนาวสาวครวญ (na nao sao khruan)
03. บันทึกรักจากสายลม (banthuek rak chak sai lom)
04. อวยพรทหารรัก (uai phon thahan rak)
05. น้องอ้อยคอยฝัน (nong oi khoi fan)
06. ย้านสายตาทำลาย (yan sai ta tham lai)
07. สาวภูไทลาแฟน (sao phu thai la faen)
08. เชิญเที่ยวธาตุพนม (choen thieow that phanom)
09. วอนฮักสองฝั่งโขง (won hak song fang khong)
10. ลำคอนสวรรค์ หญิง ชาย เกี้ยวฮัก (lam khon sawan ying chai kieow hak)

today marks the 100th post here at monrakplengthai, so in honor of the occasion, i've got an especially great tape to share. i don't know alot about monruedi's background, though i believe she now teaches at khon kaen university. she's well known for her skill in lam phu tai, a unique style of lam associated with the phu tai ethnic group of thailand & laos, which can be pretty difficult to find in commercial recordings. the music revolves around a slow, hypnotic khaen line, supplemented by electric phin and heavy percussion. combined with monruedi's fantastic versification, it makes for quite a record. hope you all enjoy this as much as i do!

thai brass band

artist: unknown thai brass band
album: ลาวดวงเดือน (lao duang duean)
tracklist:
01. ลาวดวงเดือน (lao duang duean)
02. ลาวเสี่ยงเทียน (lao siang thian)
03. บุหลัน (bulan)
04. เพลงจีนขิมเล็กออกจีนเร็ว (pleng chin khim lek ok chin reo)
05. สร้อยสนออกเพลงเร็ว ลงเพลงลา (soi son ok pleng reo, long pleng la)
06. เพลงชาติ (pleng chat)
07. มหาฤกษ์ มหาชัย (maharoek mahachai)
08. สยามมานุสติ (siam manu sati)
09. ไหว้ครูมวย (ปี่ชวา) (wai khru muai (pi chawa))
10. มาร์ชพิทักษ์สันติราษฎร์ (march phithak santi rat)
11. มาร์ชนิยมไทย (march niyom thai)
12. มาร์ชภานุรังษี (march phanurangsi)
13. สรรเสริญเสือป่า (sansoen suea pa)
14. สดุดีการชุมนุมลูกเสือแห่งชาติ (sadudi kan chumhum luk suea haeng chat)
15. กราวกีฬา (krao kila)
16. สามัคคีชุมนุม (samakkhi chumnum)
17. สาธุการ (sathukan)
18. พระเจ้าลอยถาด (phra chao loi that)

this week, another great tape showcasing thailand's unique brass band tradition! the brass band was one of the earliest forms of western music to catch on in thailand, and has proved an enduring phenomenon with a distinct repertoire in addition to its borrowings. the band recorded here renders these tunes with great bombast; full-spectrum drum & horn, and even some thai traditional instruments in a few selections... it's a shame there's no credit given to the ensemble! in addition, it seems the compiler got a bit ambitious with the tracklist, since only 18 of the 24 songs listed seem to have fit onto the cassette. these factors, however, in no way diminish the greatness of this tape.. enjoy!

carabao: prachathipatai

artist: คาราบาว (carabao)
album: ประชาธิปไตย (prachathipatai)
tracklist:
01. ตาตี๋ (tati)
02. ประชาธิปไตย (prachathipatai)
03. ผู้ทน (phu ton)
04. เจ้าตาก (chao tak)
05. พ่อ (pho)
06. ถึกควายทุย ภาค 7 (thuek khwai thui, pt. 7)
07. วันเด็ก (wan dek)
08. มหาจำลอง รุ่น 7 (maha cham long, run 7)
09. มรดกเฮงซวย (moradok heng suai)
10. ค. ควาย ค. คน (kh. khwai kh. khon)

this week we'll hear once more from the biggest thai rock band of all time... the legendary carabao! often compared to u2, today carabao divide their time between music, social activism and corporate endorsements, but they came from a humbler beginning. founded in 1976 by two thai students studying in the philippines, carabao introduced a harder edge to the folksy pleng puea chiwit genre, bringing the genre to the national spotlight. this album, from 1986, features the band at their most electronic, replete with drum pads and synthesizer riffs, and even a few cues possibly taken from the fledgling industrial music scene of the time. enjoy!!

chaloemphon malakham: songsan khon ban klai

artist: เฉลิมพล มาลาคำ (chaloemphon malakham)
album: สงสารคนบ้านใกล้ (songsan khon ban klai)
tracklist:
01. สงสารคนบ้านใกล้ (songsan khon ban klai)
02. จดหมายคนจน (chot mai khon chon)
03. คิดถึงอดีต (khit thueng adit)
04. อยากมีเมีย (yak mi mia)
05. บักเขียวพาเพ (bak khieow pha phe)
06. รักแรกพบ (rak raek phop)
07. กลับบ้านนาเถิดน้อง (klap ban na thoet nong)
08. หยุดเถิดหัวใจ (yut thoet hua chai)
09. เย้ยกันทำไม (yoei kan thammai)
10. เมียใจร้ายแม่ยายทีเด็ด (mia chai rai mae yai thi det)

more great sounds from isaan this week, courtesy of mr. chaloemphon malakham! chaloemphon is from surin province in southern isaan and like most modern stars, made his way to the stage through local singing contests. he recorded his first album in 1985, becoming one of the pioneering singers of the molam-influenced luk thung isaan style that still dominates thai country radio today. chaloemphon is perhaps better known as a songwriter (for the likes of poifai malaiphon & other siang isaan stars), but he has a great many hit records to his name as well, often singing alongside phimpha phonsiri. he's recorded in a number of styles, from kantruem & lam phu tai to luk thung ballads, but this tape seems to be mostly straightforward lam phloen, carried by sax & synth with some great distorted guitar leads sprinkled in as well. enjoy!

