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Dengue Fever — Seeing Hands
Album: Venus on Earth
Avg rating:
5.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2419









Released: 2008
Length: 4:10
Plays (last 30 days): 0
Forest of pine trees on the ocean floor
Self-hypnotized from holding still for hours
Drift out to sea, frozen
Forgetting how to move muscle

First I'm going to heat you up
And then I'm going to freeze you
So that you can think
Of all the ways you hurt me

Then, after thousands of years
If I'm in a good mood
I'll let you crawl out
Crawl out from your cave

I've given you everything I have
And you wasted it all
Now it's winter time
And you can suck on a hair ball
And chew on dry fish bones

Then, if I'm in a good mood
We can go for a walk
Roll down a grass hill
Soak our feet in the river
Comments (642)add comment
Why all the 1 ratings? I don't give a 1 even to Oasis or Coldplay (well maybe Oasis, but that's perfectly reasonable).
 Baby_M wrote:

This morning's playlist:

7:38 am Peter Gabriel, "Not One Of Us"
7:43 am Rachid Taha, "Barra Barra"
7:48 am Dengue Fever, "Seeing Hands"

"Barra Barra" and  this track have low ratings and draw a lot of negative comments because the lyrics are in foreign languages (Arabic and Khmer, respectively) and there seem to be a lot of listeners who don't care for anything in a different language.  To put it another way, might these listeners be reacting to the fact that these are being sung by people who are "not one of us"?

Is that song sequence a subtle editorial comment on this by Bill G.?  If it was, it's a good one.





Correct ! What kind of music do you expect from a " Global Mix " channel ?
 h8rhater wrote:

I'm not sure of individual commenters positions, BUT America certainly is undergoing a Racist Renaissance these days.  The h8 for the "other" is strong in the heartland.  

I like this song in the mix as well and love the fact that the listener ratings do not seem to drive the playlist here on RP. 

There's a contingent of RP listeners—late boomers and early Gen-Xers—who think William and Alanna should only play "their" music, aka the rock music fueled by LSD and cocaine from 1965-1983.  And that's just dumb, because there's a wealth of amazing music out there to be explored and enjoyed. 
 SquiddlyDiddly wrote:

This track is a masterpiece.

I am doubly pleased it is still being played regardless of the lowish rating and as a result I have sent some more money to RP. 

Yes, this is a blatant bribe to keep the level of musical weirdness that occasionally permeates this splendid place alive. 




I Agree!
 Proclivities wrote:
Cool.


Clever !
 bdwhitepm wrote:

Seeing them at Global Fest at Lincoln Center this month in NYC!
Sunday of MLK Weekend




Cool! You Lucky Duck! I wish I could have been there too!
Seeing them at Global Fest at Lincoln Center this month in NYC!
Sunday of MLK Weekend
637 comments... wow.  And this track isn't all that well known.
 
I'm only seeing about 70-80 comments on this page though.. I wonder if a lot of it is spam or if comments after a certain number are truncated.
 Jennif wrote:
And you think this is funny because.....? You think all Asians look and sound the same? You've never seen a map before? Hint: Cambodia is not North Korea.
 
I would bet the original commenter is drawing on the old-school, traditional Korean vocals sometimes heard on M*A*S*H and in their mind hearing some weird amalgamation of that with rock music.  "Race" doesn't need to be shoehorned into this discussion.
A little context for the singer’s voice, based on a recollection I have from the one time I saw Dengue Fever live (after discovering them on RP): The vocalist, Chhom Nimol, talked to the audience about her audition with the band. She related how other Cambodian-American women who were there to audition left one by one after she arrived. What they knew, but the band members didn’t, is that Nimol’s parents were famous singers in Cambodia. (She didn’t mention that she’d also won a national singing competition in Cambodia; that might have scared off the other auditioners too.)
Suddenly, I'm teleported to Vientiane 1970. Fantastic memories.
I've upped it from a 2 to a 6 on latest listen. It's still not my cup of tea, but it's part of the reason I love RP - and when Bill follows it with the Immigrant Song by Led Zep as he just did I know they have my heart forever 
 Jennif wrote:



And you think this is funny because.....? You think all Asians look and sound the same? You've never seen a map before? Hint: Cambodia is not North Korea.


