Respecting, Refining, and Reviving
Duc Tuan’s Doi Mat Nguoi Son Tay is a perfect example of how to cover classic tunes: respecting the original composition, refining the vocal presentation, and reviving the musical production. With that in mind, Duc Tuan brings back Pham Dinh Chuong’s works to both the old and new generations. The two epic pieces, “Tieng Dan Chai” and “Hoi Trung Duong,” alone are worth the value of the album. His versatility allows him to move easily between slow- to up-tempo traditional folktales. The opening “Nua Hon Thuong Dau” kicks off with a scoring of the “Phantom of the Opera” to boast up the liveliness, and then Duc Tuan’s iced-out vocals and gleaming orchestration repolished the old song. Thanh Thuy’s pre-1975 version of “Xom Dem” is an ageless tune I am still holding on to, but Duc Tuan’s version, which accompanied by a simple, crisp rumba rhythm, is intriguing enough to keep side by side. Despite its overwhelming popularity, I have yet to find a stimulating version of “Mong Duoi Hoa,” and Duc Tuan’s rendition is no exception.
I am going to buy his CD today and find out.
I know that I love ” Doi Mat Nguoi Son Tay” and “Nua Hon Thuong Dau” from ThaiThanh.
I also could sing very well with “Nua Hon Thuong Dau” too. Want to hear it, Don? hahahah!
Thanks.
Sure, I would love to hear your rendition of “Nua Hon Thuong Dau” if there’s Thanh Thuy’s influence in it. :)
Off the topic: I got a question for anyone out there who’d know please answer.
I was listening to Khanh Ly singing a tune of Trinh Cong Son today and the song goes like this ” Hai muoi nam nhuc nhan da qua hom nay thay mat troi ruc sang trong tim nguoi trong tim ta, trong tim anh trong tim nhung ruong dong goi nang….”. Does any one know when he wrote this song and what 20 year time frame he’s mean?
Thanks/
When I was in Vietnam this past Jan, I got this CD. Love it!
Dear Vansky,
Bài hát đó có tựa là “Đồng Dao Hoà Bình” sáng tác khoảng năm 1968 trong tập nhạc “Kinh Việt Nam” của Trịnh Công Sơn. Về khoảng thời gian 20 năm bạn thắc mắc, hãy cùng làm toán trừ nhé: 1968 - 20 = 1948…Và tại sao là 20 năm thì tôi nghĩ nhạc Trịnh hay ở chỗ đó, cứ tung ra và để cho mọi người có cảm nhận riêng! Tôi tin Vansky sẽ có cảm nhận riêng về con số 20 năm này nhé! Chúc Vansky vui mạnh!
…Trên môi người, trên môi ta, trên môi em, trên môi những mẹ già…
I’ve never thought that I’d love “Mong Duoi Hoa” because the song sounded pretty boring to me even though it has been sung by lots of famous singers. However, Duc Tuan’s interpretation of the song simply mesmerizes me. I don’t know how he did it, but the yearning of someone keeps pouring out of his voice and effortlessly fills me up.
I bought this CD around January while having a vacation in Vietnam and I listened to this song every single day for the next 3 weeks there. Even though it’s just a matter of an opinion, I do believe that Duc Tuan is one of the young, talented, and promising in Vietnam music nowadays.
Donny, have you heard of the singer named Xuan Phu. He’s got a couple of CDs coming out about 4 months ago. I hope you’ll check this guy out. I knew of him since he used to sing at “Yesterday” as long as I remembers. I’m not sure if he’s famously commercial now; however, he’s one of the few singers that can treat those romantic, old songs before 1975 very well.
I actually prefer these 2 guys over Quang Dung, who, in my opinion, is so boring with his vocal style and superly overrated!
Thanks for your comments on the new CDs. I’m your huge fan!
Huey,
Sorry Donny for continue on with off topic question from Vansky since it is interesting, I wish I can find document about TCS’s music to find out what he means in his songs. What kind of peace that he talks about in 68? He wrote in his song “1000 nam no^ le^. giac ta`u, 100 nam no^ le^. giac ta^y, 20 nam noi chien tung nga`y…”. Did he mean the Paris Peace talks?
I don’t like the song Mong Duoi Hoa because of the street version for this song “Khi chua gap em, anh da nghi rang, co nguoi thieu nu dep nhu ma…” :-)
Another popular version: “ta di vao tan rung xanh, danh rot rang vang ben suoi” heheh
Mong Duoi Hoa is one of my all-time favorite songs
I love “Mong duoi hoa” “Chieu tim” “Mai toc da huong” all are from great poems by my favorite poet Dinh Hung!
