Composer/Lyrics: สุรพล สมบัติเจริญ Suraphol Sombatcharoen
From the upcoming album 95 ปี ราชาเพลงลูกทุ่ง สุรพล สมบัติเจริญ “95 Birthday of the King of Luk Tueng Suraphol Sombatcharoen,” a special tribute album in which Thailand’s leading “For Life” artists will cover the songs of Surapol Sombatcharoen, who would be 95 today.

Note: This is a cover of an old song by Suraphol Sombatcharoen, who was the most famous Thai singer/songwriter of his era. To learn more about Suraphol Sombatcharoen, check out Add Carabao’s song คิดถึงสุรพล Kit Teung Suraphol (Missing Suraphol) and the intro on that page.

แซ่ซี้อ้ายลื้อเจ็กนั้ง*
Xi needs a woman
เป็นตายพี่ก็ยังรักเธอ
Live or die, I still love you
อาม่วยทั้งหลายที่เฮียได้เจอะเจอ
All those [women] of Chinese descent that I encounter,
ยังไม่สวยเลิศเลอเท่ากับเธอคนเดียว
are still not as magnificent as you alone.

หากแม้ได้น้องมาเป็นคู่
If I get you to be [my] partner
จะพาไปดูหนังไทยทุกรอบเชียว
I’ll take you to see Thai movies every time they show, absolutely!
ชิวอิกชิวหยีพี่จะพาน้องเที่ยว
For the first two days of Chinese New Years, I’ll take you out and around
จะไปไหว้เจ้าเจี้ยวที่เมืองชลบุรี
Please let me take you to pay respect to a Chinese shrine in Chonburi.

หว่างกิมเล้งร้องเพลงให้เจ้าฟัง
Wang Kimleng will sing a song for you
เสร็จจากดูหนังไปบางแสนดินแดนสุขี
After we finish seeing a movie, we’ll go to Bang Sean, land of happiness.
ดูพระจันทร์ตกน้ำตกเมื่อยามราตรี
We’ll watch the moon set into the water, set when it’s evening.
น้องกับพี่คุยกันที่บนหาดทราย
You and me can chat together on the sandy beach
แซ่ซี้อ้ายลื้อเจ็กนั้ง เห็นใจพี่บ้างเปล่าสาวไทย
Xi needs a woman, Thai girls, do you feel me?**
หากแม้ได้เจ้ามาเป็นคู่ขวัญใจ เฮียจะพาลื้อไปเจี๊ยะผักบุ้งไฟแดง
If I can have you come be my partner, darling, I will take you to stir-fry up some red fire pak bung.***

ซ้ำ

*For those who can read Thai but can’t translate the title or this line, that’s because it’s in Chinese!
* “เห็นใจ” is made up of the words “see + heart” and together means “empathize” or “sympathize.” In this context, the young man is asking the young woman if she feel anything towards him. I used current English-language slang to convey this.
** ผักบุ้งไฟแดง (pak bung fai daeng) or “red fire pak bung,” is a stir fry dish, with pak bung being morning glory vine.

The #WhiteLotus effect is causing a boom in tourism to Thailand. Will it do the same for Thai music and Carabao music, which are prominently featured in the program? Below are some tips for how the Carabao curious can access the music.

The music is accessible, even to English-only speakers, in the United States through Amazon Music and most other streaming services. My smart speaker can’t understand Thai, so there is no point in asking for songs by their Thai names. The easiest work around is to tell your smart speaker “Play ‘Made in Thailand’ by Carabao (“Carabao” coincidentally sounds like “Care about” without the “t”). Or even just say, “Play ‘Made in Thailand’”. This almost always works. Then for more Carabao songs, say “Play other songs by this artist.”

For Add Carabao’s solo work, which you will also want, say “Play songs by Add Carabao”, pronouncing “Add” as the English word “add” (if you pronounce it correctly, more like “at”, the smart speaker does not understand). Then say, “Play other songs by this artist.” That should work, but if it doesn’t work, know that a song from his most recent album is “UFO” in English, a recent compilation album is called “Poem” in English, and an older album is titled “World Folk Zen.” Beware that the song “UFO” drops the F-bomb, but if you get “UFO,” say “play other songs from this album” because the most recent album is excellent and a good introduction to Add Carabao’s solo work. If you get the albums “Poem” or “World Folk Zen” you should listen to those whole albums before saying, “play other songs by this artist.”