Especially as DF is reviving a musical style killed off by Communist Tyranny.
Excellent!
Cool!!
Not really my cup of tea, but "Uku" and especially "Oceans of Venus" by this same band are excellent.  They seem to shine when they get more into the psychedelic grooves.
Giving it a 10, to level it up against the party-poopers. 
Tedious.  PSD
 wgsu_1978 wrote:

Strangest thing. Tuned in Radio Paradise and suddenly got switched to Radio Pyongyang.




And you think this is funny because.....? You think all Asians look and sound the same? You've never seen a map before? Hint: Cambodia is not North Korea.
This band is doing something totally different and that intrigues me. I need some on vinyl
 Pilsenaaa wrote:
Irish boy meets this very pretty young Indian lady with this hummingbird like voice and a great song is born
 
Um, she's Khmer/Cambodian. 
For me the music is 8 - 9. But the voice is dreadful and ruins the song. So, it's only a 2.
😆
I don't know what to do with this one...
 

Irish boy meets this very pretty young Indian lady with this hummingbird like voice and a great song is born
I sometimes wish the RP rating scale had negative numbers, I’d give this P.O.S. a -10
Something about this kind of reminds me of Blondie. Like, maybe Atomic? From that era, anyhow.
Cambodian Frank Zappa lyrics! ...too funny!
 Baby_M wrote:
This morning's playlist:
7:38 am Peter Gabriel, "Not One Of Us"
7:43 am Rachid Taha, "Barra Barra"
7:48 am Dengue Fever, "Seeing Hands"

"Barra Barra" and  this track have low ratings and draw a lot of negative comments because the lyrics are in foreign languages (Arabic and Khmer, respectively) and there seem to be a lot of listeners who don't care for anything in a different language.  To put it another way, might these listeners be reacting to the fact that these are being sung by people who are "not one of us"?

Is that song sequence a subtle editorial comment on this by Bill G.?  If it was, it's a good one.


 
I'm not sure of individual commenters positions, BUT America certainly is undergoing a Racist Renaissance these days.  The h8 for the "other" is strong in the heartland.  

I like this song in the mix as well and love the fact that the listener ratings do not seem to drive the playlist here on RP. 
To answer Sporkster's inquiry from a while back: For me I'm not a fan of the pitch of the singer's voice, nor the speed at which she is singing it.

To my brain, it's like nails on a chalkboard.  That being said, I'm not hitting PSD because it's only been played once in the last 30 and I'd rather stay on the Main Mix if I can help it. 

So, I'll just play through.
 costoonces wrote:
I don't know what to do with this one...
 play to your new hindi girlfriend

I don't know what to do with this one...
Nice segue from CCR run in the jungle to dengue fever



{#Clap} Spot on, Willie.
 
that's almost as bad as getting Dengue Fever ... just sayin. Can be fixed with a poltice though
I would love to see this band live. 
Classic love/hate double Gaussian distribution. I'm firmly in the first camp. Saw these guys live at a small music festival in Prague in 2008 and immediately bought two of their CDs from them, chatted with them for a bit, had them sign them.
Thanks to RP for introducing this band to me.  Play more and similar artists if they are any.
This band is actually a lot of fun. They are trying to keep a small genre alive. I believe in the '60s and 70's Southeast Asian music was pretty popular. Soldiers during  the Viet Nam conflict brought their music to the region and influenced the local music scene. A bunch of interesting things grew from that. Dengue Fever does a good job at the nod toward that while making it fun and fresh.

I recommend checking out more than this song alone.
Cool.
Bill, Master Mixer of rich sounds, now and again I hear you say "You're Listening to the RP Groovy Mix"... and then you say it again.  Every time.  Just saying.
 Hannio wrote:


It's gotta be all the Trump voters.  
 

I hate Chump slightly more....
I find this terribly annoying and intolerable.
Causing some fever indeed.
 sporkster wrote:
i don't understand the hate for this song. is it because it's in a foreign language? a woman singing? a high-pitched voice?
personally, i think it's lovely and the reason why I appreciate RP: diversity. thank you for keeping this one on rotation.

