About 4 months before I left for Thailand I was beginning my sincere efforts to learn the Thai language. Master K told me I should learn “The Muay Thai Song” in Thai and perform it as an exercise. He gave me a tape recorder with an audio cassette of him singing the song, which works as a description of “the 12,” a twelve-strike combination that is signature to Master K.
It took me forever to learn the song. Not only is the melody unusual, making learning the rhythm a thing to itself, but I didn’t understand the words from one another at all. I understand them now, which is pretty awesome, and the melody is beautiful with the tones and rhythm of the words.
So here’s the thing about this song: the opening lyrics are “Come to Thailand, the land of Muay Thai/ hurry to Thailand, to learn Muay Thai.” I heard this song a long time ago, when I first started training with Master K. It’s very much a part of him and his person – he rewrites lots of English songs with Thai lyrics just because he likes the tune and he’s a poet. I take the song to heart and have come to Thailand to learn Muay Thai.
When I left New York, Master K was telling me every day not to go. When I called him every day from the road on the way to Colorado for our flight, he told me to turn around and come back. I miss him very much – BUT the words of the song are his and I’m being dutiful in that sense.
So now I finally recorded the song, singing it at the waterfall I visit on my afternoon run. Master K, this song is from and for you!
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