Paolo does well with timeless origs

He didn’t write the song. Neither is his, the original version. I think it was first recorded by John Mayer. But because Paolo Santos made it big with Moonlight Over Paris it has sort of become his signature. It is not hard to see why. He does it well. His light and easy style brings a laid-back quality to the song that Pinoys cannot seem to get enough of. If I remember right, it was Paolo’s take on Moonlight that ignited the acoustic trend some years ago.

Paolo once more recorded Moonlight Over Paris. It is for his latest album Back to Basics. The song, a bonus track along with Spyro Gyra’s Send Me One Line, initially seemed out of place in the line-up. The CD is Paolo’s first ever collection of original Filipino pop songs. But the album is titled Back to Basics and what could be more basic for Paolo than Moonlight Over Paris? Besides you have to admit he has totally mastered the song’s nuances and this one is a better, more beautiful version than his first.

Moonlight Over Paris is hard to top. It is the best cut in the album. More so when you have a repertoire as varied as Don’t Say Goodbye by Pops Fernandez and Walang Hanggang Paalam by Joey Ayala. Somehow those tunes seem to require more angst and a wider vocal range than Paolo is able to give. But there are also songs that now seem like they might have been written for him. Agot lsidro’s Everyday, composed by Mon Espia, is one of these. This version has hit written all over it and should be released as a single. Paolo made the song his own and it is at par with Moonlight.

The two-disc edition of Paolo’s Back to Basics comes with a music minus one CD aspiring singers can perform with. It also includes Naglalambing composed and originally recorded by Randy Santiago; Yakap by A.M.B. Junior from Spain; Million Miles Away by Joey Albert; Kanlungan by Color It Red; Isang Tulog Na Lang by Janno Gibbs and Manilyn Reynes, which Paolo performs with Bituin Escalante; and Gaya ng Dati by Gary Valenciano. The first single release is Photograph, once a big hit for Ariel Rivera.

It is clear from this line-up that Paolo has joined the ranks of revivalists, artists who come out with albums made up of covers of oldies. The practice is wrecking damage on the future of Filipino pop music. There might not be any new song left for the next generation to revive. On the other hand though, this is an improvement in Paolo’s case. Remember, the acoustic trend capitalized on the use of mainly foreign hits. Paolo may have recorded a few originals but the bulk of his materials like Moonlight were undeniably foreign.

Top Pinoy videos of the week

Manny Pacquiao and Willie Revillame, the two biggest selling recording artists of the moment, still have to find time in their busy schedules to shoot a music video. That is why neither one of them figures in the weekly Pinoy countdown at MYX. It would be fun to see any of them do one but that seems far-fetched at the moment. Besides, these two get all the media exposure they can handle, Pacquiao as top boxer of the world and Willie as host of the noontime TV show Wowowee where he gets to perform his songs daily. 

Tops in the Pinoy MYX tabulation this week are the videos Back in Time by Kyla & Jay-r; Antukin by Rico Blanco; Sandali Na Lang by Hale; Tabi by Paraluman featuring Kean Cipriano; Wala by Kamikazee; Walang Iwanan by 6Cyclemind; Kumot at Unan by Richard Poon; Hintay by Callalily; You Changed My Life by Sarah Geronimo; Torres by Mayonaise.

Teacher’s Pet by Pupil; Neon Brights by Taken by Cars; Radical by Hilera; Limutin Na Lang by Christian Bautista; Hay Naku by Silent Sanctuary; Sana’y Dinggin Mo by Mark Bautista; May 1 by Archipelago; Everything I Own by Gian Magdangal; Gusto Ko Lamang Sa Buhay by Itchyworms; and Love Will Set Us Free by The Dawn.