Video: American singer/guitarist wows Thais with rendition of Carabao classic

[webfact]

Video: American singer/guitarist wows Thais with rendition of Carabao classic

 

 

A farang "made abroad" has wowed the Thais online with his accurate rendition of the Thai band Carabao's "Made in Thailand".

 

The haunting melody and largely self critical lyrics of "Made In Thailand" made it a cult classic of the 1980s that lives on in the hearts of the Thai people - and many foreigners - to this day.

 

Clearly high on the list of Carabao and Thailand lovers is the man in Hawaii who gave what Thai Rath said was an acoustic version of the song in "quite acceptable Thai tones" that was "worth listening to as much as the original".

 

Though the American mangled a few of the words, Thaivisa agrees it was a great effort.

 

Signing off at the end of the YouTube video, that contained an English translation of the Thai lyrics, the performer expressed his thanks and love for Carabao in Thai and added:

 

"Aloha from Hawaii".

 

He also gave a cover version of Lek Lo-So's Jai Sang Ma.

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-01-12

 

 

 

 

[Misterwhisper]

And now compare that with "Yellow River", the dreaded, flogged-to-death staple of every Thai cover band, that invariably comes out as "Yellow Liver", but which nevertheless is the perfect nomen-est-omen musical accompaniment to shot after shot of "lao khao".

[Jeremy50]

He did a good job with the guitar playing, and his accent is quite good. But the original lyrics to the song are truly dreadful, basically meaningless tosh about jeans and labels and stuff, who will guarantee Thai products? I don't know, and I don't care. Do people really listen to this?

[jak2002003]

11 minutes ago, Jeremy50 said:

He did a good job with the guitar playing, and his accent is quite good. But the original lyrics to the song are truly dreadful, basically meaningless tosh about jeans and labels and stuff, who will guarantee Thai products? I don't know, and I don't care. Do people really listen to this?

The lyrics are about how some Thai people are stupid to waste money and look up to imported designer brands (which are in fact made in Thailand in the first place and can be bough cheaply here at the same quality.... just without the designer label attacked from abroad).  

 

It's meaning is to do with supporting their own country and not having the snobbery and thinking imported material goods are better then the ones made here.  

[Jools]

1 hour ago, Jeremy50 said:

He did a good job with the guitar playing, and his accent is quite good. But the original lyrics to the song are truly dreadful, basically meaningless tosh about jeans and labels and stuff, who will guarantee Thai products? I don't know, and I don't care. Do people really listen to this?

It appeals to Thai xenophobia and their (justified) inferiority complex. The message works in nearly every country on earth. Look at the success of the Trump phenomenon. If you can successfully lay your own shortcomings at the feet of foreigners, you will never lack for sales or electability.

[zaphod reborn]

He's from Hawaii.  There is a special relationship between Hawaii and Thailand, even though there isn't a large Thai population in Hawaii.  In 1967, HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit of Thailand dedicated a traditional sala —pavilion—to the East-West Center at the University of Hawaii in Manoa. It was one of only four salas outside of Thailand to bear the Royal Seal and the only one personally dedicated by the king.  https://www.eastwestcenter.org/about-ewc/campus-maps/thai-pavilion  

[ratcatcher]

 

Nice job mate , well done.  didn't get his name, but that's not important.

[toofarnorth]

19 hours ago, Misterwhisper said:

And now compare that with "Yellow River", the dreaded, flogged-to-death staple of every Thai cover band, that invariably comes out as "Yellow Liver", but which nevertheless is the perfect nomen-est-omen musical accompaniment to shot after shot of "lao khao".

Funny how the locals like C&W stuff . Gunpowder & Horse shit music . Best I heard was a Japanese chap in Hua-Hin singing that F. Sinatra classic ' Leeglets , I hab a foo '

[Somtamnication]

Kudos to him. Excellent and good for farangs to be known for more than just.....whatever. 

[The manic]

20 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

He did a good job with the guitar playing, and his accent is quite good. But the original lyrics to the song are truly dreadful, basically meaningless tosh about jeans and labels and stuff, who will guarantee Thai products? I don't know, and I don't care. Do people really listen to this?

100s of thousand of people listen to Carabao. The lyrics are a social and political crituque of some aspects of Thai culture, society and economics .

Edited January 13, 2018 by The manic

[The manic]

I love this song. But parts of Kai Sang Ma, especialy the intro sounds like Black Muddy River by Norma Watson 

which I prefer to the Original GD version performed just First performed just before Garcia died. Norma has a live version which I prefer more.

[KhaoNiaw]

20 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

He did a good job with the guitar playing, and his accent is quite good. But the original lyrics to the song are truly dreadful, basically meaningless tosh about jeans and labels and stuff, who will guarantee Thai products? I don't know, and I don't care. Do people really listen to this?

Bear in mind, it's a song from the early 80s and it's not really lost its relevance today.