Trịnh Công Sơn

TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n (February 28, 1939 – April 1, 2001) was a Vietnamese musician, songwriter, painter and poet. He is widely considered to be Vietnam's best songwriter. His music explores themes of love, loss, and anti-war sentiments during the Vietnam War, for which he was censored by both the southern Republic of Vietnam and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Many performing artists, most notably KhÃÂ¡nh Ly, HÃ¡Â»Âng Nhung, Trinh Vinh Trinh (his younger sister), and some overseas singers such as Tuan Ngoc, Le Quyen, Le Thu, and Ngoc Lan, have gained popularity in their own right from covering SÃÂ¡n's songs.

Biography

TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n was born in BuÃÂ´n Ma ThuÃ¡Â»Ât, ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k LÃ¡ÂºÂ¯k Province, French Indochina, but as a child he lived in the village of Minh Huong in HÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng TrÃÂ in ThÃ¡Â»Â«a ThiÃÂªnÃ¢ÂÂHuÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ Province. He grew up in HuÃ¡ÂºÂ¿, where he attended the LycÃÂ©e FranÃÂ§ais and the Providence school. When he was ten he lived with his father in HuÃ¡ÂºÂ¿'s ThÃ¡Â»Â«a PhÃ¡Â»Â§ Prison for a year in 1949. Later he went to Saigon and studied western philosophy at the LycÃÂ©e Jean-Jacques Rousseau, from which he graduated with the baccalaureate degree. In 1961, he studied psychology and pedagogy in a school for teachers in Qui NhÃÂ¡n in an attempt to avoid being drafted into the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces. After graduation, he taught at an elementary school in Bao Loc, LÃÂ¢m ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âng.

TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n wrote over 500 songs during the 1960s and 1970s. SÃÂ¡n was influenced by the shrill demands of American anti-war protesters, which had been brought to Vietnam by none other than young American soldiers." He became one of South Vietnam's notable singer-songwriters, after his first hit, ÃÂ¯Ã¡Â»Ât mi (Tearing Lashes) in 1958. He was frequently under pressure from the government, which was displeased with the pacifist's lyrics of such songs as NgÃ¡Â»Â§ ÃÂi con (Lullaby, about a mother grieving for her soldier son).

Before April 30, 1975, TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n went on the radio in Saigon to sing the song "Joining Hands/Circle of Unity" ("NÃ¡Â»Âi vÃÂ²ng tay lÃ¡Â»Ân") about the dream of national reconciliation between the North and the South, which he had written in 1968. On the afternoon of April 30, following DÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng VÃÂn Minh's proclamation of surrender, Trinh went on the radio to say that the national dream had been realized and that liberation had been achieved.

After the reunification in 1975, the government sent SÃÂ¡n to "retraining" in a labour camp after his family had fled to Canada. However, government and many officials sent their respects with floral tributes. His often melancholic songs about love and postwar reconciliation earned new acceptance and popularity in later years. Many of his songs have been re-licensed to Vietnamese music companies such as ThÃÂºy Nga and Lang Van and sung by other artists.

Two singers who are often associated with TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n are KhÃÂ¡nh Ly and HÃ¡Â»Âng Nhung. KhÃÂ¡nh Ly helped popularize TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n's music in the early years, and they often performed together at South Vietnam University campuses. Later in SÃÂ¡n's life, singer HÃ¡Â»Âng Nhung (born 1970) re-popularized his music.

SÃÂ¡n died on 1 April 2001, 62 years old. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered at his funeral in Ho Chi Minh City, for an ad hoc funeral concert, making it the largest spectacle in Vietnamese history, after the funeral procession of Ho Chi Minh.

On 28 February 2019, Google celebrated what would have been TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n's 80th birthday with a Google doodle.

Songs

Till now (2025) according to NguyÃ¡Â»Ân ÃÂÃÂng ChÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng, director of the Performing Art department of the ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, 70 songs of TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n are allowed to be performed in public. The latest song, is NÃ¡Â»Âi vÃÂ²ng tay lÃ¡Â»Ân, on April 12, 2017.

