Risking it all for love songs

Nguyen Van Loc grew up singing the songs his father loved, classic Vietnamese ballads that were the signature music of the 1950s. When the communists took over, this sort of “dissident” music was banned, and Nguyen had to sing in secret with his friends. The police found out, and Nguyen was suddenly in a lot of trouble.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen

Producer: Harry Graham

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(Photo: A profile shot of Vietnamese singer Nguyen Van Loc. He is in his 50s with black hair and a black moustache, with a matching orange shirt and tie. He looks wistfully into the distance. Credit: Nguyen Van Loc)