Translated from a video on Meta titled “ป๋าเขียว พูดถึง พี่แอ๊ด บันทึกสุดท้าย เพื่อนเพื่อชีวิต เขียว คาราบาว ส.คนรัก คาราบาว ตำนานที่ยังมีลมหายใจ #VICETV”
Note: Keo Carabao, real name Kirati Promsaka na Sakon Nakhon, is of course one of the three original members of Carabao. He quit at the end of the classic period to do other things, but has remained involved, coming back for some anniversary concerts and the like and doing some sound work for the band. Keo Carabao recently released the song เพื่อนเพื่อชีวิต (Peuan Peua Chewit)
Keo Carabao: Within Carabao, I believe that Add is not national ranking (within Thailand), he is world ranking. He has a special ability to be able to write lyrics, like continuously on and on and on. But sometimes he is not all that careful. And maybe his history is wrong in some songs.* He’s in a bit of a hurry. He’s got a gift for writing lyrics, and it’s something which can’t be taught; it must be within himself.
“Afraid the cat will come and steal it.” How’d he write those song lyrics? The song “Mai Koei” (“Never Before”). Those words “Afraid the cat will come and steal [it],” put [it] away in a cabinet, keep [it] in a cabinet. I’m afraid the cat will come and steal [it].** [laughing] How’d he think of those words?
“A calendar star . . . . ” [“A calendar star still sends a smile to my foolish”] *** How did Add write that? When singing it, one thinks of the calendar of starlets that’s hanging. [points towards the wall]
Grammy [music label] studied Add’s method of writing without success. Put it up on the board and argue together about it. They had a team studying it.
He is the person*** who brought what it was to be “Songs for Life” genre to discuss with me. We needed to have Caravan as the template. Make songs for society. And one of his ideas/points was that we would help the citizens, or help Thailand. And we needed to be famous first. How are people going to believe us? We say whatever amongst ourselves. How do we get to the point where they to listen to us if we are some hicks? Then no one would have listened to us. And because of that we had to rise whatever it took. And then people would listen. Because in the times past when we went on concert tour, people wouldn’t just come to see the concert, they would come to see Add speak. This year Add will bring up whatever matter to tell the people. Like the news reporters [he] has read, [he] summarizes that news for the brothers and sisters, the people, to hear [like] “This person is like this. Don’t believe them,” [he] criticizes. To the point that he might be jumping down from the stage. [Laughing]
*He is likely referring to the song “Made in Thailand,” in which, according to Add, his famous list of Thai eras from “Sukothai, Lop Buri, Ayuthaya, Thon Buri” to the Bangkok era is incorrect.
**The whole line is “”เก็บเอาความรักใส่กุญแจไว้ กลัวแมวจะมาขโมย” “Keep [one’s] love locked away, afraid the cat will steal it.” From the song ไม่เคย “Never Before,” which I believe is a song Add wrote for a Keo Carabao solo album, but I’m not sure.
*** I believe he is talking about Add here, but grammatically it could instead mean “they are the people” meaning the Grammy team.
**** “ปฏิทินดารา ยังส่งยิ้มมาถากถางหัวใจ” “A calendar star still sends a smile to my foolish heart” from the song สัญญาหน้าฝน (Sanya Na Fon) (Rainy Season’s Promises).