List of songs

BÃÂ i ca dÃÂ nh cho nhÃ¡Â»Â¯ng xÃÂ¡c ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi (Ballad to the people's corpses), written in the aftermath of the HuÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ Massacre
BÃÂªn ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi hiu quÃ¡ÂºÂ¡nh (Alone by life's side)
BiÃ¡Â»Ân nghÃÂ¬n thu Ã¡Â»Â lÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i
BiÃ¡Â»Ân nhÃ¡Â»Â (The sea remembers)
BiÃ¡Â»Ân sÃÂ¡ng (Bright sea) (co-writing with PhÃ¡ÂºÂ¡m TrÃ¡Â»Âng CÃ¡ÂºÂ§u)
BiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿t ÃÂÃÂ¢u nguÃ¡Â»Ân cÃ¡Â»Âi (Unbeknownst to me, the root)
BÃ¡Â»Âng bÃ¡Â»Âng ÃÂ¡i
BÃ¡Â»Âng khÃÂ´ng lÃÂ BÃ¡Â»Âng
BÃ¡Â»Ân mÃÂ¹a thay lÃÂ¡ (Four seasons of change)
Ca dao mÃ¡ÂºÂ¹ (A folk song for mothers)
CÃÂ¡nh ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âng hoÃÂ bÃÂ¬nh (The Field of peace)
CÃÂ¡t bÃ¡Â»Â¥i (Sand and dust)
ChiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿c lÃÂ¡ thu phai (The withering fall leaf)
ChiÃ¡Â»Âu mÃ¡Â»Ât mÃÂ¬nh qua phÃ¡Â»Â (An afternoon promenade of solitude)
ChiÃ¡Â»Âu trÃÂªn quÃÂª hÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng tÃÂ´i (An afternoon in my homeland)
ChÃ¡Â»Â cÃÂ³ ta trong cuÃ¡Â»Âc ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi (Only me in life)
ChÃÂ¬m dÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi cÃÂ¡n mÃÂ°a (Sunk under the rain)
ChÃÂnh ChÃÂºng Ta PhÃ¡ÂºÂ£i NÃÂ³i (We ourselves have to say)
Cho ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi chÃÂºt ÃÂ¡n (Grace onto life)
Cho mÃ¡Â»Ât ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi nÃ¡ÂºÂ±m xuÃ¡Â»Âng (Song for the fallen)
ChÃ¡Â»Â nhÃÂ¬n quÃÂª hÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng sÃÂ¡ng chÃÂ³i (Wait to see homeland brighten up)
ChÃÂ°a mÃ¡ÂºÂ¥t niÃ¡Â»Âm tin (Still believing)
ChÃÂ°a mÃÂ²n giÃ¡ÂºÂ¥c mÃÂ¡ (A dream that hasn't been eroded)
Con mÃ¡ÂºÂ¯t cÃÂ²n lÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i (The remaining eye)
CÃÂ³ mÃ¡Â»Ât dÃÂ²ng sÃÂ´ng ÃÂÃÂ£ qua ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi (A river that has passed away)
CÃÂ³ nghe ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi nghiÃÂªng (Tilting life)
CÃÂ²n ai vÃ¡Â»Âi ai / CÃÂ²n tÃÂ´i vÃ¡Â»Âi ai
CÃÂ²n mÃÂ£i tÃÂ¬m nhau (Forever seeking each other)
CÃÂ²n cÃÂ³ bao ngÃÂ y (Not many days are left)
CÃÂ²n thÃ¡ÂºÂ¥y mÃ¡ÂºÂ·t ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi (Still seeing your face)
CÃÂ²n tuÃ¡Â»Âi nÃÂ o cho em (what time and age for you ?)
CÃ¡Â»Â xÃÂ³t xa ÃÂÃÂ°a (Sway sorrow weeds)
CÃÂºi xuÃ¡Â»Âng thÃ¡ÂºÂt gÃ¡ÂºÂ§n (Stoop down really close)
CÃÂ©ng sÃ¡ÂºÂ½ chÃÂ¬m trÃÂ´i (Eventual withering)
CuÃ¡Â»Âi cÃÂ¹ng cho mÃ¡Â»Ât tÃÂ¬nh yÃÂªu (The end of a romance)
