“Passing the old ferry, the leaves and flowers return in the afternoon. Coldly and softly swaying in the sparse sunlight” and then “Hills of purple sim flowers, oh hills of purple sim flowers, the deserted and lonely afternoon”.

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The simple party celebrating the reunion after many years apart was made more lively by the voices of homegrown singers and the strummed guitars in the garden on a late afternoon. The song Afternoon Sun by musician Le Trong Nguyen and Sim Flower Hills by Dzung Chinh, set to Huu Loan’s poem with Bolero melody, brought me back to the memories of days that seemed not so long ago. The market in the small riverside hamlet of the past suddenly shimmered with nostalgia for the children of my age now.

It's funny to think about it! A few grocery stores, a few vegetable stalls, and a few customers can still be called a market! My mother, sisters, and aunts in the neighborhood go to this market almost every day because the goods are much cheaper than the district market. People rarely bargain, they just give the price they say without any bargaining.

Sometimes you can find things that are rarely found in the district market. Here are the bunches of fresh green vegetables that have just been picked or the fat snakehead fish that have just been caught on the sampans. The market opens from early morning until mid-afternoon and from then until evening it is reserved for the leisure time and space of the people in the small village.

The children played all kinds of fun games: playing marbles, shooting marbles, jumping on the scotch… The adults sat together, sipping wine and tea, listening to and singing Bolero. Uncle Ba’s house at that time had an old record player but it was still usable. Strangely, there were only a few songs on the singles but they never got bored of listening to them! Absorbing the melodies and lyrics, many of them gradually became amateur singers without realizing it! Just an acoustic guitar with a simple melody and rustic voices but it captivated so many people, including young children like me.

Uncle Hai used his chopsticks to tap on the bowl to create rhythm and drifted to the song "Voice of the Past " by musician Bao Thu: "But I nurture dreams about the future, apricot flowers fill the path I take" - his voice seemed to be reproachful but was truly passionate.

During the years living far from home on rainy nights, sitting in the attic, familiar images of the past suddenly came back to me, making my heart flutter, so I hugged the guitar to let my emotions flow: "Outside the porch, the rain falls, the cold rain penetrates someone's shirt" - the lyrics in Midnight Rain by Truc Phuong are so deep and filled with sadness, carrying the philosophical color of a lonely person and remembering old memories. Indeed, every Westerner has their own bolero song!

I have a friend who loves Boléro and has a very unique way of enjoying music - listening to it according to his mood and needing a private space to feel it. He often chooses a quiet place, letting his soul follow each song to forget all the worries of everyday life.

More specifically, your comments about Boléro: "Don't differentiate between high and low music, classy or cheesy music. As long as it expresses the musician's feelings and you can sympathize with it, that's enough."

In my own opinion, I think Boléro is closely associated with the people of the West because of its rich themes such as love between couples, friendship, love of homeland... The lyrics are clear, coherent and clear in the content, so it easily brings sympathy and understanding to the listeners, especially in the midst of tea and wine between friends and neighbors.

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The poetry in the melody brings people into a beautiful dream of a prosperous life, of a very loyal, close and realistic love between couples in the countryside:
The wind shakes the duckweed pond
I love you regardless of rich or poor
As long as love is forever
I can climb any high mountain
I can wade through deep rivers
I can go through all passes...
(Homeland Love - Hoang Thi Tho)
The lyrics are very simple but elegant, not talking about high-level things but about ordinary and close things. It is about meeting, loving each other, missing each other, waiting, being apart, losing each other:
Midnight on the deserted street
In the middle of the street of lights and flowers,
There are people who are always searching
An unexpected person
But the footsteps are sadder...
(Midnight on the Street - Truc Phuong)

Bolero is not only entertainment but also brings food and clothing to the poor, who are unfortunate enough to have to go abroad to earn a living and carry their guitars to sing. Now, every time I return to my maternal hometown, sitting on the threshold of the old house, I suddenly remember the street vendor with his simple but heartfelt song: "The shop at midnight, the light is dimmed with smoke, pouring out my thoughts into the long, lonely night". Yet it feels so numb as if it speaks for everyone's heart.

On the boats and ships going up and down the river, the spontaneous and romantic voices of the merchants bring a unique touch to the Southern land. In the corners of the fields and dikes of the simple farmers, Bolero is hummed to dispel the fatigue of the working days.

In recent years, Boléro has returned with new songs with polyphony of many instruments and voices full of affection for the songs in singing contests on television. Media technology has awakened the potential of young people's emotions and rekindled in the veins of adults the music like the breath of the Western people.

Time can destroy material things, only spiritual values ​​remain forever. Not just a form of entertainment song, Bolero music is a reality and an entity, becoming a beautiful intangible culture that makes people love the countryside, love their peaceful and quiet village. I love Bolero and the people of my hometown in the West!

'Bolero boss' Vu Thanh Vinh announced the news of the 'death' of a series of famous game shows. Meritorious Artist Vu Thanh Vinh confirmed plans to stop production of a series of once-famous game shows.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/bolero-va-nguoi-mien-tay-2456213.html