By: ยืนยง โอภากุล Yeunyong Opakul, aka แอ๊ด คาราบาว Add Carabao
Album: คนกับเม้าส์ Kon Gap Mouth (Person with Harmonica) (2008)

NOTE: Suraphol Sombathcharoen, lived from 1930 to 1968, and was “King of Luk Thung,” luk thung being a Thai musical style, often translated as “Thai country.” That is, it is music from the Thai countryside, (“luk thung” translates as “child of the fields”) and not because the sound is similar to American country music. His real first name is “Lamduan” and Suraphol is a stage name. He was shot dead in 1968, and the murder case was never solved. He has a long Wikipedia entry in English.

Add’s message below this YouTube, translated from Thai: “When I was a child, Teacher Surapol used to sing in my father’s band, the Ch.S.P. band or the Suphan band, which was set up by teachers and government officials in Suphan to play at ordinations and weddings. Teacher Surapol’s songs are considered national treasures, songs of the Suphan people. They are in our blood. This year the Teacher Surapol Sombatcharoen would be 95 if he were still alive. Soon P’Lek and I will release 10 songs of Teacher Surapol’s songs for our brothers and sisters to listen to and remember him. Please stay tuned.”

เมื่อดอกลำดวนชวนกลิ่นดม สะเดาว่าขมยังหวานเปลี่ยนไป
When the fragrant Lamduan flowers invite [you] to smell [them], bitter Ladao turns to sweet.*
เสียงเพลงที่กลั่นมาจากหัวใจ คือเสียงจากชายลุ่มน้ำท่าจีน
The song that is distilled from the heart is the sound of the man from the Tha Chin River basin.
นามสุรพล สมบัติเจริญ บทเพลงดำเนินไม่เคยสูญสิ้น
Named Suraphol Sombatcharoen, the song proceeds and will never die/vanish
ผ่านไปหนใดก็ยังได้ยิน ให้หวนถวินหาสุรพล
Wherever you go, you still hear it, making you look back and long for Suraphol

* โลกหนอใบ นี้ ไร้ความยุติธรรม คนดีล้มคว่ำมาแล้วมากมายหลายคน
This world is without justice [isn’t it]. So many good people have come tumbling down.
คนชั่วลอยนวลอยู่เหนือเหตุผล ให้ประชาชนเขาคับข้องใจ
Bad persons float free above cause and effect [they get away with crimes], which makes the people frustrated**

** แต่ก็ยังดีที่มีเสียงเพลง ขับร้องบรรเลงกล่อมขวัญชาวไทย
But it’s good at least that we have songs. Singing and performing to soothe the spirits of Thai people.
สายลมพัดช่อลำดวนแกว่งไกว ให้คิดถึงสุรพล
The breeze blows and the Lamduan flowers sway, making [me] think of Suraphol.

(ซ้ำ * , ** )

“16 ปี แห่งความหลัง” “สาวสวนแตงแห่งเมืองสุพรรณ”
“16 Years of Our Past,” “Watermelon Farm Girl of Suphanburi”
“น้ำตาจ่าโท” ยังคงลือลั่น ให้ฉันคิดถึงสุรพล
“Sargeant Major’s Tears,” are still [heard] loud and clear***
ให้ฉันคิดถึงสุรพล ให้ฉันคิดถึงสุรพล ให้ฉันคิดถึงสุรพล
So that I think of Suraphol, so that I think of Suraphol, so that I miss Suraphol

An expert translator has helped with the footnotes:

*Lamduan flower has a pleasant smell. It’s so pleasant that when you smell it, Ladao (neem), which is well known for its bitter taste, can become sweet. The metaphor means “Suraphol’s songs are so pleasant, when listening to them, magic can happen.”
**In this context, it means that many innocent people were murdered (Suraphol included), and the murderer of Suraphol was never found and brought to justice.
***These are some of Suraphol’s most famous songs. Google them in Thai if you would like to listen (you can copy them from the Thai lyrics above; I put the quotation marks around these songsi.) Or google Suraphol’s name in Thai: สุรพล สมบัติเจริญ

Lyrics of เวร by Yeunyong Opakul ยืนยง โอภากุล; Melody is from the song “Wrote a Song for Everyone” by John Fogerty; singable translation by Ann Norman

Click HERE for the direct translation. There is no demo yet, so sing along to the Thai YouTube:

Blowing cold and steady, ruffling tops of tall trees
Branches fling in the breeze; watch the way they shake and bend
Our round world, our own world here, has a lot of hope, my friend
Yet misfortune in the end, breaks us down and we give way.

