Ngoc Lan Musique 1: Buon (Sadness) Album Review

After recording solo albums for other labels such as Giang Ngoc and May Productions, finally in 1994 Ngoc Lan decided to release an album under her own label, Ngoc Lan Musique, entitled Buon (Sadness).  This would be by far not her best work.  The album seemed like a mishmash of contemporary songs thrown together at the last minute.  None of the tracks on the album, which included the title track written by Y Van, Trai Tim Nguc Tu written by Duc Huy and a pair of uptempo songs written by Quoc Dung, Hoang Vang and Tim Dau, left any impression on me at all.  It seemed Ngoc Lan's deliveries of all the songs on this album were rather mundane.  I'm assuming perhaps her health matters played a significant role in her lackluster performance.  But being such a devoted Ngoc Lan fan, I went out and purchased for myself a copy despite how unimpressed I was after hearing some of the tracks played on the radio for the album's promotion.  If I were to choose any of the tracks on this album to be the most bearable to listen to, it would have to be Tinh Trong Phut Giay written by Ngoc Trong and to a lesser extent, Buon, the title track.  I must say though, during the same year that this album had been released I had heard the title track recorded by another singer for the first time ever.  That was by singer Thanh Ha on her debut solo studio album, Mot Doi Xin Nho Mai, released earlier in 1994.  I usually don't like to compare Ngoc Lan with other singers, especially whenever it is in favor of anyone other than Ngoc Lan.  But I must admit, I preferred Thanh Ha's rendition of Buon over Ngoc Lan's rendition here. 

Ngoc Lan, the Lyricist

We all know what a tremendous singer our beloved Ngoc Lan was, but did any of you know what a talented lyricist she was, as well?

The first time I had heard some of Ngoc Lan's works as a lyricist was on her album, Nguoi Yeu Dau.  Like many others, I was deeply enchanted with the song, Hoi Nguoi Tinh.  Recently, singer Thanh Ha had pointed out that this had been one of her favorite songs and that although the song was not originally a Vietnamese composition, the lyrics are so well written that it seems like an original Vietnamese song.  I'd have to agree with Thanh Ha.  On this same album, Ngoc Lan had also penned the lyrics to two other songs, Tinh Nhu Giac Mo and Nguoi.  

Through the years, Ngoc Lan has penned the Vietnamese lyrics to many other French and Chinese tunes.  One of my favorites is Ngay Vui Nam Ay (Magic Boulevard).  I like how in particular Ngoc Lan doesn't try to literally translate the song into Vietnamese lyrics, but gives it a story of her own.  The same was done with Mua He Nam Ay.  However, in her album, L'amour Tinh Ta, Ngoc Lan did write Vietnamese lyrics to several French songs that were quite literal in translation, yet also turned out to sound quite poetic and meaningful.  I particularly liked Tat Ca Cho Anh (Vivre Pour Toi, Mourir Pour Toi), Con Mai (Encore), and Dung Xa Nhau (Ne Laisses Pas Ma Vie Sans Toi).

Ngoc Lan's lyrics are quite heart wrenching and usually tell a story of either unrequited or lost loves.
That gives me the impression that perhaps she was a very sentimental person who had experienced quite a bit of sadness in her personal life.  What are some of your favorite songs written by Ngoc Lan?

Responding to Reader's Request from "Wasn't She Beautiful?"

First off, here's another beautiful photograph of Ngoc Lan......

And another.....

And another......

Okay, one last one..... It's been posted before, but I just love how she looks here.

Now let's get to responding to a recent request from a reader of NgocLanRemembered.BlogSpot.com who after reading our last post, "Wasn't She Beautiful?", wanted to know what the following lovely ladies that were listed in the ranks of being among the most beautiful Vietnamese women of all time looked like.  Of the names mentioned on that last post, there were film actress Tham Thuy Hang, stage and film actress Thanh Nga, singer and actress Thanh Lan, singers Y Lan, Ai Van, Luu Bich, Loan Chau, Nhat Ha, Thanh Ha, and model Thanh Hang.  Here are the following photos of these beautiful women in response to a request from one of our readers.  See how our own Ngoc Lan measures up to these beautiful ladies.  Thanks for sending us your request.

