banyen kaeosiangthong: sao nung san

artist: บัญเย็น แก้วเสียงทอง (banyen kaeosiangthong)
album: สาวนุ่งสั้น (sao nung san)
tracklist:
01. สาวนุ่งสั้น (sao nung san)
02. ปั๋นปอนปี๋ใหม่ (pan pon pi mai)
03. จะไปก็ไป (cha pai ko pai)
04. จากบ่ลาเหมือนฟ้าสั่งฝน (chak bo la muean fa sang fon)
05. อกลูกเลี้ยง (ok luk liang)
06. ของดีบ้านเฮา (khong di ban hao)
07. ข้างนอกสดใสข้างในเป็นโพรง (khang nok sot sai khang nai pen phrong)
08. แอบเมาเมียเขา (aep mao mia khao)
09. เหนือแล้งอีสานเขียว (nuea laeng isan khiao)
10. ปี้บ่เคยฮัก (pi bo khoei hak)

back again this week with some great chiang mai local pop, courtesy of mr. banyen kaewsiangthong! banyen is probably one of the bigger names in the northern thai country song scene (often appearing as part of a duo with phensi phongsi). he sings to a standard early 90's synth and sax-driven luk thung sound, with subtle influences from local lanna culture; melodic sensibilities and lyrics evocative of the region, sprinkled with words from the local kham mueang language. enjoy!

preview:

phleng rong khu kap charin nanthanakhon

artist: ชรินทร์ นันทนาคร (charin nanthanakhon)
album: เพลงร้องคู่กับ ชรินทร์ นันทนาคร (phleng rong khu kap charin nanthanakhon)
tracklist:
01. นกเขาคูรัก (nok khao khu rak)
02. สัญญารัก (sanya rak)
03. เชื่อรัก (chuea rak)
04. ง้อรัก (ngo rak)
05. พี่รักเจ้าสาว (phi rak chao sao)
06. มั่นใจรัก (man chai rak)
07. โกรธรัก (krot rak)
08. รักคนที่รักเรา (rak khon thi rak rao)
09. อุทยานรักไทรโยค (utthayan rak sai yok)
10. สักขีแม่ปิง (sakkhi mae ping)
11. ฟ้าไกลดิน (fa klai din)
12. ทุยจ๋าทุย (thui cha thui)
13. ทุยฝันร้าย (thui fan rai)
14. มหาชัยอาลัยท่าฉลอม (mahachai alai tha chalom)
15. ความรัก (khwam rak)
16. กลางสายชล (klang sai chon)
17. ต้นข้าวคอยฝน (ton khao khoi fon)
18. วิมานรักห้วยแก้ว (wiman rak huai kaeo)

1-9, 17-18 featuring เพ็ญศรี พุ่มชูศรี (phensi phumchusi)
10-11 featuring จินตนา สุขสถิตย์ (chintana suksathit)
12-14 featuring รวงทอง ทองลั่นทม (ruangthong thonglanthom)
15 featuring สวลี ผกาพันธุ์ (sawali phakaphan)
16 featuring พิศมัย วิไลศักดิ์ (phitsamai wilaisak)

i hope everyone will pardon the lax posting around the holidays; we are back again this week, though, with the sweet sounds of yesteryear! our artist today is singer charin nanthanakhon, originally from the northern city of chiang mai. he first came to the capital for university, and it was at this time that he began his musical career under the tutelage of salai krailoet, famous violinist and composer for the luk krung circle. charin was famed not only in the music world, but for his acting as well; originally a theatre performer, he made his mark especially on the silver screen; as actor, director and husband to preeminent film icon phetchara chaowarat^[1]. this tape is a collection of his famous duets, featuring many of the era's leading ladies. enjoy!

