Fly Thai

Farfetched Tangmo Band

One of the joys of listening to music on the internet is encountering music that sets off chimes of inspiration in our own minds. This holds especially true when the one doing the inspiring is a friend. Bruce Lesisko uploaded a song called Flyfinger a while back. I’m quite certain that he never intended anybody to turn it into a Pop song, and doubly certain that he never imagined it as a Thai pop song.

But in my time in Thailand, I have danced to exhaustion to rythms and tonalities not at all removed from this piece. Even the tone of his wicked lead skronk bears a resemblance to indigenous instruments.

So I took the inspiration, and applied my best phrase-book Thai, a lift from one of my favorite Thai songs, as well as an American rock classic, the musical advantages of a tonal language (and his admonition to have fun) to put a twist on this.

Apologies to any real Thai speakers for butchering your language. I hope you can hear a little Issan in my heart.

Lyrics, roughly translated:

Hello, I love you. Won’t you tell me your name?
How are you? I am fine.
You are my sweetheart. You have a nice smile.
I love you. What is your name?
I love you. Do you understand?
Hello. I love you. Won’t you tell me your name?
Do you understand?

I must go now. I’ll see you soon.
Good luck to you. Do you understand?

Could you answer me, please if you miss me?
You don’t have to be sweet.