By Neay Krud'th
Neay Krud'th - Bomplich Bong Chol Tuv
Neay Krud'th - Thpoal Khuoch
Neay Krud'th - Annie
Dear KI Media and our friend P. from Long Beach:
I was absolutely awestruck like running into a dead old friend who has just risen up from his grave. In my previous life of forty five years ago, I was a fortunate young man to be briefly part of a Phnom Penh combo orchestra that had “All Star” musicians and singers in it, including Bung Yang Chheang aka. Samneang Rithy — a name and a title I believe he deserves every bit of it.Everything mentioned in the previous posting about Bung Chheang are true and correct. As a young person and now a senior citizen, I have been so inspired by his attitude, artistic style and works which were strikingly different from the rest of his contemporaries who were primarily motivated by money and fame while living under the hypnotic spell of Sihanouk. I was too young and did not understand much about his philosophy or ideology back then. But since I’ve been away from home, every time I try to reminisce the “good old days” of my generation, the emerging style, and substance of the promising cultural mindset which pervaded that era, Bung Chheang’s personality, his brilliant choice of words and sounds he strategically embedded in his music and songs always assured me that I have not everything I knew were gone forever, I still have the map and the blueprint from the previous revolutionaries like Bung Cheang have passed on to me to carry on.
I realized a bit too late as I knew more about Khmer elite’s ideology, and the nuance and beauty of Khmer contemporary music Bung Chhieng was trying to bring to light for us to contemplate. Personally I believe Bung Chheang was a revolutionary, and a poet who was callously exploited for his artistic genius, but not his noble one-man crusade against Sihanouk tyranny. He was virtually an outcast; his contemporaries shunt him because almost all of them subscribed to Sihanouk’s demagogueries and lies. I remember many of my colleagues from the big bands (Yuthea Phirum and the Vithiyu Cheat orchestra: Sihanouk slaves) avoided him like a plague and did everything to stay away; the very few who embraced him were very brave indeed.
He joined our mix-and-match band to perform his unique compositions, and to help coach the ladies to sing his songs. During his break, he used to come and sit behind me and my drum in the back, and never stopped writing on his little carnet in the dimmed light, and smoking his pipe. His one and only favorite song was the famous French lost love song “ Les Feuilles Mortes” by Yves Montand, which he belched out so beautifully that brings tears to your eyes, two to three times a night on request from VIP guests.
Les Feuilles Mortes par Yves Montand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWfsp8kwJto
Autumn Leaves by Nat King Cole
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kP8jPa1wCg
I’ve learned to emulate his style of musical expression from listening to him performing his own songs nightly on stage with us, I have never stopped being mesmerized by his avant-garde embellishment on all his tune and lyrics that seemed to be way ahead of his time, but yet never leave the nuance of the original Khmer Sacrava or Khmer mothers’ Baby Lullaby. We all should have listened to him belching out Sacrava tunes which I believe none of the royal singers in the Royal Mahoari classical orchestra could match.
I truly miss him, and during the last few years I have managed to play piano and sing his tunes the best I could remember how he would want them to be interpreted. I have thrown these songs to a dust bin until today, when you all brought it up— my gratitude and praise to all who cherish, uphold, and preserve our lost generation’s cultural ideal, substance and style for posterity.
Here are two of Bung Cheang’s tunes which I wish to share and dedicate all of their grace and beauty to all Khmer unsung heroes like him.
The last I heard about Bung Chheang’s whereabouts was that he joined the 13th Infantry Brigade (Kampong Speu Route 4 Sector of Defense), commanded by another hero of the Anti-French movement and a fierce warrior-prince of the Army of the Khmer Republic — the late Major General Norodom Chantha Rainsy.
PS: Also included is a hit song by our then the crème de la crème of the period —the marvelous APSARA rock band, and their song — Annie.
Cheer
NKR
17 comments:
Not too bad, but need to learn more about the Khmer language and the Khmer poesy.
I was too young and too vibrant to appreciate Yang Chheang or Samneang Rithy at that time instead I mesmerized by Voay Ho cassette tape.Any one out there knew about Voay Ho please share,I admired him so much even though he shared his last name with uncle Chi Minh! Was Voay Ho a sino-Khmer or Viet-Khmer? After all Khmer mixed blood folks had enriched Khmer culture in the 60 and 70 like:Voay Ho,Hak Chay Hok, Biv Chay Leang,Tan Kim Huon,Cheng Heng,Nguon Chay Kri and Mr Khvess Ung Mung!?
7:48 PM
Please do not get too hung-up on the sound of people's name. Chinese have been settled in Cambodia since the day Angkor was a boom town. Believe me when we work together for a common purpose all those differences in skin color or language or dialect just seem to dissappear.