preview:

khana num maphrao hao sao dok khun: phleng amata ngoen lan ponglang, vol. 2

artist(s): คณะ หนุ่มมะพร้าวห้าว สาวดอกคูณ (khana num maphrao hao sao dok khun)
album: เพลงอมตะเงินล้าน โปงลาง ชุด 2 (phleng amata ngoen lan ponglang, vol. 2)
tracklist:
01. หนุ่มนาข้าว สาวนาเกลือ (num na khao, sao na kluea)
02. ผัวเมียพอๆ กัน (phua mia pho pho kan)
03. เซิ้งตั้งหวาย (soeng tang wai)
04. เซิ้งกะหยัง (soeng ka yang)
05. เซิ้งแม่ม่ายกลอมลูก (soeng mae mai klom luk)
06. เต้ยสามจังหวะ (toei sam changwa)
07. เซิ้งอีสานรวมเผ่า (soeng isan ruam phao)
08. เซิ้งสุดสะแนน (soeng sut sanaen)
09. เซิ้งแม่ม่ายสะกิดแม่ (soeng mae mai sakit mae)
10. เซิ้งปลูกอีสานเขียว (soeng pluk isan khiao)

this week, northeastern instrumentals from the early nineties! the music on this 1991 cassette is credited to the "ripe coconut boys" and "cassia flower girls" ensemble, which i happen to know is a project of the esteemed a. num phuthai. a near-omnipresent force in modern isan music, num has appeared as a songwriter, arranger, producer and phin-maestro on a huge number of recordings from the past few decades. the ostensibly-highlighted player here is the pong lang, a xylophone-like instrument thought to derive from a signal instrument used by rice farmers. i personally feel like the phin steals the show, though.. enjoy!

preview:

piphat mon large ensemble led by a. khao chantrong: mon rong hai

artist: ปี่พาทย์มอญวงใหญ่ ควบคุมวงโดย อ. ขาว จันทร์ตรง (piphat mon large ensemble led by a. khao chantrong)
album: มอญร้องไห้ (mon rong hai)
tracklist:
01. มอญยกศพ (mon yok sop)
02. เชิญศพ (choen sop)
03. ประจำวัด (pracham wat)
04. ประจำบ้าน (pracham ban)
05. มอญร้องไห้ (ร้อง) (mon rong hai (vocal))
06. ดาวกระจ่าง (dao krachang)
07. จุดธูป-จุดเทียน (chut thup - chut thian)

this week, beautiful music for the recently deceased! rather than being associated specifically with the mon communities in thailand or across the border in burma's mon state, piphat mon refers to a style of ensemble that has long since been incorporated into the larger thai classical repertoire, and today is heard most often accompanying funeral ceremonies. this cassette is a bit of a stand-out in my collection of piphat mon for its lone vocal selection [track 5]: most of my cassettes featuring this sort of music are instrumental, and i find the mournful voices here create a remarkable atmosphere that i have to say complements quite well our eerie halloween season here in the united states. enjoy!

preview:

ruam phleng amata luk thung chut "khwan chai khon khi mao"

artist(s): various
album: รวมเพลงอมตะลูกทุ่ง ชุด ขวัญใจคนขี้เมา (ruam phleng amata luk thung chut "khwan chai khon khi mao")
tracklist:
01. เหล้าจ๋า (lao cha)
sung by สุชาติ เทียนทอง (suchat thianthong)
02. เพราะคุณคนเดียว (phro khun khon diao)
sung by สุชาติ เทียนทอง (suchat thianthong)
03. เมาแล้วเละ (mao laeo le)
sung by ลพ บุรีรัตน์ (lop burirat)
04. รักไม่เอาเมาดีกว่า (rak mai ao mao di kwa)
sung by เพลิน พรหมแดน (phloen phromdaen)
05. เมาจนนึกไม่ออก (mao chon nuek mai ok)
sung by สรวง สันติ (suang santi)
06. ดื่มเพื่อลืมเธอ (duem phuea luem thoe)
sung by ศรเพชร ศรสุพรรณ (sonphet sonsuphan)
07. แสนเมา (saen mao)
sung by เตือนใจ บุญพระรักษา (tueanchai bunphraraksa)
08. เมารัก (mao rak)
sung by ดำ แดนสุพรรณ (dam daensuphan)
09. สุราอันว่าเหล้า (sura an wa lao)
sung by ศักดิ์สยาม เพชรชมภู (saksiam phetchomphu)
10. ขอให้รักฉันเหมือนเหล้า (kho hai rak chan muean lao)
sung by เตือนใจ บุญพระรักษา (tueanchai bunphraraksa)
11. ศุกร์เมาเสาร์นอน (suk mao sao non)
sung by เพลิน พรหมแดน (phloen phromdaen)
12. รำวงกลางทุ่ง (ramwong klang thung)
sung by สุชาติ เทียนทอง (suchat thianthong)