khwanchit siprachan: luk thung 5 thotsawat

artist: ขวัญจิต ศรีประจันต์ (khwanchit siprachan)
album: ลูกทุ่ง 5 ทศวรรษ (luk thung 5 thotsawat)
tracklist:
01. กับข้าวเพชฌฆาต (kap khao phetchakhat)
02. แม่ครัวตัวอย่าง (mae khrua tua yang)
03. ก็นั่นนะซี่ (ko nan na si)
04. เศรษฐีเมืองสุพรรณ (sethi mueang suphan)
05. วุ๊ยว๊าย (wui wai)
06. ผัวบ้าๆ (pua ba ba)
07. พ่อเพาเว่อร์ (po power)
08. น้ำตาดอกคำใต้ (nam ta dok khamtai)
09. สุดแค้นแสนรัก (sut khaen saen rak)
10. สาวสุพรรณ (sao suphan)
11. อ้อมอกเจ้าพระยา (om ok chao phraya)
12. แหลมตะลุมพุก (laem talumphuk)
13. รักมฤตยู (rak maruettayu)
featuring กู้เกียรติ นครสวรรค์ (kukiat nakhonsawan)
14. ลิเกหลงโรง (like long rong)

this week, by special request, we'll hear from luk thung folk star khwanchit siprachan! khwanchit was born & raised in central thailand's suphan buri province. from a young age she took an interest in local folk song, but her father forbid her to pursue it, fearing the corrupting influence of the stage (as well as the prospect of losing a domestic hand!). nevertheless, she eventually left home to study with the great pleng isaeo songmasters of suphan, becoming a respected artist in the folk song community for her powerful voice & clever improvisations. she was an audience favorite upcountry, and in time even became a regular on the stage of sanam luang in bangkok. here she was courted by many luk thung groups, but found waiphot phetsuphan's to be most consonant with her love of folksong. she joined the group and quickly set to recording the string of hits collected here. by the early 70's, however, she had left luk thung behind. she returned to the folk songs she loved so much, as both performer and preservationist, and eventually was named a national artist for her contributions to the artform. hope you enjoy!

yusoh bothong dikir hulu

artist: ดีเกฮูลูคณะยูโซะ บ่อทอง (yusoh bothong dikir hulu)
album: วิทยาลัยดุริยางคศิลป์ มหาวิทยาลัยมหิดล พ.ศ. 2550 (college of music, mahidol university, 2007)
tracklist:
01. ตาโบะห์ บานอ (โหมโรง) (taboh banor (homrong))
02. ปันตนดีเกฮูลู (pantun dikir hulu)
03. กาโร๊ะห์บูกอยาแล (ไหว้ครู) (karoh buko jalae (wai khru))
04. ยูวาปาดี (ขายข้าวสาร) (juwa padee (selling rice))
05. ฮูแยรีติ ตูโรงปาฆี (ฝนตกพรำๆยามเช้า) (hujae riti turong pagee (morning drizzle))
06. เมาะบางา (mah ba nga)
07. บัรตือมาสอ (เมื่อไรเราจะได้อยู่ดวงกัน) (bartuemasor (when will we be together?))
08. บือนาสารัง (เก็บไว้ในดวงใจ) (buenasarang (save in my heart))
09. กาโร๊ะห์แยะคีปาแย (karoh yaekee payae)
10. กาโร๊ะห์วาบูแล (karoh wabulae)

sorry it's been so long, just got back from a trip to malaysia & singapore! traveling by land mostly, we made a few stops in thailand's south, so i thought it would be nice to share some fantastic music from that region. yusoh bothong & his group are from pattani in the deep south and play a style known as dikir hulu, meaning "northern-style liké" (northern, because many in thailand's border provinces consider themselves northern malays, rather than southern thais). like central thai liké, dikir hulu is typically a community event centered around a musical stage show, although this album features a 2007 performance yusoh & his group gave at mahidol university in bangkok. after the overture & wai khru, yusoh leads the troupe through a selection of beautiful old dikir hulu tunes from his childhood, sung in the thai-malay jawi language. he's joined in spots by singers ma padiyo & yalee kayae from narathiwat, with an excellent musical backing of frame drums, gongs & assorted other percussion. wonderful stuff, hope you enjoy as well!

suang santi: 1 2 3 duan song thaeo

artist: สรวง สันติ (suang santi)
album: 1 2 3 ด่วนสองแถว (1 2 3 duan song thaeo)
tracklist:
01. 1 2 3 ด่วนสองแถว (1 2 3 duan song thaeo)
02. 4 5 6 ด่วนสองแถว (4 5 6 duan song thaeo)
03. เขาว่ามา (khao wa ma)
04. คนสุโขทัย (khon sukhothai)
05. หนุ่มหนองคาย (num nong khai)
06. เมาจนนึกไม่ออก (mao chon nuek mai ok)
07. รักตัวกลัวเมีย (rak tua klua mia)
08. บ้าพอกัน (ba pho kan)
09. 900 โรงจำนำ (900 rong cham nam)
10. 900 ความระกำ (900 khwam rakam)
sung by เตือนใจ บุญพระรักษา (tueanchai bunphraraksa)
11. ผู้ยิ่งใหญ่ ภาค 2 (phu ying yai, pt. 2)
12. เมาให้ลืมเมีย (mao hai luem mia)
13. น้ำมันแพงอีกแล้ว (nam man phaeng ik laeo)
14. น้ำมันมีน้อยใช้สอยประหยัด (nam man mi noi chai soi prayat)
15. เซ็นซิ (sen si)
16. หิ้วถุงปุ๋ย (hiw thung pui)
17. ควาย (khwai)

this week we've got a great tape from luk thung funk rock star suang santi! hailing from sukhothai, suang made his living as a boxer before joining with phiphat boribun & his band. after marrying bandmate namphueng boribun, he struck off on his own, first singing with siphrai chaiphra and finally mongkhon amatayakun's famous chularat band. suang pioneered a crossover style of luk thung and heavy funk rock which few others attempted, and won success not only with his own recordings but songs he penned for others, everyone from phanom nopphon to the royal sprites. sadly, suang was killed in a car accident in 1982 while on tour... this tape captures some of his last work, featuring a mix of straight funk tracks & few of his older hits redone in "talking music" style. enjoy!!