I write a song of warning, from my thoughts of late
‘Bout karma, ‘bout fate. Praise be to dumb faith.

As the wind is blowing, on its path real and true,
It may be calm, but then anew, it blows some more and that’s the deal
Born as humans, we should think, think of nature that is real
A world that’s whole and complete; connect with it and you’ll feel

I write a song of warning, from my thoughts of late
‘Bout karma, ‘bout fate. Praise be stupid faith.
(2X)

The world revolves. It’s not a dream. Always spinning round and round
When desperate times come to town, nature’s lesson is “Persist.”
Believe the eloquent winds that blow loudly in and from our midst
Do as the trees, while we exist: stretch forth and grow tall.

I write a song of warning. I share it with you all
‘Bout karma, ‘bout fate. Blind faith, well hello.

Composed by แอ๊ด คาราบาว Add Carabao and ดั๊ม เอกมันต์ พิเศษ Dum Ekaman Piset
(February 16, 2025)

Notes: I believe this song is closely related to เวร Wayn (Fate/Misfortune), for which I just did a rhyming singable English translation.. Also, note the title of this song echoes Jit Phumisak’s แสงดาวแห่งศรัทธา Saeng Dao Heng Sata (Starlight of Faith). See the rhyming English translation at Music of Thai Freedom. Perhaps there is even a tiny echo of เดือนเพ็ญ Duan Pen (Full Moon), in the way that the singer asks the wind to send a message.

ต้นไม้ต้นหนึ่ง ยืนอยู่อย่างโดดเดี่ยวเดียวดาย
One tree stands all alone by itself
เฝ้ารอความหมาย จากสายลมที่พัดพา
Watching and waiting for meaning from the breeze that blows
เคยมีใครหนึ่ง ยืนหยัดอยู่เคียงข้างกายา
There used to be someone who stood at [my] side
แต่เพียงพริบตา เธอกลับพร่าเลือนหายไป
But in the blink of an eye, she disappeared.

ใบไม้ร่วงหล่น สู่โคนต้นมิอาจหวนคืน
The leaves fall to the base of the tree and may not return
เธอแปรเป็นอื่น ค่ำคืนนั้นฝันสลาย
She transformed into something else. That night [my] dreams were shattered.
รากรักหยั่งลึก ให้ลืมมันคงไม่ง่าย
The deep roots of love make it hard to forget
แม้สายลมเป็นใจ แต่ก็ไร้กระทั่งเงา
Even if the breeze is kindly keeping me company, it doesn’t even leave a shadow.

ลมเอย ลมร้อน ลมหนาว
Oh breeze, warm breeze, cold breeze
รับรู้ เรื่องราว เข้ามาแล้วผ่านไป [sounds like he sings “รับรู้เรื่องราว ที่ร้าวรานผ่านไป”]
Knowing the stories that do damage and pass by*
ส่งเสียงกระซิบ ให้หมั่นรดน้ำ พรวนดินเข้าไว้
Send a whisper to frequently water [me] and to till the soil.
ซีรี่ส์ตอนสุดท้าย ปล่อยให้เป็นเรื่องรากรัก
[As for] the final episode of the series, leave it to fate.

วันวานหวานชื่น เคยยืนหยัดอยู่เคียงกัน
Yesterday was sweet and happy. We used to stand steadfast together,
เงาเธอเงาฉัน ชิดกันตลอดเวลา
your shadow and mine, close always.
สายลมหยั่งรู้ ดวงใจใครปรารถนา
The stream of wind knows whose heart [still] desires/strong>
แต่สายเกินกว่า เธอกลับมาเป็นเหมือนเดิม
But it’s too late for you to come back to me as before

ลมเอย ลมร้อน ลมหนาว
Oh breeze, warm breeze, cold breeze
รับรู้ เรื่องราว เข้ามาแล้วผ่านไป [sounds like he sings “รับรู้เรื่องราว ที่เราร่อนผ่านไป”]
Knowing the stories that do damage and pass by*
ส่งเสียงกระซิบ ให้หมั่นรดน้ำ พรวนดินเข้าไว้
Send a whisper to frequently water and to till the soil.
ซีรี่ส์ตอนสุดท้าย ปล่อยให้เป็นเรื่องของวันเวลา
[As for] the final episode of the series, leave that story to the passage of time.**