DÃÂ¢n ta phÃ¡ÂºÂ£i sÃ¡Â»Âng (Our people must live)
DÃ¡ÂºÂ¥u chÃÂ¢n ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âa ÃÂÃÂ ng / TiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ng hÃÂ¡t dÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ lan (Footprints in Eden / The singing of the Hyacinth)
DiÃ¡Â»Âm xÃÂ°a (DiÃ¡Â»Âm of the Past)
Du mÃ¡Â»Â¥c (Nomad)
DÃ¡Â»Â±ng lÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi, dÃ¡Â»Â±ng lÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i nhÃÂ (Rebuild people, rebuild homes)
ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i bÃÂ¡c ru ÃÂÃÂªm (A Lullaby of Cannons)
ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â giÃÂ³ cuÃ¡Â»Ân ÃÂi (Let go with the wind)
ÃÂÃÂªm / ÃÂÃÂªm HÃ¡Â»Âng (Night / Pink Night)
ÃÂÃÂªm bÃÂ¢y giÃ¡Â»Â, ÃÂÃÂªm mai (This night, tomorrow night)
ÃÂÃÂªm thÃ¡ÂºÂ¥y ta lÃÂ thÃÂ¡c ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â (One night I saw me as a waterfall)
ÃÂi mÃÂ£i trÃÂªn ÃÂÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng (Never-ending walk on the road)
ÃÂÃÂ³a hoa vÃÂ´ thÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng (Evanescent bloom)
ÃÂoÃ¡ÂºÂ£n khÃÂºc thu HÃÂ NÃ¡Â»Âi (Ditty for Hanoi's autumn)
ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi cho ta thÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ (That's what life gives me)
ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â£i cÃÂ³ mÃ¡Â»Ât ngÃÂ y (Waiting for a day)
ÃÂÃÂ´i mÃ¡ÂºÂ¯t nÃÂ o mÃ¡Â»Â ra (which eyes will open)
ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âng dao hoÃÂ bÃÂ¬nh (The rhythm of Peace)
ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â«ng mong ai, ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â«ng nghi ngÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i (Don't expect or suspect anyone)
Em cÃÂ²n nhÃ¡Â»Â hay em ÃÂÃÂ£ quÃÂªn (Do you still remember or have you forgotten?)
Em ÃÂÃÂ£ cho tÃÂ´i bÃ¡ÂºÂ§u trÃ¡Â»Âi (The heaven you have brought to me)
Em ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¿n tÃ¡Â»Â« nghÃÂ¬n xÃÂ°a (You've come from thousand years ago)
Em ÃÂi bÃ¡Â»Â lÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i con ÃÂÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng (You've gone, leaving the street behind)
Em ÃÂi trong chiÃ¡Â»Âu (In the evening you walk)
Em hÃÂ£y ngÃ¡Â»Â§ ÃÂi (Sleep, My Dear)
Em lÃÂ hoa hÃ¡Â»Âng nhÃ¡Â»Â (You are a little rose)
GÃ¡ÂºÂ§n nhÃÂ° niÃ¡Â»Âm tuyÃ¡Â»Ât vÃ¡Â»Âng (A resemblance of despair)
Gia tÃÂ i cÃ¡Â»Â§a mÃ¡ÂºÂ¹ (A mother's legacy)
GiÃ¡Â»Ât lÃ¡Â»Â thiÃÂªn thu (A tear of eternity)
GiÃ¡Â»Ât nÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âc mÃ¡ÂºÂ¯t cho quÃÂª hÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng (A tear for my homeland)
