Cambodian covers of Western songs from the golden era of Khmer rock, 1960s–1975.
Before the Khmer Rouge silenced them forever, artists like Sinn Sisamouth, Ros Sereysothea,
and Pan Ron were lifting Western hits and remaking them with Khmer lyrics —
often with very little lag time between the original release and the Cambodian version.
This is what they left behind.
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The Covers
Each track below is a Cambodian-language cover or adaptation of a Western song.
The artists didn't just translate — they rewrote, reinterpreted, and made these songs entirely their own.
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Play All Tracks
15 songs — stream the full companion playlist on YouTube
Sinn Sisamouth
01
Black Magic Woman
Cambodian cover
Srolanh Srey Touch
ស្រឡាញ់ស្រីតូច — "I Love a Petite Girl"
Sinn Sisamouth — orig. Santana (Fleetwood Mac, 1968)
Fuzzed-out with chaotic percussion and altered melody. Sisamouth takes Santana's Latin rock and
makes it unmistakably Khmer.
02
Hey Jude
Cambodian cover
Always Will Hope
រស្មីក្តីសង្ឃឹម — "Ray of Hope"
Sinn Sisamouth — orig. The Beatles (1968)
Credited to Lennon, McCartney & Sisamouth. Entirely new Khmer verses — not a translation,
a reinvention. From the compilation Cambodian Soul Sounds Vol. II.
03
House of the Rising Sun
Cambodian cover
I'm Still Waiting
បងនៅចាំស្នេហ៍ — "Bang Nov Cham Sneh"
Sinn Sisamouth — orig. The Animals (1964)
Completely different Khmer lyrics layered over the iconic chord progression.
Available on Cambodian Rocks Volumes 1–4 (Remastered).
04
Sugar, Sugar
Cambodian cover
Neakna Kmean Snae
អ្នកណាគ្មានស្នេហ៍ — "Who Doesn't Have Love"
Sinn Sisamouth — orig. The Archies (1969)
Released c. 1970 — remarkably fast turnaround from the American bubblegum pop original
to a Phnom Penh studio.
05
A Whiter Shade of Pale
Cambodian cover
Apart from Love
"Apart from Beloved Lover"
Sinn Sisamouth — orig. Procol Harum (1967)
From Cambodian Rocks Vol. 2. That organ riff translated seamlessly across cultures.
06
Love Potion No. 9
Cambodian cover
Other Than You
Sinn Sisamouth — orig. The Clovers (1959)
From the Cambodian Rocks compilation. Sisamouth's take on this American R&B classic.
Pan Ron (Pen Ran)
07
Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)
Cambodian cover
Snaeha
ស្នេហា — "Love"
Pan Ron (Pen Ran) — orig. Cher / Nancy Sinatra (1966)
Described as "appropriately melodramatic." Featured in Mr. Robot Season 3, Episode 10,
which blew viewers' minds. From Dengue Fever Presents: Electric Cambodia.
08
A Hard Day's Night
Cambodian cover
Pnhaeu Samnieng
Korng Phnao & Pan Ron — orig. The Beatles (1964)
From Cambodian Soul Sounds Vol. 1. Korng Phnao was a Phnom Penh band that frequently
backed Pan Ron. Their take on the Beatles' riff-driven classic.
The "Golden Voice of the Royal Capital" takes Fogerty's riverboat anthem and makes it burn.
From Cambodian Rocks Vol. 1.
10
Venus
Cambodian cover
Komlos Sey Chaom
"Love God"
Ros Sereysothea — orig. Shocking Blue (1969)
From Rough Guide to Psychedelic Cambodia (2014). That iconic riff, now with Khmer lyrics.
11
Season of Love (Koi no Kisetsu)
Cambodian cover
Bae Bong Sralanh Khn'om
បើបងស្រឡាញ់ខ្ញុំ — "If You Love Me"
Ros Sereysothea — orig. Pinky and Killers (1968, Japan)
Not Western per se, but Japanese pop that was itself influenced by Western rock.
Shows how musical influence flowed in multiple directions across Asia.
Yol Aularong
12
Gloria
Cambodian cover
Yuvajon Kouge Jet
"Broken Heart Man"
Yol Aularong — orig. Them / Van Morrison (1964)
Fuzzed-out, reverb-soaked, with go-go organ and fuzz-guitar. Released May 1974, just months
before everything ended. From Cambodian Rocks.
Poev Vannary (Pou Vannary)
13
You've Got a Friend
Cambodian cover
Khmer version
Poev Vannary — orig. Carole King / James Taylor (1971)
Vannary was the first female guitarist on the Cambodian stage. She studied in the US and fell in love
with American folk music, adapting countless songs — Carpenters, John Lennon, Carole King — with Khmer lyrics.
The Bridge: Dengue Fever
Dengue Fever is an LA-based band formed in 2001, fronted by Cambodian singer Chhom Nimol.
They perform covers of 1960s–70s Cambodian rock — some of which were themselves covers of Western songs.
For Western listeners unfamiliar with the originals, Dengue Fever can serve as a bridge into this music.
I'm Sixteen / Chnam Oun Dop Pram Mouy
Dengue Fever (orig. Ros Sereysothea)
From their self-titled debut album (2003).
Shave Your Beard
Dengue Fever (orig. Ros Sereysothea)
Also from the debut. The original appears on Electric Cambodia.
Dengue Fever Presents: Electric Cambodia
Compilation — curated by Dengue Fever
14-track compilation of original 1960s–70s recordings featuring Pan Ron, Ros Sereysothea,
Sinn Sisamouth, and Dara Chom Chan. Proceeds go to Cambodian Living Arts.
This is the essential starting point.
Cambodian Rocks Vols. 1–4 (Remastered) — 22 uncredited tracks assembled from cassette tapes bought by an American tourist in 1994. The compilation that started the Western rediscovery.