this week, a compilation of immortal luk thung classics from the 60s and 70s, arranged on a theme: the abandonment of self to drink! on "drunkard's sweetheart", singers of many stripes show up to rhapsodize the quaffer's life: from suchat thianthong in his lecherous old-man character ("oh, booze, my darling"), to the comic "king of talking-music" phloen phromdaen ("don't want love, would rather be drunk"), rocker suang santi ("too drunk to think"), broken-hearted chanteuse tueanchai bunphraraksa ("i wish you'd love me the way you love booze"), and many more. so grab your drink of choice (if you're of the inclination), and enjoy!

preview:

phongthep kradonchamnan: i am isan

artist: พงษ์เทพ กระโดนชำนาญ (phongthep kradonchamnan)
album: ไอแอมอีสาน (i am isan)
tracklist:
01. สาวเสื้อลาย (sao suea lai)
02. เอาเต๊อะ (ao toe)
03. ไอแอมอีสาน (i am isan)
04. โคราช 4 (khorat 4)
05. นกเขาไฟ (ภาคผีเมือง) (nok khao phai (phak phi mueang))
06. คนเลว (khon leo)
07. สาวเมืองเลย (sao mueang loei)
08. แหล่ 29 (lae 29)
09. ลำตะคอง (lam takhong)
10. อีแต๋น (i-taen)

this week, 'songs for life' from the 'farmer's poet'! phongthep was born in nakhon ratchasima (khorat), in thailand's isan region. he started out with the legendary phuea chiwit pioneers caravan, before fleeing to the jungle like many thai student activists after the terror of october 6th, 1976. he resurfaced following the amnesty of 1980, and joined pop-protest group carabao as a touring musician, before embarking on a solo career. on this, his third album (released 1986), he's joined by thongkram thana (guitar, violin), ut yannawa (drums), wichai chomrit (bass) and mongkhon uthok (so and phin), as well as guest spots from guitarist suthep thawanwiwatkun of hope, back-up vocals from yupphawan imkrung and so-u from rangsit chongchansittho. a noted multi-instrumentalist, phongthep himself contributes lead vocals, khaen, angkalung, flute, guitar and percussion. the music is an eclectic mix of folk-rock, reggae, country, bluegrass, etc., all mixed with various samplings of local thai styles.. enjoy!

preview:

somphot duangsomphong: mia pa phro sa-u

artist: สมโภชน์ ดวงสมพงษ์ (somphot duangsomphong)
album: เมียป๋าเพราะซาอุฯ (mia pa phro sa-u)
tracklist:
01. เมียป๋าเพราะซาอุฯ (mia pa phro sa-u)
02. รู้ว่าเขาหลอก (ru wa khao lok)
03. จองไว้ก่อน (chong wai kon)
04. หมอลำพ่อลูกอ่อน (molam pho luk on)
05. สุราดีกว่านารี (sura di kwa nari)
06. เอิ้นหาน้องแดง (oen ha nong daeng)
07. พ่ายรัก (phai rak)
08. ลำเต้ยฮักน้องอีหลี (lam toei hak nong i-li)
09. ทหารห่วงแฟน (thahan huang faen)
10. ตายหยังเขียด (tai yang khiat)

this week, classic isan pop from somphot duangsomphong! the lead single here is somphot's 1985 response to phimpha phonsiri's "nam ta mia sa-u" of 1982, a famous song bemoaning the lives of wives whose husbands have gone to labor in saudi arabia. sharing a songwriter (soraphet phinyo) with the earlier tune, the lyrics offer a male perspective to contradict the original (though i think phimpha's remained the bigger hit). the style as advertised is lam klon khon kaen (prayuk), "khon kaen-stlye lam klon (modernized)". musical backing is by the grand band, with some perfectly 80's synthesizers taking the khaen parts during the introductory kroen sections. enjoy!