As for the Mr. Voay Ho, he was a Chinese descent, he was the best violin player intown, not only that he was among the reputable and proliferous composer, arranger of Cambodian pop music in the 60s and the 70's, he also taught music at the Ecole de Musique in Pnom Penh.
As for Vietnamese-Khmer descents, they were like the Chinese-Khmer,they did their best to participate in our Khmer society given the chance, and WE enjoyed whatever our collective achievement whether making music or playing soccer match.
I experienced and believe in diversity from being born and raise in Phnom Penh, which was a thriving mixed pot, I have never felt that the chinese-khmer or the vietnamese-khmer kids failed to contribute to the khmer land and society in general.
In fact it use to be if your car or motobike broke down, we took it to Mr. Nguyen or Mr. Ba down the street he could fix it for us with a screw driver. I've known and seen these kids grown up to be examplary leaders in the Khmer Republic Army - they fought against Vietcong and KR and die honorably like Samurais.
We must embrace everyone who wants to be among us Free Khmer.
The thing I am against is that the interference of the Communist Vietnamese in the internal affairs of our country by bolstering the criminal regime of Hun Xen to keep the lid on freedom and democracy in our homeland Cambodia.
លោក ដកទរ អ៊ឹងម៉ឹងជាមិត្តដ៏ប្រសើរ របស់លោកសេនិយប្រមឹកខ្មែរសាធារណ រត់។ព្រះពន្ធគាត់ជារដ្ធមន្ត្រីក្រសួងទេស
ចរណ៏មានករណីយកិច្ចមមាញឹកពេកមិន
អាចចំហុយកូនឆ្មាជាមួយលោកដកទរ
បានច្រើនដងក្នុងមួយអាទិត្យទើបលោក
បណ្ឌឹតទៅខ្វេះនាង អ៊ីគឹមសួ?នៅសន្ធើ
គ្នាគារនាទីក្រុងកំពង់ស្ពឺ។
លោកដកទរ អ៊ឹងម៉ឹង ក៏ជាចាងហ្វាង
កាសែតរាស្ត្រសាច់ចាក់ ចាក់ឆ្គៀល
ក្រមុំយ៉ាងអស់ពីចិត្ត ដែលអ្នកសាធា
រណរត់និយមគួរមានមោទនភាព!!!!
តើលោកបណ្ឌឹតនៅរស់ឫទេសព្វថ្ងៃនេះ?
ការប្រកាន់ពូជសាស្រ្តគឺជាជម្ងឺមហារីកនៅក្នុងវប្បធម៌ជាតិខ្មែរដែលបណ្ដាលឲ្យមានទំនាស់ចេញឡើងអំពីក្រុមគ្រួសារតូចៗរហូតដល់មានការបាក់បែកនៅក្នុងសង្គមឬប្រទេសជាតិទាំងមូល។
ខ្មែរដែលមានស្បែកពណ៌ខ្មៅស្រអែមឬសបានប្រកាន់ខ្លួនឯងថាជាខ្មែរសុទ្ធហើយមិនបានស្រាវជ្រាវថាតើបុព្វការីរបស់គេមានដើមកំណើតមកអំពីប្រភពណាឡើយ។បង្ករបង្កើតមនោសញ្ចេតនាច្រណែនឬក៏ឈ្នានិះដល់ខ្មែរផ្សេងទៀតដែលមានពណ៌សម្បុរនិងដើមកំណើតមិនដូចខ្លួន។
តាមការពិតម្ចាស់ទឹកម្ចាស់ដីខ្មែរគឺជាជនជាតិខ្មែរ
ដើមភាគតិចដែលរស់នៅតាមព្រៃភ្នំនិយាយភាសា
និងជំនឿផ្សេងៗមានមកមុនសម័យអង្គរ ហើយ
សព្វថ្ងៃនេះកំពុងទទួលនូវការកំរាមកំហែងឆក់ប្លន់
ភូមិស្ថានស្រែចំការនិងព្រៃព្រឹក្សាអំពីសំណាក់រាជ
និងរដ្ឋអំណាចបច្ចុប្បន្ន។
ប៉ារីស៍ល្ងាចថ្ងៃទី២១កុម្ភះ២០១២
អក្សរភាសាខ្មែរ
10:12 PM
I salute you, you have brought up the touchy issue some diehard purist Khmer never want to hear.
Those people to have mentioned from my recollection were and are:
Samre
Saoch
Kouy
Phnong
Poar
Chong....and more....
who are currently and literally being run over by buldozers....
Something need to be done soon, they are US.
10:12 PM,great!super great!!
Now we can live in a bigger Federation of Indochina. We will have a rotating President of Presidium.The Viets will slow down the fucking and let the Khmers and Laos to catch up!Our goal will be an equal population of 150 Millions Viets,150 Millions Khmers and 150 Millions Laos by the year whenever!! But like Mark said Khmer must stop being lazy! We need to fuck to catch up with the Viets.Special polygamy policy will be allowed for Laos!