GÃ¡Â»Âi tÃÂªn bÃ¡Â»Ân mÃÂ¹a (Conjure up the four seasons)
GÃÂ³p lÃÂ¡ mÃÂ¹a xuÃÂ¢n (Contributing leaves to Spring)
HÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ trÃ¡ÂºÂ¯ng (White summer).
Hai mÃÂ°ÃÂ¡i mÃÂ¹a nÃ¡ÂºÂ¯ng lÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ (Twenty seasons of strange sunlight)
HÃÂ nh ca (Marching song)
HÃÂ nh hÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng trÃÂªn ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi cao / NgÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi ÃÂi hÃÂ nh hÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng trÃÂªn ÃÂÃ¡Â»Ânh cao (Pilgrimage)
HÃÂ¡t trÃÂªn nhÃ¡Â»Â¯ng xÃÂ¡c ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi (Singing over the corpses), not to be confused with "BÃÂ i ca dÃÂ nh cho nhÃ¡Â»Â¯ng xÃÂ¡c ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi"
HÃÂ£y cÃ¡Â»Â chÃ¡Â»Â (Let's try to wait)
HÃÂ£y cÃ¡Â»Â© vui nhÃÂ° mÃ¡Â»Âi ngÃÂ y (Just be happy like any other day)
HÃÂ£y ÃÂi cÃÂ¹ng nhau (Let's go together)
HÃÂ£y khÃÂ³c ÃÂi em (Just cry, my dear)
HÃÂ£y nhÃÂ¬n lÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i (Just look back and see)
HÃÂ£y sÃ¡Â»Âng giÃÂ¹m tÃÂ´i (Just live my life for me)
HÃÂ£y yÃÂªu nhau ÃÂi (Let's love)
HoÃÂ bÃÂ¬nh lÃÂ cÃÂ¡m ÃÂ¡o (Peace is life)
Hoa vÃÂ ng mÃ¡ÂºÂ¥y ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â (The flowers that were once golden bright)
Hoa xuÃÂ¢n ca (Spring flowers song)
HÃÂ´m nay tÃÂ´i nghe (Today I hear)
HuÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ - SÃÂ i GÃÂ²n - HÃÂ NÃ¡Â»Âi (Hue - Saigon - Hanoi)
HuyÃ¡Â»Ân thoÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i mÃ¡ÂºÂ¹ (The Legend of a mother)
KhÃÂ³i trÃ¡Â»Âi mÃÂªnh mÃÂ´ng
LÃ¡ÂºÂ¡i gÃ¡ÂºÂ§n vÃ¡Â»Âi nhau (Come closer together)
LÃ¡ÂºÂ·ng lÃ¡ÂºÂ½ nÃÂ¡i nÃÂ y (So silent here)
LÃ¡Â»Âi buÃ¡Â»Ân thÃÂ¡nh (A holy, sad lyrics)
LÃ¡Â»Âi mÃ¡ÂºÂ¹ ru (A mother's lullaby)
LÃ¡Â»Âi Ã¡Â»Â phÃ¡Â»Â vÃ¡Â»Â
LÃ¡Â»Âi ru ÃÂÃÂªm (Night's lullaby)
LÃ¡Â»Âi thiÃÂªn thu gÃ¡Â»Âi (Eternity's calling)
MÃ¡ÂºÂ¹ bÃ¡Â»Â con ÃÂi / ÃÂÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng xa vÃ¡ÂºÂ¡n dÃ¡ÂºÂ·m
MÃÂ´i hÃ¡Â»Âng ÃÂÃÂ o (Rosy Lips)
MÃ¡Â»Âi ngÃÂ y tÃÂ´i chÃ¡Â»Ân mÃ¡Â»Ât niÃ¡Â»Âm vui (Each day I choose one joyful thing)
MÃ¡Â»Ât buÃ¡Â»Âi sÃÂ¡ng mÃÂ¹a xuÃÂ¢n (A spring morning)
MÃ¡Â»Ât cÃÂµi ÃÂi vÃ¡Â»Â (A place for leaving and returning)
MÃ¡Â»Ât lÃ¡ÂºÂ§n thoÃÂ¡ng cÃÂ³
MÃ¡Â»Ât ngÃÂ y nhÃÂ° mÃ¡Â»Âi ngÃÂ y (A day just like any other day)
MÃ¡Â»Ât ngÃÂ y vinh quang (A day of glory)
MÃÂ¹a ÃÂ¡o quan (The season of coffins)
MÃÂ¹a hÃÂ¨ ÃÂÃ¡ÂºÂ¿n (The summer's arrived)
MÃÂ°a hÃ¡Â»Âng (Pink rain)
MÃÂ¹a phÃ¡Â»Â¥c hÃ¡Â»Âi / Xin chÃ¡Â»Â nhÃ¡Â»Â¯ng sÃ¡Â»Âm mai (The season of recuperation / Waiting for tomorrow mornings)
NÃ¡ÂºÂ¯ng thuÃ¡Â»Â· tinh (Crystal sunlight)