fine arts department band

artist: กรมศิลปากร (fine arts department band)
album: เพลงงานแสงเดือน (pleng ngan saeng duean)
tracklist:
01. งานแสงเดือน (ngan saeng duean)
ชาวไทย (chao thai)
รำซิมารำ (ram si ma ram)
คืนเดือนหงาย (khuen duean ngai)
02. ดอกไม้ของชาติ (dok mai khong chat)
ดวงจันทร์วันเพ็ญ (duang chan wan phen)
03. หญิงไทยใจงาน (ying thai chai ngan)
ยอดชายใจงาน (yot chai chai ngan yot chai chai ngan)
ดวงจันทร์ขวัญฟ้า (duang chan khwan fa)
บูชานักรบ (bucha nak rop)
04. เชิญชวน (choen chuan)
หล่อจริงนะดารา (lo ching na dara)
ยวน ยวน ยวน (yuan yuan yuan)
05. ซ่อมมาลี (som mali)
เธอรำว่างน่าดู (thoe ram wang na khu)
ยวนยาเหล (yuan ya lae)
06. ดอกฟ้าร่วง (dok fa ruang)
ตามองตา (ta mong ta)
ใกล้เช้าไปอีกนิด (klai chao pai ik nit)
ลา (la)

an interesting bit of history this week.. we've got an album from the thai government's fine arts department band, featuring their neo-classical ramwong style! a major event in the history of popular music in thailand, the ramwong (or "circle dance") was a sort of an engineered dance craze created during the phibun era by famed propagandist luang wichitwathakan & his fine arts department, intended to inject a bit of national pride into the imported dance steps (swing, rumba, cha cha cha, etc.) which had been sweeping the country. originally these ramwong were lively, sax-driven affairs, but by the time of this release we can see the fine arts dept. attempting to establish ramwong as being closer to classical tradition, thus the piphat and khrueng sai instrumentation. the ramwong still provides the rhythmic basis for a great deal of thai music today, and these very recordings can still be heard thorughout the kingdom on a number of national holidays. enjoy!!

kaifa daduang + siriphon amphaiphong

artist: ไก่ฟ้า ดาดวง + ศิริพร อำไพพงษ์ (kaifa daduang + siriphon amphaiphong)
album: ลำขอนแก่น (lam khon kaen)
tracklist:
01. ทุ่งร้างนางลืม (thung rang nang luem)
02. ทุ่งร้างนางคอย (thung rang nang koi)
03. ที่เก่าเวลาเดิม (thi kao wela doem)
04. มาตามนัด (ma tam nat)
05. รอยยิ้มพิศวาส (roi yim phitsawat)
06. รอยยิ้มมหาเสน่ห์ (roi yim maha sane)
07. คนกินดิน (khon kin din)
08. เสียงร้องจากน้องหนู (siang rong chak nong nu)
09. ฮักสาวท่าสะแบง (hak sao tha sabaeng)
10. เสียงครวญจากสวนแตง (siang khruan chak suan taeng)
11. สาวต๋อง ๆ (sao tong tong)
12. สาวตุ๋ย ๆ (sao tui tui)

this week we'll hear some early recordings from one of thailand's biggest contemporary country singers, the great siriphon amphaiphong!! born & raised in udon thani, siriphon left school at a young age to help out on her family's farm. when not working the fields, siriphon studied with lam with her father, a local performer. she began performing onstage at 16 and a year later joined the siang isaan group, before being discovered in khon kaen by doi inthanon. during her khon kaen period she often sang together with kaifa daduang, who joins her on this album. siriphon is well-loved for her unique husky voice, often likened to a cat's, and though her specialty nowadays is slow sorrowful songs, this album captures a rare set of uptempo khon kaen-style lam. enjoy!!

chatthong mongkhonthong

artist: ฉัตรทอง มงคลทอง (chatthong mongkhonthong)
album: ร้องสดหน้าเวที (rong sot na wethi) + สาละวน (salawon)
tracklist:
01. สาละวน (salawon)
02. รักสาวทุ่งกุลา (rak sao thung kula)
03. เสียงครวญจากหมอแคน (siang khruan chak mo khaen)
04. ตุ๋ยจ๋า (tui cha)
05. คลำแลถี (khlam lae thi)
06. เคว็ดกลับบ้าน (khwet klap ban)
07. หนุ่มใต้เตือนสาว (num tai tuean sao)
08. กิเลสมนุษย์ (kilet manut)

01. ร้องสดหน้าเวที a (rong sot na wethi a)
02. ร้องสดหน้าเวที b (rong sot na wethi b)

like sutrak aksonthong, chatthong mongkhonthong is one of just a handful of luk thung singers to come from thailand's south. though hailing from nakhon si thammarat like sutrak, i think that chatthong had a bit more success country-wide.. sadly, he was killed on his first big national tour. this tape captures one of his live shows, and while it's an interesting document, the quality is nearly unlistenable, so i've included it alongside an album from the same period. hope you enjoy!

