Saigon Supersound Continues

… to present more interesting tunes of a musical era that has long been obscured. With the well received Volume 1, we are very delighted to dig deeper and share with you the beautiful music of a short but significant period in Vietnam‘s history.

Much like the country itself, the music of Vietnam has endured many twists and turns through the fate of history. As the result of the Geneva Accords in 1954, Vietnam was divided into two. From the North, the Nationalist forces fought to reunite Vietnam as a Communist State, while the American troops backed the government of the South.

This caused a mass migration of around 600.000 to 1.000.000 Northerners to the South, which includes many Tân Nhạc (Modern Music) singers and songwriters. Often characterised by its emotive, poetic and prolific personality, Tân Nhạc continued to freely develop in the South and progressively vacating from the influences of its main inspiration, French music. In the North, the Resistance music, or the so-called Nhạc Đỏ (Red Music), which promoted socialism, patriotism and anti-capitalism was the only genre allowed to be played on national radio. Tân Nhạc was something new to the South Vietnamese repertoire, which consisted mainly of Cải Lương (Renovated Theatre Music) – a form of Vietnamese folk opera.

Between 1954–1960, the theme of hometown (quê hương) was a main inspiration for many songwriters such as Hoàng Thi Thơ, Lam Phương and Nguyễn Hữu Thiết. The 9th title of the compilation, “Thôn Trăng Mở Hội Trăng Tròn” showcases a variety of images that were often described in this genre: the harvest moon, playful children, old mother… This romanticisation of the countryside directly reflects the land reformation in Vietnam (cải cách ruộng đất), a policy of confiscating the land of landlords and rich peasants through force and redistributing it to poor and landless peasants. During this time, songs such as “Khúc Hát Ân Tình” were sang by many in the South. With simple, uncomplicated lyrics and beautifully written melodies, this music did not only take to people‘s heart but also provided the Southerners with a new medium to convey their feelings with ease.

First released on October 5, 2018.
This repress from 2023 is still sealed.