ไม้ยังยืนต้น โชกโชนผ่านทั้งร้อนหนาวฝน
The tree still stands strong through heat, cold, and rain.
ฉันเป็นอีกคน ที่ลมช่วยเช็ดน้ำตา
I am yet one more person who the breeze has helped wipe their tears.
รากรักหยั่งลึก ดังดวงใจที่ปรารถนา
The deep roots of love are like a heart that desires
แม้เธอไม่หวนมา ศรัทธาไม่เคยเปลี่ยนแปลง
Although she never comes back, [my] faith never changes
รากรักหยั่งลึก ดังดวงใจที่ปรารถนา
The deep roots of love are like a heart that desires
แม้เธอไม่หวนมา ศรัทธาไม่เคยเปลี่ยนแปลง
Although she never comes back, [my] faith never changes

*The written lyrics say “Knowing the stories coming in and passing by” or “Knowing the stories; coming in and passing by.” But as he sings it, he says “Knowing the stories that do damage and pass by.”
**Again he sings something slightly different than the written lyrics. The written lyrics change on this second time, but in singing it he repeats the line as written the first time: “leave it to fate.”

Posted to Bom Suthisak Sinchareon’s facebook page on 1/20/2015
Lyrics and melody by Add Carabao and Bom Sinchareon. (According the Bom’s post, Add composed the first two verses and Bom composed the hook and the last verse.

Note: Compare to Rainy Season’s Promises. At this time, the best version is below, from Facebook, done solo by Bom Sinchareon, but you can also find a rough version on Facebook with Add and Bom together. Still waiting for a YouTube.

หนาวปีนี้แม้นไม่มีใครให้ไออุ่น
The cold season this year, even though I don’t have anyone to warm me up,
แต่ฉันอยากขอบพระคุณ
I still want to give thanks for it.
ที่ยังมีบุญพบอากาศหนาว
I still have the boon of encountering the cold weather*
ตื่นขึ้นมาตรงเวลาในทุกๆเช้า
I wake up right on time every morning
อยากเก็บงำความเหน็บหนาว
I want to keep and hide away the cold
ไว้รอคอยเจ้า คนที่มีใจ
Storing it to wait for you, the one who has [my?] heart.

หนาวคราวนั้นเธอกับฉันเคยอยู่ด้วยกัน
That cold season, you and I were together
ช่วงเวลาสั้นๆ
that short period of time.
ฉันยังจำมั่นวันฝันมลาย
I remember clearly the day my dreams were shattered.
เหมือนดอกลั่นทมงามไม่นานก็ร่วงโรยไป
Like beautiful plumeria flowers,** it’s not long before it wilts
วันเวลาไม่อาจแก้ไข
It’s not like we can fix the passage of time,
ปล่อยให้ดวงใจดวงนี้ระทม
which leaves this heart feeling gloomy

หนาวลม ยังไม่ขื่นขม เท่าหนาวใจ
The cold wind is still not as bitterly cold as my heart
ภาพจำที่คอยทำร้าย
Scenes remembered that keep hurting
จำได้ ปลายฤดูหนาว
I can remember the end of the winter
เจ็บครั้งนั้น มันร้าวลึกระยะยาว
The pain at that time, it’s a crack that’s deep and long lasting
ผ่านกี่ฝน กี่ร้อนกี่หนาว
No matter how many rainy seasons, hot seasons, or cold seasons pass
ยังไม่ทุเลาได้เลย
[the pain] doesn’t subside at all.***

หนาวลม มันระบมไปถึงใจ
The pain of the cold wind reaches the heart
โอ้….ป่านนี้เธอเป็นไง
Oh . . . These days how are you?
ได้โปรดรู้ไว้ว่าใครห่วงหา
Please know who cares about you, hoping you’re alright
อยากลืมยิ่งจำ ยิ่งบอบยิ่งช้ำ
The more I want to forget, the more I remember and hurt.
ทั้งสามเวลาสามเวลา [ถึงสามเวลา?]
All three times [until it’s been three times?]****
หนาวนี้คิดถึงเธอแทบบ้า
This winter I miss you so much, I’m almost crazy,
จนอยากจะลาความหนาว
To the point I want to say goodbye to the cold

* The word บุญ (pronounced “boon” in Thai, and close in meaning to the English word “boon”) is some good thing that happens to you because of good karma. That is it is good luck, but additionally it comes from karma.
**Plumeria or frangipani flowers have spiritual meaning in Buddhism.
***It doesn’t mitigate or moderate. ทุเลา means “mitigate” or “moderate.”
****The written lyrics say ทั้ง (all) but I’m hearing ถึง (until).

