Luk Thung: The Culture and Politics of Thailand's Most Popular Music

About this book

Since the 1960s the hybrid popular music called luk thung has embodied the aspirations frustrations and sorrows of Thailands working class. Global scholarship however has been slow in examining this seminal genre. In this pioneering book ethnomusicologist James Mitchell explores the many facets of luk thung through ethnographic research with singers songwriters fans and other professionals. The groundbreaking final chapter refutes the widespread opinion that luk thung is an apolitical genre by examining its role in recent political turmoil and tracing currents of protest and sociopolitical commentary back to the musics origins. The book includes links to many songs online so that readers can hear for themselves the music that came to express the triumphs and hardships of everyday working Thais.