"Brother Ba Hung"

This is a song that composer Tran Kiet Tuong wrote about a real person, Colonel Hua Hoa Hung (1927 - 2016).

In 1947, during a battle against the French army in Bac Lieu , commanded by Squad Leader Ba Hung (the common name of Mr. Hua Hoa Hung), the unit eliminated many enemy soldiers and destroyed many motorized vehicles, becoming a leading example of military achievement in Gia Rai district, earning praise from superiors. At that time, a group of artists on tour and creative field trip stopped by the unit. The group included musicians and singers such as Tran Kiet Tuong, Van Luyen, Tuong Thanh, Van Luu, Khanh Dan...

At the unit, the artists listened to the soldiers recount the brilliant leadership of Squad Leader Hua Hoa Hung. After that conversation, composer Tran Kiet Tuong composed the song "Brother Ba Hung" and sent it to the Southern Radio Station. The song is like a story told with a cheerful melody and a celebratory tone: "There's Brother Ba Hung, a true farmer/ He served in the army for three long years and just received a medal/ Six keeps praising him/ That little boy is so clever/ He keeps praising him/ He says he's talented."

Composer Tran Kiet Tuong

During his lifetime, composer Tran Kiet Tuong spoke about the materials he used to compose the song. He said that this song has a strong Southern Vietnamese feel because he borrowed the melody from the folk song "Con chim manh manh" (The Manh Manh Bird).

Thanks to its cheerful, catchy, and relatable folk-like lyrics, the song "Anh Ba Hung" quickly spread throughout the Southern provinces. When the song became famous throughout the liberated areas, Mr. Hua Hoa Hung didn't dare claim to be the character in the song for fear of affecting the organization and potentially endangering himself. Only after retiring did he officially acknowledge himself as the inspiration for the famous song.

Composer Tran Kiet Tuong (1924 - 1999) was from Can Tho. His name is associated with many famous songs such as "Ao Ba Ba" (traditional Vietnamese blouse), "Bon Banh Xe Toi Lang" (My Four Wheels Roll), "Canh Tay Mien Nam Tren Dat Bac" (Southern Arms on Northern Land), "Ho Chi Minh Dep Nhat Ten Nguoi" ( Ho Chi Minh, the Most Beautiful Name), "Em Di Choi Thuyen" (You Go Boating)...

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/anh-ba-hung-701193.html