Tham Thuy Hang - Legendary Vietnamese Film Actress

Thanh Lan

Thanh Lan - Vietnamese Pop Music Singer and Film Actress

Y Lan - Overseas Vietnamese Singer

Ai Van - Vietnamese Singer



Thanh Hang - Overseas Vietnamese Model

Loan Chau - Overseas Vietnamese Singer

Nhat Ha - Overseas Vietnamese Singer and Model

Thanh Ha - Overseas Vietnamese Amerasian Pop Singer
                                                              

                                                                                                                          



Luu Bich - Overseas Vietnamese Pop Singer

Thanh Nga - The Late Vietnamese Actress of Stage and Films

Link(s):

Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time on Pinterest

50 Most Beautiful Women of All Time on Viet Celeb

Wasn't She Beautiful?

Vietnam is a country that has certainly produced its fair share of some of the most beautiful women in the world.  Tham Thuy Hang, the screen siren of Vietnam from the 1950s, 1960s up until the 1980s has been considered by many to be the most beautiful Vietnamese woman of all time.  Others will say Thanh Nga, the beautiful actress of films and the traditional Vietnamese opera stage known as "cai luong" whose life tragically ended when she was murdered along with her lover during a shoot out at her home in post '75 Saigon.  Then there were also countless other famous Vietnamese beauties such as singer and actress Thanh Lan, whose beauty along with her singing voice and acting abilities had made her famous from the late 1960s in Saigon until now.  Other Vietnamese singers, actresses, and models whom were also striking beauties who had made their way into the spotlight overseas like Y Lan, Ai Van, Luu Bich, Loan Chau, Nhat Ha, model Thanh Hang, Amerasian singer Thanh Ha, etc., certainly can all be arguably considered to each be the most beautiful Vietnamese woman, as well.  Who is the most beautiful Vietnamese woman ever?

For her millions of fans, Ngoc Lan, would be considered in the ranks of the most beautiful Vietnamese woman of all time.  I certainly agree.  To me, Ngoc Lan was a singer with a beautiful voice and an equally beautiful spirit which made her beautiful inside and out.

To her millions of adoring fans, Ngoc Lan was considered the most beautiful Vietnamese woman of all time.

Ngoc Lan Biography (Part 3 Out of 3)

Ngoc Lan started the 1990s with the release of her solo videotape for May Productions.  This would be considered her biggest triumph of her career.  With a pair of bestsellers of studio albums for Giang Ngoc behind her and now a solo music videotape with sales through the roof, Ngoc Lan was now able to command the highest salary among all other Vietnamese singers. 

During the height of her success with extensive travels all over the world performing for Vietnamese audiences, a couple of events would cause Ngoc Lan to cancel some of her performances.  For the first time ever in her career, this would be a let down to her many fans.  The first of these events was the unexpected death of Ngoc Lan's sister.  Her sister who had owned a liquor store had been shot to death during a robbery in 1992.  It was also during this time, Ngoc Lan would experience mysterious health problems.  Unable to find the accurate prognosis, Ngoc Lan would publicly announce that her sister's death was the main reason for the cancellation of her shows.

An absence from the spotlight would allow Ngoc Lan to concentrate on her personal life, as well as her health.  After a long and frustrating search to find out what was wrong with her, it would be discovered that what she had been suffering from was a condition known as Multiple Sclerosis.  As her disease went into remission, Ngoc Lan decided to get married.  In 1994, in a private small ceremony Ngoc Lan became wed to a fellow artist by the name of Kelvin Khoa.  The newlywed couple would purchase a house in the upper middle class suburb of Irvine, California where a recording studio was built inside for her recordings. 

As her Mulitple Sclerosis went into remission, Ngoc Lan felt it was time to make a comeback.  A much publicized sold out performance would follow at the Anaheim Marriott where it became apparent of her medical condition.  In front of a sold out audience, Ngoc Lan tried her hardest to put out a stellar performance.  But to everyone present that night, she appeared to be rather off during her live performance.  Other featured performers that night included Tuan Ngoc, Don Ho, Lynda Trang Dai and then newcomer, Thanh Ha.  Although the event was an enormous financial success for producer Quoc Thai of May Bon Phuong, for Ngoc Lan's fans her performance that night was a disappointment.    

In the years to come, Ngoc Lan insisted on keeping her health matters from the public.  She kept at a grueling pace for as long as she could recording, touring and making video appearances for Thuy Nga Paris and Asia Productions.  But during a performance when Ngoc Lan had to be walked onto the stage, it became apparent to the public that her sight had been affected by her ongoing battle with Multiple Sclerosis.  Ngoc Lan would make her last professional video appearance in 1998.  And on March 6, 2001, Ngoc Lan would lose her long battle with Multiple Sclerosis and took her last breath. 

Link(s):

Ngoc Lan Remembered on HubPages