NÃÂ y em cÃ¡Â»Â nhÃ¡Â»Â (Do you remember?)
NgÃ¡ÂºÂ«u nhiÃÂªn (Perchance)
NgÃÂ y dÃÂ i trÃÂªn quÃÂª hÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng (A long day in the Motherland)
NgÃÂ y mai ÃÂÃÂ¢y bÃÂ¬nh yÃÂªn (Peaceful future)
NgÃÂ y vÃ¡Â»Â (Returning home)
NgÃÂ y xÃÂ°a khi cÃÂ²n bÃÂ© (Childhood days)
Nghe nhÃ¡Â»Â¯ng tÃÂ n phai (The sound of evanescing)
Nghe tiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ng muÃÂ´n trÃÂ¹ng (Hearing the sound of eternity)
NgÃ¡Â»Â§ ÃÂi con (Sleep, my child)
NgÃ¡Â»Â¥ ngÃÂ´n mÃÂ¹a ÃÂÃÂ´ng (A winter fable)
NgÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi con gÃÂ¡i ViÃ¡Â»Ât Nam da vÃÂ ng (A yellow-skinned Vietnamese girl)
NgÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi giÃÂ em bÃÂ© (An old person, a baby)
NgÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi vÃ¡Â»Â bÃ¡Â»Âng nhÃ¡Â»Â
NguyÃ¡Â»Ât ca (The lunar song)
NhÃÂ¬n nhÃ¡Â»Â¯ng mÃÂ¹a thu ÃÂi (Watch the autumns passing by)
NhÃ¡Â»Â mÃÂ¹a thu HÃÂ NÃ¡Â»Âi (Missing Hanoi's autumn)
NhÃÂ° cÃÂ¡nh vÃ¡ÂºÂ¡c bay (As a flying crane)
NhÃÂ° chim ÃÂ°u phiÃ¡Â»Ân (As an anguishing bird)
NhÃÂ° mÃ¡Â»Ât lÃ¡Â»Âi chia tay (As a good-bye)
NhÃÂ° mÃ¡Â»Ât vÃ¡ÂºÂ¿t thÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng (As a wound)
NhÃÂ° tiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ng thÃ¡Â»Â dÃÂ i (As a deep sigh)
NhÃ¡Â»Â¯ng con mÃ¡ÂºÂ¯t trÃ¡ÂºÂ§n gian (The earthly eyes)
NhÃ¡Â»Â¯ng giÃ¡Â»Ât mÃÂ¡u trÃ¡Â»Â bÃÂ´ng (The blooming of the blood drops)
NÃÂu tay nghÃÂ¬n trÃÂ¹ng (Grabbing hands over a thousand miles)
NÃ¡Â»Âi vÃÂ²ng tay lÃ¡Â»Ân (Grand circle of unity)
Ã¡Â»Â trÃ¡Â»Â / CÃÂµi tÃ¡ÂºÂ¡m (Temporary stay)
PhÃÂ´i pha (Withering)
PhÃÂºc ÃÂ¢m buÃ¡Â»Ân (Dolorous Gospel)
QuÃÂª hÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng ÃÂau nÃ¡ÂºÂ·ng (Motherland in severe illness)
QuÃ¡Â»Â³nh hÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng (Scent of the ephemeral bloom)
Ra ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âng giÃ¡Â»Â¯a ngÃ¡Â»Â
RÃ¡Â»Âi nhÃÂ° ÃÂÃÂ¡ ngÃÂ¢y ngÃÂ´ (Not gone at all)
RÃÂ¡i lÃ¡Â»Â ru ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi
Ru ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi ÃÂÃÂ£ mÃ¡ÂºÂ¥t (Lullaby for a lost life)
Ru ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi ÃÂi nhÃÂ© (Lullaby to life)
Ru em (Lullaby for you)
Ru em tÃ¡Â»Â«ng ngÃÂ³n xuÃÂ¢n nÃ¡Â»Âng
Ru ta ngÃ¡ÂºÂm ngÃÂ¹i (Lullaby for a sorrowful me)
Ru tÃÂ¬nh (Lullaby for love)
RÃ¡Â»Â«ng xÃÂ°a ÃÂÃÂ£ khÃÂ©p (Your old woods are closed)
Sao mÃ¡ÂºÂ¯t mÃ¡ÂºÂ¹ chÃÂ°a vui?
SÃ¡ÂºÂ½ cÃÂ²n ai (Who will remain?)
SÃÂ³ng vÃ¡Â»Â ÃÂÃÂ¢u (To where the waves depart)
Ta ÃÂi dÃ¡Â»Â±ng cÃ¡Â»Â
TÃ¡ÂºÂ¡ ÃÂ¡n (Thanks)
Ta phÃ¡ÂºÂ£i thÃ¡ÂºÂ¥y mÃ¡ÂºÂ·t trÃ¡Â»Âi (We must see the Sun)
