Cause and Effect

Cause and Effect: Saigon Soul with DJ Miss Kitty

Sat, Apr 4, 2026

Cat statue in vietnam for 2023 new year
Today’s show is inspired by a recent trip to Vietnam where DJ Miss Kitty learned about the Saigon Sound from the 1960s and Soul revival movement from around 2016 on.
Key Aspects of 1960s Vietnamese Music
  • The “Saigon Sound”: Music in the 1960s was a unique fusion of traditional Vietnamese elements with Western instruments like electric guitars, drums, and saxophones.
  • Influence of War and American Culture: As American troops entered Vietnam, they brought rock and roll, soul, and funk. This led to a rise in “action music” (nhạc kích động) and Vietnamese covers of Western hits.
Vietnamese music in the 1960s, particularly in South Vietnam, was considered a “Golden Era” marked by a blend of Western pop, rock, surf, soul, and emotional ballads about heartbreak and separation known as “Nhạc Vàng.”  The music mirrored the heightened emotions the country was going through at the time – while absorbing cultural influences from around the world. Saigon became a musical hub featuring artists like Phương Tâm and bands heavily influenced by American GI culture.

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