maholan ngan buat, vol. 2

artist(s): various
album: มโหฬารงานบวช ชุด 2 (maholan ngan buat, vol. 2)
tracklist:
01. บวชนาคมหาสนุก (buat nak mahasanuk)
sung by ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan)
02. เชิญร่วมขบวนแห่นาค (choen ruam khabuan hae nak)
sung by ชาย เมืองสิงห์ (chai mueangsing)
03. รำวงงานบวช (ramwong ngan buat)
sung by โฆษิต นพคุณ (khosit nopphakhun)
04. ดีใจลูกได้บวช (di chai luk dai buat)
sung by กาเหว่า เสียงทอง (kawao siangthong)
05. บวชนาคหมู่ (buat nak mu)
sung by ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan)
06. แผ่นดินธรรมแผ่นดินทอง (phaen din tham phaen din thong)
sung by ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan)
07. ยอดรักลาบวช (yotrak la buat)
sung by ยอดรัก สลักใจ (yotrak salakchai)
08. เห็นนาคโกนหัว (hen nak kon hua)
sung by ขวัญจิต ศรีประจันต์ (khwanchit siprachan)
09. หนุ่มน้อยลาบวช (num noi la buat)
sung by ยงยุทธ เชี่ยวชาญชัย (yongyut chieowchanchai)
10. เชิญมาทำบุญ (choen ma tham bun)
sung by ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan)

with apologies for letting my post-ratio slide as of late, i'm happy to report that i've just got back from thailand with a stack of great acquisitions, as well as a beautiful nakamichi bx-150 cassette deck, so be sure to stay tuned for a slew of wonderful new offerings here in days to come! today, we'll hear the first of these recent finds: an excellent compilation of religiously-themed classics from a group of luk thung luminaries. big drums and a range of differing musical combos converge with star singers like waiphot, yotrak, khwanchit & the "man city lion" to bring about the exciting and convivial atmosphere of a thai buddhist ordination. enjoy!

preview:

waiphot phetsuphan & kaeo sarika

artists: ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ + แก้ว สาริกา (waiphot phetsuphan & kaeo sarika)
album: พุทธประวัติ ชุด 4: แหล่เที่ยวเมืองสุพรรณ (phuttha prawat, vol. 4; lae thieow mueang suphan)
tracklist:
01. แหล่เที่ยวเมืองสุพรรณ (lae thieow mueang suphan)
02. ชูชกพาสองกุมารตอนจบ (chu chok pha song kuman ton chop)
03. สารวันดิสโก้ (sarawan disco)
04. แหล่ชมสาวบางกอก (lae chom sao bangkok)
05. แหล่ชีวิตไวพจน์ (lae chiwit waiphot)
06. แหล่ปลาหมอ ปลาทู (lae pla mo, pla thu)
07. แหล่ตำนานพระปฐมเจดีย์ (lae tamnan phra pathom chedi)

this week, music from the king of lae, waiphot phetsuphan!  hailing from central thailand's suphan buri province, waiphot has for nearly half a century been among the biggest names in luk thung.  born into a musical family, waiphot was trained from the age of 2 in a range of local styles.  at 14 he joined a local liké theatre troupe, and at 16 won his first song contest.  he was discovered shortly after by singer chaichana bunnachot, who introduced him to ruam daokrachai bandleader samniang muangthong.  waiphot was greatly respected by audiences and fellow singers alike for his expertise in traditional forms and his uniquely powerful voice.  this cassette, with side 2 featuring one of his prominent latter-day proteges, kaeo sarika, is a collection of lae focusing on his home province.  the styles range from low-key ballads to up-tempo disco numbers, all imbued with lae rhythm & inflection.  enjoy!!

