Dạ cổ hoài lang ("Night Drum Beats Causes Longing for Absent Husband") is a Vietnamese song, composed 1919 by songwriter Cao Văn Lầu, colloquially known as "ông Sáu Lầu," from Bạc Liêu. It was a massive hit across Vietnam in 1927 as it was taken up by travelling troupes and spawned many variants, versions and imitators.
Contents
The song "Dạ cổ hoài lang" was the first song in what became known as the defining vọng cổ ("longing") melody of the nhạc tài tử ("amateur music") genre of cai luong ("reformed") music that for many people ông Sáu Lầu's "Dạ cổ hoài lang" is vọng cổ.
Lyrics
The first verse of the original core song is:
Từ là từ phu tướngBáu kiếm sắc phán lên đàngVào ra luống trông tin nhạnNăm canh mơ màngEm luống trông tin chàngÔi gan vàng thêm đauPrelude
This is usually preceded and interspersed by recitative, this is the beginning of the tân cổ version from folk singer vi:Viễn Châu (1924)
Mấy cánh mai vàng gởi.. gió.. xuânĐường xa đã mỏi gót phong trầnBâng khuâng dạo bản đàn năm cũMột chút ân tình gởi.. cố.. nhân