phophin phetlanna: sao samai

artist: โผผิน เพชรลานนา (phophin phetlanna)
album: สาวสมัย (sao samai)
tracklist:
01. สาวสมัย (sao samai)
02. รถถีบเฒ่า (rot thip thao)
03. แอ่ว 21 จ.ว. (aeo 21 changwat)
04. หมอยาเมือง (mo ya mueang)
05. ฝากรักที่เมืองแพร่ (fak rak thi mueang phrae)
06. สาวเมืองแพร่ (sao mueang phrae)
07. บะใหม่บะเหมือนบะเก่า (ba mai ba muean ba kao)
08. เมียโหล (mia lo)
09. แก้ว 3 ดวง (kaeo 3 duang)
10. สายบุ (sai bu)
11. โผผินมาแล้ว (phophin ma laeo)
12. ฮักสาวบ้านไกล (hak sao ban klai)

another one from thailand's north this week! phophin phetlanna sings luk thung in the northen thai (or kham mueang) language in a manner similar to phensi phongsi, but with less molam influence and more eclectic rhythms. i don't know anything about him, though... the internet turns up only a few fond rememberences and little history. i really like him, he's got a funny voice that reminds me a bit of sangthong sisai, and i'm a fan of the combo backing him as well, they have a tight, local sound. i've heard 1982 as a date for this... it sounds a bit older to me, but that might be down to technological limitations! anyway, it's great... enjoy!

thongsuk khamsombun & chumnum silapin lanna

artist: ทองศุกร์ คำสมบูรณ์ ชุมนุมศิลปินลานนา (thongsuk khamsombun & chumnum silapin lanna)
album: ดนตรี สะล้อ ซอ ซึง เชียงใหม่ (dontri salo, so, sueng chiang mai)
tracklist:
01. ลาวลำปางใหม่ (lao lampang mai)
02. สร้อยสนตัด (soi son tat)
03. กุมารทอง (kuman thong)
04. สร้อยแสงแดง (soi saeng daeng)
05. มอญรำดาบ (mon ram dap)
06. เขมรปากท่อ (khmer pak tho)
07. ปุ๋มเม่น (pum men)
08. ลาวกระแซ (lao krasae)
09. ดาวพระศุกร์ (dao phra suk)
10. รำวงลอยกระทง (ramwong loi krathong)

this week we've got some beautiful sounds from thailand's north! thongsuk khamsombun and his lanna artists' collective play in chiang mai local style, but unfortunately, there seems to be very little written about them online. i can tell you that thongsuk leads the ensemble with the pi koy, a small free-reed flute unique to the north, and is backed by salo (northern-style three string fiddle), the so (standard two string fiddle), and sueng (northern-style lute), as well as some nice percussion. the song selection is an interesting mix of local melodies, thai classical standards and newer folk-style pop tunes. i think this one is from the late 90's... it's too bad the players seem to have vanished just over a decade later! at least we have some great recordings.. enjoy!!

sai sai mao: ahmadaya shan tei su mya

artist: sai sai mao
album: ahmadaya shan tei su mya, vol. 2
tracklist:
01. yuen mok ha pa pi le
02. pong nong mi kay
03. khaaw jaam khay han
04. te hak naang ko
05. mo hum
06. taang hak naue pan
07. pen loy waasanaa
08. hue kwaang lot meng pueng
09. unknown title
10. instrumental
11. nong khay yu laue
12. loe se maak ho tsaue
13. pi naang me haang
14. kwaam hak naue tsaue
15. en aan kaang tsaue
16. kop mi wot sang
17. am soe lay moe pong yaan
18. unknown title
19. instrumental
20. instrumental

this week we have another fantastic album from shan rock icon sai sai mao! a member of the shan (or tai yai) ethnic group, sai sai mao was born in burma, in the chinese border town of mu se, and often traveled with his grandfather between northern thailand and taungyi in shan state. at age 15 he picked up the guitar, and 3 years later was performing for shan communities in chiang rai. sai sai mao's broadcasts on radio thailand were eagerly received both locally and across the border in burma, where his songs, such as "likhommai panglong", about burma's unfilfulled promise of shan independence, were banned. sai mao cut most of his early albums in chiang mai or bangkok while serving in the shan state army, the rebel faction who funded his recordings. an estimated 75% of popular music in burma consists of "copy songs" (foreign songs rewritten in local languages), and sai mao is no exception. his songs are quite reliant on chinese melodies, though i feel that he imbues them with a nostalgic sentiment and unpolished urgency very much apart from the originals. hope you enjoy!

many thanks to alif silpachai for help with shan script!

thongcharoen dalao + bunchuang denduang: khui khueang rueang sa u

artist: ทองเจริญ ดาเหลา + บุญช่วง เด่นดวง (thongcharoen dalao + bunchuang denduang)
album: คุยเขื่องเรื่องซาอุฯ (khui khueang rueang sa u)
tracklist:
01. คุยเขื่องเรื่องซาอุฯ (khui khueang rueang sa u)
02. ลูกจ้างเมีย (luk chang mia)
03. พ่อบักเติ่งคนดี (pho bak toeng khon di)
04. ซาอุดิฯขุมทอง (saudi khumthong)
05. อย่าห่วงพ่อบักเติ่ง (ya huang pho bak toeng)
06. ได้เต่าเสียหมา (dai tao sia ma)
07. อย่าลืมเมียซาอุฯ (ya luem mia sa u)
08. เสียงสะอื้นจากหนุ่มซาอุฯ (siang sauen chak num sa u)
09. พ่อพระในดวงใจ (pho phra nai duang chai)
10. สั่งแม่บักเติ่งไปซาอุฯ (sang mae bak toeng pai sa u)
11. เสียงสั่งจากเมียซาอุฯ (siang sang chak mia sa u)
12. ตามหาคุณนายตีนเปิ่ม (tam ha khun nai tin poem)
13. สีโต่นเซียงเลิ่มซาอุฯ (si ton siang loem sa u)

lately i've been interested in the whole saudi arabia-isaan connection, especially as evidenced through the music of the period.. we've heard it in modern, electronic molam luk thung with phimpha phonsiri, then in a more acoustic, ensemble-oriented setting with the phetphalanchai sisters, and now we'll end with thongcharoen & bunchuang, two staunch traditionalists! backed only by the sound of khaen, these 2 expert singers from udon thani spin rhythmic tales of thailand's middle-eastward migrants (and their loved ones left behind). i don't know a great deal about the singers themselves, but they are much beloved in isaan, and i imagine that thongcharoen dalao is of some relation to khen dalao, national artist and molam of the first degree. these classic, minimal molam mokhaen arrangements are always a delight for me... hope you feel the same!!

