Unleashing My Inner DJ

This post wasn't due to be released for another month.  Woke up this morning feeling it was right to do this now.  It's been one of those weeks:  Felt some friends needed cheering up and, of course, the world has darkened a bit with what is happening in Japan, Libya and elsewhere. 

Music.  I could go on with quotes about its healing powers and all, but, I'd rather let it speak for itself....

This is How We Walk On the Moon - Arthur Russell
Radio - One of the pleasures living abroad.  Yes, that old-fashioned thing.  I stick to those fringe stations that are adventerous in their programming (to be discussed in a future post).  KEXP in New York is one of those and this is where I found this...


No Cars Go - Arcade Fire
They play, what I think, is very spiritual music.


Whole Of The Moon - The Waterboys
For me, this one's about those people who "blaze trails" and do things their way with no fear.  I suppose a tribute to iconoclasts.  May the world have more of you.  May we all see the "whole of the moon."
 
I pictured a rainbow, you held it in your hands / I had flashes but you saw the plan / I wandered out in the world for years while you just stayed in your room / I saw the crescent, you saw the whole of the moon / You stretched for the stars and you know how it feels.

I was grounded while you filled the skies / I was dumbfounded by truth, you cut through lies / I spoke about wings you just flew / I wondered I guessed and I tried, you just knew / With a torch in your pocket and the wind at your heels / You climbed on the ladder and you know how it feels / You came like a comet, blazing your trail.


Dancing In The Moonlight - King Harvest
Should bring a smile to your face and sunshine to your soul.


Hollywood Bass Player - Josh Rouse
Let's stay with the 70's with this one.  Okay, this one's actually from 2006 but it's by an American who loves that era.  First heard it in Spain - where he actually lives.  I'll always have sweet memories of our three years there.


It Never Rains in Southern California - Albert Hammond
I'm having a hard time getting out of the 70's.  This one's, I'd like to think, a ballad for Filipinos living abroad.  People back home think it's all about happiness, wealth and the good life.  It's not always like that.  "When it pours / man it pours." 


Strawberry Letter 23 - Shuggie Otis
What happens when you cross The Eagles with Prince?  Here it is, California Rock with Psychadelic Pop.  Yes, it's still from the 70's.


Rock Baby Rock - VST and Company
My critique on Filipino music:  We're so influenced by our colonial past that we have a difficult time coming up with one that's distinctly ours.  When we do, it's not appreciated by us.  But, hey, we do a great job of copying, eh?  For those of you keeping track:  This is disco, yes, but it's technically from the 80's, ok? 


I Wear Your Ring - Cocteau Twins
Ethereal - One of my favorite English words. Also the best one-word description for this group featuring Elizabeth Fraser. May recognize her from her work with Massive Attack. Off the excellent 1990 album "Heaven Or Las Vegas." The whole album? Ethereal.


Loving The Alien - David Bowie
Great artist.  Had a hard time choosing which of his songs to play.  I suppose this one works for the moment.  He openly mocks religion (But if you pray all your sins are hooked upon the sky /
prayers they hide the saddest view / believing the strangest things / loving the alien), but, sings it with a great melody.  You know my stand:  Sprituality and faith is great.  It's when it's used for purposes that actually contradict sprituality and faith that I'm against.


More Than This - Peter Gabriel
Since we're now getting into cerebral territory why don't we bring this one out.  It's a humbling experience knowing how long the world we know has been around, how vast and still unexplored it is, how we have not really understood the "why" of our existence...there just must be more than this (there is something out there / more than this / way beyond imagination / there is something else there / when all that you had has all gone).


This Must Be The Place - Talking Heads
Possibly the only way to close this piece:   Home is where I want to be....

An Englishman (Jeepney Driver) in Manila

or "How They See Us Part I"

Did you hear about this one? About the bus driver from London who became a jeepney driver?

My posts, as many of you know, are often long-winded exercises that usually last...ohh, forever. This time, I'll shut up and let this story do the talking. It'll take an hour, but, I think it's an hour worth wasting. It really is as much about us as it is his story.

Tip: Click "pause" on all videos at the same time in order to cutdown on the download time.

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Great, great shout-out to one of our most loyal readers, Dani Orosa, who found this story on the BBC.

The Caged Bird: A Children's Book

      A children's book about a country, a song, its writer and a musician.

Hoy, did you know that there once was a land that was clean, green and pollution-free?

Its beauty so captivating, its riches so bountiful and its people so warm that it lured men from different parts of the world. 

Let's fast-forward our story to 1929 (Parents: Use fast-forward effect here) when that land - now called the Philippines - was on its 364th year of being occupied by these foreigners.