From แอ๊ด คาราบาว Add Carabao and ดั๊ม เอกมันต์ พิเศษ Dum Ekaman Piset
Posted to Add Carabao Lifestyle page on Facebook on December 29, 2024.

Notes: This song is about Bank Lester (real name Thanakhan Kanthi), a mentally challenged man of 27 who sold jasmine garlands on the street, while rapping to get the attention of passersby. (Compare to the Carabao song มาลัย Malai (Garland [of Jasmine]). Clips of Bank rapping and selling garlands went viral, and so he started posting content every day and became a media influencer with many fans. Bank was then hired to create content in which he was bullied and teased in exchange for money. He said he did it because he had no choice: he had to raise money to support his grandmother. He recently (December 2024) died after drinking a large quantity of alcohol in exchange for $30,000 baht ($860.00). His grandmother was not aware that he was being bullied.

ฉันเป็นชายอกสามศอก
I am a man with a chest three cubits wide
แต่หมอบอกว่าฉันเกิดมา เป็นเด็ก พิเศษ
But the doctor said I was born a special child
เด็กพิเศษ เด็กพิเศษ
Special child. Special child
ฉันมียายคอยเลี้ยงดูอยู่ เท่าที่รู้คือยายรักฉันเหมือนลูก
I have a grandmother I always look after. It seems like my grandmother loves me like her own child.
โอ้ยายจ๋า ฉันรักยาย ฉันรักยาย
Oh dear Grandma. I love you, I love you.

แบกตะกร้าขายพวงมาลัย ร้องแร็ปไปให้คนสนใจ
I carry a basket of jasmine garlands, rapping to get people’s attention
บ้างก็ซื้อบ้างไม่ซื้อไม่เป็นไร
Sometimes I make a sale, and sometimes not. Oh well.
ฉันมีความหวังตั้งใจ อยากปลูกบ้านให้ยายอยู่
I have hope and determination. I want to build a house for my grandmother to live in.

ในสังคมโซเชียลมีเดีย คนพิเรนทร์จิตใจพิการมีอยู่
On social media, there are people with mental disabilities and handicaps
เพื่อยอดวิว สร้างยอดวิว เพิ่มยอดวิว
For peak views, creating and increasing total views.
ฉันคือคนที่ตกเป็นเหยื่อ อันธพาลหัวใจคะนองไร้เมตตา
I fell victim to bad guys, ruthless and merciless
วาสนา … ปลูกบ้านให้ยาย จึงไม่สำเร็จ
[That’s my] luck.* So I wasn’t successful building a house for my grandmother.

วอนสังคมขอความเป็นธรรม ออกกฎหมายกันคนใจดำ
Ask society for justice. Make laws to protect from evil hearted people
ทำระยำตำบอนต่อผู้พิการ เด็กพิเศษเด็ก เด็กพิเศษเด็ก
Who do horrible things to the disabled, to special children, special children
วอนสังคมขอความเป็นธรรม ออกกฎหมายกันคนใจดำ
Ask society for justice. Make laws to protect from evil hearted people
ทำระยำตำบอนต่อผู้การ เด็กพิเศษ เด็กพิเศษ
Who do horrible things to the disabled, to special children, special children
เด็กพิเศษ แบงค์ เลสเตอร์
Special child Bank Lester
แบงค์ เลสเตอร์ แบงค์ เลสเตอร์
Bank Lester, Bank Lester

Thai news story about Bank Lester’s life and death:

Sung by: เขียว คาราบาว Keo Carabao (real name: Kirati Promsaka Na Sakon Nakhon)
From the Keo Carabao solo album เพื่อนชีวิต Peuan Chewit (Life Friends) (2024)
Lyrics and Melody ธนภัทร พุทธกะ , ทนง แซ่เฮ็ง Thanapat Puttaka, Thanong Saeheng

Note: The video is touching for all the pictures of Keo Carabaos’s musician friends who appear in the video. These are other Peu Chewit or “For Life” artists who are Peuan Chewit, or Life Friends (a little bit of word play). I’ve listed some of the non-Carabao and former Carabao friends of Keo Carabao appearing in the music video for whom there is further information at this site, available at the hyperlinks. (Some people appear several times in the video but I only note their best cameo):
Minute 1:47: Eed Opakul (Add Carabao’s identical twin) and Nga Caravan (Songs for Life artist who came before and inspired Carabao).
Minute 1:59 Pao Carabao (former Carabao drummer who passed away in 2017)
Minute 2:06 Maleehuana (another Songs for Life artist);
Minute 3:13 Phongthaep “Mu” Kradonchamnan Former member of the band Caravan, who left Caravan and toured with Carabao in their early years (around the time of Made in Thailand and then went on to have a successful solo career.)
Minute 3:18: Asanee Chotikul (another Songs for Life artist).