Ta quyÃ¡ÂºÂ¿t phÃ¡ÂºÂ£i sÃ¡Â»Âng (We must live)
Ta ÃÂÃÂ£ thÃ¡ÂºÂ¥y gÃÂ¬ trong ÃÂÃÂªm nay (What have we seen tonight?)
ThÃÂ nh phÃ¡Â»Â mÃÂ¹a xuÃÂ¢n (City in Spring)
ThuÃ¡Â»Â BÃ¡Â»Âng lÃÂ ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi (When Bong was a human)
ThiÃÂªn sÃ¡Â»Â© bÃÂ¢ng khuÃÂ¢ng (thÃÂ¡ TrÃ¡Â»Ânh Cung)
ThÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng mÃ¡Â»Ât ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi (Loving someone)
TiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿n thoÃÂ¡i lÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Â¡ng nan (The dilemma)
TÃÂ¬nh ca cÃ¡Â»Â§a ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi mÃ¡ÂºÂ¥t trÃÂ ("Ballad of an insane person" or "Love song of a deranged woman")
TiÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ng ve gÃ¡Â»Âi hÃÂ¨
TÃÂ¬nh khÃÂºc ÃÂ -bai
TÃÂ¬nh nhÃ¡Â»Â (Missing love)
TÃÂ¬nh sÃ¡ÂºÂ§u (Sorrowful love)
TÃÂ¬nh xa (Distant love)
TÃÂ¬nh xÃÂ³t xa vÃ¡Â»Â«a
TÃÂ¬nh yÃÂªu tÃÂ¬m thÃ¡ÂºÂ¥y
TÃÂ´i ÃÂÃÂ£ mÃ¡ÂºÂ¥t (I have lost)
TÃÂ´i ÃÂang lÃ¡ÂºÂ¯ng nghe / Im lÃ¡ÂºÂ·ng thÃ¡Â»Â dÃÂ i (I am listening / Quiet sigh)
TÃÂ´i ÃÂ¡i ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â«ng tuyÃ¡Â»Ât vÃ¡Â»Âng (Despair not, dear me)
TÃÂ´i ru em ngÃ¡Â»Â§ (I sing you to sleep)
TÃÂ´i sÃ¡ÂºÂ½ ÃÂi thÃÂm (I shall visit)
TÃÂ´i sÃ¡ÂºÂ½ nhÃ¡Â»Â (I shall remember)
TÃÂ´i tÃÂ¬m tÃÂ´i / TÃÂ´i lÃÂ ai? (I search for myself / Who am I?)
Trong nÃ¡Â»Âi ÃÂau tÃÂ¬nh cÃ¡Â»Â
TÃ¡Â»Â± tÃÂ¬nh khÃÂºc
TÃ¡Â»Â«ng ngÃÂ y qua (Everyday through)
TuÃ¡Â»Âi ÃÂÃÂ¡ buÃ¡Â»Ân (Stone's age of despair)
TuÃ¡Â»Âi ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi mÃÂªnh mÃÂ´ng
TuÃ¡Â»Âi trÃ¡ÂºÂ» ViÃ¡Â»Ât Nam (Vietnamese Youths)
TÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng rÃ¡ÂºÂ±ng ÃÂÃÂ£ quÃÂªn (Thought that I have forgotten)
ÃÂ¯Ã¡Â»Ât mi ("Misty eyes" or "Tearing lashes")
VÃ¡ÂºÂ«n cÃÂ³ em bÃÂªn ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi (I still have you in my life)
VÃ¡ÂºÂ«n nhÃ¡Â»Â cuÃ¡Â»Âc ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi
VÃÂ ng phai trÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âc ngÃÂµ
VÃ¡Â»Â trong suÃ¡Â»Âi nguÃ¡Â»Ân (Back to the fountainhead)
VÃ¡Â»Â thÃÂm mÃÂ¡i trÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âng xÃÂ°a (Revisiting the old school)
VÃ¡ÂºÂ¿t lÃÂn trÃ¡ÂºÂ§m
VÃÂ¬ tÃÂ´i cÃ¡ÂºÂ§n thÃ¡ÂºÂ¥y em yÃÂªu ÃÂÃ¡Â»Âi
VÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Ân xÃÂ°a (Garden of the past)
Xa dÃ¡ÂºÂ¥u mÃ¡ÂºÂ·t trÃ¡Â»Âi (Far from the sun)
Xanh lÃÂ²ng phai tÃÂ n
Xin cho tÃÂ´i (Please give me)
Xin hÃÂ£y dÃ¡Â»Â«ng tay (Please stop)
Xin mÃ¡ÂºÂ·t trÃ¡Â»Âi ngÃ¡Â»Â§ yÃÂªn (Please let the sun sleep)
Xin trÃ¡ÂºÂ£ nÃ¡Â»Â£ ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi
YÃÂªu dÃ¡ÂºÂ¥u tan theo (Fading love)

