Quick Hit
“One Night in Bangkok”, Murray Head (1984)
Clearly he was Björn again, when former the Abba member Björn Ulvaeus wrote this song - cynical and jaded even. Originally from the theatrical musical “Chess:” the lyrics were written with Tim Rice, and the music composed with Abba buddy Benny Andersson. Murray Head sang the lead in the Theatrical version of this which ran successfully in the U.K. till 1989, whilst the single was a huge hit on both sides of the Atlantic.
The purity of the game chess in its precise mind-game vs. the raw, seedy side of Bangkok is the theme of this song.
The tourist is an unusual beast. His baggage includes his own morals and ethics. There is a sense of freedom when travelling but it can also be scary and daunting if you don’t know where you are going, don’t know where it is safe, or misinterpret a cultural cue.
There is a freedom that comes from being able to be a different person. They don’t know you; they will likely never see you again. What will you do? What would you do in Bangkok on a hot summer night – all alone in the city? Will the devil walk next to you? Or will an angel slide up to you?
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