Monday, October 14, 2013

Golden memories light the corners of my mind...



The Way We Were - Barbra Streisand


Phoum Phnom Thoum - Ros Sereysothea

13 comments:

Jendhamuni said...


Dear School of Vice,

The second song "Phoum Phnom Thoum" was a very popular song. I haven't listened to this song long time ago. I don't know the ending of this movie. I just remember, the bad girl, not the main character, is so mean, so I stop watching. I don't like mean girl :) By the way many beats at the beginning of this song you posted here are missing, chopped off due to re-mixed, I believe?

As for the first song, the non-Khmer one, I love it as much because it's the kind of song I love as I'm very old-fashioned and still live in the fairy tale world :))))

~Jendhamuni

Jendhamuni said...


The longest message ever :)

School of Vice said...


Dear Jendha,

Sadly most of these Khmer songs from the pre-war times have been remixed to a certain extent. I think this is done to make these songs appeal to today's audience with commercial reward in mind, and of course, the sound effects of today's stereo systems and technology may have something to do with this also.

Some of these whizkid artists have even made the tempo of a slow sentimental song faster to meet their personal preference.

Incidentally, did you know that the present king Sihamoni had once criticised the royal classical ballet and its movement as being "too slow paced" and had even 'mixed' it up with movements of western ballet in his hybrid version of this ancient Khmer heritage to conform with his own taste?

I should not say much more on this, but it just goes to show that it is not just ordinary people [or some of them] who consciously or subconsciously contribute to the destruction of their ancestral heritage through either greed or ignorance or both, but that their irresponsible rulers and members of the privileged 'elite' classes are also just as disdainful and blissfully ignorant of this already endangered national heritage.

This is the kind of mindset and complacency that permeate all areas of life: theft of ancient sculptures and artefacts; 'vandalism' of all kinds [deforestation, commercial plantations and mining] reaching their highest point in the seventies' KR madness [destruction of ancient temples and pagodas, priceless literary archives all burned or lost through lack of safeguard or maintenance;] lack of interest in protecting and or populating remote territories coveted by neighbouring states [off-shore islands and border regions]; refusal by this elite to reform feudalistic institutions thereby ensuring that national life continues to exist in a state of precarious strife, educational undernourishment, moral depravity and poverty.

This realisation makes me somewhat 'forgiving' of ordinary Cambodians today [who commit these acts], and from the 1970s onwards, including those ill educated thousands of peasants recruited to serve the KR cause and who had thus been turned into ruthless self-destructive tools against their own kind.

Conversely, as for their rulers of all eras of recent decades, I can't say they warrant my indulgence or sympathy.

See, another long history lesson for you today, eh?

Jendhamuni said...


Dear School of Vice,

Where did you just come from? What a long long long message/lecture from School of Vice today. I feel as though I am dreaming in my history class. Am I dreaming for real, or I'm sitting inside the kingdom of Golden Era :)

Okay okay, I read your message, although it's long and lengthy and sweet and bitter and sour. I see your point, I do agree with you, this time only. Oh well, what does King Sihamoni know? That's why he's not a great king after all.

Sometimes, I hate it when I remember too much. My memory is just way too good sometimes and that I don't like it :)

PS: Because of this song "
Phoum Phnom Thoum" I found my favorite favorite song that was introduced by my big sister when I was sixteen. And I love it so much. I cannot believe I found this most beautiful song through School of Vice Golden Memories. I will turn that song into my video with selections of pictures from me :))))


~Jendhamuni

Jendhamuni said...


Oh wait,

Since you don't really know how to read Khmer. I will start writing bad stuff on your posts next time, School of Vice :))))

Jendhamuni said...


And your lesson is not so bad afterall. Contains 377 words only :)))))

Oh well, the editors were driving me crazy earlier, so my brain is not normal today.

School of Vice said...


You'll never know what you can learn or discover sitting in School of Vice's class, History or Golden memories...

Can't wait to see your video of this gem from one of my all time favourite selections, with pictures from you or of you?

Doesn't really matter either way. That is, as long as you and those followers of yours stop speaking ill of my beloved golden spiced catfish!!

Jendhamuni said...


Dear School of Vice,

Although I don't like to read, however, I did read most of your lessons lately, especially when they are dressed up beautifully, otherwise I have to drink many cups of coffee to make it through the end :)

Oh no, I will never use pictures of myself in video, no no no. That will not happen :))) I love flowers and landscapes and cute children and animals, pretty much nature. I am a big fan of nature,

Speaking of catfish, I had some memory with that fish when I was 8 or 9.

This song I found, I'm not sure if it's in your selection, but I found it when I go through your selection [related video] I want to tell you the name of this song, but I changed my mind :)))) I love this song so much. My second favorite song besides Chey Suosdey that you posted sometime back. So now I found two of them. Waiting for my third favorite one, which I don't know the title.

~Jendhamuni

Anonymous said...

Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?

Anonymous said...

5:31 AM,

Is that all you can think of?

Go to Svay Pak and you will get a Vietnamese prostitute right a way!

You are really disgraceful!

Anonymous said...

Take it easy Mister 6:09 AM,

It's just something from a song...How you took it says a lot about who you are, eh?

Jendhamuni said...


Hmmmm.... How comes people are sort of, kind of, somehow, wicked mean or not being too polite to me today and tonight:) Did I do something wrong? Or did School of Vice do something wrong? Is it because of my salad, or is it because of School of Vice's catfish. Got to be that catfish. My salad is so innocent :))) I need to go hide in the closet and listen to Indian music for one hour. Hopefully it will be safer when I return to KI:)))

It's fun being me :)))

Anonymous said...


Dear Jenddhamuni,

A little disappointment of you, maybe? Anyhow, it doesn't suit your smile!
Liberal regime, it's fun being us, indeed!

More salad picture would help?

Curiosity