Mor lam sing
Encyclopedia
Mor lam sing is a fast-paced, racy, modernized version of the traditional Lao
/Isan
song form mor lam
. Sing comes from the English
word "racing" (a reference to the music's speed and its origins among Isan's biker
fraternity). A lead singer is accompanied by the khaen, a bamboo mouth organ, Western drum
s, electric guitar
, and electric keyboard
s and bass guitar
. The style was invented in Chaiyaphum province
around 1985, and was popularised over the next few years after it was taken up by Ratdri Sivilai in Khon Kaen
. It is based on the Khon Kaen style of lam tang san, but it incorporates string instrumentation, luk thung
singing styles and extensive use of the Central Thai language
rather than Isan
.
The songs are generally about disappointment in love or the hardships of life away from the Northeast of Thailand. Sexual innuendo is prominent, and feature young, fancifully dressed female dancers, called "hang khreuang".
Among the most popular mor lam sing artists are the groups Rock Salaeng and Rock Sadert.
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
/Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
song form mor lam
Mor lam
Mor lam is a traditional Lao form of song in Laos and Isan.Mor lam means expert song, or expert singer, referring to the music or artist respectively. Other romanisations used include mo lam, maw lam, maw lum, moh lam and mhor lum...
. Sing comes from the English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
word "racing" (a reference to the music's speed and its origins among Isan's biker
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
fraternity). A lead singer is accompanied by the khaen, a bamboo mouth organ, Western drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, and electric keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s and bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. The style was invented in Chaiyaphum province
Chaiyaphum Province
Chaiyaphum is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Lopburi and Phetchabun.- Etymology :...
around 1985, and was popularised over the next few years after it was taken up by Ratdri Sivilai in Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen is a city in Isan, Thailand. It is also the capital of Khon Kaen province and the Khon Kaen district.-Geography and demography:Khon Kaen is located in the Khorat Plateau, in the central-northwestern area of Isaan...
. It is based on the Khon Kaen style of lam tang san, but it incorporates string instrumentation, luk thung
Luk thung
Luk Thung refers to the most popular form of a style of music found in Thailand. The term is short for pleng luk thung .Luk Thung songs typically reflect the hardship of everyday life among the rural poor. Tempos tend to be slow, and singers use an expressive singing style with a lot of vibrato...
singing styles and extensive use of the Central Thai language
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
rather than Isan
Isan language
Isan language is the collective name for the dialects of the Lao language as they are spoken in Thailand. It is spoken by approximately 20 million people, which is nearly one-third of the entire population of Thailand, predominantly in the Isan region of northeastern Thailand. There are also large...
.
Among the most popular mor lam sing artists are the groups Rock Salaeng and Rock Sadert.