preview:

sathiya silaket: wan wan kap sathiya

artist: สาธิยา ศิลาเกษ (sathiya silaket)
album: วันหวาน กับ สาธิยา (wan wan kap sathiya)
tracklist:
01. คืนหนึ่ง (khuen nueng)
02. กำพร้าคู่ (kamphra khu)
03. ดวงใจใครหนอ (duang chai khrai no)
04. ต้องเข้าใจ (tong khao chai)
05. จันทร์เอ๋ย (chan oei)
06. ตะวันยอแสง (tawan yo saeng)
07. วันเพ็ญ (wan phen)
08. แรกรัก (raek rak)
09. ข้องจิต (khong chit)
10. ทาสน้ำเงิน (that nam ngoen)
11. แหวนที่ถอดวาง (waen thi thot wang)
12. ใครจะร้องไห้เพื่อฉัน (khrai cha rong hai phuea chan)
13. หนี้รัก (ni rak)
14. โลกหมุนเวียน (lok mun wian)
15. ยอดสน (yot son)
16. แว่วกริ่งกังสดาล (waeo kring kangsadan)

tracks 1-2, 9, 13, 16: featuring ยุรนันท์ ภมรมนตรี (yuranan pamonmontri)
tracks 7-8: featuring เศรษฐา ศิระฉายา (setha sirachaya)

this week, we're back to the smooth, nostalgic sounds of the city, with sathiya! i haven't been able to track down any biographical details about our singer here, but she seems to have been positioned at the conjuncture in the 1980s of the luk krung and string scenes; the time when formerly rock/pop/funk-oriented groups like the impossibles began harkening back to bangkok's mid-century big-band crooner music. indeed, setha sirachaya of the aforementioned impossibles provides guest vocals here, along with yuranan pamonmontri (better known as an actor and later politician). the songs are oldies from songwriters like sanga arampi and wet sunthonchamon, with slick new arrangements from 80s pop producers like thanit choenphiphatanasakun and prachin songphao (another impossibles alum). enjoy!

preview:

decha nita-in: long singapore

artist: เดชา นิตะอินทร์ (decha nita-in)
album: ล่องสิงค์โปร (long singapore)
tracklist:
01. ล่องสิงค์โปร ตอน 1 (long singapore, pt. 1)
02. ล่องสิงค์โปร ตอน 2 (long singapore, pt. 2)

this week, some classic ubon lam! from the esteemed ratchabut stereo label, we'll be hearing beloved molam decha nita-in. i have several of his cassettes and his name is spelled differently on every one, making the metadata (and research) a bit trickier. i can tell you though that decha, from ubon, was the son of molam teacher chanphen nita-in, and an early partner to banyen rakkaen, placing him in an esteemed lineage. this recording is classic voice and khaen, with a good deal of humorous dialogue between decha and several interlocutors, creating an atmosphere as like to a social drinking session as to a recording session. there's also a subtle metallic chirp going on, and while i prefer to imagine that some nearby cicada singing bled into the recording, more likely it's just some tape defect that i haven't run into before. anyhow, enjoy!

preview:

oichai daen-isan: molam brake taek

artist: อ้อยใจ แดนอีสาน (oichai daen-isan)
album: หมอลำเบรคแตก (molam brake taek)
tracklist:
01. เด็กในโอ (dek nai o)
02. สาววันบ่กล้าเสี่ยง (sao wan bo kla siang)
03. อิสานบ้านเฮา (isan ban hao)
04. ผัวสามสไตล์ (phua sam style)
05. น้ำตาปรี่ที่ญี่ปุ่น (nam ta pri thi yipun)
06. ครูบุญธรรมจำบ่ได้ (khru buntham cham bo dai)
07. สาวดำรำพัน (sao dam ramphan)
08. จีบพี่โก๋ (chip phi ko)
09. แฟนหายใจละห้อย (faen hai chai la hoi)
10. โฉนดหัวใจ (chanot hua chai)
11. มอเตอร์ไซค์ทำแสบ (motorsai tham saep)
12. คิดถึงทุ่งลุยลาย (khit thueng thung lui lai)
13. อยู่ก็เสียใจไปดีกว่า (yu ko sia chai pai di kwa)

