What Jimmy Bondoc should know

I have nothing against Jimmy Bondoc. I do not know him personally but he seems to be one of the hot newcomers making the rounds of the burgeoning coffeeshop circuit. But I have everything against his version of Kumusta Ka. I wrote the lyrics to the melody by Willy Cruz way back in 1982 when it was first recorded by Nonoy Zuñiga for his debut album Ako Ay Ikaw Rin. It is one of my favorites and I am proud to say that it has since become quite popular and has been recorded by other artists like Sharon Cuneta, Claire de la Fuente and even movie king Fernando Poe, Jr.

Then came Jimmy Bondoc with a new version. For some reason or another though, he sings it with major changes in the lyrics. The line "tandang-tanda ko pa habang ako’y papalayo" in the first verse became "tandang-tanda ko pa habang ikaw papalayo." Now, it is not at all uncommon for singers to change pronouns to conform with their gender while singing a song, like "she" becomes "he" for a female singer and vice versa. But it is a drastic change when you change "ako" into "ikaw." That is like changing "to you" to "to me" and there is nothing similar about that. Okay, it’s just one pronoun. I can live with that. He was probably trying to relate the song to his personal experience.

What I find difficult to live with is that he also changed "halatang daigdig mo ngayon ay kay saya" to "halatang daigdig mo ngayon ay kulay rosas." While the meaning is the same, pink and rosy equates to happy, I cannot imagine myself saying the words "daigdig mo ngayon ay kulay rosas" to an ex-boyfriend. Yucky, yucky, yucky. And while Bondoc was trying to be personal again with the song, the change still doesn’t work because the syllabication and accent on "kulay rosas" is very different from "kay saya." That means that the new words do not fit the melody at all. Worse, this was done without asking the writer’s permission.

Bondoc’s Kumusta Ka is now being played on the radio. Since the song seems to be getting the promo push, it is a sure thing he will also sing it in some TV shows and some of the time, in his live performances. It makes my blood crawl thinking that each time he sings it or each time I hear it being played I will hear the "kulay rosas" phrase. I get nightmares thinking of how it will feel to walk into a videoke joint and to hear somebody singing Kumusta Ka Jimmy Bondoc style. Horrors! if his version becomes as popular as Nonoy’s, that awful change will be perpetuated and this generation of listeners will be singing Kumusta Ka with the words "kulay rosas." That is, of course, unless the song gets recorded again and I get the opportunity to correct the error.

I do not find any explanation for the changes. Were they intentional? Did somebody jot down the lyrics from a record and wrote down the wrong words? Not likely as Kumusta Ka is not a new song and copies of the words are easily available. If those concerned were not able to get one, they could have asked me or Willy and we would have willingly provided them with the correct one. I may have done some stupid things in my life and there is a chance I might do more, but the lyrics to Kumusta Ka is certainly not one of them.

Salbakuta tours malls

On a happier note. Catch the popular rap group Salbakuta at SM City Cebu today, SM City Iloilo on Saturday, June 21 and SM City Davao on Sunday, June 22. Best known for the monster hit tune S2PID LUV, the talented trio is set to perform cuts from its latest album titled Meron Ka Bang Ganitong Life? including the hit singles Long Distance and Inday, Inday and a seriously rapping Ogie Alcasid in Ubos Na ang Pasensiya.

Salbakuta was discovered by local rap king Andrew E. They record for Andrew’s Dongalo Wreckords label which is distributed by Viva Records. The group is made up of Rommel "Ben Deatha" Tejada, who started out as Andrew’s production assistant; Edwin "Madkillah" Encarnacion who was Andrew’s former "hyper"; and Charlito "Charlie Mac" Dellosa, a former billiard hall "setter." Thanks to S2PID LUV, these boys have come a long way.