Thursday 2 February 2012

A Musical Journey (This is what I like spending my spare time doing...)

It all started many months ago, when a friend recommend I start watching the US TV show "Weeds". The season 2 finale (which can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WZgzYGbBkc ) contained a cracking piece of music. I looked it up. 

This lead me to Dengue Fever, psychedelic trans-american-cambodian rock band. Cambodian rock? 

This lead me to read up on "Cambodian rock". It seems in the 60's there was a bit of a rock and roll invasion in Cambodia, and a beautiful fusion was born. This lead me to Cambodian-Elvis Sinn Sisamouth and a song named "Prous Teh Oun" (Because of You). The drumming is sick!

This lead me to Hong Kong singer turned actress Betty Chung. As far as I can tell the song originated with her and spread to Cambodia and beyond. It's been very difficult to find info on her accept she was a singer in the late sixties, released a couple of records and then went on to act in Enter the Dragon. Also, she's beautiful and her voice gives me shivers. Maybe I'm a smitten. 

At this point English goes out the window, and I'm left to the mercy of related videos, with no idea of the English names of these artists.

This lead me to, a slower, higher version. Not sure I like this version.

That lead me to this cute, later version. Embedding disabled. http://youtu.be/XhoxZlHIPQ8 

This lead me back to Felicia Wong, a chinese folk singer from the 70's. Around the same time as Betty Chung she also released "Because of You" in 1968. It doesn't have the power or the technical skill of Betty Chung (or maybe thats just a judgement of my western ears) but it is very sweat. Interestingly she uses the precise musical arrangement as Betty Chung. 

It is obvious I am obsessed with that melody...