- published: 28 Feb 2015
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The sampot (សំពត់, ALA-LC: saṃbát, IPA: [sɑmpʊət]) is a long, rectangular cloth worn around the lower body. It can be draped and folded in several different ways. The traditional dress is similar to the dhoti of Southern Asia. It is also worn in the neighboring countries of Laos and Thailand where they are known as pha nung (ผ้านุ่ง).
The sampot dates back to the Funan era when a Cambodian king ordered the people of his kingdom to wear the sampot at the request of Chinese envoys. It is similar to the lungi and dhoti worn in the Indian subcontinent, the longyi worn in Burma, and the sarong worn in the Malay archipelago. Silk weaving has been an important part of Cambodia's cultural past. It has been documented that people from Takéo Province have woven silk since the Funan era and records, bas-relief and Zhou Daguan's report have shown that looms were used to weave sampots since ancient times. Highly complex methods and intricate patterns have been developed to make the cloth, one of which is the hol method. It involves dyeing patterns on silk before weaving. What remains unique to Cambodian weavers is the uneven twill technique; the reason why they adopted such an unusual method remains unclear. However, little is known about the old Khmer vocabulary for these fabrics, and if the sampot today was simply changed over time from the original Angkorian textiles. The ancient bas-reliefs however provide a complete look at what fabrics were like, down to patterns and pleats. Silk woven pieces are used as heirlooms, in weddings and funerals, and as decoration in temples.
I'd rather be blue, thinking of you
I'd rather be blue over you
Than be happy with somebody else
I'm crazy about 'ya, without 'ya
For you I'm strong
I can't do without 'ya
Oucha-ma-goucha, don't stay too long!
I need a little ah, little ooh, little Oh
I'm knocking on wood
Honey hurry up, hurry up, hurry up
It's so hard to be good
I'd rather be blue, thinking of you
I'd rather be blue over you
Than be happy with somebody else
Will I be good? Will I be bad?
Don't be a fool, you fool
My little flat, I'm turning that
Into a Sunday school
While you're away I'm here to say
There'll be no ice man there
Singing the blues I'm gonna use
Nothing but Frigidaire
I'd rather be blue, thinking of you
I'd rather be blue over you
Than be happy with somebody else
Blue over you
I'd rather be blue over you
Than be Hap-hap-hap-hap-py
With somebody else
-Fred Fisher