This is where we find our writer - by all accounts, an unexceptional man who led an unexceptional life but who was rather exceptional with words (Parents: Re-do that sentence with a British accent.  We were, after all, under them for two years).  His name?  Huseng Batute.  Funny name, right?  That, of course, is his stage name (Parents: Explain "stage name") but in the interest of keeping you from getting bored we'll leave it at that.

He was a wordsmith - he and others had come up with something called balagtasan: a contest done in poetry (Parents:  Do an example of this - "Nananalig akong nagsisimula ang pamahalaan sa ibaba at kumikilos paitaas dahil.....") - who longed for his beloved country to be free.  To express this, he wrote a poem and asked a friend to write music for it. 

The song was about a country imprisoned and in poverty and pain.  Of a country that once had grace and tranquility but was now in sorrow and despair.  It longed to be be free...when its people would rise up and break free...break free from their slavery.  For a time when freedom would reign supreme.

Let's fast-forward our story, again, to a few more years - the late '70's (Parents: Fast-forward effect again).  Here we find a singer longing to write a patriotic song.  Try he did, but, it was the song written by our friend, Huseng Batute, that kept haunting him.  So Freddie Aguilar said to himself, "Instead of writing a new song, why don't I do a remake of that song."

So, Freddie approached his record producer and, after playing him his version, asked if he could record it.  The producer graciously asked Freddie, "Maybe you should sing something else.  Don't you know that song is now banned?"

You see, the Philippines, by this this time, was no longer held captive by people from other countries but was now under the iron fist of someone called a dictator - someone who had made life difficult for a lot of people.  The dictator did not allow certain songs to be played.  Certainly, you must understand, he wouldn't allow one about pain, suffering and a longing for freedom be played.

But, Freddie was determined.  Because he was determined, he found a way.  How?  He was able to have the WIFE of the dictator fall in love with his version.  I suppose, after this, the dictator couldn't do anything about it. 

The dictator - as you may understand - didn't make a lot of people happy.  One of those who voiced his complaint was a man named Ninoy.  Ninoy talked loud and clear about the wrongdoings of the dictator.  As you may understand, this did not make a lot of people happy, either.  One day, someone shot and killed Ninoy to silence him - forever.

Millions felt a great sadness and longed to say goodbye to Ninoy.  One of those who lined up for hours to pay respect was our friend, Freddie.  After Ninoy's family recognized him, they asked if he could sing the song that spoke about freedom.  He declined at first because he didn't have a guitar with him.  They asked him to sing acapella - without a musical instrument - instead.  This, he did, with much power and love that it brought tears to many. 

A few years later, the people would finally rise up and kick out the dictator.  This happened because they were no longer afraid.  Guess what?  It was our song that helped keep the faith in this struggle alive. 

Today, things are not yet so free with the Philippines.  We're still not fully free from poverty nor suffering.  There is still much great pain and sorrow. 

Perhaps, one day, with your help...yes, your help...this country will finally be free and the caged bird - the bird that cries in captivity - will finally break free. 

This is the song:




My beloved country
Filipinas is your name
Pearl of the Orient
Blest with unblemished beauty
But alas! robbed of your longed-for freedom
Always weeping in poverty and pain.

My country, Filipinas
Land of gold and flowers
Love has given her grace and tranquility
And her radiance and loveliness
drew rapacious foreigners
My country, they have imprisoned you
Thrown you into sorrow and despair.

Even birds who freely fly
When caged will struggle to escape
What more of a country endowed with
nobility
Would she not strive to break free?

Filipinas, my cherished land
My home of sorrow and tears
Always I dream to see you truly free.
How lovely it is to live in one's native land
If there is no slavery and freedom
reigns supreme

A people who are now oppressed
In the morrow shall stand up
The east will turn a fiery crimson
And mark the dawn of freedom.

For my father who gave me a brain, my mother who gave me a heart, my two wonderful kids, my wife who is raising them well, my cousin, Jeannine, who showed me love of country and to not fear Filipino music and finally to those who gave their lives so that we may all live free - J.B.

For my mother, my brother, Marcus, and Grandma and Grandpa - K.B.

JAY BUENAFLOR was born in the United States, grew up in the Philippines, worked abroad for 14 years and is back - for now - in the Philippines.  Wheww.  He lives in Paranaque together with his wife, Kelly, and two kids, Kara and Marcus. 

KARA BUENAFLOR was born in the United States and is currently in the process of learning to love the Philippines.  The interests of this seven year old include arts and crafts, history, reading and gymnastics.