waiphot phetsuphan: sarawan ramwong

artist: ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan)
album: สาระวันรำวง (sarawan ramwong)
tracklist:
01. สาระวันรำวง (sarawan ramwong)
02. รักพิลึก (rak philuek)
03. หน้าด้านหน้าทน (na dan na thon)
04. แม่คนเก๋ (mae khon ke)
05. แม่สาวคนโก้ (mae sao khon ko)
06. ขวัญใจคนจร (khwanchai khon chon)
featuring ขวัญจิต ศรีประจันต์ (khwanchit siphrachan)
07. พ่อเพลงพบรัก (pho phleng phop rak)
08. แม่ฟังเลี่ยมทอง (mae fang liam thong)
09. นะหน้าทอง (na na thong)
10. อุ้มช้างอาบน้ำ (um chang ap nam)
11. เพลงใหม่ไวพจน์ (phleng mai waiphot)
12. คนเร่หนัง (khon re nang)

this week, some excellent old roots music from the mighty waiphot phetsuphan! a national artist and luk thung boss nonpareil, waiphot has been a staple of the thai country music scene for half a century. born into a musical family from central thailand's suphanburi province, waiphot was trained from a toddler's age in a range of local styles. at 14 he joined a local liké theatre troupe, and at 16 won his first song contest. he was discovered shortly after by singer chaichana bunnachot, who introduced him to samniang muangthong, leader of the ruam daokrachai band. waiphot's powerful voice and spiritual focus have made him one of the most enduring and omnipresent characters of thai popular music. this cassette features several welcome surprises including a guest apparance by mae khwanchit siprachan and some unusual (for the time) molam-style khaen introductions.. enjoy!!

preview:

waiphot phetsuphan: plong tok

artist: ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan)

album: ปลงตก (plong tok)

tracklist: 

01. ปลงตก (plong tok)

02. แก้มตุ่ย (kaem tui)

03. บอกให้เอาบุญ (bok hai ao bun)

04. ข้อยซิฮักเจ้าหลาย (khoi si hak chao lai)

05. กฐินลูกทุ่ง (kathin luk thung)

06. ปลงตก (ดนตรี) (plong tok (instrumental))

07. สำเนียงอยู่ไหน (samniang yu nai)

08. ระบำชาวไร้ (rabam chao rai)

09. เมียรอคิว (mia ro queue)

10. แม่แก้วลืมดง (mae kaeo luem dong)

11. ลิเกมาแล้ว (like ma laeo)

12. แก้มตุ่ย (ดนตรี) (kaem tui (instrumental))

this week, a fantastic offering from the mighty waiphot phetsuphan! a national artist and luk thung boss nonpareil, waiphot has been a staple of the thai country music scene for half a century. born into a musical family from central thailand's suphanburi province, waiphot was trained from a toddler's age in a range of local styles. at 14 he joined a local liké theatre troupe, and at 16 won his first song contest. he was discovered shortly after by singer chaichana bunnachot, who introduced him to samniang muangthong, leader of the ruam daokrachai band. waiphot's powerful voice and spiritual focus have made him one of the most enduring and omnipresent characters of thai popular music. this tape alone should put to rest any doubts of his deserving such a post. enjoy!!

preview:

waiphot phetsuphan: ruam tham bun

singer: ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan)
album: รวมทำบุญ (ruam tham bun)
tracklist:
01. รวมทำบุญ (ruam tham bun)
02. ทำบุญกันบ้าง (tham bun kan bang)
03. ขอบอกลาบวช (kho bok la buat)
04. นาคคนจน (nakh khon chon)
05. บวชนาคร่วมสนุก (buat nakh ruam sanuk)
06. เบิกบายศรี (boek bai si)
07. บวชสมบูรณ์แบบ (buat sombun baep)
08. อย่าลืมงานบวช (ya luem ngan buat)
09. เลือดนอกคอก (lueat nok khok)
10. น้ำใจแม่ (nam chai mae)
11. จองไว้ก่อน (chong wai kon)
12. แตรวง (traewong)

waiphot phetsuphan is one of thailand's most enduring stars, and deservedly so! instantly recognizable, his husky voice ranks alongside khun suraphon's as among the most powerful in luk thung, and he holds his own as both a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist as well. after getting his start in the 60's, waiphot took up the mantle of religious singer midway through his career, and began focusing his lyrical content on the life of a good buddhist; this album in particular is full of songs about the joys of young monkhood, nostalgic remembrances of temple fairs, and reminders not to forget your rice offerings! the music is an nice mix of temple drums & drum machine, xylophone & synth, thai melody & western beat, etc. charming and upbeat throughout!