When we reach an equal number of population we can have intermarriage whatever we want.We share every inches of land,sea,mountain and all resources.Uncle Ho wanted this dream become true because he scared of China.Lao seems to agree with the plan but Pol Pot was an old fashion guy!!!
What all Khmers got to say if the federal constitution will spell out clearly that the Viets will stop fucking for 5 years!!!
Dear LOK 9:42PM,
You have the right to condenm Dr. UNG MONG who was a rotten egg during SIHANOUK Regime in the mid 60's but please do not involve The KHMER REPUBLIC in his personal and private issue.
At least , The KHMER REPUBLIC had a rare opportunity to defend our country from the aggression of the Vietnamese and Vietcongs April 1970.
Kind Regards
The YOUNG KHMER REPUBLIC
Dear All,
We have a lot of mix races with Khmers who were/are considered themselves as " Khmer " in their Hearts.
America are combining so many races background but they are all who build
the Powerful nation on earth.
In Cambodia the Hanoi-Viet are ruling ang oppressing Khmer national everyday until Cambodia is complete becoming a state of the Federation of Indochina (2013?) ?
I'm a 4th generation of Khmer-Chen who my late Great Grand father,Ung Teov,came to Cambodia in 1885 but we were/are all loved Cambodia & its People.
Cheers,
Ung Bun Heang
Sacrava from Down Under,Sydney
ខ្មែររាប់លាននាក់ដែលរស់នៅកម្ពុជាក្រោមក្តីរស់នៅ
សុរិន អង្គររាជ ចាន់តាប៊ុន។ល។ គឺខ្មែរទាំងនោះ
មិនបានភ្លេចកំណើតខ្លួនគេឡើយ ហើយគេបាន
ដឹងថាអង្គការលើដែលជាក្រុមឃាដករជីវិតខ្មែរប្រ
មាណបីលាននាក់នោះកំពង់បន្តរាជនិងរដ្ឋអំណាច
ឲ្យដល់កូនចៅនិងបក្សពួករបស់វាដើម្បីត្រួតត្រា
ជិះជាន់ជាតិខ្មែរ។
ប៉ារីស៍យប់ទី២២កុម្ភៈ២០១២
អក្សរភាសាខ្មែរ
Dear young Khmer Républic
The origin of the fall of the Lon Nol regime are the following:
1. Preach very nationalistic ideology and become racist.
2. Bombing on hundreds Khmer villages.
3. Transporting tons of rice by boat to the Vietcong.
4. The Khmer Rouge leaders and Lon Nol was dialog.
5. The U.S. cut off aid.
Paris V. February 21, 2012
Log Nol regime was failed,1970-1975.
We were not playing our own gane but following the Americain who had designed only for US's interests.
Khmer republicans had involved with Vietnam coz Uncle Sam need Khmer army
to reduce down the number Death of US troops while they were in the middle of their withdrawal from Vietnam.
The Westerner media had pointed its black finger to our Khmer republic as their escaped goat.
How a little Khmer Army could beat the strongest armed forces in world,Yuon-Hanoi ?
Why not US Army ?
Why not the South Vietmanese Army of Saigon ?
And again US fails again its war in Iraq and Afghanistan ?
Can the White House learn from their mistake ?
The US had won the second war against the German & the Jap...because the fought from theirs real HEART .
A victim from American insane Foreign policy in Vietnam
Stop fussing about war, hate and prejudices, listen to the music and the dance party.
Don't you'all miss the slow dance when you and your girl friend hold each other for the first time?
I have to admit, I was a clumsy nervous freak....embarassing.
How about you guys? ladies?
Come on admit!
Dear LOK PARIS V. FEBRUARY 21, 2012,
Your statements are not based on the fact that happened in Cambodia during the invasion of The North Vietnamese and VIETCINGS in 1970, yes , we were corrupt but we did bomb the villges where your God King SIHNANOUK hiding his North Vietnamese and Vietcong Troops and you pointed out your opinions about we were so racist and you might be aware that some of our Civil Servants and administrators were KHMER Ethnic Chineses and some our BRAVE General were ethnic Chineses for instances General NGUON LY KHEANG , YOUNG YOUK HANG or simply KHY HAK had been fighting along with our elite KHMER Commanders and soldiers except we did not recruit you LOK PARIS due to your VIET BACKGROUND hiding in our KHMER society.