sam phalang sao: won chao pho phalan chai

artist: สามพลังสาว (sam phalang sao)
album: ลำเพลินวอนเจ้าพ่อพลาญชัย (lam phloen won chao pho phalan chai)
tracklist:
01. วอนเจ้าพ่อพลาญชัย (won chao pho phalan chai)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
02. บ้าคนละอย่าง (ba khon la yang)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
03. รักข้ามโขง (rak kham khong)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
04. ตื่นเถิดชาวไทย (tuen thoet chao thai)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
05. จดหมายก้านสุดท้าย (chot mai kan sut thai)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
06. เป็นเพียงความฝัน (pen phiang khwam fan)
sung by พิมพ์ใจ เพชรพลาญชัย (phimchai phetphalanchai)
07. เหมือนคนมีเวร (muean khon mi wen)
sung by พวงประกา เพชรพลาญชัย (phuangpraka phetphalanchai)
08. เบื่อการรอคอย (buea kanro koi)
sung by แจ่มนภา เพชรพลาญชัย (chaemnapha phetphalanchai)
09. คนที่โลกลืม (khon thi lok luem)
sung by วิชัยน้อย (wichainoi)
10. ห่วงหนุ่มซาอุดิฯ (huang num ''saudi'')
sung by พวงประกา เพชรพลาญชัย (phuangpraka phetphalanchai)
11. น้ำลงส่งรัก (nam long song rak)
sung by พวงประกา เพชรพลาญชัย (phuangpraka phetphalanchai)
12. หน้าหนาวผู้บ่าวบ่ออาบน้ำ (na nao phu bao bo apnam)
sung by แจ่มนภา เพชรพลาญชัย (chaemnapha phetphalanchai)

last week we had some "modernized" molam sounds, this week maybe a bit less so.. here's a fantastic tape from sam phalang sao ("3 tough girls"), phimchai phetphalanchai & her sisters. all i know about these three is that they hail from roi et in thailand's northeast, and i think phimpchai was more sucessful as a solo artist & in duet with thepphon phetubon.. i have never heard of phuangpraka or chaemnapha besides this tape. in addition to the great vocal work from the sisters, these songs are packed full of isaan sounds; lots of khaen, plenty of so fiddle, some great phin & full band grooves and even the exceedingly rare phin hai, a set of jars with rubber bands stretched across the mouths, which produce a low, rhythmic sliding pitch.. plus some weird futuristic synth sounds for good measure! interestingly enough, the saudi arabia theme crops up here too.. cool to see how these 2 streams of molam (this week's & last's) could be basically contemporaneous.. enjoy!

phimpha phonsiri: nam ta mia sa u

artist: พิมพา พรศิริ (phimpha phonsiri)
album: น้ำตาเมียซาอุฯ (nam ta mia sa u)
tracklist:
01. น้ำตาเมียซาอุฯ (nam ta mia sa u)
02. สาวหมอลำจำได้ (sao molam cham dai)
03. หลบหน้าที่มาเลย์ (lop nathi malay)
04. ทนหนาวไม่ไหว (thon nao mai wai)
05. รักสิบล้อ (rak sip lo)
06. รักคนขับรถ (rak khon khap rot)
07. ตามหาสามี (tam ha sami)
08. คนรักที่ฉันรอ (khon rak thi chan ro)
09. อกหักเพราะรักครู (ok hak phro rak khru)
10. พูดแทงใจดำ (phut thaeng chai dam)
11. บ่ลืมถิ่น (bo luem thin)
12. รอวาสนา (ro watsana)
13. กลัวตกอีแต๋น (klua tok itaen)
14. ทิดหวังนั่งเศร้า (thit wang nang sao)
15. น้องแดงแกล้งหยอก (nong daeng klaeng yok)
16. สงสารช่างซ่อม (songsan chang som)

this week, we've got some great "modern" isaan sounds from phimpha phonsiri! phimpha, from chaiyaphum, was one of the earliest stars to mix luk thung & molam sounds, in a style which dominates thailand's country music scene today. with capable songwriter soraphet phinyo at the helm, she delivers a great collection of luk thung isaan, with a rock band backing and even would-be indian & arabic flourishes, owing to the album's lyrical content... phimpha is chronicling the trials of a wife whose husband has left to work in "sa u", the thai nickname for saudi arabia, which drew a steady stream of migrants from thailand in the 80's, before it was cut short by the blue diamond affair. enjoy!

thanin intharathep: pan din hai pen dao

artist: ธานินทร์ อินทรเทพ (thanin intharathep)
album: ปั้นดินให้เป็นดาว (pan din hai pen dao)
tracklist:
01. ปั้นดินให้เป็นดาว (pan din hai pen dao)
02. คำพรจากคนจน (kham phon chak khon chon)
03. แต่วันนี้ไม่มีอีกแล้ว (tae wan ni mai mi ik laeo)
04. คิดถึงทุกลมหายใจ (khit thueng thuk lom haichai)
05. จอมนางบนกลางใจ (chom nang bon klang chai)
06. พรวันเกิด (phon wan koet)
07. เพ็ญโสภา (phen sopha)
08. ผมไปไม่พ้น (phom pai mai phon)
09. ขังด้วยรัก (khang duai rak)
10. บริจาครัก (borichak rak)
11. จับกระแต (chap kratae)
12. คนหนังสือพิมพ์ (khon nang sue phim)
13. เหมือนไม่เคย (muean mai khoei)
14. คนจะรักกัน (khon cha rak kan)
15. ชั่วนิจนิรันดร (chua nit nirandon)
16. เนวีบลู (navy blue)
17. นกขมิ้น ตอน 1 (nok khamin, pt. 1)
18. นกขมิ้น ตอน 2 (nok khamin, pt. 2)

just got back from a trip up north, with a downright glut of tapes in tow. i'll be getting to these soon, but as i often like to punctuate a return to bangkok with some old local music, this week let's enjoy the smooth sounds of thanin intharathep! thanin is from samut sakhon, just outside of bangkok, and was a champion of local singing contests before being discovered by thai music legend payong mukda. payong got thanin in with suthep wongkhamhaeng's "suthep show", and from there out his celebrity was sealed. often billed as thailand's frank sinatra, thanin brought a young, attractive face to the slow, romantic, jazz-tinged ballads of luk krung, and is still a favorite among old bangkokians. hope you enjoy!

