Why Is Thai Music So Boring

[garro]

I like Thai music.

i don't know about dancing though as I'm straight and so don't dance.

[RueFang]

I wouldn't call this boring and tell me you can't dance to it!

Buddha Bless

Palmy

oh and Job 2 Do are a great Thai reggae band

[t.s]

I wouldn't call this boring and tell me you can't dance to it!

Buddha Bless

Palmy

oh and Job 2 Do are a great Thai reggae band

great? they're an excellent thai reggae band

[toptuan]

If there is anything that can broadly be defined as quintessential Thai music then I guess it would have to be morlam...

Morlam? Thai Music?

Most of the people who enjoy Morlam in its original context (Laos and Isaan) would probably bristle (or at least laugh) at your "quintessential Thai music" description. Indeed, almost all Morlam music is not even performed in the Thai language. It's language, themes and context are overwhelmingly Lao-based in its cultural roots.

When you see it/hear it in other parts of Thailand (especially Bangkok) there's usually an Isaan listener nearby who is the real target audience. This is because Morlam is more "Lao" and "Isan" (ethnic Lao) than it is "Thai." Both Bangkokian Thais (from an emotional distance) and Isaan/Lao Morlam lovers would be pretty adamant about it's cultural identity not being mainstream Thai.

Morlam's Migration

All that being said, Thailand is probably at the "Elvis Presley" stage of music style migration, when the King of Rock & Roll was successfully making black music styles acceptable to the main stream young white audiences. The migration of Isaan workers to the far corners of the Kingdom (and beyond to other Asian countries and even the Middle East) is probably doing the most to export this lively music style way beyond it's Lao origins. Case in point: the last Morlam concert I saw was in Thailand's southern islands. The audience? 95% Isaan workers from the surrounding resorts (and 5% curious foreigners who thought they were enjoying "authentic Thai" music!).

English Morlam

At a local Isaan university there's an English Morlam Club which is successfully translating popular Morlam lyrics into the English language, and performing them with classic Morlam instruments (kaen, drums, etc.) and costuming. It's part of their English academic endeavors, as well as targeting English-speaking audiences. One of their members has even performed this music as a guest of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C.

The music style is full of witty repartee between lovers, with many double-meanings and word plays in the Lao/Isaan tongue--which is an immense challenge to translate and communicate cross-culturally. Even though a lot of the original subtleties get lost in translation, the result is still pretty clever and enjoyable to listen to.

Edited March 12, 2008 by toptuan

[kmart]

I like Thai music.

i don't know about dancing though as I'm straight and so don't dance.

Well, that's sorted out the nightlife / disco crowd with one brush-stroke then...

[garro]

I like Thai music.

i don't know about dancing though as I'm straight and so don't dance.

Well, that's sorted out the nightlife / disco crowd with one brush-stroke then...

Hi kmart, who's your friend in the photo?

[TheDon]

Farangs usually cant dance to Thai music because they just cant dance in the first place, most farangs have no idea how to dance in a club

[BigSnake]

For me it is not boring and it is very danceABLE, maybe some just don't have the MOVES to start with, relax enjoy.

[howtoescape]

I like Thai music.

i don't know about dancing though as I'm straight and so don't dance.

Thats funny!

I dont mind a bit of Thai music if i get to see the video of hot young girls prancing around.

The one thing i cant stand and will always getting me running to the exit door are these 10000001 dreadfully awful Thai cover bands that seem to have sprung up in every bar or club in the last few years.

Life imprisonment without parole shoud be the punishment for singing Hotel California unless youre the Eagles.

Edited March 12, 2008 by howtoescape

[t.s]

fancy that, at first i thought this post said "why is thai visa so boring?"

funny how the mind plays tricks...

[sgunn65]

I have no opinion on traditional Thai music but the music that is played on the radio and in bars and clubs (Thai and farang) around Bangkok I do have an opinion on. Well made, well played and utterly utterly forgettable. Bland does not come near to describing Thai chart music!!

No-one seems to have an original thought (perhaps we can point to the education system for that) so play the same thing. My friend writes songs for these chart bands and they all sound the same. He has his own album but his band are not allowed to play them as the venue managers insist they do western covers and he plays in mainly Thai places.

There is a paucity of musical genres. Yes I know T Bone play a bit of Reggae but little else. I am in the UK for a few days and have heard more original live music in 6 days than I have ever heard in Thailand. I am looking at Time out and if I want I can see approx 300 bands tonight (Wednesday) in London which is roughly the same size as Bangkok.

Music will only develop when people are given the opportunity to think for themselves and express themselves.

[TheDon]

I have no opinion on traditional Thai music but the music that is played on the radio and in bars and clubs (Thai and farang) around Bangkok I do have an opinion on. Well made, well played and utterly utterly forgettable. Bland does not come near to describing Thai chart music!!

