The Pilipino in popular music

Today is Independence Day. Some historians continue to argue on whether the date should be June 12 or July 4 but us ordinary mortals couldn’t really care less. We are all grateful for the holiday and joyfully relish the fact that it is on a weekend this year. Still it will be good for us to give some thought to our country and to what has been happening to the Philippines. Take note I said “to,” not “in.” That means what politicians, businessmen and others in power are doing to this country. Yuck!

You say “in” and the answer you will get will only be worthless trifles that are given so much importance. Another sex video perhaps or the way the National Anthem gets blasphemed by pop artists. I say throw those porn actors wannabes to jail or better yet the loony bin then get rid of the key. Problem solved. As for the Lupang Hinirang controversy, I say mercy to those who choose famous pop stars to sing the song and then complain.

Those singers have their own styles and they will put it in anything they sing. The long established names do that by instinct. I know it’s commendable to make efforts to preserve the cultural heritage, but music evolves. So let us just ride with the changes. Besides as Jimi Hendrix proved when he rocked the Star Spangled Banner, you can instill patriotic fervor in any soul no matter what the music if the message is delivered from the heart. And Filipinos can do that very well.

The song Bayan Ko is a wonderful example. It is composed by Constancio de Guzman with lyrics by poet-actor Jose Corazon de la Cruz in 1928. It was first performed by National Artist Atang de la Rama and later immortalized in various recorded versions. The moving lament is now over 80 years old. It has seen Filipinos through the American regime, World War II, the Japanese invasion and Martial Law, during which the word umiiyak in the lyrics was changed to pumipitlag to denote the country’s struggle.

Bayan Ko remains the most potent reminder of how much freedom means to Filipinos. But there are also other songs extolling the country and its people that have surfaced in recent years and which I believe have earned their places in our cultural heritage.

This happened with Mga Kababayan Ko by Francis M, which was the first rap song to hit No. 1 in the Philippines. “Mga kababayan ko/dapat lang malaman nyo/ bilib ako sa kulay ko/ako ay Pilipino/kung may itim o may puti/mayro’n namang kayumanggi/isipin mo na kaya mong/abutin ang ‘yong minimithi.”

The prolific George Canseco came out with a meaningful Ako Ay Pilipino. “Ako ay Pilipino/Ako ay Pilipino/isang bansa isang diwa/ang minimithi ko/sa bayan ko’t bandila/laan buhay ko’t diwa/ako ay Pilipino/Pilipinong totoo/ako ay Pilipino/ako ay Pilipino/taas noo kahit kanino/ang Pilipino ay ako.”

Florante’s take on what’s to be proud of being Pinoy was light and folksy in Ako’y Isang Pinoy: “Ako’y isang Pinoy sa puso’t diwa/Pinoy na isinilang sa ating bansa/ako’y hindi sanay sa wikang mga banyaga/ako’y Pinoy na mayroong sariling wika.”

Manny Pacquiao’s every victory in the ring saw his song Para Sa ‘Yo Ang Laban na ‘To written by Lito Camo getting massive airplay. It dedicates every victory to his country and is also about pride in being a Filipino: Para sa ‘yo ang laban na to/di ako susuko/isisigaw ko sa mundo/Pinoy ang lahi ko/mahal ko ang bayan ko/para sa ‘yo bayan ko.”

Heber Bartolome and his Banyuhay go for the looks, language and the soul of being a Filipino in his Tayo’y Mga Pinoy: “Bakit kaya tayo ay ganito/bakit nanggagaya, mayro’n naman tayo/tayo’y mga Pinoy, tayo’y hindi kano/wag kang mahihiya kung ang ilong mo ay pango.”

Who can forget how the whole country sang and swayed to the infectious rhythm of Pinoy Ako by Orange & Lemons: Pinoy, ikaw ay Pinoy ipakita sa mundo/kung ano ang kaya mo/ibang-iba ang Pinoy/huwag kang matatakot/ipagmalaki mo/Pinoy ako/Pinoy tayo.

And as Bamboo so successfully proved in Noypi, the patriotic Pinoy artist can also rock hard. “Hoy Pinoy ako/buo ang aking loob/may agimat ang dugo ko/hoy, Pinoy ako/may agimat ang dugo ko.”