Dear Readers and Lotus Revolution Movement Members,
After reading countless lengthy declarations issued by the Khmer Lotus Revolution Movement and listening to its drone-like messages on Youtube that are preceded by 1970-era military music, it occurred to me that this movement is in real need of sprucing up its public image.
Honestly speaking, it seems to me that whoever is/are being this movement is/are frozen solid in the Lon Nol-era. While I understand his/their good intention for the sake of Cambodia and her people, antiquated techniques used in the 70s may not work with the current generation of Khmer people anymore. One has to remember that some of our Khmer youths are not even aware of the Khmer Rouge atrocities and genocide which took place not that long ago. Therefore, military-style marching music which moved a generation of Khmer youth in 1970 to take up arm to fight against the Vietcong/North Vietnamese invaders is simply “passé”.
Although it is easy for me to criticize someone else’s work, if anybody were to ask me what would I do to make it work? I would have to scratch my head for a long while before I can come up with a partial answer to that. As I mentioned before, music is a double-sword edge tool: used in a certain way, it can enrapture the audience and lead it to a wrong path if need be, however when you use it right, songs – just like poems – can be a catalyst to move a people or a nation because they are short, can be easily understood and remembered.
As I was trying to find a song that can be used by the Lotus Revolution Movement, a Khmer Oldie Song came to my mind: “Phka Reek Leu Sak - ផ្ការីកលើសក់” by Ros Sereysothea. Taking it on its own, this song sounds very innocent to the point of being childish, however, if you were to listen carefully to its meaning, it clearly indicates that (1) everybody love flowers (as in the Jasmine flower, hint! hint!) and (2) nobody wants to be born as useless flagrant flowers, but they’d rather be born as a “lotus” flower instead because it is a symbol of Buddhism.
Ros Sereysothea and others - Phka Reek Leu Sak
If I have the means, I would pay a famous singer in Phnom Penh to remake this song (by changing some of the words) and surreptitiously distribute it freely to all radio stations for broadcasting in Cambodia. Of course, it will take some time before the Phnom Penh regime can catch up to this message and ban it, but by then, it would be too late, the song would have been engraved in people’s mind already.
But, what do I know? After all, I’m no seasoned politician but rather a happy-go-lucky can collector on Anaheim Street only. So off to can collection (and fishing) I go!
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| My can collector vehicle equipped with Mercedes-made wheels |
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| Quiet time for thinking Finite Elephants on the pier |
Yours truly,
P. from still sunny and very warm Long Beach and Southern California
11 comments:
WTF?
វាយ៉ាងម៉េចអញ្ជេះអាឡប់មួនេះ???
Mr. P from sunny Long Beach,
It is good that you take some time off from your can-collecting job to post this good song for me to enjoy. I certainly love it!
First let me thank you for the song. What can I say? The melody is really uplifting. I was half awake when I was beginning to listen to it and in no time I started to dance to the tune of the song.
I certainly agree with you that with some modification of the lyrics, the song and its marvelous tune can inspire people to action.
Somehow, I have never heard of this song at all until today!
I thought I knew or had listened to so many old Khmer songs, but you have just proven me completely wrong with this song.
Well, anytime you have a moment free from your can-collecting work or job and fishing pleasure, would you put more old songs to share, please? I certainly appreciate your songs contribution through KI site.
By the way, I like the way you rest on your shopping cart. You must be having a quick and good nap after lunch, I guess.
Well, thank you and take care.
Pissed off
WTH? This song is not going to move anyone's emotion. Lotus revolution is not going to happen. The new generation only want to work, make money and develop the country. Gone are the paranoid group of people who know nothing another than to destroy the country by infighting and coloring each other. Have we learn nothing? Lon Nol brought country in to war. Without Lon Nol, Khmer Rouge wouldn't gain that much strength. I'm amazed that people didn't know how incompetent and corrupted the Lon Nol regime was. And don't get me started talking about his brother Lon Non.
Tadpole always love to make noise - no timing and no direction.
from what i see in your photo, you are in my territory. i used to roaming around and collecting can there too.
love the song - heard it before, hear it now, and always love oldies. useless new songs.
don't keep your hope up too much about the warm and sunny weather in long beach cuz by mid next week, you will need a thick Eskimo skin.
i save some dough from selling my cans, i wish to take you to have one hot meal! there is a bridge by 710 fwy, i always sleep there at night.
Can-Collector,
Thumb up for your simple down-to-Earth view of the so-called Lotus Revolution. In deed, you have explained your view better than most of the seasoned politicians.
If politicians and elitists want to save the nation, first thing they need to learn is how to communicate with the mass in a clear and concise manner - something they have failed so far.
As for you can-collector, I honestly believe you are much richer than you think. You certainly have the intelligence and mean to help the nation.
What do you know?
Who would have guessed?
A hard-core Sihanoukist and CPP-Hun Senist has been among KI-Media Team all along...
Good Luck Cambodia!
Best of Luck Khmer People!
អនិច្ចាខ្មែរ!
Ah lob
9:37 p.m.,
don't give him another heart attack. he just had one the other day when a young lady approached him and told him that he looks like tep rindaro.
if you knew that a man is hungry, and you have offered him food, and he had refused. Chance were he had already made up his mind. Even if he knew that eating would keep him alive.
the lb police had given up on him, so leave him alone with his shopping cart - equipped with that mercedes accessories.
Hey, the country needs every helping hand it can get whether it from a homeless, folks on food stamps, entrepreneurs, professionals, academics, politicians want-to-be,...etc.
I can tell you most of the times it has always been the less fortunates and have-nots who give the most to the country.
BTW, who or what is tep rindaro ?
give what "most" to the country?
fake diplomas, got bought and colluded with the pp govt.
what so cynical about these old farts is that they lie, cheat, and brag. their mentality had been so fu long time ago.
what so disgusted about them is that they left their little ones behind with their so-called "wives" in the ghetto.
And ah old fart "P. from long Beach" included!!!
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