The Themes of Khmer Songs

by Marcin Nowacki

The culture of Cambodia is famous for diversity and richness of its history, literature, art and music. Both art of dance and singing in particular have always been the most important and prominent feature of Khmer culture. Dances like romvong and saravann as well as a wide array of folk songs is part and parcel of traditional Khmer festivals and events.

Being that important for the Khmer people, Cambodian folk songs’ lyrics are full of many different themes, but typically these are: love, rural life, combined with appreciation of nature, vegetation and wildlife.

First of all, the most prominent topic of Khmer songs is love. Folk songs in general and contemporary songs in particular address love, especially lovers’ relationship stages, e.g. dating, etc. The majority of Sinn Sisamouth’s and Ros Sereysothea’s - the two most famous and prominent Cambodian singers - songs are about love. They deal with lovers’ appreciation towards each other, the beginnings of their relationship, first dates, squabblings, as well as dallying.

Secondly, rural life is another main theme of folk songs but it is apparent in other genres as well. Rural life, villagers’ life and problems they meet everyday with daily chores in the rice fields are important parts of lyrics of Khmer folk songs.

Another common topic of Khmer songs is nature which is usually interlaced with other common and aforementioned themes - love and rural life. The animals that live in the forests, vegetation there and current weather often appear in the lyrics. Nevertheless, it is flowers and fruits that are the most prominent, just as in the Papaya Flower song which you can listen to from our project archive. The titular papaya flower is a metaphor of a woman that is going to be picked up by a man.