this week, the first from our batch of recent acquisitions: we've got oichai daen-isan with a set of non-stop molam-luk thung! oichai is from chaiyaphum, the daughter of very poor itinerant peddlers, and had little formal schooling. her love of singing, however, brought her family advantage; as they traveled from town to town selling charcoal, oichai would sing songs to attract customers. after her father's death, she struck off on her own and lived a turbulent young life, sneaking to bangkok with a singing group who cast her out, cutting her hair short to avoid harassment in the slums, further disguising herself as a boy to live on temple grounds, and generally hustling to get by in the city as a dishwasher, street vendor, and finally nightclub singer. at last she met narong rotcharoen, president of topline diamond. although she considered herself a luk thung singer, the label saw potential for her in the modern molam scene, and particularly their brake taek or "brake failure" style, marked by continuous medley-type sets. achan num phuthai was brought in to lead the band, and the album was a best-seller. according to oichai, though, so many people were involved in the recording that no one made much money off it individually, and her follow-ups failed to repeat its success. she lost interest in a musical career as a main income, and went back to food service¹. today, you can find her selling yam naem (crispy rice salad) from a street stall in the bangkok suburbs, although she still performs occasionally as a singer. enjoy!

preview:

khana samakkhi siang tham: thet lae prayuk rueang "phu hak kin nang, phu sang kin kraduk"

artist(s): คณะ สามัคคีเสียงธรรม (khana samakkhi siang tham)
album: เทศน์แหล่ประยุกต์ เรื่อง ผู้ฮักกินหนัง ผู้ซังกินกระดูก (thet lae prayuk rueang "phu hak kin nang, phu sang kin kraduk")
tracklist:
01. ผู้ฮักกินหนัง ผู้ซังกินกระดูก ม้วน 1 ตอน 1 (phu hak kin nang, phu sang kin kraduk, vol. 1, pt. 1)
02. ผู้ฮักกินหนัง ผู้ซังกินกระดูก ม้วน 1 ตอน 2 (phu hak kin nang, phu sang kin kraduk, vol. 1, pt. 2)
03. ผู้ฮักกินหนัง ผู้ซังกินกระดูก ม้วน 2 ตอน 1 (phu hak kin nang, phu sang kin kraduk, vol. 2, pt. 1)
04. ผู้ฮักกินหนัง ผู้ซังกินกระดูก ม้วน 2 ตอน 2 (phu hak kin nang, phu sang kin kraduk, vol. 2, pt. 2)

last month i was lucky enough to attend the annual candle festival in ubon ratchathani, a spectacular event based around the parading of huge, elaborately decorated candles which takes place at the beginning of buddhist lent (and is depicted on this cassette's cover art). while i got a handful of excellent tapes while i was there, this one was actually a gift of a year or two back from my friend alexandra, who picked it up at the amazing ratchabut stereo in ubon (a site i was also lucky enough to revisit!). the recording (spanning a 2-tape set) is of thet lae isan, a melodic and expressive form of sermonizing that is composed in klon (the same poetic form used by molam). the group samakkhi siang tham is made up of phra khru thongsuk satchawaro, ketkaeo sangwuttho and bunma warathammo, and the content is based on a famous local folktale. i'm not sure whether or not it bears any specific connection to the candle festival, so if you know please comment.. in the meantime, enjoy!

