By ไฟเย็น (Faiyen)
Specifically:
Lyrics, Melody : Port, Pook
Arranged : Port, Khoontong
All Vocals : Uncle Somchai
Please Support the artists and Buy this song at Bandcamp:
Download เพลงวงไฟเย็นได้ที่ https://faiyen.bandcamp.com/track/feat-7
Note: There is so much going on in this simple song, which is illustrated by stickers from a set made for the social media platform LINE, which is one of the most popular platforms used in Asia. The sticker set is called “Silly Family” and lampoons the Thai royal family. The stickers were pulled down within days of being posted, after the Thai government complained that the stickers would wound the feelings of the Thai people. (Echos of the religious taboo against drawing pictures of the Prophet Mohammad.) The stickers remind people of various incidents in the lives of the Thai royals. Similar to the British royal family, the Thai royal family provides lots of ridiculous incidents to gossip about, however gossiping about the Thai royal family is very dangerous. In this song, a clueless king is asking “What have I (or we) done to make everyone hate us so much?” In popular songs, the king is presented as working tirelessly for the Thai people. This relentless propaganda paired with the fact that anyone who gossips about the reality of the Thai monarchy can be thrown in jail, explains why there is a strong undercurrent of resentment against the King and the whole royal family.
เราไปทำอะไร ให้เขาเจ็บช้ำน้ำใจ
What have I done to hurt their feelings?
คนไทยจึงได้โกรธเกลียดเราขนาดนี้
So that Thai people hate me to this extent?
THIRD TIME ADD: [เจ็บปวดที่สุด I’m totally hurt!]
ขอให้บอกเรานะ
Please tell me
ว่าจะให้เราปรับตัวอะไร ยังไง ยังไงบ้าง
How can I adjust myself in some way, somehow?
เราเคยบอกเอาไว้
I told you before
จะครองแผ่นดินโดยธรรม
I’ll rule the land by means of justice
เพื่อประโยชน์สุขของชาวสยาม
For the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people
เราเหน็ดเหนื่อยเพียงไหน
However much I am tired and exhausted
ปิดทองหลังพระเท่าไร
However much gold leaf I stick on the back of the Buddha statue [However much I do my work quietly without singing my own praises]*
ถึงมาว่าเราเป็นคนไม่ดี
It comes in that they’re saying I’m a bad person
ขอให้บอกเราที่ ให้เราปรับตัวยังไง
Please tell me so I can make whatever adjustments
3X
ตอนนี้น้ำตาจะไหล ไปจ้องแม่น้ำดีกว่า
Right now so many tears will flow. I should just go stare at the river. That would be better.
*There is a Thai saying “ปิดทองหลังพระ” (“To put gold [leaf] on the back of the Buddha [stature],” meaning to do good works without drawing attention to yourself. In Thailand people make merit by applying gold leaf to the Buddha statue. Most people want their gold leaf to be on the front where everyone can see it, but the person who isn’t worried about being admired will apply the gold leaf to the back of the Buddha statue. It is equivalent to the English saying, “Don’t blow your own horn.” or “Don’t sing your own praises.” The band Carabao has an extremely famous song about King Bhumibol calling him a “ผู้ปิดทองหลังพระ” or a “Person Who Puts Gold Leaf on the Back of the Buddha Statue” (There is a spectacular performance of this song for King Bhumipol’s birthday, that includes a herd of saluting elephants and Add Carabao himself walking on water.)