Here I am spending the past few days in the snowy and cold weather of the East Coast, it is only after enduring this weather that I dearly long for the warmer climate of Long Beach and California where I could still enjoy wearing my favorite short sleeve shirt and my worn out flip flop while taking a stroll along Anaheim Boulevard.
On the other hand, I am also grateful to be able to spend these few days with a lovely elderly lady who shared with me her life story of Cambodia’s countryside circa the end of the French colonial era. Although it was a different time, the description she gave me of her life is not too far different from what life is right now in certain part of Cambodia. As she described to me about sharing a ride on the back a buffalo with her father – him sitting in front, her standing up on the buffalo while holding to dear life grasping onto her father’s shoulder and peering behind his head as they crossed the dry rice fields looking for a water hole to bathe their buffalo – I couldn’t help but reminisce about my own childhood spent at my Grandmother’s village somewhere close to the border with Vietnam. At about 4 PM or so, after the scorching sun has relented somewhat, all of us children would gather in group and wander around in the fields. If lucky, we could see a stork standing in the small pond near the village and we would all surround the pond to make a loud noise to scare the bird so that it would majestically soar into the sky.
Of course, one song always comes to my mind as I recall this scene:
Chhun Vanna – Kok Heur Ter Eng (The lonely flying stork)
I have to admit that English was foreign to me before I left Cambodia. The only English words I’ve ever recalled from my childhood days in Cambodia was “Holiday, I love you”. I learned them while listening to Ms. Chhuon Malay’s song “Holiday”. Of course, not knowing its meaning and unable to find somebody to explain to me what it means, with a few friends, we would wait to find Caucasian foreigners wandering the streets of our neighborhood and then, like idiots, we would approach them and tell them: “Holiday, I love you”, thinking that it was something cool to say while the foreigners looked at us, puzzled.
Chhuon Malay – Holiday
As today is the last day of the year and of the decade, please allow me to share with you these two lovely songs from Sin Sisamouth, the second of which is the original song of Lav Leuk interpreted by Ms. Chhun Vanna which I presented in an earlier post.
Sin Sisamouth – Oh! Chet Kh-nhom (Oh! My feelings)
Sin Sisamouth – Poeung Nheat (Counting on relatives and friends)
By now, you may have wondered if listening to Khmer Oldies is all that this dinosaur is spending his leisure time on. In fact, my musical interest is quite eclectic, ranging from New Age to Rock. Before we part, please find below a lovely “jazzy” song from Ok Sokun Kanha: “Saxophone Batt Snaeh” (Loveless Saxophone). How I wish she would dedicate more time to this type of music.
Until next time, Happy New Year! And love with all your might, live with all your life for “It takes a minute to have a crush on someone, an hour to like someone and a day to love someone - but it takes a lifetime to forget someone [if you ever can]”
P from Long Beach
P from Long Beach
6 comments:
Dear Lok P from LB,
Thanks you so much for your beautiful old songs, especially "Holiday" of Chhoun Malay. I have been long to hear this song for a very long time and had very similar experience like you. This 2011 start so well for me with the song to take me back with a wonderful happy memory of my childhood. I love to hear more of this female artist's voice if you would not mind to share.
The passing of Bronstein, the Canadian Mother Teresa reminds me of the heroic action on all beings who have done so much to save mankind.
Even just a small gesture of sharing and helping other to be happy is a starting point.
May New Year 2011 bring you happiness and fulfillment in your life regardless love or career.
Please accept my sincere gratitude and appreciation for sharing the songs.
Yeay Tep
Yeay Tep,
Thanks for your kinds' word for
GP-LB. GP - don't worry, it has been a lot of rain on this side of the country as well! Better stay where you are...Anaheim Blvd. still here when you're back!
Ok GP-LB, I like the Saxophone...modern khmer music is getting better:~)
Wishing 2011 will bring yeay tep and GP-LB joy, health, success and many blesses throughout the year.
Regards,
Generation X
Mr. P,
Thank you so much once again for having shared your interesting childhood story and the beautiful songs of the old days.
Happy New Year to you and your family.
Anet Khmer
saxophone batt snaeh, ahhh...sounds good...
I heard another version of this song from Long Beach...
http://www.youtube.com/user/apsaravideo#p/u/11/beuI7vakrPs
I love both versions and am thinking of my own version.
Thanks.
"..Beur aun ban ke neak bang euy kuok troong sday krauy..". we khmer love the dramatic don't we! truly
unforgettable words from Chhun Vanna (and Meas Hok Seng who as we know has his own version). Chhmar.
My feat
When I was a young one less than 10 years old. Let me say I was a country boy, not city dweller. Hunting with a sling shot was the only hi tech weapon back then. Or throwing a stick at flying birds in hope of connecting one to bring it down for meat.
There was this bird, best I can describe it is a sand dipper. It stick its beaks into the dirt for worms. It blended into it surrounding so well was hard to detect to make a kill on ground. When it take wings a person try his best to connect in flight with a single sling ball. I got lucky one time brought one down. And when I go to fetch it, a crab staked its claim on my prize. Crab and I had a hot dispute as to who's right the bird belongs to. I think I got them both.
I sure like to hear a song with a bird sound call, sat ta wow? Something like that. I came across the bird sound in youtube video one time. I know one of the oldies has a recording with the bird sound in the music. I have no idea of the song title.
Post a Comment