and a special dedication (albeit belated) to alexandra!! สุขสันต์วันเกิด!!

khana mai sak: kham mueang disco

artist: คณะ ไม้สัก (khana mai sak)
album: คำเมืองดิสโก้ (kham mueang disco)
tracklist:
01. อุ๊ยคำ (ui kham)
02. สาวมอร์เตอร์ไซค์ (sao motorcy)
03. หยุบมือกำ (yup mue kam)
04. คนสึ่งตึง (khon sueng tueng)
05. แก๋งเนื้อ (gaeng nuea)
06. ผักกาดจอ (phak kat cho)
07. บ่เกย (bo koei)
08. ฮักอ้ายซักคน (hak ai sak khon)
09. เมาตายห่า (mao tai ha)

about to head up north for a bit, so i thought it'd be fun to share some old northern tunes! khana mai sak is the band of kitcha manophet, brother of jaran manophet, the biggest name in lanna pop music and progenitor of the "folksong kham mueang" movement. while jaran's music displayed an acoustic american-style folk-rock sensibility, kitcha & his band were more interested in the bangkok "string" sound, derived from international disco & funk music. it's interesting to hear jaran's minimal, nostalgic ballads transposed to such a groove-oriented setting, replete with effects-laden electric guitar solos and some ghostly synth sounds. the second side of the tape features the same backing tracks, but with a chorus of kids [คณะ นกแล (khana nok lae)] taking over the vocal responsibilities (you can find that one in a separate file here). hope you enjoy!!

namphueng phetuthai & her group: anisong kathin phapa, pts. 1 & 2

artist: คณะ น้ำผึ้ง เพชรอุทัย (namphueng phetuthai & her group)
album: อนิสงค์ กฐิน ผ้าป่า ตอน 1 & 2 (anisong kathin phapa, pts. 1 & 2)
tracklist:
01. โห่ 3 ลากลองยาว (ho 3 la klong yao)
02. สักเค พลโต (sak khe phon to)
03. โห่ 3 ลา (ho 3 la)
04. เคารพผู้มีพระคุณ (khaorop phu mi phra khun)
05. ประวัติการทอดกฐิน (prawattikan thot kathin)
06. ชวนทอดกฐิน (chuan thot kathin)
07. ดาวจรเข้ (dao chorakhe)
08. อตินยขานทอดกฐิน (atinyakhan thot kathin)
09. ประวัติการทอดผ้าป่า (prawattikan thot phapa)
10. บายศรีเจ้าเงาะรจนา (bai si chao ngo rotchana)

this week we have some great old festival music by namphueng phetuthai & her group! the band includes suwan kaeonam, laiat lukuthai & sangwian miluenan, and though i've seen their cassettes stocked by a number of sacred music purveyors around bangkok, i haven't been able to find out a thing about them! i can however, tell you a bit about the music they are playing.. this tape is a soundtrack to the popular thot kathin & thot phapa festivals, two merit-making ceremonies which revolve around a community presenting new robes to their local monks. the recording begins with some unmistakable klong yao yodeling & long drum march. after a few tracks, namphueng shows up and sings about the festival happenings, with some beautiful piphat ensemble backing, and it all comes to a close with a raucous phin-driven klong yao finale. fantastic!

sayan sanya: sayan sadaeng sot

artist: สายัณห์ สัญญา (sayan sanya)
album: สายัณห์ แสดงสด (sayan sadaeng sot)
tracklist:
01. เสียความรู้สึก (sia khwam ru suek)
02. ช่างเขาเหอะ (chang khao hoe)
03. ฉันขาดเธอไม่ได้ (chan khat thoe mai dai)
04. เกลียดคนโกหก (kliat khon kohok)
05. ฉันจะรักคนดำ (chan cha rak khon dam)
06. รักจอมปลอม (rak chom plom)
07. บอกว่ารัก (bok wa rak)
08. อยากดูใจดำ (yak du chai dam)
09. ช้ำจนธรรมดา (cham chon thammada)
10. สิ่งที่ฉันต้องการ (sing thi chan tong kan)

getting back to luk thung this week, we will hear once more from mr. sayan sanya, this time through a live album of questionable veracity! while i'm no expert on sound recording, i can't help but notice this performance sounds suspiciously clean, and the audience noises fade in & out rather abruptly.. but i'm willing to give sayan the benefit of the doubt here! sayan is a legend of luk thung; born & raised in suphan buri, he worked with his parents as a rice farmer before heading to bangkok to make his name on the luk thung stage. he started out as a dancer in phongsi woranut's group, and in 1973 founded his own band. through the 80's & early 90's, paired with phumphuang duangchan, sayan reigned as the biggest of luk thung stars. this concert seems to be of that era, filled as it is with the smooth ballads & disco numbers he was all about back then. enjoy!!

