Dance of Life: Popular Music and Politics in Southeast Asia

Contents

v Contents INTRODUCTION ix 1. Popular Culture and Music in the Modern World 1 Popular Culture and Modern Society 2 Mass Mediation and the Meaning of Popular Culture 10 The Scope and Significance of Popular Music 17 Popular Music and Sociocultural Affirmation 22 The Political Role of Music 27 Patterns of Cultural Imperialism and Interaction 41 Intercultural Patterns of Popular Music Change 49 Conclusions 53 vi CONTENTS 2. Indonesia: Many Fields, Many Songs 54 The Roots of Politics and Music 55 Nationalism, Popular Culture, and the Emergence of Kroncong 60 The Changing Context of the “New Order” 69 Mass Mediation, Censorship, and the Evolving Popular Culture 74 The Rise of Pop Indonesia 83 Pop Indonesia and Social Change 87 Pop Indonesia and Regional Identity 91 Rhoma Irama and the Dangdut Challenge 94 Contemporary Indonesian Politics and Popular Music 105 Conclusions 112 3. Philippines: Pinoy, Protest, and People Power 114 The Roots of Politics and Music 115 The Marcos Dictatorship 121 Problems of National Identity and Cultural Nationalism 125 The Emergence of Postcolonial Popular Music and Culture 129 The Rise of Pinoy 135 Music, Protest, and Political Movements 140 Freddie Aguilar and the Politicization of Pinoy 144 Aguilar, Pinoy, and People Power 146 Politics and Popular Music in the Post-Marcos Era 151 Conclusions 160 4. Thailand: Songs for Life, Songs for Struggle 162 The Roots of Politics and Music 163 Postwar Society and Politics 167 The Brief Mid-1970s Cultural and Political “Blossoming” 171 The Development of Popular Music and Culture 178 Varieties of Popular Music and Political Discourse 183 Caravan and the Florescence of “Songs of Life” 192 Contemporary Thai Politics and Popular Music 199 Conclusions 206 CONTENTS vii 5. Malaysia and Singapore: Pluralism and Popular Music 207 The Roots of Politics and Music 209 The Flowering of Popular Music 217 Malaysian Popular Culture and the Plural Society 222 Popular Music in the 1960s and Malaysia-Singapore Separation 224 Politics and Society in Change 228 Popular Music in the 1970s 235 Popular Music and Political Change in the 1980s 238 Popular Music and Sociopolitical Criticism 248 Contemporary Malaysian Popular Music 256 Conclusions 260 6. Conclusions 262 NOTES 273 BIBLIOGRAPHY 315 General and Regional Works 315 Indonesia 335 Philippines 349 Thailand 359 Malaysia and Singapore 367 INDEX 375 General 375 Pop Stars and Musicians 388 ...