This music video came out before Duk Carabao passed away, but the theme of the song broadly applies to him as well. Note that Keo is a founding member of Carabao and he left the band Carabao before Duk joined, which explains his absence from Keo’s old pictures of Carabao.

เพื่อนบางคนมันก็ ขี้เมาเหลือเกิน
Some friends are drunks, very much so.
บางคนเงียบๆบางคนใจร้อนบางคนใจเย็น
Some are very quiet. Some are hot headed and some are chill.
และทุกคนต่างก็มีหน้าที่ของตน
And each individual has their own personality
มีคนที่อยู่มีคนที่หายที่จาก ไปชั่วกาลเวลา
There are people living, and people who have left us over time.

ก่อนที่เรื่องราวจะเป็นความหลัง
Before the stories are all behind [us]
เรื่องเล่ามากมายของเอ็งกับฉัน
So many stories of you and me to tell
ยังคิดถึงวันที่เราตั้งวงคุยกัน นั่งร่ำสุรายันเช้า
I still think back to the days that we would sit in a circle, talk, and drink till morning.
หายไปดิ้นรนก็เพื่อชีวิต มีเพียงแค่มึงเป็นเพื่อนชีวิต
All gone, the struggle that was For Life. I have only you guys who are Life Friends
จากนี้จนวันสุดท้ายไปจนถึงวันตาย
From today until the last day, until the day we die.
เป็นเพื่อนกันมันไม่ง่าย ก็เป็นแล้วมันเลิกไม่ได้
It’s not easy all being friends, but that’s what we already are, and it can’t be undone.
เพื่อนชั่วชีวิตก็มีแค่มึง
[As for] whole-life friends, there’s just you all

ไม่ว่าจะตีกันมากเท่าไร
No matter how much we get into fights
เพื่อนก็ยังคือเพื่อนอย่างเดิม และยิ่งชัดเจน
Friends are still friends as before, and even more clearly
ไม่ต้องพูดเยอะพี่ลี้พิไร พยักหน้าเอาเป็นว่ารู้กัน
No need to say much, just hanging out and teasing. Nodding heads to acknowledge we know each other.
ก็เพียงแค่นั้น ก็มันรู้ทัน ก็เป็นเพื่อนกันนี่หว่า
Just that and they know immediately, we’re all friends here.

ก่อนที่เรื่องราวจะเป็นความหลัง
Before the stories are all behind us
เรื่องเล่ามากมายของเอ็งกับฉัน
So many stories of you and me
ยังคิดถึงวันที่เราตั้งวงคุยกัน นั่งร่ำสุรายันเช้า
I still think of the days that we would sit in a circle, talk, and drink till morning.

หายไปดิ้นรนก็เพื่อชีวิต มีเพียงแค่มึงเป็นเพื่อนชีวิต
All gone, the struggle that was For Life. I have only you guys who are Life Friends
จากนี้จนวันสุดท้ายไปจนถึงวันตาย
From today until the last day, until the day we die.
เป็นเพื่อนกันมันไม่ง่าย ก็เป็นแล้วมันเลิกไม่ได้
It’s not easy all being friends, but that’s what we already are, and it can’t be undone.
เพื่อนชั่วชีวิตก็มีแค่มึง
[As for] whole-life friends, there’s just you all

ก่อนที่เรื่องราวจะเป็นความหลัง
Before the stories are all behind us
เรื่องเล่ามากมายของเอ็งกับฉัน
So many stories of you and me to tell
ยังคิดถึงวันที่เราตั้งวงคุยกัน นั่งร่ำสุรายันเช้า
I still think back to the days that we would sit in a circle, talk, and drink till morning.
หายไปดิ้นรนก็เพื่อชีวิต มีเพียงแค่มึงเป็นเพื่อนชีวิต
All gone, the struggle that was For Life. I have only you guys who are Life Friends
จากนี้จนวันสุดท้ายไปจนถึงวันตาย
From today until the last day, until the day we die.
เป็นเพื่อนกันมันไม่ง่าย ก็เป็นแล้วมันเลิกไม่ได้
It’s not easy all being friends, but that’s what we already are, and it can’t be undone.
เพื่อนชั่วชีวิตก็มีแค่มึง
[As for] whole-life friends, there’s just you all