“Chieu tim” is one of my all time favorite song to sing.
Thank you Bee for your comments.If this song is written in 1968 then I have 2 theory. 1. It’s mean that domination of the Japanese and then French is over(’45-’65) Then American move in 1965 and he was hoping for a better future that why he’s wrote that song. 2. He might have making a prediction that the war between the North and South will be over in ‘75 in which 20 year is from ‘54 to ‘75?
Trinh Cong Son, the vietnamese Nostradamus? I respectfully disagree with you there Vansky. Then again you might be right. That might explain the way he lived his life, somewhere over the rainbow! Anyway, no matter who he was, I just love his music!
Thu Hoai, if Donny don’t mind and you don’t mind, you should post more songs you sing so we can all enjoy.
Thank you DTDT.. I will check with Donny.. Having supportive friends in this forum really means alot :)
Lyrics of songs are most important to me, secondly, the color of the composition.. I love those old
old poetic lyrical songs..but also love some of the newer songs such as “Em oi! Ha Noi pho” something about this son really makes me miss Vietnam alot..especially I have no memmories of it..yet when I sing this song, I feel as if I am walking in Ha Noi in a late beautiful Autumn evening..:)
Sure, I’ll be glad to post them up for all to enjoy!
“Mong Duoi Hoa” is beautiful like a picture “Hoa. Duoi’ Mong”. Never leave that behind.
donny… you are right on the mark with this album. those two classic tunes, “tieng dan chai” and “hoi trung duong” are excellent covers by duc tuan. perhaps what set it apart in my mind from other older versions i’ve heard is the youthful quality in his voice that doesn’t come across as weak nor overbearing but still authoritive. but.
…there’s one thing you forgot to mention in your review. in “sang rung,” 5 Dong Ke is also featured. dude, you can’t give presume to give us the full scoop if you don’t mention something like that. in fact, i would have bought the cd may 9th instead of eight days later if I had known my girls were in the album.
dude.
I love “Sang Rung,” especially the savory production, but didn’t realize 5 Dong Ke were in it. As you can see, I didn’t give this album full review because I didn’t get the original copy, only MP3s. My bad, man. You really dig, 5 Dong Ke, huh? Don’t blame you playa. They are fantastic! Still rocking that a cappella joint like a fresh pair of sneakers.
this things has been bothering me a little bit about duc tuan’s albums… the ones i have so far “doi mat nguoi son tay” and “ngam ngui…chiec la thu phai” each have 7 and 6 songs respectively. as i thought about it, even though he’d have to come up with another appropriate album title, DT could have easily combined all the track to one 13-track album and help his fans out a little bit on the dough. actually i’ve noticed a growing trend of artists comfortable with dishing out 6-7 track albums and call it a day; a new norm. and i find it disturbing that what i would have categorized as a single before or some sort of demo/sampler is now the new dish like those ‘real’ mexican street tacos that disappears as soon as you open your mouth. then i found the following interview with DT:
Q: Có lý do gì không khi mỗi album của anh số lượng bài hát không vượt qua con số 8?
A: Không phải tôi không thể tìm được ca khúc để đưa vào đĩa mà tôi cho rằng đó là một cách làm rất chuyên nghiệp (cười). Khi làm, tôi thuờng tính toán về hiệu quả của sản phẩm mà mình sẽ làm ra, nó sẽ phù hợp với tai người nghe thế nào, giá trị ra sao và chất lượng đĩa sẽ đạt ở mức độ nào? Tôi làm đĩa với một sự chắt lọc tuyệt đối, muốn ca khúc nào cũng là ca khúc hay và thật lòng muốn bỏ đi thói quen là nhiều khi khán giả chỉ nghe 1-2 bài trong đĩa mà không nghe tất cả. Vì thế tôi thường đầu tư kỹ để có sự đồng đều giữa tất cả các ca khúc. Khán giả có thể nghe hết cả album mà không phải bỏ bài nào vì chất lượng của nó.
Now even though I still am a little peeved, I can respect his explanation. Maybe he’s just a good promoter… but as long as he keeps his end of the bargain and sticks to producing quality stuff I might be cajoled into getting his next …uh, ’single?’
Yeah, I am not so bothered about it too much if every song hits the mark. Besides, “Tieng Dan Chai” and “Hoi Trung Duong” are 7-10 minutes long. And I think it is fantastic that he knows how to leave out fillers. His latest album is “Tinh Yeu Trong Sang” and you get a totally different feel from the other two albums.