waiphot phetsuphan: la buat 20 pi thong

artist: ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan)
album: ลาบวช 20 ปีทอง (la buat 20 pi thong)
tracklist:
01. ไวพจน์ลาบวช 21 มิถุนา (waiphot la buat 21 mithuna)
02. ไวพจน์ลาบวช (waiphot la buat)
03. ต้นฉบับลาบวช (ton chabap la buat)
04. โห่ 3 ลา ไวพจน์กลองยาว (ho 3 la, waiphot klong yao)
05. เบิกบายศรี (โห่ ลา) (boek bai si (ho, la))
06. ทำขวัญนาค (tham khwan nak)
07. บวชพระดีกว่า (buat phra di kwa)
08. กล่อมใจนาค (klom chai nak)
09. ก่องข้าวน้อยฆ่าแม่ (kong khao noi kha mae)
10. แหล่ลำนำอิสาน (lae lamnam isan)

any fan of vintage thai music ought to know the word ton chabap... meaning "original", this is typically a sure sign that you'll be getting the old-school sounds you're after, not re-performed or adulterated with new bass lines, drum machines or so on.  except in this instance.  i was probably too excited by waiphot's fancy robe & bald pate that i didn't read closely enough, as it turns out the cover (rather honestly) advertises "original lyrics" only!  but the biggest surprise of all?  i don't mind in the least.  that's because on this time the new sounds come courtesy of a full isan music combo... that means electric phin shredding, classic northeastern bass & liberal use of cowbell.  as far as i knew waiphot had never performed in this style, so enjoy this rare look into his classic lae tracks, isan-ified!

preview:
  MRPT156 by monrakplengthai

waiphot phetsuphan: lae prawat phumphuang

artist: ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan)
album: แหล่ประวัติพุ่มพวง (lae prawat phumphuang)
tracklist:
01. แหล่ประวัติพุ่มพวง ตอน 1 (lae prawat phumphuang, pt. 1)
02. แหล่ประวัติพุ่มพวง ตอน 2 (lae prawat phumphuang, pt. 2)

the death of phumphuang duangchan in 1992 was a big deal.  she was the singer who reversed the decline of luk thung in the 80's and redefined notions of stardom in thailand.  the much-beloved star's early passing at the age of 31 was undoubtedly something to be mourned.  her funeral merited a royal cremation ceremony and attendance levels unheard of for a commoner, and her shrine at wat thap kradan in her home province still attracts legions of followers, hoping to win luck from her spirit.  on today's cassette, her former mentor chants a nearly hour-long eulogy to the memory his most famous pupil.  even putting aside the close relationship between the two singers, waiphot, the king of lae, is uniquely qualified for this undertaking.. have a listen...

preview:
  MRPT159 by monrakplengthai

mon pleng khru phaibun butkhan chut 3

singers: various
album: มนต์เพลง ครูไพบูลย์ บุตรขัน ชุด 3 (mon pleng khru phaibun butkhan chut 3)
tracklist:
01. น้ำค้างเดือนหก (nam khang duean hok)
sung by สุรชัย สมบัติเจริญ (surachai sombatcharoen)
02. รักจนหมดใจ (rak chon mot chai)
sung by กุ้ง สุธิราช วงศ์เทวัญ (kung suthirat wongthewan)
03. เบ้าหลอมดวงใจ (bao lom duang chai)
sung by เอกชัย ศรีวิชัย (ekachai siwichai)
04. มนต์รักลูกทุ่ง (mon rak luk thung)
sung by รุ่ง สุริยา (rung suriya)
05. ขวัญใจคนจน (khwanchai khon chon)
sung by สดใส รุ่งโพธิ์ทอง (sodsai rungphothong)
06. บ้านไร่น่ารัก (ban rai na rak)
sung by ยอดรัก สลักใจ (yodrak salakchai)
07. มือพี่มีพลัง (mue phi mi phalang)
sung by ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan)
08. กลิ่นโคลนสาบควาย (klin khlon sap khwai)
sung by เสรีย์ รุ่งสว่าง (seri rungsawang)
09. น้ำท่วม (nam thuam)
sung by สายัณห์ สัญญา (sayan sanya)
10. ลำดวนเอ๋ย (lam duanoei)
sung by เพลิน พรมแดน (phloen phromdaen)
11. บ้านนาป่าร้าง (ban na pa rang)
sung by ชัยชนะ บุญนะโชติ (chaichana bunnachot)
12. น้ำลงเดือนยี่ (nam long duean yi)
sung by รุ่งเพชร แหลมสิงห์ (rungphet laemsing)
13. บ้านสาวโสด (ban sao sot)
sung by สุดา ศรีลำดวน (suda silamduan)
14. อันเป็นดวงใจ (an pen duang chai)
sung by คัทลียา มารศรี (khataliya marasi)

