This 7-inch is a gift from the past, reissuing two rare Thai treasures from the late 1960s, big hits from that time which were actually covers of Japanese songs. Pan-Asian music produced by Surin Phaksiri, a legendary presence in the Isan music scene from the 1960s until the present. The first song "Ya Deon Show" was Phaksiri's first hit, a Thai-language version of "Soran Bushi", a traditional work song of Hokkaido fishermen, sung here by popular actor Banchop Chaiphra. The song fuses a Luk Thung arrangement with a Japanese "Dodonpa" rhythm. The second singer here is Samai Onwong, a key force in the development of Thai pop music, with "Sakura La Kon (Goodbye Sakura)", sung in both Japanese and Thai. The original was a 1968 hit by Pinky & The Killers and features some fine Khaen[*] playing by Samai, lending a bittersweet Thai feeling. With English lyrics and liner notes, this is a lovely treat, guaranteed to bring a smile and perhaps a tear.

(Cover art: Samai Onwong playing a Khaen, late 1960s)

* Khaen: A free reed wind instrument made from numerous pieces of bamboo.