 
To answer your questions, no, no and no.  
I think the low rating is attributable to one thing....it's just plain ANNOYING!
 sporkster wrote:
i don't understand the hate for this song. is it because it's in a foreign language? a woman singing? a high-pitched voice?
personally, i think it's lovely and the reason why I appreciate RP: diversity. thank you for keeping this one on rotation.

 

It's gotta be all the Trump voters.  
I rated this a 4 because 4 seems under-represented in the ratings.  That is up two from what my real response is.  I'm trying to be nice.  
i don't understand the hate for this song. is it because it's in a foreign language? a woman singing? a high-pitched voice?
personally, i think it's lovely and the reason why I appreciate RP: diversity. thank you for keeping this one on rotation.
I think I'd rather have Dengue Fever than listen to Dengue Fever...
Thought this was some lost track from Rocky Horror Picture Show.
this is shit hot - no slappin nobody now ye'hear
Somehow I feel like slapping the back of the singer's neck to make her stop… {#Headache}
 Baby_M wrote:
This morning's playlist:

7:38 am Peter Gabriel, "Not One Of Us"
7:43 am Rachid Taha, "Barra Barra"
7:48 am Dengue Fever, "Seeing Hands"

"Barra Barra" and  this track have low ratings and draw a lot of negative comments because the lyrics are in foreign languages (Arabic and Khmer, respectively) and there seem to be a lot of listeners who don't care for anything in a different language.  To put it another way, might these listeners be reacting to the fact that these are being sung by people who are "not one of us"?

Is that song sequence a subtle editorial comment on this by Bill G.?  If it was, it's a good one.



 
A mix of different languages and epochs is one of the key benefits of listening to RP over other radios/services.Before discovering RP I was always saying that I want to listen to more eg. rock, not important what country it comes from, and not to be stuck with english lyrics only.
Thanks RP :)
 Baby_M wrote:
This morning's playlist:

7:38 am Peter Gabriel, "Not One Of Us"
7:43 am Rachid Taha, "Barra Barra"
7:48 am Dengue Fever, "Seeing Hands"

"Barra Barra" and  this track have low ratings and draw a lot of negative comments because the lyrics are in foreign languages (Arabic and Khmer, respectively) and there seem to be a lot of listeners who don't care for anything in a different language.  To put it another way, might these listeners be reacting to the fact that these are being sung by people who are "not one of us"?

Is that song sequence a subtle editorial comment on this by Bill G.?  If it was, it's a good one.



 
You are reading my mind.  Both Rachid Taha and Dengue Fever are surprisingly underrated.  And of course, Peter Gabriel is a genius.
 wgsu_1978 wrote:
Strangest thing. Tuned in Radio Paradise and suddenly got switched to Radio Pyongyang.

 
HA!!! Funny.  Truly sounds like Dung Fever.
152 Dengue Fever (6763912845).jpg
Just wiki-ed these guys - what a fascinating band. Thanks for playing.
And you can suck on a hair ball 
And chew on dry fish bones  
This morning's playlist:

7:38 am Peter Gabriel, "Not One Of Us"
7:43 am Rachid Taha, "Barra Barra"
7:48 am Dengue Fever, "Seeing Hands"

"Barra Barra" and  this track have low ratings and draw a lot of negative comments because the lyrics are in foreign languages (Arabic and Khmer, respectively) and there seem to be a lot of listeners who don't care for anything in a different language.  To put it another way, might these listeners be reacting to the fact that these are being sung by people who are "not one of us"?

Is that song sequence a subtle editorial comment on this by Bill G.?  If it was, it's a good one.


Strangest thing. Tuned in Radio Paradise and suddenly got switched to Radio Pyongyang.
This track is a masterpiece.

I am doubly pleased it is still being played regardless of the lowish rating and as a result I have sent some more money to RP. 

Yes, this is a blatant bribe to keep the level of musical weirdness that occasionally permeates this splendid place alive. 
 ScottishWillie wrote:

Average rating 4.9 with a huge number of 1s. Personally I love both this track and the album, I also love being part of the minority who appreciate this song! 


I think it's a cool tune, nice groove, good production. It doesn't matter that I can't understand a word of the lyrics (Khmer?). Different strokes for different folks obviously.
 ScottishWillie wrote:

Average rating 4.9 with a huge number of 1s. Personally I love both this track and the album, I also love being part of the minority who appreciate this song!