this tape is very special to me.. it was my first real exposure to thai pop music! alexandra & i came upon it at a (now defunct) thai memorabilia store in manhattan's chinatown, and of course i knew nothing about the contents, but our roy orbison-looking friend on the cover convinced me to grab it. as it turns out, the gentleman with the dark glasses is none other than phaibun butkhan, the legendary luk thung songwriter who brought us mon rak luk thung (the theme of which is featured again here)! this tape features renderings of some of his greatest tunes, by stars from almost every generation, from the 60's to the (then-)present, from chaichana & waiphot to yodrak & sayan, all the way to surachai sombatcharoen (son of suraphon). the production, while unmistakably a product of the 90's, manages to remain understated, and besides the fantastic vocals, there are some great passages of accordion & horn. hope you enjoy!

phumphuang duangchan: kaeo ro phi

artist: พุ่มพวง ดวงจันทร์ (phumphuang duangchan)

album: แก้วรอพี่ (kaeo ro phi)

tracklist: 

01. แก้วรอพี่ (kaeo ro phi)

02. น้ำตาไหลซึม (nam ta lai suem)

03. สาวร้อยเอ็ด (sao roi et)

04. รักไม่อันตราย (rak mai antarai)

05. สงสารคุณน้า (songsan khun na)

06. สวยบริสุทธิ์ (suai borisut)

07. น้ำใจคำแก้ว (nam chai kham kaeo)

08. น้ำตาลูกแม่ย่า (nam ta luk mae ya)

09. ดวงจันทร์ไม่มี (duangchan mai mi)

10. พ่อไม่ยอม (pho mai yom)

11. ใจมองตา (chai mong ta)

12. คนคู่ควาย (khon khu khwai)

after this long vacation, let's get back to righting a persistent wrong at this blog... i refer, of course, to the under-representation of phumphuang duangchan, the woman who revitalized luk thung in the 1980's and redefined notions of stardom in thailand.  this cassette takes us straight back to phumphuang's early days as "namphueng mueangsuphan" in waiphot phetsuphan's band.  none of these songs rank among her biggest hits, although the lead single has gotten a bit more well-known recently after its prominent role in the singer's 2011 biopic.  i like them quite a lot; a very different setting for a singer typically thought of as upbeat and sexy.. no small amount of phongsi woranut influence showing, either.  enjoy!

preview:

