Lani sings Phl pop music history

The title of the album says it all. The Nightingale Returns: Lani Misalucha Sings The Greatest Filipino Songbook. Lani, one of the country’s most important song artists, is back in top form after a long five years away from recording. And how nice to find out that she chose to do her own versions of 10 beautiful pop classics and in the process inspired her arrangers and producers to also do their best.

Enclosed in the songs in the album are nearly 40 years of Philippine Music history. I myself might say, why do covers again, especially in the case of a most special singer like Lani? Do research and look for 10 exceptional new songs. Are we condemned to continually mine the old songs when in want of songs that will touch listeners?

Still how can you beat a repertoire such as this? How can anybody resist the chance of interpreting these songs? Again, it can be said. They did know how to make music that will endure in the old days. This is indeed a great collection, a true Filipino songbook and, truth to tell listening to the album brings forth a watershed of memories. The Nightingale has returned and she has brought some extraordinary songs with her.

Pangako Sa ‘yo composed by Rey Valera for the singer and actress Geraldine, and which was later covered to massive popularity by Megastar Sharon Cuneta. I like it that Lani decided to do the intro verse that was in the original and to sing it sweet and laidback.

Gaano Kadalas Ang Minsan by George Canseco. The moving composition was first sung by Basil Valdez for the Viva movie of the same title that starred Vilma Santos, Hilda Koronel and Dindo Fernando.

Maging Sino Ka Man gets a rock vibe as a duet with Arnel Pineda of Journey. It is my favorite cut in the album and has a fantastic arrangement by Arnold Buena. This was one of Valera’s early hits. It also revived by Sharon as the title song of her team-up with Robin Padilla in what became one of the biggest grossing Filipino movies of all time.

Saan Darating Ang Umaga, another one by Canseco and was a big hit for the very young Raymond Lauchengco before he became one of the Bagets. It was the theme from the Viva film of the same title that starred Maricel Soriano and Nida Blanca. In my book, this is Lani’s best performance in the album.

Anak composed and performed by Freddie Aguilar lost at the Metro Manila Popular Music Festival in 1974 but went on to become a worldwide big seller in several languages, including Japanese, Korean and Scandinavian.

Bulag Pipi At Bingi, composed by Snaffu Rigor and sung by Freddie Aguilar, won at the Metropop and went on to cop the Grand Prix at the Seoul Music Festival where a Freddie fever raged during the mid-’80s because of the popularity of Anak. They had P-pop in Korea at that time.

Paano was a collaboration between one of the country’s top arrangers in the ’70s, Doming Amarillo and of Canseco for Asia’s Queen of Songs Pilita Corrales. It is Lani at her most dramatic in the album.

Ikaw Lamang by Dodjie Simon. This was originally a duet by  Jaya and Janno Gibbs that has gone on to become a popular wedding song. But Lani does it sexy this time.

Tayong Dalawa, another timeless Valera ballad that was revived by Sharon in her Sharon Sings Valera album.  It later became the theme of a movie she starred in with Richard Gomez. I like how Lani effortlessly plays with the notes in this one, from soft and low to soaring at the end.

May Bukas Pa written by Charo Unite and Ernie de la Pena and a big hit for Rico J. Puno who was then on a rare inspirational outing.

Muli, the album’s first single and only new material, was composed by Melvin Morallos. It is a sweet love song that has been assigned the difficult task of standing up against the formidable oldies. But with Lani’s vocals, the song makes the grade and now has the makings of a future classic. 

To close, there is the bonus track of Natalie Cole’s Starting Over Again. It should not be in the album but it was used in a blockbuster film and successfully reminded everybody that Lani is still around and she sounds great.

I missed songs by Willy Cruz, Ryan Cayabyab, Louie Ocampo and other notable songwriters in the album. But the title says The Greatest Filipino Songbook and Lani should certainly record more volumes in the future. I certainly hope though that it will not take her another five years to record an album again.