Spicy Asian fruit salad

The papaya is just a humble, common Asian fruit. To most of us, it's a sweet dessert fruit, cut to bite-sized portions and served chilled. But in Thailand, the pre-ripened fruit is mercilessly shredded and served with cut chillies as a sour-sweet, spicy appetizer that explodes in the mouth with an overwhelming mix of flavours. That's how it is with 'Pa Pa Ya!!', where even the song title is shredded!!

The dance beat hits right from the get-go. Everyone is jumping and amplifying the rhythmic pa pa ya vocalizations provided by guest collaborator, F. Hero, a Thai rapper of some renown. The verse comes in, catchy as heck. The pre-chorus builds anticipation, then whack! The chorus smashes in with even more energy, and we all go nuts. Very simple lyrics and a predictable composition makes it easy for the crowd to know when to respond with a "hey!" a "yo!" a "pa pa... ya!" and a towel (or official merch bandana) twirl.

Just when things get too predictable, F Hero shows up, spittin' a hard hitting rap in Thai-English, though on their world tour concerts it's a recording. His harsh, staccato flow contrasts against SU's melodic lines. Each brings their own distinctive flavour to the table, but both complement each other so well in this one delectable, exciting, and fun dish of a song.

The choreography borrows from traditional Thai dance, though not as heavily as it does from traditional Indian dance in 'Shanti Shanti Shanti'. There's a more contemporary feel to these movements as the traditional ones are blended in with F. Hero's Molam sub-culture.

BABYMETAL's positive vibe continues through this song, but they politely let F. Hero deliver the main lines:

Knock, knock, knock, struggling

Pound our lives with some happiness and sadness

Papaya needs to be pound[ed] hard

So it can be yummy, crispy and delicious

Translated lyrics from here.

I appreciate SU making the effort to roll her 'R's every time she sings "brrring it on, brrring it" in the pre-chorus. The 'R' sound is absent in most long-established Asian languages, so it has to be learned and practiced consciously to be pronounced. Props to her for striving to respect the languages she uses to engage her internationally diverse audience.

It's hard to believe we're all jumping, sweating, and yelling ourselves hoarse in a cardio workout of roughly 4 minutes to a song about fruit salad. Thanks, ladies!