Manh Phat: A talented love songwriter respected by many famous singers

When it comes to Bolero music, few people do not know the love songs of the late musician Manh Phat. He was the one who penned the masterpieces of famous singers at that time.

Manh Phat is a golden singer and songwriter with many favorite compositions. According to musician Van Giang, Manh Phat is from Central Vietnam. He had a cheerful face, wavy hair in front of his forehead, a calm countenance that matched the demeanor of an art maker.

The late musician Manh Phat's full name was Le Manh Phat, he was born in 1929 in Nghe An. In 1940, Manh Phat and his family moved to Saigon to live and settle here. He had a talent for music from a young age, so after high school he followed the singing path, at which time he was invited to sing for two famous labels.

In addition to being a famous musician, in the 1940s Manh Phat was also known to a large audience at that time as a famous male singer of French Asian radio, especially when he sang a duet with singer Minh Dieu (who later became his wife). Manh Phat is a talented musician, he devotes almost his whole life to music and songwriting, but he is quite secretive, he shares very little with the outside about his family, feelings and private life.

It can be said that Manh Phat - Minh Dieu is the pioneer generation of Vietnamese new music.

In the period from late 1949 to 1955, Manh Phat began composing with 2 pen names: Thuc Dang and Tien Dat. His compositions during this period such as: You have returned, Vietnamese soul, Who returned to my hometown, Send the wings of clouds to the sky, May people return, Bright in the village,...

Most of his songs at this period were written about love associated with the homeland and country with gentle but deep melodies, pure, simple lyrics that easily enter people's hearts. Typically, the song "Bright moon in the village" was performed by many singers at that time such as Thanh Lan, Thao Ly and indispensable couple Manh Phat - Minh Dieu: "Tonight, the light illuminates my village. A few village girls, grinding rice tomorrow. Laugh in the mysterious moonlight. Give the love story, the rice is filled with scent,..." (Quote from the village morning).

Because of his private life, few people know that the late musician Manh Phat was the teacher who contributed to bringing many singers to the top of glory, including female singers Phuong Dung, Thanh Tuyen, Hoang Oanh,... as singer Phuong Dung once shared: "Musician Manh Phat is a famous singer and musician from the 45-50s. He was the one who helped Fang Dung and singer Hoang Oanh have over 300 records at that time."

In a TV show called Portrait of Love aired in January 2019, the "White Swallow Go Gong" singer also confided that: "I have a huge debt of love to someone who creates a place for me in the hearts of the audience, which is musician Manh Phat. Without you, there wouldn't be a Fang Rong like today."

In addition to singing and composing, Manh Phat also participates in films. In 1958, he starred in the film Love Country Italy Music (this is also the title of one of his music).

By the early 1960s, along with the development and popularity of Bolero music, as well as many other musicians of the same time such as Hoai Linh, Chau Ky, Minh Ky,... musician Manh Phat switched to composing gold music in the Bolero rhythm. His songs from this period were very popular and are still popular to this day such as: Remember the season of purple flowers, Flowers bloom at night, Once upon a time he said, Cold dew in the winter afternoon, Night guard dew,...

In which Manh Phat's famous song "Flowers bloom at night" was revealed by his daughter-in-law that this song was written by him during a business trip to Hue and had a secret love affair with his daughter named Hoa, but because of work, the two only met and dated in the evening, so he took that as inspiration to write the song this. This is one of the extremely popular love songs, written on the theme of love between men and women with extremely gentle and beautiful lyrics of a sad but romantic love story.

In 1962, Manh Phat and Nguyen Van Dong brought singer Thanh Tuyen (she was not famous at that time) from Da Lat to Saigon for training and promotion, under the guidance of talented veteran artists and her natural talent, Thanh Tuyen quickly became known to the audience and she has also been famous since then.

Although he was strict in every word on the music, the late musician's life was quite simple. Meng Phat is also pleasant, relaxed and not harsh. Singer Phuong Dung once shared: "He is a very careful teacher, whenever there is a new song, he always comes to the house to practice for Phuong Dung to sing the right intention and the right heart of each new song".

Not only that, Manh Phat was also in charge of the program on television stations at that time.

On January 2, 1973, musician Manh Phat passed away, leaving his family and admirers deeply saddened.

Although his life was short, the late musician Manh Phat left many good music treasures in Vietnam to this day.