Singer Cam Van: "I once arbitrarily edited Trinh's lyrics"

Reminiscing about the musician on his 23rd death anniversary (April 1, 2001 - April 1, 2024), Cam Van said that during his lifetime, Trinh Cong Son was always meticulous about lyrics, especially with professional singers. He once told Cam Van that it was okay to sing the wrong melody but not to change the lyrics on her own. Remembering his advice, she always studied the songs carefully.

Once, Cam Van showedplease give me- a famous composition in Trinh Cong Son's Da Vang song collection. The opening line of the song is "Xin cho may che dut phan nguoi". Before going on stage, Cam Van practiced many times but felt that she could not sing the word "du" well. "I had to risk changing it to 'phu' to better suit my voice and the way I sang. While singing, I nervously observed the attitude of the musician sitting below. Luckily, he was not angry, he just looked at me and smiled," Cam Van said.

The 65-year-old singer said that Trinh's music holds a special place in her more than four-decade singing career. In 1984, while participating in a music night in Ho Chi Minh City, musician Pham Trong Cau asked her to sing a Trinh song. Cam Van gently refused because "I don't know any of Son's songs." Trinh Cong Son - who was sitting below - offered to remind her. The singer then performed the song.Old love, while the author stood beside her, occasionally giving her words in a slightly drunken voice. That was the first time Cam Van had a chance to listen to Trinh's music, opening the way for her series of successful recordings later on, such asWhere do the waves go, Lulling me to sleep, May the sun sleep in peace.

Cam Van last met him in 2001, at his 62nd birthday party at the musician's home. At that time, his health had declined after a serious illness, he was thin and weak. However, when he met her and some friends, he forced himself to get up and sit on the guest chair with his usual polite manner. In the middle of the conversation, the musician suggested: "Van, please sing for me." She refused because her voice was a bit hoarse that day, and there was no accompaniment, but he still insisted. Cam Van then performedWhere do the waves go?- the song she recorded that the musician liked. Leaving, both said goodbye with regret.

The singer did not expect that just over a month after the reunion, the musician would pass away. "At that time, when an acquaintance told me the news over the phone, I thought it was an April Fool's joke. After calling many other people to check, I finally accepted the fact that he had passed away forever," the singer said.

On Trinh's death anniversary, Cam Van released MVPilgrimage on the high hill,Directed by Tung Phan.The video was filmed late last year, during a visit to Cam Van's father's hometown in Cao Bang. When setting foot on the majestic mountains and waterfalls, she suddenly remembered the lyrics of Trinh's music: "The person walking alone, the steep hills tilt down/ The person walking alone, the abyss calls out". She chose the song with the intention of both recording the memories of her visit to her father's homeland and a pilgrimage to find the roots of Trinh's music. The singer retained the arrangement of musician Bao Phuc in the album.please give me(2004) with saxophone by Tran Manh Tuan.

Musician Trinh Cong Son was born in 1939 in Dak Lak and passed away on April 1, 2001. He left behind more than 600 songs, of which about 236 were popular. Trinh's music is imbued with philosophy, humanity, sincerity, and passion, with great love for the people and homeland of Vietnam and praise for peace. Many names are associated with his music such as: Khanh Ly, Tuan Ngoc, Hong Nhung, Cam Van, Hong Hanh, Quang Dung, of which Khanh Ly is an iconic voice.

Cam Van's full name is Hoang Cam Van, famous since the 1980s. In 1983, she won the Gold Medal for solo singing at the Ho Chi Minh City Professional Music Festival withUnforgettable song(Pham Minh Tuan). In 1986, she competed in an international solo competition in Dresden, Germany, winning a special prize with the songWhy did you die?(Thanh Truc). In 1988, she won the gold medal in the light music category of the National Professional Solo Competition. From 1997 to 2007, many of her songs entered the music charts.Blue WaveShe married drummer Khac Trieu and has two daughters, the youngest of which, CeCe Truong, is following in her mother's footsteps.