MRPT164 by monrakplengthai

luk thung nai adit, vol. 2: waeo siang sueng

artist: various 
album: ลูกทุ่งในอดีต ชุด 2 แว่วเสียงซึง (luk thung nai adit, vol. 2: waeo siang sueng) 
tracklist: 
01. สมัครรักสมัครแฟน (samak rak samak faen) 
sung by ชาตรี ศรีชล (chatri sichon) 
02. สมัครรักมักไม่จริง (samak rak mak mai ching) 
sung by วันเพ็ญ เดือนสิบสอง (wanphen dueansipsong) 
03. เหมือนข้าวคอยเคียว (muean khao khoi khiao) 
sung by เพลินพิศ พูนชนะ (phloenphit phunchana) 
04. แสบหัวใจ (saep hua chai) 
sung by พรชัย สร้อยเพชร (phonchai soiphet) 
05. รักกับพี่ดีแน่ (rak kap phi di nae) 
sung by ดำ แดนสุพรรณ (dam daensuphan) 
06. ถึงพี่จะดำ (thueng phi cha dam) 
sung by ดำ แดนสุพรรณ (dam daensuphan) 
07. ยิ้มแป้น (yim paen) 
sung by พจน์ พนาวัน (phot phanawan) 
08. เพชฌฆาตใจ (phetchakhat chai) 
sung by ชินกร ไกรลาศ (chinnakon krailat) 
09. โฉมนาง (chom nang) 
sung by ชาตรี ศรีชล (chatri sichon) 
10. รอยรักรอยมลทิน (roi rak roi monthin) 
sung by ไพรวัลย์ ลูกเพชร (phraiwan lukphet) 
11. แว่วเสียงซึง (waeo siang sueng) 
sung by เรียม ดาราน้อย (riam daranoi) 
12. หยุดก่อนผู้ชายเจ้าชู้ (yut kon phu chai chao chu) 
sung by เรียม ดาราน้อย (riam daranoi) 
13. เมียพี่มีชู้ (mia phi mi chu) 
sung by ชาย เมืองสิงห์ (chai mueangsing) 
14. รักที่เท่าไหร่ (rak thi thao rai) 
sung by หนุ่ม เมืองไพร (num mueangphrai) 
15. แบ่งสมบัติ (baeng sombat) 
sung by ไวพจน์ เพชรสุพรรณ (waiphot phetsuphan) 
16. เบี่ยงสมบัติ (biang sombat) 
sung by สุทธิพันธ์ รักวงศ์ (sutthiphan rakwong) 
17. อีแม๊ะ (imae) 
sung by ระพิน ภูไท (raphin phuthai) 
18. ช้ำรักจากเมืองชล (cham rak chak mueang chon) 
sung by ชาตรี ศรีชล (chatri sichon) 
19. ไม่เสียใจหรอก (mai sia chai rok) 
sung by หนุ่ม เมืองไพร (num mueangphrai) 

this week, an amazing collection of golden-age luk thung! dating mostly from the early '70s, this tape from nok kaeo (parrot records) features vinyl-sourced evergreen hits from the post-suraphon generation of stars, as well as some gender-swapping answer-songs and even a couple of left-field selections i wasn't familiar with before. a range of the era's prominent sub-styles are represented here; from slow, sweet ballads to heavy, khaen-driven samai onwong productions to bollywood filmi borrowings. not sure i could dream up a better introduction to the period myself, so.. enjoy!

[i have to note, though.. it seems the compilers and the graphic designers weren't on the same page, as our man in the bottom-right corner, the late great sonphet sonsuphan, is nowhere to be found on the album itself!]

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!

preview:

phumphuang duangchan: wai na rak

artist: พุ่มพวง ดวงจันทร์ (phumphuang duangchan)

album: วัยน่ารัก (wai na rak)

tracklist:

01. วัยน่ารัก (way na rak)

02. ชู้รัก ชู้รส (chu rak, chu rot)

03. เมาเลยพี่ (mao loei phi)

04. แพงแพ้แพง (phaeng phae phaeng)

05. หนีรัก (ni rak)

06. ช้ำเพราะพี่ (cham phro phi)

07. ตาจ้องตา (ta chong ta)

08. ฉันทนไม่ไหว (chan thon mai wai)

09. ใครคนหนึ่ง (khrai khon nueng)

10. วอนพระช่วยดล (won phra chuai don)

11. สาวเอย สาวเจ้า (sao oei, sao chao)

12. แม่หม้ายสงคราม (mae mai songkhram)

13. วิวาห์อาลัย (wiwa alai)

14. น้องแดง (nong daeng)

15. ทำใจเย็น (tham chai yen)