 
I would go <1 if at all possible
Music is solid, vocals, especially the staccato bit. Yikes. palatable, then awful, then both at the same time?
lasts a little long, and a little to repetitive, to my ears at least. 

 
My goodness this is so annoying
 
More Dengue in the rotation please
 plaid wrote:
So, firstly, I really like Dengue Fever. I love the combination of excellent rock roots evident in this song and their other work, and I love the unique vocals. 

Secondly, I don't understand the dislike. I'm bumping this from 8->9 just because so many people hate it.  

 
Yep.  I've seen DF live twice in really small venues.  There's no faking it in those situations, and these guys are really superb musicians, they're fun, and I literally sat down and talked with the bass player for 1/2 an hour after their show about music, travel, life.

Average rating 4.9 with a huge number of 1s. Personally I love both this track and the album, I also love being part of the minority who appreciate this song!


 coloradojohn wrote:
I recall how I was blown away in Sumatera Barat, rolling along in a bemo, with goats on the roof, chickens in the aisle, coffee bushes and clove trees going by outside the open window, with this strange and raucous jangly dangdut music absolutely cranking over the stereo and the driver having a great old time keeping us from teetering over the edge of countless jungle-ridge turns on the way up to Bukittinggi... Dangdut has the tablas and warbling tendencies of Classical Indian music, but with electric guitars so distorted and wild that it rocks even when mellow. Elvy Sukaesi ruled the sound-waves in Indo in those days, and Chhom and DF remind me of her stuff.

 
Some lovely evocative images there CJ. Thanks for sharing those memories and your insightful comments.
I recall how I was blown away in Sumatera Barat, rolling along in a bemo, with goats on the roof, chickens in the aisle, coffee bushes and clove trees going by outside the open window, with this strange and raucous jangly dangdut music absolutely cranking over the stereo and the driver having a great old time keeping us from teetering over the edge of countless jungle-ridge turns on the way up to Bukittinggi... Dangdut has the tablas and warbling tendencies of Classical Indian music, but with electric guitars so distorted and wild that it rocks even when mellow. Elvy Sukaesi ruled the sound-waves in Indo in those days, and Chhom and DF remind me of her stuff.
Interesting, 
This doesn't deserve a 4.8. It's at least a 6.
If it aint coming from the USA... 
Still love songs from this album even though their new stuff is even better.  Really don't understand all the hate.  The musicianship is outstanding and the vocals are sublime.  Maybe some just can't tune into Asian and South Asian sounds.
 Jazzerguy wrote:
Unbearable tripe that only gets worse as you listen more

 
Michael wrote: Venus on Earth - Great title, this might have given you a heads-up concerning content.  I like it, I've got a hankering for something different.
So, firstly, I really like Dengue Fever. I love the combination of excellent rock roots evident in this song and their other work, and I love the unique vocals. 

Secondly, I don't understand the dislike. I'm bumping this from 8->9 just because so many people hate it.  
Fever Ray's Triangle Walks to Dengue Fever....now I'm REALLY in the mood for sushi and sake (and I don't care if they're Cambodian).
1>7 from me.

This music has much improved since the legalization of the marajuana..... 
 sirdroseph wrote:
Listen to the guitar people!  This is good stuff! 10

 
Guitar work has shades of 'The End' from the Doors...
 Jazzerguy wrote:
Unbearable tripe that only gets worse as you listen more

  See my comment below about the band. You don't have to be rude to not like a particular song or kind of music.


Ok, so you don't have to like it but don't be mean about what you don't know. Dengue Fever comes from true ethnic roots and a love for a nearly lost culture. Lead singer Chhom grew up in a southern California Cambodian community and sings and speaks of her family's home and what was nearly lost and loved. I highly recommend this great documentary to get a better feeling of how cool khymer rock and roll was: Don't Think I've Forgotten - Cambodian's Lost Rock and Roll - https://www.dtifcambodia.com/  And check them out live, they are fantastic!
Unbearable tripe that only gets worse as you listen more
Nice, I love it. Ten from me 
I wish I could see them live but they hardly ever travel to the east coast.