Songs about the Vietnam War

In the song "Mother's Legacy" (Gia tÃÂ i cÃ¡Â»Â§a mÃ¡ÂºÂ¹), SÃÂ¡n sings about the Vietnamese experience of the Vietnam War: He laments that the 1,000 years of Vietnam's subjugation to Chinese imperial rule, the 100 years of subjugation to French colonial rule, and the ongoing civil war, together have left a sad legacy of graveyards, parched fields and burning houses. He urges the children of Vietnam to remain true to their Vietnamese identity and overcome the dividing hatred, put an end to internecine fighting and the destruction of the country.

In the song "Song about the Corpses of People" ("HÃÂ¡t trÃÂªn nhÃ¡Â»Â¯ng xÃÂ¡c ngÃÂ°Ã¡Â»Âi"), written in the aftermath of the HuÃ¡ÂºÂ¿ Massacre, SÃÂ¡n sings about the corpses strewn around the city, in the river, on the roads, on the rooftops, even on the porches of the pagodas. The corpses, each one of which he regards as the body of a sibling, will nourish the farmland.

A rock music concert event titled NÃ¡Â»Âi VÃÂ²ng Tay LÃ¡Â»Ân ("The Great Circle of Vietnam"); the name of a popular patriotic anti-war song by TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n, was officially promoted and held in HÃ¡Â»Â ChÃÂ Minh City ostensibly as a memorial to SÃÂ¡n, and featuring various Vietnamese rock bands and artists, had officially taken place for the first time on 22 April 2022.

Love songs

Love is the single biggest recurring theme in SÃÂ¡n's work. His love songs constitute the majority of the songs. Most of them are sad, conveying a sense of despondence and solitude as in "SÃÂ°ÃÂ¡ng ÃÂÃÂªm", "ÃÂ¯Ã¡Â»Ât mi". Songs are either about loss as in "DiÃ¡Â»Âm xÃÂ°a", "BiÃ¡Â»Ân nhÃ¡Â»Â", or nostalgia: "TÃÂ¬nh xa", "TÃÂ¬nh sÃ¡ÂºÂ§u", "TÃÂ¬nh nhÃ¡Â»Â", "Em cÃÂ²n nhÃ¡Â»Â hay em ÃÂÃÂ£ quÃÂªn", "Hoa vÃÂ ng mÃ¡ÂºÂ¥y ÃÂÃ¡Â»Â". Other songs, additionally carry philosophical messages from a man to his lover: "CÃ¡Â»Â xÃÂ³t xa ÃÂÃÂ°a", "GÃ¡Â»Âi tÃÂªn bÃ¡Â»Ân mÃÂ¹a", "MÃÂ°a hÃ¡Â»Âng". The style is sly, simple, suitable to be rendered in Slow, Blues or Boston. The lyrics are overwhelmingly poetic, candid and yet deeply poignant, oftentimes hinting elements of symbolism and surrealism.

References

External links

BBC News article on TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n's funeral
A tribute to TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n
An extensive site on TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n, including most of his songs, writings, and articles about him
TrÃ¡Â»Ânh CÃÂ´ng SÃÂ¡n songs on writeopenstory, with links to many Vietnamese songs on him