Having achieved his greatest success in the genre of songs dedicated to professions, there was one field for which he composed two works: healthcare. These two songs were recorded only once, around the 1960s–1970s; they were widely sung within the sector, yet remain less known to the general public than Song dedicated to teachers, Miner's romance, or Building worker's song…
Composed in 1968, during the most devastating period of the war, Bài ca gửi người chiến sĩ áo trắng (Song for the Soldiers in White Blouses) was created at a time when the figure of the doctor was becoming a discreet yet central symbol of the Vietnamese collective effort.
Rather than adopting a martial tone, the work immediately chooses a calm atmosphere through rural and botanical imagery: rhododendrons, medicinal plants, village paths. Medical personnel are portrayed less as spectacular heroes than as a healing presence.
Written for soprano and three-part women’s chorus, the score favors a supple vocal clarity. The voices gradually layer upon one another, building a soundscape that moves from intimacy to collectivity.
The text associates the act of healing with maternal imagery, while also explicitly grounding it in the historical context of 1968.
Compared with other contemporary professional songs, the piece stands out for its more introspective expression and its more sophisticated choral writing.
This expressive restraint likely explains why the work remains especially accessible today, revealing a rare balance between social function and musical refinement — a lasting characteristic of the compositional style of Hoàng Vân. Together with Hoa huệ trắng (White lily), it became one of the songs most frequently sung during the pandemic nearly fifty years later.
To read more details about this song:
https://hoangvan.org/tin-tuc/chi-tiet/hoa-hue-va-hoa-do-quyen-nganh-y-va-nguoi-ban-doi-cua-nhac-si
Song for soldiers in the white coat (doctors)
Performances: Tuyết Thanh, Voice of Vietnam women choir
Albums: Album, Album Songs for professions, Works, Songs, Songs for professions, Listening,
Year of composition: 1968
1-
Like the rhododendron flower on the peaks of Hoàng Liên,
Like the garden of medicinal herbs along village paths,
Like a gentle, simple, loving mother,
Like a brave and devoted younger sister,
From the front lines to the rear,
Everywhere, we are present —
We, the soldiers in white blouses.
(A á à a… á a à a a á a)
For the front, for the rear,
Even if we must forget ourselves for the patients,
We move forward bringing joy
And renewed strength to everyone.
2-
Like the rhododendron flower on the peaks of Hoàng Liên,
Like the garden of medicinal herbs along village paths,
Like a gentle, simple, loving mother,
Like a brave and devoted younger sister,
From the front lines to the rear,
Everywhere, we are present —
We, the soldiers in white blouses.
(A á à a… á a à a a á a a)
For the homeland, for the Southren,
Even if we must forget ourselves for the patients,
We sing aloud along distant roads,
Spring arrives with songs and smiles.
Tuyết Thanh, Voice of Vietnam women choir
Tốp ca nữ Nhà hát NVK VN