Luk thung
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Luk thung (Thai: ลูกทุ่ง; lit. "child of the fields") is the most popular form of Thai country music. The term is short for pleng luk thung (Thai เพลงลูกทุ่ง- song of a child of the fields). The 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.
The form developed in the first half of the 20th century, although the term luk thung was first used in the 1960s. Ponsri Woranut and Suraphol Sombatcharoen were the genre's first big stars, incorporating influences from Latin America, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and, especially, American film soundtracks and country music (including yodelling). Many of the most popular luk thung stars have come from the central city of Suphanburi, including megastar Pumpuang Duangjan, who adapted it to 1980s string (Thai pop) music by making a dance-ready form called electronic luk thung. When Pompuang died in 1992, many observers felt that luk thung would die with her. It survived, however, and with the advent of the first all luk thung radio station in 1997 soon saw a major revival.
Since the 1990s there has been much cross-fertilisation between luk thung, string and mor lam music. String artists have taken to singing luk thung songs, while luk thung singers have increasingly been promoted like pop singers, with an emphasis on youth and looks. The mor lam influence has produced a new genre called luk thung Isan or luk thung prayuk, which incorporates the faster rhythms of mor lam.
Audio sample (Ogg format) from Motorcy Hang by Rock Salaeng (luk thung prayuk)
