I fell in love with Luk Thung the moment I first heard it. Luk Thung or Thai country music was enjoying a revival when I first arrived in Thailand in the early 1990s. Folk artists sing it with a characteristic vibrato, a sad quiver in the voice like theyre about to cry, which makes sense since the lyrics are mostly about how hard life is in the rural areas. When I moved to Thailand twenty years ago, the superstar, the Queen of Luk Thung music just died. Pumpuang Duangjan grew up poor, working in sugarcane fields in the countryside. She later won in many local singing competitions with her piercing vibrato often reaching wailing heights. Although loved by millions of fans, according to Wikipedia, her music career was marred by Pumpuangs lovers, managers, and promoters, who deprived her of her earnings, to the extent that she could not afford treatment for a blood disorder that eventually caused her death at the age of 30. The King of Luk-Thung music also died a tragic death. Surapon Sombadchareon was performing in a concert in the countryside when he was shot by the jealous husband of one of his lovers. I read somewhere that traditional Thai music is like China and India meeting at a crossroad. Below is one of my favorite Luk Thung music, sang by Got Jakrapun, the Diamond Prince of Luk Thung music. The young man in this song is in love with the moonlight. I love this song mak mak!
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 07:11:40 +0000
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