16. เป้งเข้าหน้าแง (peng khao na ngae)

once more, the queen of luk thung, ms. phumphuang duangchan! from her early days as "namphueng mueangsuphan" in waiphot phetsuphan's band to her tragic death at 31, phumphuang helped revitalize luk thung in the 1980s and redefine notions of stardom in thailand. the songs on today's cassette are not among her most well-known, but there are still some great moments. enjoy!

preview:

phumphuang duangchan: x.o.

artist: พุ่มพวง ดาวจันทร์ (phumphuang duangchan)

album: เอ็กซ์โอ (x.o.)

tracklist:

01. หน้าอย่างเธอจะรักใครจริง (na yang thoe cha rak khrai ching)

02. แม่ร้อยใจ (mae roi chai)

03. อ.ส. รอรัก (o.s. ro rock)

04. สาวนาคอยคู่ (sao na khoi khu)

05. เกลียดได้เกลียดไป (kliat dai kliat pai)

06. ตุ๊กตาใจดำ (tukta chai dam)

07. ทำบุญร่วมชาติ (tham bun ruam chat)

08. ทหารเกณฑ์ ผลัด 2 (thahan ken phlat 2)

09. แหม่มปลาร้า (ma'am pla ra)

10. นางกวักมหาเสน่ห์ (nang kwak maha sane)

any fan of thai pop music has surely heard of phumphuang duangchan, the woman who revitalized luk thung in the 1980's and redefined notions of stardom in thailand.  phumphuang got her start as "namphueng mueangsuphan" in waiphot phetsuphan's band, though it was her eventual pairing with songwriter lop burirat that brought her to fame.  i'm imagining the music on this tape shortly predates her bigger hits; while the sound is definitely more internationally-minded, big-band disco grooves & chorus, it doesn't yet have the fully integrated pop style that would make her later material so memorable.  the selections here are mostly covers of well-known tunes, the work of songwriters chonlathi thanthong & surin phaksiri, including songs from the mon rak luk thung soundtrack and some made famous by sayan sanya.  enjoy!

preview:

  MRPT154 by monrakplengthai

luk thung: classic & obscure 78s from the thai countryside

hope everyone will forgive a moment of self-promotion here:
the album that david murray & i (& many others!) have been working on is finally available on dust-to-digital/parlortone records! compiled from dave's incredible collection of 78s, this album features 14 beautifully-restored classic early-60's luk thung recordings from the likes of suraphon sombatcharoen, waiphot phetsuphan, phloen phromdaen, suchat thianthong & many more! none of these songs have ever been available outside of thailand before (and few have even seen re-release domestically!). they represent a critical moment in luk thung's history, when internationally-minded pop stars began looking to local folk sounds for inspiration. as a result, you'll hear wild accordions & latin horn sections mingling with thai hand drums & finger cymbals, while singers wail & swagger about life's simple joys & struggles. the lp is pressed on high-quality vinyl with a 6-page full-color insert filled with history & images. if you're without turntable, the album can also be got on itunes and amazon! i hope everyone will check it out, i can't recommend it highly enough!

order here!

preview:
Phloen Phromdaen – “Ruedu Haeng Khwam Rak (Season of Love)” by dusttodigital

phumphuang duangchan: hang noi, thoi nit

singer: พุ่มพวง ดวงจันทร์ (phumphuang duangchan)

album: ห่างหน่อย-ถอยนิด (hang noi, thoi nit)
tracklist:
01. ห่างหน่อย-ถอยนิด (hang noi, thoi nit)
02. ผู้ชายในฝัน (phu chai nai fan)
03. หนาวสองหน้า (nao song na)
04. สาว เอ.เอ็ม. (sao a.m.)
05. ผู้ชายท้ายบัญชี (phu chai thai banchi)
06. เปิดประตูใจ (poet pratu chai)

most anyone with a passing interest in thai popular culture, maybe even thailand in general, is likely to have heard of the "queen of luk thung", phumphuang duangchan. raised in suphan buri province, phumphuang got her start singing backup in the band of waiphot phetsuphan, before striking off on her own career which would redefine the notion of stardom in luk thung. this album is her first as a contract star for azona records, and her first to experiment with a western pop/rock sound, with each single being carried by a different lead melodic instrument; saxophone, accordion, synthesizer, strings, electric guitar, etc. though the first 2 tracks were the singles pushed by azona, track 3, "sao a.m.", emerged as the real hit among her audience, an energetic luk thung anthem concerning the rural/urban cultural divide. this is from the original pressing of the album, before azona pushed for political inserts like สยามเมืองยิ้ม (sayam mueang yim), "siam, land of smiles", perhaps to counter the outspoken & possibly divisive "sao a.m.". 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!