+1 for comment from ScottishWillie
+1 for comment from NeilBlanchard
For some reason that I don't understand, I love that album cover.  {#Stupid}
 ScottishWillie wrote:

A definition of Eclectic is: Deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. 

Clearly many of the posters think they have an eclectic taste in music but lack the necessary tolerance that it requires.

 
{#Clap} Spot on, Willie.
over rated
{#Frustrated}Rating is about right
. . this is the soundtrack in my head when i land on other planets, as I walk unnoticed among the mortals. . .  killin' it
They're so good live... Play stuff from their new album, please Bill!!!
Just terrible in every way

 
Some would call this musical appropriation.  I was surprised that for the most part they were from California.  I don't personally believe in any cultural appropriation but I didn't like this when I heard it and now I like it less.
 FatPants wrote:
This song is awesome.  I saw this band live a few weeks ago.  Good times. That being said, my friends universally tell me to turn this off when I put it on.

 
I also have some lame friends 
Love it...  
This song is awesome.  I saw this band live a few weeks ago.  Good times. That being said, my friends universally tell me to turn this off when I put it on.
Fever Ray into Dung Fever.  Hmm...

oh, wait, sorry. 

Dengue Fever. 
I think this lot are great. The back story is decent and the delivery is as intended. Seen them twice now and one of these was one of the best live gigs I have been to. I like this song.

This is so horrible. 
 Hoosfoos wrote:
This is the worst rated song I've seen on this station. Is there a lower one?

 
See Lady Gaga    
Listen to the guitar people!  This is good stuff! 10
I can understand some folks not liking this, but I like it!  Interesting stuff like this keeps me coming back to RP.
Diversity always welcome. Thanks RP for that!
But this tune sounds agressive to me.
PSD suggested
The intro sounds like emperor penguin calls distorted and filtered.
 Poacher wrote:
What? A 4.8 rating? 

What is wrong with you RPers? 

 
I agree. Much too high. {#Wink}
What? A 4.8 rating? 

What is wrong with you RPers? 

Yes, it is a tad quirky, but its a great track. . . I sincerely hope it is kept on the playlists as a reminder that everybody needs to keep their ears open to ALL kinds of funky music. 

Solid 9! 
I have a wide and varied set of complaints with this song, but I'll start with the worst one — their pitch just sucks (and seemingly, only on this song). I can't get over that.

Dustin Hoffman having teeth drilled by sadistic dentist (Laurence Olivier) in "Marathon Man"

Anesthesia-free dentistry the Dengue Fever way! Hang in there, Dustin!
I absolutely Love this, love them!
They're actually quite fun live. They put on a good show.
I find this strangely compelling.
surely this deserves higher than a 10....makes me think of Rawalpindi.
I thought Yoko Ono had been banned from the music world?
This is the worst rated song I've seen on this station. Is there a lower one?
 Hannio wrote:

I do believe you are right.  I'm somewhat taken aback by the musical provincialism expressed here sometimes.  On the other hand, you like what you like, and dislike what you dislike and I can understand how DF would irritate somebody.  Personally, I love it.

 

+1


 ScottishWillie wrote:

A definition of Eclectic is: Deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. 

Clearly many of the posters think they have an eclectic taste in music but lack the necessary tolerance that it requires.



 
I do believe you are right.  I'm somewhat taken aback by the musical provincialism expressed here sometimes.  On the other hand, you like what you like, and dislike what you dislike and I can understand how DF would irritate somebody.  Personally, I love it.
Why do you continue to torment me with this abomination?!
Started off as a 6 then slumped to 3 when it just kept on and on and on and on and on
massively irritating.
reminds me of when I was in 'Nam   {#Wall}

A definition of Eclectic is: Deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. 

Clearly many of the posters think they have an eclectic taste in music but lack the necessary tolerance that it requires.


Fine 'oriental quality', rhythm and instruments, thank you Radio Paradise. Keep up the pluralism. :)
I have been loving this band for a long time now, yes me love you long time. {#Hearteyes}
Stop the hating & listen to more eclectic music like this {#Good-vibes}
Something may have been lost in the translation?

"And you can suck on a hair ball
And chew on dry fish bones"