No-one seems to have an original thought (perhaps we can point to the education system for that) so play the same thing. My friend writes songs for these chart bands and they all sound the same. He has his own album but his band are not allowed to play them as the venue managers insist they do western covers and he plays in mainly Thai places.

There is a paucity of musical genres. Yes I know T Bone play a bit of Reggae but little else. I am in the UK for a few days and have heard more original live music in 6 days than I have ever heard in Thailand. I am looking at Time out and if I want I can see approx 300 bands tonight (Wednesday) in London which is roughly the same size as Bangkok.

Music will only develop when people are given the opportunity to think for themselves and express themselves.

There is plenty of original Thai music, just not that many good ones IMO (maybe other love them) And to say you heard more original live music in 6 days in UK then you every heard in BKK must mean you have probaly been in Thailand for only 2 weeks

[Jockstar]

Accapella 7

Check them out. Album Mouth2Mouth.

[Neeranam]

Does anyone have a link to a Thai reggae band - I forget the name but I'd love to hear them.

[Johpa]

I wouldn't call this boring and tell me you can't dance to it!

Buddha Bless

Palmy

Crikey! I am getting old. I couldn't relate to that stuff at all. Give me a few Mae Khong sodas, and despite the fact that I am an unrepentant hetero white guy, I can dance to Mor Lam all night long, but could never even get my toe to tap to the above stuff. Although I did appreciate the blonde Thai cowgirl gal licking her gun.

[sgunn65]

There is plenty of original Thai music, just not that many good ones IMO (maybe other love them) And to say you heard more original live music in 6 days in UK then you every heard in BKK must mean you have probaly been in Thailand for only 2 weeks

Actually I live in Bkk and have done for nearly 6 months. I often go to the more obscure places in search of original music too so it's not like I don't try.

As I said in my earlier post there is so much live and original music in London so it is very easy to hear it.

Tonight I will see 4 original bands in one venue for free and that is from a choice of well over a hundred live venues to choose from. Until the venues in Thailand embrace original music or the youth do something to fight it (Punk 76, Raves 80's etc) nothing will change.

When the peak of creativity is Carabao then you know you have a problem.

[howtoescape]

As I said in my earlier post there is so much live and original music in London so it is very easy to hear it.

Tonight I will see 4 original bands in one venue for free and that is from a choice of well over a hundred live venues to choose from. Until the venues in Thailand embrace original music or the youth do something to fight it (Punk 76, Raves 80's etc) nothing will change.

When the peak of creativity is Carabao then you know you have a problem.

I cant see any original music that has come out of the UK since the Happy Monday/Stone Roses/Primal Scream and late 80s early 90s rave music days. Theres a few good bands/singers but they're just singing repeating music genres of the past.

[65Craig]

While I have to agree I'm not totally into Thai Music, there are several bands that are very good. I'm more preferential to Rock Music and EBOLA (my favorite) are incredible musicians and I have had the pleasure of seeing them about 5 times live and meeting and talking with all the members of the band. Also Silly Fools are really good as well. As is Hangman, whom the old singer Natapol Puthapawana (TOE) formed after leaving Silly Fools. What's impressive about TOE, he actually wrote all the music and lyrics himself (on the new Hangman Record) which is super rare for a lot of Thai Artists (Just read the CD Sleeves if you don't believe me). Anyway, next time you are out, tell the DJ to put on Silly Fools Naam Lai (Saliva/Spit) or Ji Ja and I guarantee every Thai person under the age of 35 will be up singing and dancing. Then again, if you are older and not into Rock, you may not enjoy it. If you are into rock, you should check out Malang Man on Channel 7. It's hosted by the above mentioned Natapol Puthapawana, and surprisingly he's very knowledgeable on a lot of genres of music.

[Neeranam]

some farang like Thai music!

[Tilokarat]

After growing up in the mid-50s to the likes of Elvis, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Chuck Berry and those ladies singing songs like 'Norman', 'To Know Him is to Love Him', 'A Thousand Stars in the Sky' and 'I'm Sorry', I quite like the sia jai (broken heart) songs sung by Thai ladies. Lao music is lively too. So I am happy to sit inside and listen to Fon Tanasoontorn, Da Endorphine, Punch, Tai Orrathai and Kevlin Kortland while there are 30 cm. of snow falling on the ground, and it feels like -30 C., outside.

When I feel like dancing, it is easy to put on 'Rock Around the Clock', 'The Twist', 'At the Hop" and so on.

