For my first post I selected the song which initiated my interest in Thai Music. In 1987 I saw the Butthole Surfers in Hamburg Germany, when they had a supposedly deaf skin-headed dancer on stage that would dance to what I then believed to be an arabian belly dance tune. That song was called "Kuntz". Fast forward, 20 years later I found myself working in Thailand, when out of Nostalgia I listened to that song again, suddenly realizing it was sung in Thai and being able to understand some, but not able to make sense out of it. Playing that song to several people I found out it was sung by famous singer Ploen Promdaen. Remarkable is that the Butthole Surfers hardly changed the song, just a bit of echoe and a spoken KUNTZ mixed in. Mr. Promdaens lyrics play with words, so it is not easy to understand. The original says just "khan" which means it "itches", refering to a "spot" (duang, caused by ringworm infection) on the skin, but using "duang" ambigiously also for fate (duang) - "why is a good fate good, when it itches...!". The Surfers added the "s", making it sound like a rather impolite word. BTW, the Surfers said they got the Song of a tape (entitled simply "Thai Shotgun") that was send to them anonymously. So first post, first song, off the Album Glua Duang, here it is!
Hello Jan good luck with your blog. Was on TZ doing my thing when a Thai post came in so translated & here I am. Happy New Year also my birthay 15th so all is good. I look forward to your music. cheers from Pattaya. Give me email address if you'd like to contact. I am an ex radio broadcaster with a gigantic record collection
ReplyDeletecheers from Bangkok then! nice to know that there are more guys in Thailand with an acquired taste for unusual music. I hope you like my blog, it will all be about Thai Music from 60s to 70s. Are you on facebook? We may exchange there, just look up Jan Molam!
DeleteAfter listening to this song for 20 years, one day I was playing this song in Thailand in 2004 and my Thai girlfriend came running out of our room confused , asking me why I have "Khun" by Thai Shotgun on the stereo along with "all of that horrible noise?" ð That's when my 20 year question was answered. I about shit my pants at suddenly out of nowhere, finding out the history of a song I spent my teens tripping on acid to. My question is... How did the the Butthole Surfers know about this song, especially in the 80s?
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