Journey to Peace Village

One of the familiar songs I hear most often is Stephen Foster's O Susanna. I hear it being played by street vendors and traditional Vietnamese musicians. And I always smile. This lively song has been heartily embraced by Viet Nam. What would Foster think, who died in obscurity in the Bowery well over a century ago? It must be the tune-- for the whimsical words make no sense! "It rained all night the day I left, the weather it was dry. The sun so hot, I froze to death, Susanna don't you cry!"
To find out more about Stephen Foster go to:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/foster/

Labels: culture and society, music, Viet Nam and the West