thotsaphon himaphan: alai meri

artist: ทศพล หิมพานต์ (thotsaphon himaphan)
album: อาลัยเมรี (alai meri)
tracklist:
01. แหล่อาลัยเมรี (lae alai meri)
02. แหล่เตือนหญิงหม้าย (lae tuean ying mai)
03. แหล่มัทรีรำพัน (lae mathri ramphan)
04. แหล่มัทรีโศก (lae mathri sok)
05. แหล่สี่กษัตริย์เดินดง (lae si kasat doen dong)
06. แหล่นาคสั่งสีกา (lae nak sang si ka)
07. แหล่ชมนก (lae chom nok)
08. แหล่สอนหญิง (lae son ying)
09. แหล่หอยโข่ง ตอน 1 (lae hoi khong, pt. 1)
10. แหล่หอยโข่ง ตอน 2 (lae hoi khong, pt. 2)

this week, a classic cassette from lae star thotsaphon himaphan! hailing from the northerly kamphaengphet province, thotsaphon had an agricultural upbringing before joining the monkhood as a young man. while a monk, his expertise in chant and sermonizing had already earned him wide recognition in his home region. in between his times at temple, thotsaphon earned a living by singing in clubs and at buddhist ordination ceremonies. eventually he was invited to perform with star singer wanchana koetdi, a connection that led to him being signed to four 's^[1]. in 1995 he released this cassette, his first and biggest-seller, featuring songs from daeng phalanchai in a lae-luk thung style like that made famous by waiphot phetsuphan, with whom thotsaphon would later collaborate. a spiritually-oriented pop sound, with an extremely ornamented vocal line recalling the sermon style of north/northeastern monks.. enjoy!

phumphuang duangchan: phumphuang lai pho.so.

artist: พุ่มพวง ดวงจันทร์ (phumphuang duangchan)
album: พุ่มพวงหลาย พ.ศ. (phumphuang lai pho.so.)
tracklist:
01. เงินน่ะมีใหม? (ngoen na mi mai?)
02. ฉันเปล่านา...เขามาเอง (chan plao na... khao ma eng)
03. พี่ไปดู หนูไปด้วย (phi pai du, nu pai duai)
04. หนูไม่เอา (nu mai ao)
05. อะไรจะขนาดนั้น (arai cha khanat nan)
06. สองฝั่งโขง (song fang khong)
07. อีกหน่อยก็ลืม (ik noi ko luem)
08. เท่...ระเบิด (the... raboet)
09. นางสาวยี่ส่าย (nang sao yi sai)
10. พี่จ๋าหนาวไหม (phi cha nao mai)
11. คืนนี้เมื่อปีกลาย (khuen muea pi klai)
12. ขอให้โสดทีเถอะ (kho hai sot thi thoe)
13. ตั๊กแตนผูกโบ (takkataen phuk bow)
14. ทีเด็ดพุ่มพวง (thi det phumphuang)
15. นึกถึงบ้างเน้อ (nuek thueng bang noe)
16. พี่ จ. หลายใจ (phi cho. lai chai)

this week, some later-era hits from the "queen of luk thung": the one-and-only phumphuang duangchan! a native of suphan buri and protégé of waiphot phetsuphan, phumphuang shot to fame with her string of classic albums for azona records throughout the '80s. this 1990 collection, although released under her (then-current) imprint, topline music, actually repackages hits from her "phumphuang '31" and "phumphuang '32" ('88 and '89) albums with musicline. while the production is more computerized than in her earlier days, the arrangements (courtesy of azona holdover anek rungrueang) tie everything together, making for still more iconic luk thung pop.. enjoy!