Note: I recently wrote an article about “Humanism in the Add Carabao Songs,” however, I was well aware at the time that I was interpreting the subject through the lens of my own culture. To understand Add Carabao (Yuenyong Opakul)’s songwriting on it’s own terms, one must start from Add’s repeated statements that the songs are strongly influenced by Buddhism. And now I recognize that the Buddhist concept of yonisomanasikāra (proper attention), in particular, which he mentions in this interview, is key to understanding his body of work. I’m documenting this as a lead for any English-language musicologists studying the work of this singer/songwriter.

Rough translation:

Add Carabao: People who don’t have suffering, maybe they don’t understand about Dharmic Truth. But whenever suffering arises, you have to entrust yourself [to someone/something] to help you. As for the help, some people go to the temple and make merit and think that will have good results for them….[I] didn’t entrust myself to god, I entrusted myself to myself. I must practice myself.*

Bom Sincharoen: That’s probably a good way to think about it.

Add: You have to rely on your own practice.

Bom: Does it get good results?

Add: In the beginning when I started to meditate, it was boring. But after that I found the branch of Luang Pa Tian (a monk). I thought, this makes sense/seems right. I did it all the time, every day.

Bom: Does your study help you compose songs?

Add: When I was studying Dharma it helped me add another branch of substance to my songs. When I was composing songs, for many, many songs, knowledge of this subject came and helped me throughout all my songs. In the period after that there were matters that arose where Dharma was relevant, to some extent. And that was a benefit. For songwriters, the thing you can’t skip is to read, search, find new information. Write it down and try to practice and see. Because there is no fixed formula when it comes to songwriting. And after you have the information, you must use yonisomanasikāra [proper attention].*

Bom: Yyonisomanasikāra [proper attention].*

Add: People generally know it well. The act of thinking cleverly, what would be good to go on and do? What would be best to do? And put your hand to doing it for real.

*”To do good things (and relieve oneself from suffering) depends on oneself and not “God” who does not necessarily even exist in the Buddhist way of thinking. Buddha is not a God but a teacher. That you must find the way yourself, is a main principle of Buddhism.
**See the article “The Concept of Yonisomanasikāra ‘Proper Attention’ as a Buddhist Way to Social Peace” as I believe this Bhuddist concept yonisomanasikāra is key to Add’s thought process in many, many songs.

In 2005, Carabao joined up with famous female singer Parn Tanaporn, widely recognized as one of the best voices in Thailand, to make fresh music aimed at a younger generation. The iconic song (and iconic performance) from that collaboration is หนุ่มบาว-สาวปาน Num Bao Sao Parn (Carabao Boy and Parn Girl) in the first video below. The song, which is the title song of the first Carabao and Parn Tanaporn album, is about a young man who loves Carabao music falling in love with a young woman who loves Parn music. The lyrics, are basically an inside joke for fans of Carabao and/or Parn. That song with it’s many Easter eggs is translated and explained HERE to the best of my abilities. But anyone can immediately appreciate the eclectic sound—and that the song is a total earworm:

Who is Parn Thanaporn? Parn (pronounced “Bpan”), real name Thanaporn Wakprayoon, has an amazing voice that is both strong and emotional. She is twenty-some years younger than most of the Carabao band members. One of her biggest hits, เบอร์นี้ไม่มีคนของเธอ (This Number Doesn’t Have Your Person [at it]), is a great intro to her solo music. It’s the first song on this Parn Tanapporn song compilation YouTube video below.

“This Number Doesn’t Have Your Person [at it]” is about a woman, who gets sick of her boyfriend constantly contacting someone right in front of her and finally grabs his phone and tells the woman on the other end, “Your person isn’t here!,” finishing with, “Unless someone has died, don’t call!”

