The road to the top for Tadhana

The Tagalog word Tadhana is often used to refer to a supreme being in charge of the lives of men. A simpler definition of the word is fate or destiny or kapalaran in Pilipino. That is why the late president Ferdinand Marcos had a biopic titled Iginuhit Ng Tadhana to emphasize his belief that he was a man of destiny. Better yet and easier to understand is the meaning, unavoidable circumstances that bring people together. And this situation is the sort of tadhana featured in the song of the same title which is one of today’s biggest hits.

Given the massive airplay and the countless number of times that the easy, contagiously charming Tadhana gets performed every day and of course, at night time, too, around here, I am sure that most of you already know the song by heart. Truth to tell, I am very sure that there have been times when you have unconsciously gone “Ba’t di pa sabihin…” Ready now for the entire thing:

“Sa hindi inaasahan pagtagpo ng mga mundo/ May minsan lang na nagdugtong/ damang-dama na ang ugong nito.

Di pa ba sapat ang sakit at lahat na hinding-hindi ko ipaparanas sa ‘yo/ ibinubunyag ka ng iyong matang sumisigaw ng pag-sinta.

 Ba’t di papatulan ang pagsuyong nagkulang/tayong umaasang hilaga’t kanluran/ ikaw ang hantungan at bilang kanlungan mo/ ako ang sasagip sa ‘yo.

Saan nga ba patungo nakayapak at nahihiwagaan na/ ang bagyo ng tadhana ay dinadala ako sa init ng bisig mo.

Ba’t di pa sabihin ang hindi mo maamin/ ipauubaya na lang ba ‘to sa hangin/ ‘wag mo ikatakot/ ang bulong ng damdamin mo/ naririto ako’t nakikinig sa ‘yo/ whoo…oohh…ho…ooohh…”

Tadhana is a composition by the talented Armi Millare who is the lead vocalist and keyboard player of the famous alternative band Up Dharma Down, which is now often referred to as UDD. It was also Armi who wrote UDD’s big hit from some 10 years ago titled Oo. Formed in 2005 and still boasting of the same members, the much-lauded Up Dharma Down is made up of Paul Yap on bass and synthesizers; Ean Mayer on drums, and Carlos Tanada on lead guitar.

UDD has released three studio albums and is getting ready to drop a fourth, which probably includes new single Unti-unti. The first two were Fragmented and Bi-polar. Tadhana is one of the cuts included in the band’s third album, Capacities. The other songs in the line-up are Indak, Turn It Well, Luna, Parks, Thinker, Kulang, Night Drops and Feelings, a duet with Paul Buchanan of The Blue Nile.

While all of the songs are equally good, fate or destiny or tadhana itself seems to have singled out Tadhana for bigger things. Released into the market five years ago on the independent Terno Recordings label, the song has since then been used as the theme for the TV series Illumina and the movie The Thing Called Tadhana. Then in a move that probably even surprised Up Dharma Down, it made a slow but steady climb to the top of the charts and is now one of the most played, most performed songs ever.

The latest step in Tadhana’s journey to immortality is the release of a version by Regine Velasquez-Alcasid. Ask people from the music industry and they will all say that a cover by a major artist is the best thing that can happen to a song. And this is it for Tadhana, which will be available today, Aug. 25, in all digital music platforms. Arranged by Raul Mitra, the song is the first single out of the Filipino Songbird’s forthcoming album which is a celebration of her past 30 years in the music business.

Titled R3.0, the epic collection is made up of 30 songs in three CDs. These are made up of new originals, new versions of memorable songs from her career that she has recorded before and covers of various hits. It is the latter which includes her show-stopping take on Tadhana.

Speaking of Regine, she has added one more night to her supposed to be one-night only 30th anniversary concert R3.0 at the Mall of Asia Arena at 8 in the evening of Oct. 21. The second show will be the next day, Oct. 22 at the same venue. Tickets will go on sale on Aug. 30. Buy your tickets early so you can get the best seats to this event, where she will be performing her Tadhana live for the first time.