preview:

phleng ha tha cha bong

artist: unknown
album: เพลงฮาท่าจะบองส์ (phleng ha tha cha bong)
tracklist:
01. ดีดไข่ (dit khai)
02. ลูกเวร (luk wen)
03. มหาจวน (maha chuan)
04. เมดอินไทกอ (made in 'thai ko')
05. บัวลอยไข่หวาน (bua loi khai wan)
06. สองเฒ่าสะท้านฟ้า (song thao sathan fa)
07. ราชาเท้าแชร์ (racha thao 'share')
08. นวลนางสกปรก (nuan nang sokkaprok)
09. ขอลาที (kho la thi)
10. หำเหลือน้อย (ham luea noi)

back from thailand with a decent haul of music to share in the coming weeks and months! but first i have a few pending posts to catch up, including this strange entry that arrived by mail from sam of the (now sadly defunct) archive of southeast asian music! no information is given about the artists, though we are informed as to the purpose of the project ("for the public good") and the intended beneficiaries ("for the benefit of the foundation for the welfare of the mentally retarded of thailand"). there's also a special thank you to the members of carabao, which makes sense after a listen.. the cassette is a (rather silly) track-by-track parody of the group's classic 1984 album made in thailand. i'm not familiar enough with the 1980 film the gods must be crazy to know whether this cassette's movie-inspired cover bears any connection to the lyrics, but it doesn't seem to. quite an odd object, hope you enjoy!

preview:

anong sithaiphan & bunchu thongchuea: piphat (rong) lao krathop mai

artist: อนงค์ ศรีไทยพันธุ์ + บุญชู ทองเชื้อ (anong sithaiphan & bunchu thongchuea)
album: ปี่พาทย์ (ร้อง) ลาวกระทบไม้ (piphat (rong) lao krathop mai)
tracklist:
01. ลาวกระทบไม้ (lao krathop mai)
sung by อนงค์ ศรีไทยพันธุ์ (anong sithaiphan)
02. ลาวเสี่ยงเทียน (lao siang thian)
sung by อนงค์ ศรีไทยพันธุ์ (anong sithaiphan)
03. ลาวดวงดอกไม้ (lao duang dok mai)
sung by บุญชู ทองเชื้อ (bunchu thongchuea)
04. แขกสาหร่าย (khaek sarai)
sung by บุญชู ทองเชื้อ (bunchu thongchuea)
05. ฟ้อนม่าน (มุ่ยเซียงตา) (fon man (mui siang ta))
sung by อนงค์ ศรีไทยพันธุ์ (anong sithaiphan)
06. ฟ้อนเงี้ยว (fon ngiao)
sung by บุญชู ทองเชื้อ (bunchu thongchuea)

this week's cassette is part of a generous bequest gifted to us by educator cliff sloane, a former professor of ethnomusicology and founder of asianclassicalmp3.org, a major influence behind this blog.

this week, some fantastic vocal-piphat music! our singers are two luminaries of the classical music scene in the thai capitol: bunchu, daughter of master krachang thongchuea, has sung with many of the foremost piphat groups of recent times. anong is also the daughter of a famed musician, chamnian sithaiphan, and is known for her work with a great many bangkok-based ensembles including the government public relations department orchestra. with their illustrious, varied careers and lack of attribution on the packaging, i unfortunately can't tell you much about the instrumentalists here today, other than that they are great.. so, enjoy!

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phonsak songsaeng: toei sao chan kang kop

artist: พรศักดิ์ ส่องแสง (phonsak songsaeng)
album: เต้ยสาวจันทร์กั้งโกบ (toei sao chan kang kop)
tracklist:
01. เต้ยสาวจันทร์กั้งโกบ (toei sao chan kang kop)
02. เต้ยแล้วแต่วาสนา (toei laeo tae watsana)
03. เต้ยหนาวนี้พี่ตายแน่ (toei nao ni phi tai nae)
04. เต้ยมันสะเด็ดยาด (toei man sadet yat)
05. เต้ยเสียวไส้ (toei siao sai)
06. เต้ยหนุ่มนาลาแฟน (toei num na la faen)
07. เต้ยหัวอกสิบล้อ (toei hua ok sip lo)
08. เต้ยถึงบ้าก็น่ารัก (toei thueng ba ko na rak)
09. เต้ยสวรรค์บ้านนา (toei sawan ban na)
10. เต้ยนัดแต่งปีหน้า (toei nat taeng pi na)
11. เต้ยสาวบางกอก (toei sao bangkok)
12. เต้ยแดงจ๋าพี่มาแล้ว (toei daeng cha phi ma laeo)

a real treat for everyone this week: a classic cassette from one of my personal favorite molam-luk thung stars.. mr. phonsak songsaeng! hailing from a farming family in udon thani, phonsak left school after grade 4 to help his parents in the field. after a short gig as a boxer, he formed his first band, champ isan, in 1981 at age 21. from his first album forward he enjoyed a string of huge hits, the most enduring of which leads off this 1986 album on siang siam's kritsanathep imprint.

note: this album was gifted to me with a mismatched cassette in the case, so i'm offering a compact disc rip in its place.. apologies for any resulting increase in fidelity!

