How can Valentine be complete without Jose Mari Chan whose musical journey has brought him to all corners of the world, regaling audiences with songs from deep in his heart without being afraid for love to fade and bidding everybody, “Can we just stop and talk awhile?”
Through the years, Joe Mari, “a businessman by day” who deals with the sound success of sweet (yes, sugar!), has reaped trophies and “platinum” awards, and continues to win more fans from the younger generation. You never get tired of singing or simply listening to his songs, do you?
On Feb. 13 and 14, Joe Mari will once more serenade lovers of all shapes and sizes, of all ages, at his A Heart’s Journey concert at the Music Museum, directed by Chi de Jesus with Marc Lopez as musical director. His special guest is Sheryn Regis who will do a duet of Please Be Careful With My Heart with Joe Mari who originally recorded it with Regine Velasquez, and a solo of Joe Mari’s smash-hit Constant Change and a medley of her own hits.
Thank you for your smile
that never fails to brighten my day
For the tender look
when you gaze at me with eyes that warm
my heart.
For the music of your laughter
Touch that makes my pulse go faster
Thanks for all the memories of a lifetime.
Thank you for the fire that you have set
ablaze within me
With your kisses you’ve awakened this old
heart from its slumber
I feel like 17 again
it’s all because of you.
Thanks for choosing me from all the rest
though I’m far from being the best
Most of all I want to thank you, Love, for loving me.
That’s from Thank You, Love, a Jose Mari Chan song from one of his albums, seldom heard on radio yet often on the lips of many lovebirds all these years.
As with Zsa Zsa Padilla (in yesterday’s issue), Funfare asked Joe Mari to quote some favorite lines from his 20 Favorite Love Songs other than those he has written. He included Thank You, Love, though. Here are the 19 others:
1. 7th DAWN
I’ll be near you when nights are misty
or when the dawn stars come shining thru
I’ll find you, I’ll be just a dream behind you
For my love will lead me to the 7th dawn and you
2. MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE
You fill my eager heart with such desire
Every kiss you give sets my soul on fire
I give myself in sweet surrender...
3. HOW DEEP IS THE OCEAN
How far will I travel to be where you are?
How far is the journey from here to a star?
And if I ever lose you, how much will I cry?
How deep is the ocean, how high is the sky?
4. SO IN LOVE
Taunt me and hurt me
deceive me, desert me
I’m yours till I die.
so in love with you am I
5. ANYWHERE THE HEART GOES
I hold you inside where my love never dies
and you will always live somewhere in me
6. I TALK TO THE TREES
I can see us on an April night
sipping brandy underneath the stars
Reading poems by the candlelight
to the strumming of guitars.
I will tell you all the books I’ve read
and the vineyards that I’ve seen in France.
And I’ll send the children off to bed
and I’ll ask you for a dance
7. UNSPOKEN
If I could say the words I leave unspoken
I’d be the greatest poet of all time.
I’d sing your praise in every shining phrase
To me you’d be the reason for every rhyme
8. WHAT MATTERS MOST
It’s not how long we held each other’s hand
What matters is how well
We loved each other.
It’s not how long I held you in my arms
What matters is how sweet our years together
9. YOU AND I
You and I are going on together
Till the time we have is gone together
Watch the evening drawing on together
Growing older, growing closer
Making memories that light the sky
10. LOVE LETTERS
Love letters straight from your heart
Keep us so near while apart.
I’m not alone in the night
When I can have all the love you write.
I memorize every line
I kiss the name that you sign
11. I’LL WALK ALONE
I’ll always be near you wherever you are
Each night in every prayer.
When you call I’ll hear you
No matter how far
Just close your eyes and I’ll be there
12. TWO FOR THE ROAD
Two for the road we’ll travel down the years
Collecting precious memories
Selecting souvenirs
and living life the way we please...
As long as love still wears a smile
I know that we’ll be two for the road
and that’s a long long while.
13. WHEN I FALL IN LOVE
When I give my heart
It will be completely
Or I’ll never give my heart
14. UNEXPECTED SONG
I don’t know what’s going on
Can’t work it out at all
whatever made you choose me.
I just can’t believe my eyes
You look at me as though
You couldn’t bear to lose me
15. YELLOW DAYS
She would hold me and a smile would spread around her so completely
And the softness of her kiss would linger sweetly
16. LISTEN TO MY HEART
All my life I’ve been on the road
Going one place towards one dream
The road would wind and down it I would go
Always searching, never finding
But even in my darkest hour I always knew
that someday somehow the road would lead to you
17. YOU ARE EVERYTHING TO ME
Kiss me and I’m strong enough to turn the strongest tide
Just sigh and I go wild inside
I’ll be everything you ever want me to be
Oh my darling, you are everything to me
18. GOD ONLY KNOWS
If you should ever leave me
Though life would still go on, believe me,
The world could show nothing to me
So what good would living do me?
God only knows what I’d be without you
19. MOMENT TO MOMENT
Just an ordinary day becomes adventure
Such sweet adventure I never knew...
From moment to moment
Every moment that I live
I live for every moment with you
(Note: A Heart’s Journey, also the title of Jose Mari Chan’s latest album, is presented by Dome Events Production and Dental First, in cooperation with Oriental Assurance Corporation, Crowne Plaza Hotel and MYX. Radio partners are 100.3 RJFM, 91.5 Energy FM, 93.9 IFM and 101.1 Yes FM. Tickets are priced at P3,300 for orchestra center, P2,200 for orchestra side and P1,100 for balcony. For inquiries, call Ticketworld at 891-9999 and the Music Museum at 721-6726.)
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph or at entphilstar@yahoo.com)