The city of "Sea of ​​Memories," once associated with Trinh Cong Son.

I'm leaving tomorrow.

The sea remembers your name and calls you back.

Summoning the spirit of the weeping willow.

Calling out to the white sand beach late at night.

The lyrics of the melancholic song by the late musician Trịnh Công Sơn tell the story of a simple coastal city in Central Vietnam – a place that once held a part of the youth, love, sadness, and small joys of a sensitive and talented soul in his twenties. That city is Quy Nhơn, the land that Trịnh Công Sơn always mentioned with longing and heartfelt affection.

City of the Night, Yellow Lights

The connection between Trịnh Công Sơn and Quy Nhơn city began in 1962, when the young musician bid farewell to his hometown of Huế to study at the University of Education. This is where famous songs like "Biển nhớ" (Remembering the Sea), "Diễm xưa" (Old Beauty), "Chiều một mình qua phố" (Walking Alone Through the Streets in the Afternoon), "Lời mẹ ru" (Mother's Lullaby), "Nắng thủy tinh" (Crystal Sunlight), and "Cát bụi" (Dust) were born. Although he only lived there for more than two years, this coastal city left a special mark on the life of the talented musician.

At that time, Trinh Cong Son was in his early twenties, full of ambitions and passionate about life. He wandered the sun-drenched, breezy streets of the coastal region, played billiards in crowded small shops, rested in cramped student dormitories, and immersed himself in late nights gazing at the shimmering golden lights of the sea in the distance.

With a sensitive heart, such peaceful and simple things became the most unforgettable memories, so much so that later, in his work "About a City I Have Left," he emotionally recalled Quy Nhon with a longing to return:

"Perhaps very soon I will prepare for a trip back to Quy Nhon to sit and gaze at a beach from days gone by, when even a single grain of sand was enough to move me."

Perhaps the song most closely associated with this beautiful coastal city is "Sea of ​​Memories." It is said that behind the melancholic lyrics lies the beautiful love story of 23-year-old Trịnh Công Sơn and young Bích Khê.

In the summer of 1963, Bich Khe had to temporarily leave Quy Nhon for Nha Trang with her family. The night before their farewell, Trinh Cong Son sat by the deserted beach and poured his longing and nostalgia into each musical note. Without needing flowery inscriptions, the two words "mountain stream" in the line "The high sky holds back the mountain stream's steps" were enough to convey a sweet and discreet affection to someone.

In his song "About a City I've Left," musician Trịnh Công Sơn wrote about Quy Nhơn as follows: "The song 'Sea of ​​Memories' is what I wrote for the streets of Quy Nhơn. The streets and the sea and a girlfriend who sat with me every night watching the sea. That has now become the past, but in my mind, Quy Nhơn remains as clear as a mirror. A mirror in which I can see myself."

Come to Quy Nhon and listen to love songs amidst the sound of crashing waves.

Sixty years have passed, and Quy Nhon today remains a gently beautiful coastal city with a softly curving coastline, long stretches of soft golden sand, a clear blue sea gently lapping against the shore, and a vast, expansive sky. Of course, time has brought many changes; the yellow streetlights have been replaced by LED lights, making the nights on the beach less dark and melancholic than before. Traffic has become busier, transporting tourist groups, and more entertainment venues have appeared, but the peace and simplicity remain in every small street, where the slow pace of life of its innocent people continues to flow peacefully.

The image of clean, spacious streets free of traffic jams, residential areas filled with the cheerful chatter of neighbors, and the friendly hospitality of the local people remain unchanged. Thanks to this, visitors can still glimpse the familiar city that nurtured the rich emotions of the musician from years past, conveying them in poignant and moving love songs.

Quy Nhon holds such deep affection and fondness in Trinh Cong Son's memory that the city will never forget him. In 2018, a street officially opened bearing Trinh Cong Son's name, and two years later, a statue of the musician was erected and placed in the park right next to the beach. Still in his usual tall, slender figure, wearing a shirt and holding his familiar guitar, he is passionately immersed in the profound melodies of the music. Beside the statue is the musical score for "Sea of ​​Memories"—Trinh Cong Son's most notable composition dedicated to Quy Nhon.

Today, visitors to Quy Nhon can still unexpectedly hear the poignant melodies of "Sea Memories," "Ancient Beauty," and other songs echoing through the tranquil streets, or find their way to small, old cafes to enjoy the sea view while listening to weekly live music performances, such as at Trinh Cong Son Cafe on Xuan Dieu Street. The image of Trinh Cong Son remains, becoming an integral part of the soul of the seaside city he cherished, and music lovers continue to flock here, hoping to relive the pure emotions the musician once conveyed in his songs.

I'm leaving tomorrow.

City of the Night, Yellow Lights

A lonely soul leans its shoulder, calling out in sorrow.

Listening to the stormy sea makes me feel even sadder.

Ha Thu - Photo: Internet