I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing...In Perfect Harmony...

One of my favorite nights out in SE Asia has to be my recent trip to the Red Orchid in Siem Reap. I'd walked by the spot a couple of times. From the street, all I could see was a staircase heading up, and above, on the second level were several tables lining a balcony with people sitting and swaying to the music. The first time I passed by I heard a guy singing an Elvis song (with heavy Cambodian accent), the next time I went by it was a woman singing La Bamba (again, with a heavy Cambodian accent). I asked the guy at the door if it was a karaoke bar, and he nodded, and I thought it'd be worth checking out for a while. When I got upstairs, I discovered it was actually just a bar with a really large live band. There were about 12 band members total - not everyone performed on every song, and some were more talented singers than others, but at least two of the guitarists were absolutely fantastic, and one of the female singers could really belt out the notes. So I wound up staying put for the night and hearing just about every great Western sing-along song you can think of.

And perhaps the best part was the room was full of South Koreans. South Koreans have to be the most excited, jovial bunch of people I've ever been around. They were clapping, cheering and calling out requests in their broken English, and whenever one of their requests was honored, they'd jump up to sing and dance along with reckless abandon. The place reached a fever pitch for John Denver's "Country Road." I have no idea why, but everyone in the place, from the Cambodian waiters to the Asian tourists, to me, all sang aloud and swayed together over this...classic tune?? At any rate, you've not been entertained in SE Asia till you get by the Red Orchid for some slightly altered/accented Creedence Clearwater Revival, Tracy Chapman, Whitney Houston, ABBA and even No Doubt! The variety, the energy, all so great.

Wish you were here!
Mere