Tag: Sun

House of Rising Sun

One of my first guitar solos was House of Rising Sun.

Chu Van An High School music room, with two electric guitars, one bass guitar and a drum set.

Long was on bass, Son counted the beat and Hung, son of a dancing instructor, played rhythm. And one, and two: Am, C …. And so we went on. Practice, practice and practice.

We not only developed our musical ability, we melted into a band, a team.

Do not play too loud. Let me lead.

Long’s smile will always stay with me. He often sat down (perhaps because we did not have enough guitar straps). Long is now dead.

The House of Rising Sun still sees the sun rising every morning. So is Long’s smile. Memories of yesterday are wired permanently in my brain. Nothing gonna change my world.

Yesterday. Imagine. How Can I Tell Her (when is it easy, telling someone that we’re through).

I visited New Orleans a couple of times, tried out Cafe Du Monde, even ate an allegator burger.

I tried to check out the neighborhood, to see which one best represent House of Rising Sun.

Last night, my date said when she first listened to this song, she had cried.

I figured, that’s why you were here with me over dinner. Got to have shared interests and shared emotions. House of Rising Sun, and Don’t let the sun go down on me…(E John).

Music evokes not only a time. It triggers and resonates long hidden emotions.

Where was that and when was it that we first heard that song. “The first time, I ever saw your face”.

And because Rock came to Vietnam during the war, Rock and anti-war sentiment seemed to be cousins.

To hear it those tunes again is to open up unprocessed pain.

Until one finds it “once again, in Green Fields”.

I know. It’s not “the end of the world” just yet, but it sure seems to be ended ‘when you said ‘goodbye'”.

House of Rising Sun. I miss you Long, guitarist, pianist, friend, teacher, husband and father. RIP. We soon will join you in that House of Rising Sun.

To bring the band back.

Moon Alley

Last night, when I got back to my alley, I thought they had turned on extra lighting.

Turned out I did not notice that it was full moon. No wonder people were going to the Temple, buying and selling fake dollars for the dead.

It was supposed to be the second important date on the Buddhist calendar, second to his birthday.

Here in Vietnam, the consumer confidence index is on the rise.

You thought I must be kidding!

A war-torn country with a higher consumer index in the midst of a global recession?

Don’t take my word for it. Check out Nielsen data source.

College students are back from Tet holidays: dictionaries, backpacks, Samsung phones, and facemasks.

Ready to roll!

The old (money for the dead) and the new (studying a foreign language, preferably certified by an European  Language center) co-exist.

I also noticed all sorts of snack items: hot-dogs of all types, fish balls, fertilized eggs (in the Philippines, they call “Ba-Lut”), chips, corns etc.. The young demographics are poised for the likes of KFC.

Fast food on the fast lane.

If they can redesign the stores to accommodate ride-in (scooters nation)

In fact, some sandwich stores located at street corners are doing just that.

Nearby you will also find hamburgers on wheels (xe-lam) or food carts at the curb.

Living in a dead-end alley affords me some peace and quiet.

It’s also safer, although not well-lit.

Until last night, with full-moon.

Moon Alley.

Where children learn to walk and the old do exercise.

Neighbors turned on their karaoke machines… so loud it took over my reading concentration.

Still I love my Moon Alley. I know no one is waiting for me, except my parents’ pictures on the altar.

Felt like a kid every time, walking in the door.

Still, for me, there is no need for food offering and burning of fake money.

Their memories are well-preserved in my mind, and their advice well-heeded.

i.e. Just be a good kid. Bring honors to the dead and the living.

And remember to floss your teeth.

Moon Alley.