For this assignment, I have chosen a type of music called “NCAA teen chine” which is known as the Vietnamese pre-war music. Pre-war music is popular for stage music in Vietnam. This type of music is known as the origin of Vietnamese popular music due to the melancholy, harmonious, and sentimental, and to this day many romantic songs from the Vietnamese pre-war music are valuable in the culture. This type of music is also a respected song in the country, and it is very popular with the older enervation that grew up during that time period, like my parents for example.
One of the most popular “NCAA teen chine” is called “Got Mum HTH” (Autumn Rain Drops) by Dang The Phone, an iconic musician of the time period. My father who was a Lieutenant in the South Vietnamese Army, would tell me war stories all the time when I was younger. It was his way of preserving the hardships his generation endured in the Vietnam War and this song is also one of his favorites. Vietnam has a long history f wars before and after the Vietnam War.
Peace did not seem to last very long until the ass. This song was a reflection for those times of unrest in the country. When dissecting the music, “Got Mum HTH,” (Autumn Rain Drops), I believe that Autumn is referring to wars that come and go. Wars seemed like they were seasonal to the people back then. Rain drops are the tears shed for sadness that comes with the bloodshed. The people long for peace, hoping one day it will come. As the wars drag on, they are still hanging on to that hope.
The instrumental intro gives us a somber feeling yet gives us a sense of anticipation of things to come. There are many variations throughout the years, but the best instruments used for this song is the Dang ABA (a monochrome) and Dan Unguent (the moon lute). The sounds from these instruments are unique from one another and adds more feelings to the song. The combination of these sounds and the singer’s powerful, somber tone makes the song very emotional. Songs like this also gives people hope in tough times. After the
Vietnam War, my relatives and other citizens of South Vietnam continued to struggle with the ideals of communism. They were hit with another setback, the communist North confiscated money, land, and homes of the citizens of the South Vietnamese. All the wealthy people in the South became poor overnight. My parents, like many people, had to leave their country to search for a better life. That is some of the reasons why this song is so popular with the older generations. It reminds them of their heritage, their struggles, and hardships they have endured.
It is that sense of never giving up hope that helped them to strive for a better life. Songs of this genre have persisted for decades, they instill pride and hope in the people of Vietnam. As times are changing and styles of music evolve, it is important to keep up with the music in our culture’s history. They are not Just words written to the sound of musical instruments, they are a gateway to our culture’s past. They display the sounds, experience, and emotions from the people of that time period. Music as culture By shoeshine