chawiwan damnoen: ton kamnoet molam, vol. 11

artist: ฉวีวรรณ ดำเนิน (chawiwan damnoen)
album: ต้นกำเนิดหมอลำ 11 (ton kamnoet molam, vol. 11)
tracklist:
01. น้ำใจผู้บ่าว (nam chai phu bao)
02. หัวอกหนุ่มชาวนา (hua ok num chao na)
03. แม่ฮ้าง (mae hang)
04. สังคนาสังขาร 1 (sang khana sangkhan 1)
05. สังคนาสังขาร 2 (sang khana sangkhan 2)
06. ลาวอพยพ (lao opphayop)
07. เขมรอพยพ (khmer opphayop)
08. ชีวิตผู้ใหญ่บ้าน (chiwit phu yai ban)
09. ศิลปินเมื่อตกยาก (silapin muea tok yak)
10. รำลึกความหลัง (ramluek khwam lang)
11. เข้าพรรษา (khao phansa)
12. พิมพากับราหุน (phimpha kap rahun)
13. หนุ่มรถสองแถว 1 (num rot song thaeo 1)
14. หนุ่มรถสองแถว 2 (num rot song thaeo 2)

we're back again this week with some beautiful sounds from isaan! mae chawiwan, a national artist of thailand, is one of the northeast's most fondly regarded singers. she was born in ubon ratchathani to a family of farmers, and studied lam with her father from a young age. through her strong, melodious voice and clever lyricism, she became the reigning singer & composer of the artform, called "queen of molam" by many. though she experimented with western funk & rock sounds at various points in her career, this tape captures her in minimal fashion, solo voice with khaen backing. at present, chawiwan teaches at khon kaen university and still performs. enjoy!

misak nakarat: taek dang phlo

artist: มีศักดิ์ นาครัตน์ (misak nakarat)
album: แตกดังโพล๊ะ (taek dang phlo)
tracklist:
01. แตกดังโพล๊ะ (taek dang phlo)
02. กลัวทำไมจน (klua thammai chon)
03. ผู้หญิงนี่ซิสำคัญ (phu ying ni si samkhan)
04. สาวงามลูกทุ่ง (sao ngam luk thung)
05. เห็นหน้าพาช้ำ (hen na pha cham)
06. อยาก (yak)
07. กินรีเริงฟ้า (kinnari roeng fa)
08. เราคือไทย (rao khue thai)
09. ผู้หญิงเยอะแยะ (phu ying ye yae)
10. แสนสงสัย (saen songsai)
11. ลึกที่ในใจ (luek thi nai chai)
12. บนถนนของคนหนุ่ม (bon thanon khong khon num)
13. เยี่ยมฉิมพลี (yiam chimphali)
14. เกินไปละ (koen pai la)
15. นัดพบ (nat phop)
16. ดื่มเพื่อความสุข (duem phuea khwan suk)

this week we've got a real historical document, for mr. misak nakarat was, as far as i know, thailand's first practitioner of rock'n'roll music! misak was born on chakkrawat road in bangkok's chinatown. today he is probably best remembered for his acting roles or his time as director of thai tv channel 3, but his career began on the musical stage. in the late 1950's, with the aid of songwriter suraphon thonawanik (who seems to have autographed this tape!), misak helped introduce rock'n'roll music to thailand. it's said that his comic delivery smoothed the edges of what was considered a racy and aggressive new genre, making it more accessible to thai audiences of the time. in the 70's & 80's, misak sang a number of theme-songs for the films of somphot saengdueanchai (a.k.a. "sompote sands") & thai-dubbed anime from japan, before turning to focus on his acting career. most of these songs seem to be all but forgotten today, but i think they are an important part of the history of popular music in thailand.. not to mention, they're quite fun! enjoy!

buppha saichon: rup lo thom pai

artist: บุปผา สายชล (buppha saichon)
album: รูปหล่อถมไป (rup lo thom pai)
tracklist:
01. รูปหล่อถมไป (rup lo thom pai)
02. ไม่น่าโกหก (mai na kohok)
03. รักคนแก่ดีกว่า (rak khon kae di kwa)
04. วอนลมฝากรัก (won lom fak rak)
05. ฉันเคียงเธอ (chan khiang thoe)
06. ซังคนใจร้าย (sang khon chai rai)
07. หาดใจไร้รัก (hat chai rai rak)
08. สาวนาคอยคู่ (sao na khoi khu)
09. รักลวงน้ำลง (rak luang nam long)
10. น้ำตาน้ำตก (nam ta nam tok)

a little while ago i got a request for some music from buppha saichon.. at the time, i had nothing to share, but i kept an eye out & just the other day spotted this great collection on the street! while the cover photo might not be the most flattering, the music is great. buppha, from chon buri, spent time in the chularat band before marrying singer & filmstar siphrai chaiphra, with whom she starred in 1970's "mon rak luk thung" (three of the singles here are pulled from the fantastic soundtrack). she also had a close working relationship with songwriter phaibun butkhan, who gave her great songs in both her on & off-screen careers, inlcuding her biggest hit, "yommaban chao ka". this collection features a nice assortment of styles.. straight luk thung ramwong mingling with surf-rock sounds, twangy steel guitar & bollywood borrowings.. enjoy!

mai waenthip: 18 pleng yot hit

artist: ใหม่ แว่นทิพย์ (mai waenthip)
album: 18 เพลงยอดฮิต (18 pleng yot hit)
tracklist:
01. สาวนาขาดรัก (sao na khat rak)
02. บ้านนอกหลอกกัน (ban nok lok kan)
03. สาวใหม่รำพัน (sao mai ramphan)
04. แซวผู้บ่าว (saeo phu bao)
05. เอกอีสาน (ek isan)
06. ปวดหัวเพราะผัวเขา (puat hua phro phua khao)
07. อุ้มท้องไปกินดอง (um thong pai kin dong)
08. คอยหมอแคน (khoi mo khaen)
09. ถึงดังยังห่วงแม่ (thueng dang yang huang mae)
10. สาวเลยยังคอย (sao loei yang khoi)
11. คำเตือนเพื่อนสาว (kham tuean phuean sao)
12. อดใจไว้เรา (ot chai wai rao)
13. เข็ดจนตาย (khet chon tai)
14. เห็นแล้วใจอ้าย (hen laeo chai ai)
15. รอคำตอบพ่อ (ro kham top pho)
16. คิดถึงแม่ (khit thueng mae)
17. น้องจะคอย (nong cha khoi)
18. ชีวิตบ้านนอก (chiwit ban nok)

this week we'll have some plaintive songs from isaan.. mai, if her lyrics are to be believed, comes from loei province. i haven't been able to find much information on her, though i think she had a big hit with "sao loei yang khoi", track 10 on here.. i understand it was quite a tear-jerker. i found this one at a tape stall near the local bus station in khon kaen.. it had the misfortune of being purchased alongside one of the greatest tapes i've got, and consequently got a bit overlooked... but giving it a listen now, there are definitely some quite worthwhile tracks, a nice mix of luk thung and molam sounds. hope you will enjoy as well!

