Trịnh Công Sơn

Vietnamese anti-war composer whose music became soundtrack of peace movement

Trịnh Công Sơn (1939-2001) revolutionized Vietnamese music through 530+ haunting anti-war ballads that transcended political divisions. His Yellow Music genre blended traditional ca trù with French chanson, creating poetic protests against what he called 'the brother-killing era'.

During the Vietnam War, both sides banned his album Ca Khúc Da Vàng (Songs of Golden Skin) for lines like How many more mothers must cry blood-red tears? Yet bootleg cassettes circulated widely, making him South Vietnam's bestselling artist despite government harassment.

Post-reunification, he endured communist re-education but later gained recognition as Vietnam's Bob Dylan. His 1990s comeback included collaborations with Joan Baez. Today, Nối Vòng Tay Lớn (Join the Great Circle) remains an unofficial national anthem of reconciliation.

Scholars at Trịnh Công Sơn Foundation preserve his legacy of musical resistance, while modern artists like Đen Vâu sample his work in hip-hop peace anthems.