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sao-sao-sao: ruam phleng rak yot hit

artist: สาว-สาว-สาว (sao-sao-sao)
album: รวมเพลงรักยอดฮิต (ruam phleng rak yot hit)
tracklist:
01. อยากลืม (yak luem)
02. ไม่มีเธอ (mai mi thoe)
03. คำสัญญา (kham sanya)
04. ยามไกล (yam klai)
05. ภาพฝัน (phap fan)
06. ขอเพียงสัญญา (kho phiang sanya)
07. ด้วยแรงแห่งรัก (duai raeng haeng rak)
08. ฟ้ากว้างทางไกล (fa kwang thang klai)
09. ไม่มีใครร้องไห้กับเรา (mai mi khrai rong hai kap rao)
10. ทุ่งอ้อ (thung o)
11. เพียงเพราะว่า (phiang phro wa)
12. รักต่างแดน (rak tang daen)
13. มิอาจรัก (mi at rak)
14. คลื่นเสน่หา (khluen saneha)
15. เพียงความทรงจำ (phiang khwam song cham)
16. จุดหมายปลายทาง (chut mai plai thang)
17. รักสำคัญที่ใจ (rak samkhan thi chai)

apologies for a long delay! after vacations, hard drives crashes, etc., we're back.. and that trip to seattle happened to yield today's surprise, courtesy of everyday music's 25 cent bin: sao-sao-sao! as their band name implies ("girl-girl-girl"), we'll be hearing from a "girl-group".. in fact, thailand's first! members orawan yenphunsuk (pum), saowalak lilabut (amp), and phatcharida watthana (maem) came together as an act with the rot fai dontri (music train) record label in 1981, under the coordination of prasoet phongthananikon. this cassette is a collection of their love songs (read: tearjerkers), as opposed to their more popular dance-oriented numbers. enjoy!

khamron sambunnanon: khon ba kancha

artist: คำรณ สัมบุญณานนท์ (khamron sambunnanon)
album: คนบ้ากัญชา (khon ba kancha)
tracklist:
01. มนต์การเมือง (mon kan mueang)
02. คนแก่โลก (khon kae lok)
03. ชีวิตคำรณ (chiwit khamron)
04. ขวานทองของไทย (khwan thong khong thai)
05. ไอ้ทุยแถลงการณ์ (ai thui thalaeng kan)
06. คนบ้ากัญชา (khon ba kancha)
07. กระท่อมกัญชา (krathom kancha)
08. ชีวิตครู (chiwit khru)
09. หนุ่มเหนือแอ่วนาง (num nuea aeo nang)
10. น้ำตาเสือตก (nam ta suea tok)

this week's cassette is part of a generous bequest gifted to us by educator cliff sloane, a former professor of ethnomusicology and founder of asianclassicalmp3.org, a major influence behind this blog.

today, we'll hear from mr. khamron sambunnanon, singing songs of crooked politicians and ganja madmen! hailing from bangkok's chinatown, khamron sang what were called at the time phleng talat ("market songs"), as his lyrics were among the earliest examples of thai pop music to feature tales of common people; farmers, day laborers, and even more marginal figures like gamblers, vagrants, outlaws and drug addicts. because of this, khamron is considered by many to be the very first singer of luk thung, and many of the great luk thung stars of the 60s and 70s fondly recall singing along to khamron's songs during their formative years. this album, from the bangkok cassette co., ltd. (currently existing as maemaiplengthai), contains several songs that i've shared before on various collections over the years, but once again shouldn't hurt.. enjoy!