Parn has been singing since childhood, went to high school at the College of Dramatic Arts, began back-up singing while in high school, majored in music at Chulalongkorn University, and sang the original soundtracks for many dramas and movies before becoming a solo artist in 2000 under RS Promotion. Over the next two years she won a pile of awards, such as Best Song, Best Music Video (several times), Best Female Artist for the Youth, Best Solo Vocalist, and Best Thai Pop Singer. The collaboration with Carabao was in 2005, and in 2012, she was invited to play Effie White in the Bangkok version of the musical “Dreamgirls” [For comparison, Jennifer Hudson played Effie in the American film by the same name.] In addition to working on her own projects, Parn is a voice trainer for many big artists. In 2014, she got a master’s degree in music at Silpakorn University.

The origin of the Carabao – Parn collaboration is a friendship between Parn and Thierry Mekwattana of Carabao. They had previously made a solo album with RS. Also Parn had previously sung backup for Carabao while still in high school.

The 2005 collaboration between Parn and the band Carabao produced many duets that are completely addictive and ideal for karaoke. The project had Add Carabao writing some straight-up love songs–not his typical thing–and he knocked it out of the ballpark with 3 beautiful heartbreakers: สุ่มไฟรัก Sum Fai Rak (Build the Fire of Love), ดอกไผ่บาน Dok Pai Baan (The Bamboo Flower Blooms), and มนต์รักผีเสื้อ Mon Rak Pee Seua (Butterfly Love Spell).

To find additional great songs from this album go to Translations by Album at this site. (You are looking for “Num Bao Sao Parn (Special Carabao Album with Parn, 2005)”) None of the rest of that albums’ songs are written by Add Carabao, but one is written by Theirry Mekwattana and one by Lek Carabao (Preecha Chanapai). The other songs are presumably written by Parn’s people, and at least one is an adaptation of a Parn solo song. Specifically, เหงา…ไม่เข้าใจ Ngow…Mai Kowjai (It’s Lonely … I Don’t Understand) is a silly twist on a famous Parn song, “เหงา..เข้าใจ” Ngow Kowjai (It’s Lonely … I Understand).

Google her name in Thai to find more songs by ปาน ธนพร (Parn Thanaporn). You’ll find the lyrics to her best solo work translated into English by Tamnong at the website Deungdutjai.com (among translations of thousands of other great Thai songs). Here is the List of Translated Songs [sung] by Parn Thanaporn at Deungdutjai: http://deungdutjai.com/2000/04/06/translated-songs-by-parn-thanaporn/

เบอร์นี้ไม่มีคนของเธอ (“This Number Doesn’t Have Your Person [at it]”), mentioned above, is the second song in that list at Deungdutjai.

References:
Thai Wikipedia entry “ธนพร แวกประยูร” [Thanaporn Wakprayoon], as of 3/3/2004.
Thai Wikipedia entry “หนุ่มบาว-สาวปาน’ [Num Bao – Sao Parn, meaning “Carabao Boy – Parn Girl”], as of 3/3/2004
“Parn biography” at https://www.last.fm/music/Parn/+wiki. As of 3/3/2004

Lyrics by แอ๊ด คาราบาว Aed Carabao (ยืนยง โอภากุล Yuenyong Opakul);
Melody by Aed Carabao and เทียรี่ เมฆวัฒนา Thierry Mekwattana
Album: รวมเพลง Ruam Playng (A Collection of Songs)

According to Thai Wikipedia, Khun Aed wrote this song for Thai Airways to use in their advertising, and he came up with it while flying back and forth on Thai Airways touring for concerts.  It perfectly captures the feeling of looking out the window of an airplane. This is the singable English translation. Below is the voice clip, which is purely for demo purposes, or try to sing along with the video in Thai. The direct translation is HERE.

If I could fly away like a bird
I would soar way up in the sky
If I could float and ride on the wind
I’d look back around on the ground

Our big, wide world below is quite a sight
The more you look, the more delight

The expanse of sea’s colored blue
The expanse of land’s colored green
Perhaps you’ve heard some people complain
Where can this world’s beauty be seen?

The world spreads out below so vast and wide
The more you look, the more surprise

Beauty and love they both from nature start
People then paint in colors from their heart
The sky, the sea, the dirt, rocks, sand, and we
Through good and bad, building our country

If you fly away like a bird
When you soar way up in the sky
When you ride and float on the wind
Look back down around on the ground
Our big, wide world below is quite a sight
The more you look, the more delight

This song is from the sky … so far up high
Sending my thoughts to people far and near
A message true from viewing way up here:
The sky goes on and on; people don’t live there.