[a2396]

I think is Asian pop is quite good & listenable, including Thai pop. Not boring for be but not my favorite, which is Jazz. Don't think it is boring. Issan & country music gets old fast for me, but Thais like it & dance to it. Hip Hop & Rapper Crap it is not.

[bina]

wierd, i guess i've been brain washed by israeli cassette music (i love her, she doesnt love me, life is a bummer, blablabla...sung with a morroccan/yemen/iraqui lilt to it w/arab style drumming)....

and israeli rock... so i havent heard european/american music for the most part for years except for euro trash on the radio...

so i like boring thai radio trash, and mor lum (i'm a dancer and have no prob. dancing to any thai music, thai style), luk tuung i love, and i understand some lyrics (i dont speak most issaan dialects...)kit haut blablabla

i cant understand the duuunk duuunk thud of trance dance or whatever its called stuff ; i like different tonal systems (the do re mi is different in thai music)....

and i love phin music. my husband has retuned his really cheapy guitar we bought once to more or less phin tones and he will play for hours... btw, if anyone has phin music i'd like a cd of it since we havent found any even on line... or a phin ...

and we mostly listen to thai luk toong and carabao style stuff at home although my son cant stand it; he's into oldies like the beatles and grateful dead (MY MUSIC) and reggae...

i guess musical styles grow on u which is wierd cause i was raised on classical and i really still dont like most of it.... i used to like jazz styles, i still like bluesy stuff and some country western stuff... but really mostly like the stuff i hear daily here or the thai stuff we listen to at home... although i would like to get some new cd's or dvds... we trade and copy with most of the thai workers here so that those going home and coming back bring new movies and music all the time... but i found that , like my husband, we both can listen to the same stuff over and over (and see the same movies over and over, w/o becoming bored... dont know what that says about my intellectual capacities any more, even my kids cant understand that but still, there it is... we dont get bored with repetition...)

but my husband really doesnt like 'farang' music at all... any of it, not the israeli stuff and not the english stuff, and definately not the arab style stuff thats super danceable... only thai stuff, preferably with a beer in hand...

bina

israel

[RueFang]

some farang like Thai music!

Is that you Neeranam? That was great and my husband (Thai) loved it "wow, wow, wow" .

[AlexLah]

I once saw a band named: Modern Dog or something.

They played a few very good sort of psychedelic rock songs, guitar player went completely out of his skull whilst performing.

Totally deep dope dub stuff, I like that!

I made a remix once using some lyrics from some Isaan lady singer (Kintara) and put an awesome beat and melody under it.

Played it in a few clubs in Europe and people went totally insane, asking me <deleted> the girl was singing, ha ha ha!

January I was in Kalasin for a NY party.

It was so funny, the moment a few notes from an Issan song came up 90% of the guys jumped up and made their funny hand,arm leg moves.

Great time there

[Neeranam]

some farang like Thai music!

Is that you Neeranam? That was great and my husband (Thai) loved it "wow, wow, wow" .

Not me, I can't sing!

[meandwi]

I'm a huge Bob Marley fan and was wondering at 1:42 into this version, does he sing of Holy Mount Zion, as Marley did in the original? Need a translation please. BTW, The Thai group "Job 2 do" has some good music.

Thankyou,

meandwi

Edited March 13, 2008 by meandwi

[IMA_FARANG]

I've been visiting and living here for a number of years now and am always befuddled as to why the music here is so dull. The mates at the pub and myself have yet to figure it out. I mean, when I've travelled to other tropical places the music has often been brilliant. Mexico, Jamaica, Cuba, Trinidad, Brazil, anywhere in equitorial Africa, India..all have great music you can listen and or dance to. But all the music here ( apart from the obvious Western boy/girl band rip-off crap) crawls along at a pace that makes a three toed sloth look like Michael Schumacher on yaba. What gives? Bring on the comments.....

Typical Farang pub-crawler comment. Answer is:

1. In case you hadn't noticed the place is called Thailand, not boozed-up Farang land.

2. There are quite a few Thai bands quite popular with the under 20's. On most weekends you can find at least one concert going on in BKK. It is much more like western music, you can dance to.

3. Thai traditional music has it's own culture. It doen't necessarily fit into a Farang stereotype. Different tonal system also.

4. Dancing, except for Thai classical dancing, is a relatively new thing in Thailand (last 40 or 50 years, if even that long).

5. And finally, the Thais who make the music are making it for Thais to listen to, not for Farangs to listen to. Frankly they don't care about what Farangs think about their music.

6. If you know where to go, you can find western music in clubs in BKK and other large cities. From Jazz, to reggae, to rock, or country-western, it's there. You just have to look for it.

My girlfriends oldest son used to be a drummer in a Thai rock band. They do exist, you are more likely to find those types of bands in Thai nightclubs, where a lot of Farangs don't go.