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khon dan kwian: ai khong

artist: คนด่านเกวียน (khon dan kwian)
album: ไอ้โข่ง (ai khong)
tracklist:
01. ล้างลิ้นคอยเลีย (lang lin khoi lia)
02. ไอ้โข่ง (ai khong)
03. มะหน่อ (mano)
04. นางแบบ (nang baep)
05. ถังแตก (thang taek)
06. ลอยลมบน (loi lom bon)
07. หำน้อย (ham noi)
08. ข่าวเก่า (khao kao)
09. คนขายไข่ (khon khai khai)
10. คนด่านเกวียน (khon dan kwian)

this week, some classic thai rock music, courtesy of the khon dan kwian band! fronted by "siphueak" isara anantathat, a native of bueng kan, khon dan kwian were among the first wave of prominent phuea chiwit groups. phuea chiwit or "songs for life" is a genre of (usually) politically engaged popular music, with roots in thailand's 70s protest movement and a musical grounding in anglo/american folk-rock from bob dylan to traffic. siphueak, a veteran of the 14 october 1973 popular uprising and the communist party of thailand, founded the band in 1983 and together with the legendary carabao helped bring phuea chiwit music to the mainstream, blending their international folk-rock origins with luk thung's latin dance rhythms and indigenous melodies. this cassette features their fourth album from 1987. enjoy!

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a. thonghuat faithet: diao.. so chut... lam san lam sing maha man

artist: อ. ทองฮวด ฝ่ายเทศ (a. thonghuat faithet)
album: เดี่ยว.. ซอ ชุด... ลำสั้นลำซิ่งมหามันส์ (diao.. so chut... lam san lam sing maha man)
tracklist:
01. ลำสั้นลำซิ่งมหามันส์ (lam san lam sing maha man)
02. บักสองสาว (bak song sao)
03. ผีแถน (phi thaen)
04. สาวขอนแก่น (sao khon kaen)
05. ลมพัดพร้าวสาวภูพาน (lom phat phrao sao phu phan)
06. รำแคน (ram khaen)
07. ซอเขมร (so khmer)
08. แห่ปราสาทผึ้ง (hae prasat phueng)
09. งิ้วต่องต้อน (ngio tong ton)
10. ไทยเดิมผสม (thai doem phasom)
11. ซอ..ลาอาลัย (so.. la alai)

this week, the famous northeast fiddle sound of thonghuat faithet! hailing from mahasarakham province, thonghuat left school at the age of 14 to train under somphon naksiso, or "mo so", a master of the northeastern so fiddle in the employ of the pathumrat mahori orchestra of roi-et. thonghuat developed a uniquely expressive style, imparting a voice-like quality to his playing that was said to make the intrument "laugh" or "cry". he became a sought-after studio musician (particularly for the label uea ari) appearing on tracks with luk thung singers and molam alike and recording many of the most iconic fiddle lines in thai popular music¹.

for more information on achan thonghuat, check out the compilation diew sor isan from zudrangma and em records, with liner notes by chris menist!

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prathuam sukhothai: lae rueang phra chao achattasattru

artist: ประทวน สุโขทัย (prathuam sukhothai)
album: แหล่ เรื่อง พระเจ้าอชาตศัตรู (lae rueang phra chao achattasattru)
tracklist:
01. แหล่ เรื่อง พระเจ้าอชาตศัตรู ตอน 1 (lae rueang phra chao achattasattru, vol. 1)
02. แหล่ เรื่อง พระเจ้าอชาตศัตรู ตอน 2 (lae rueang phra chao achattasattru, vol. 2)

in the hopes that everyone will pardon a long holiday break, we're back today with a personal favorite of mine: fantastic lae from prathuam sukhothai! this one is a bit unique in my collection: i've heard plenty of completely unadorned lae, and plenty of pop-lae (à la waiphot phetsuphan), but i haven't heard much of this particular style; with a half-sung/half-chanted vocal line and piphat backing. the text, written by achan khaemthong, concerns the story from the samaññaphala sutta of king achattasattru (ajatashatru), an early buddhist convert. no biographical info about mr. prathuam was forthcoming, so if you have any please share! in the meantime.. enjoy!

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