achan prasong: thet lae isan

artist: อาจารย์ ประสงค์ (achan prasong)
album: เทศน์แหล่อีสาน (thet lae isan)
tracklist:
01. ปฏาจารา (patachara)
02. ลูกสะใภ้ (luk saphai)

this week we have some beautiful sacred music from thailand's northeast; achan prasong performing thet lae! despite the fact that buddhist monks are prohibited from singing, there exists a tradition of very melodic and expressive vocalizations used for reciting sacred texts or even sermons composed in klon, the same poetic form used by molam. lae can be heard during festivals of all kinds in isan, and in central thailand it was a big influence upon luk thung music.. there's even a history of bandleaders courting the talented young preachers to become recording stars, such as in the case of dao bandon. but on this tape, we have original lae, unaccompanied! on side one, achan prasong tells the story of patachara, a female disciple of gautama buddha, and on the second side, a famous familial parable. enjoy!

chai mueangsing: phi pai lai wan

artist: ชาย เมืองสิงห์ (chai mueangsing)
album: พี่ไปหลายวัน (phi pai lai wan)
tracklist:
01. พี่ไปหลายวัน (phi pai lai wan)
02. เพื่อนเราเผาเรือน (phuean rao phao ruean)
03. บ้านนอกบอกรัก (ban nok bok rak)
04. แฟชั่นมีชู้ (fashion mi chu)
05. เมียจ๋า (mia cha)
06. แม่ยก (mae yok)
07. แม่ผักตบในตม (mae phak top nai tom)
08. สุนัขไม่มีเจ้าของ (sunak mai mi chao khong)
09. หนามยอกอก (nam yo kok)
10. แม่มันยกล่อง (mae man yok long)
11. โอ้ชีวิตคิดไฉน (oh chiwit khit chanai)
12. โทนบ๊ะโทน ๆ (thon ba thon thon)
13. คนรักเมีย (khon rak mia)
14. เมียจ๋ารักผัวไหม (mia cha rak phua mai)
15. ผมไม่มีเวลารักคุณ (phom mai mi wela rak khun)
16. ตำราปราบผี (tamra prap phi)
17. วันของพี่ (wan khong phi)
18. คุณนาย (khun nai)

this week we have a fantastic old album from "man city lion", chai mueangsing! chai grew up in sing buri province, and like so many others, left for bangkok at a young age. in the city, he studied at a school of agriculture while he could afford it, but eventually dropped out to sing with local ramwong groups and work as a sign painter & market seller in talat phlu. in the early 60s he fell in with mongkhon amatayakun's famous chularat band and made his first recordings. audiences loved chai's odd voice, commanding stage presence and his good looks.. he was popularly known as "the alain delon of thailand"! following a dispute with fellow chularat member phon phirom, chai left the band to front a number of his own combos, playing mostly disco & lounge music under the name "man city lion" (the literal translation of his stage name). eventually he left music altogether and headed home to become a farmer. in the late 80's, however, he returned to the stage to lead a luk thung revival, and today is recognized as a ศิลปินแห่งชาติ (silapin haeng chat) or "national artist" of thailand. the songs here seem to be quite rare, i've never seen them on any other release.. enjoy some deep luk thung courtesy of chai mueangsing!

khabuan mukda: electone '81, vol. 4

artist: ขบวน มุกดา (khabuan mukda)
album: electone '81, vol. 4
tracklist:
01. ตักที่น่านอนตาย (tak thi na non tai)
02. รอ (ro)
03. เป็นไปไม่ได้ (pen pai mai dai)
04. เห็นแล้วหิว (hen laew hiw)
05. ผมไม่วุ่น (phom mai wun)
06. ฝากหัวใจ (fak hua chai)
07. แม่เนื้ออุ่น (mae nuea un)
08. เบื่อหมอน (buea mon)
09. ภาษาใจ (phasa chai)
10. ในโลกแห่งความฝัน (nai lok haeng khwan fan)
11. ถมไม่เต็ม (thom mai tem)
12. ฉงน (changon)
13. คางคกอยากขึ้นวอ (khangkhok yak khuen wo)
14. รักกันวันละสองเวลา (rak kan wan la song wela)
15. คนพิการรัก (khon phikan rak)
16. เทพเจ้าแห่งความระทม (thepphachao haeng khwam rathom)
17. เหมือนคนละฟากฟ้า (muean khonla fak fa)
18. ฐานันดรรัก (thanandon rak)

some more great old electone sounds this week, though unlike the previous albums (here and here), this one's got a big name attached: the "son of p.m.", mr. khabuan mukda!! khabuan is best known for his outstanding electric organ work in the "shadow" bands of the 60's (p.m. pocket music, p.m. 7 jupiter, etc.) created by his father, the incomparable phayong mukda. in the 70's, while the the rest of the pocket music guys settled down as don sonrabiap's backing band (p.m. 5), khabuan apparently went off to do his own thing. what this was exactly i had no idea, until i came across this tape! seeing that this is the 4th of who knows how many volumes, we can assume that electone stuff was keeping khabuan busy in the early 80's.. and lucky for us, as he comes up with some nice sounds here, filtering "string" hits of the day through a sci-fi soundtrack sensibility. enjoy!!