I read your comments over and over gain that you posting so many times on your boring days accusing KAING GUECH EAV using our KHMER last nmaes DUCH and DUCH and DUCH over aNd over Again NONSENCE ...including DUCH KIM HAK THE SINGER , DUCH SIDIM THE MOViE STAR or LOK TA DUCH grandfather of Miss SENG THEARY on your own private fantasy world ..I just want to let you know ..we had General SEK SAM IET who sold the rices and ammunitions to KGHMER ROUGES but NOT to our historic enemy VIETCONGS like you have said .
With My salute to you as our KHMER REPUBLIC OPPONENTS( VIETCONGS and SIHANOUK )
The YOUNG KHMER REPUBLIC
Dear young Républic
Everything you say is not entirely correct.
But maybe I'll explain later.
ParisV.22 February 2012
9:37 PM,
It is more complicated than that. Khmer people abroad know so well. Understand what you mean. You have be careful with who you are with. You make sure you know the history that tell it all about the enemies we trusted too much. You are believing in Vietnamese friends when it comes to a hard time. Learn to get to know enemies before you do the business with and who you want to fall in love. That depends on the situation and history between you and enemies.
Khmer have been so kind and have had no evil or dirty games, but just make think simple. Khmer people work very hard to make living and get better. Khmer used to help each others and invite friends who are enemies. The enemies are very smart and know how to do the business with until you lose and week. Why have the enemies betrayed and killed us to take money or something.
Khmer people did not know the deception and problems were coming to Khmer people when we trusted the friends or helped friends who are really enemies.
Later, there sabotages and backstabbing among Khmer people came from the enemies who know how to play the dirty games.
It has happened thousands of times in our Khmer histories.
As you know that, since Vietnam did not succeed to control Cambodia because the real Khmer Rouges forces (Pol Pot, Noun Chea, Khiev Samphan, Ieng Sari, etc.) knew the tricks and dirty secrets of the Vietnamese leaders. In the countryside or remote area of Cambodia, there were many secret Vietnamese agents there who could speak, read and write Khmer language so well were the real Killers including Khmer Vietminh (Heng Samrin, Chea Sim, Hun Sen, other Vietminh). Our question is, why was Hun Sen shot in one of his eyes and fled into Vietnam? Who did he fought with? Think about it.
Khmer Yeurng (part 1)
Khmer Rouges soldiers were so busy to fight against with the South and protect the land, sea, islands and invade South Vietnam to take Khmer Krom back?
Do you believe that Vietnamese leaders were frustrated and unsuccessfully to take Cambodia until it is too late for Vietnamese leaders who follow Hi Chi Minh to swallow Cambodia after Khmer Krom?
Pol Pol and his Khmer Rouges were still around and Cambodia was better off without completely Communist Vietnam control.
You should know that Vietnam has been facing the pressures of UN, International Communities and Sihanouk-China.
There were still Vietnamese puppets in Cambodia, but some of them were against Vietnam expansion to Cambodia after ousting Pol Pot. Did you see that Vietnamese take advantages of Khmer Vietminh armies and gullible Khmer people carried out hoes, sticks, rocks and so on to chase the Khmer Rouges of Pol Pot who fought against good Khmer Rouges soldiers instead in the blind eyes.
Pol Pot, Noun Chea, Khiev Samphan, Ieng Sary, and other Khmer Rouges were very smart and not fooled by the Communist Vietnamese leaders's tricks. We Khmer people are very lucky because of them. We were almost gone in the Killing Fields without Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouges comrades. Khmer people should know better that Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin are very dumb and stupid to used Vietnamese friends who are real enemies and killers in the Killing Fields. Khmer Krom people are rignt now crying for help. The world is watching. Don't let Vietnam Economy to be boomed. Khmer people around the world can find the way to slow down Vietnamese Economy right away or as soon as possible and don't this evil Vietnam dominated Cambodia.
Since, Vietnam/Hanoi leaders did not succeed to control Cambodia, but in the meantime, they used the strategies to control Cambodia economically by lifting embargoes and business trades with other countries. Did you see that there are Vietnamese working side by side with Vietnamese puppets like Hun Sen, Chea Sim, Heng Samrin and hidden Vietnamese faces like Hor Nam Hong, Sok An, Sok Kong, and other Vietnamese business crooks (you know who they are, billionaires) in Cambodia. If Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi do not succeed, there are the military forces they used, but they will violate the International laws of UN and International Communities. Keep an eye on the other strategies of Communist Vietnamese leaders are going to do. We will tell the world. Also, keep an eye on CPP Vietnamese members or crooks and spies (they speak, read and write Khmer so well such as Hor Nam Hong, Sok An, Sok Kong, and you name it) everywhere that they tried to break up Khmer unities at home and around the world.
Glad there Khmer people who live abroad worlds have raised the voices to be heard in the internationally to led the world know. Cambodia and Khmer Krom are very luck because of Khmer people living around the world.
Khmer Yeurng (part 2)
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