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Songs from the past

right now am listening to the music of gary granada and it has brought me a lot of memories....long before my son came, these memories were the most treasured ones because this was of the time i was happiest the most, where i was able to be myself, where my life meant some thing, happily working with the farmers, religiously taking part in the task of giving them the education the government has not given them, empowering them and helping them realize their small dreams thru the projects we created.

during those days, because i was away from my family, it was music which was able to sooth my aches and my hurts...because no matter how happy i was being with them it was also an arduous task. it was physically and emotionally difficult..physically, because the mountain is not kind to those who are blind as a bat, like i am, the treks were long and oh so tiring that made waking up the next day so hard. emotionally it was draining because you will feel for the people, the children who were not able to attend school because their barrio did not have one or to go to school they had to walk an hour or so, at the least. the teens who have the notion that working in manila would be better for them only to come home without a single cent saved. and there wee so much more....music was my solace...a good thing that i always had my walkman ( i did not have an mp3 back then)...i would have it on while walking so i would not feel and realize that we have been walking for hours....during the nights when i terribly missed my family...when there we so many problems bothering me....when making decisions that you know would affect a lot of people...

the music i love were those that came from the masses, progressive or alternative songs of armas, gary granada, joey ayala and buklod and many others....which i have not heard for a long time since i came home....and now that i have copies of it again i cant help but listen to it over and over...not because the melody is outstanding but more because the lyrics are real...it may have been years since some of them were written but it still holds true....

let me share some of these songs....for those who can't read and speak english...give me sometime and i will leave explanations for each.

for now, let me just feel it....

Ang Lupang Ito

Simoy ng bukid at hamog sa linang
Luntiang paligid ang aking kinagisnan
Mahal na magulang at mga anak ko
Dito isinilang sa lupang ito

Sa init na labis at salat na ulan
Dinilig ko ng pawis ang lupang tigang
Binhi at sumibol, nag-usbong, nag-uhay
Nagbunga at bumuhay ng maraming buhay

Ngunit dumating ang araw
Ang lupa'y naagaw at nasiil
Ng mga dayuha't banyagang
May mahiwagang dokumentong papel

Ang aking paniwala magmula pa noon
Iba sa panukala na nakasulat doon
Ang sinabi ng pari ay di raw totoo
Na Dios ang may-ari ng lupang ito

Sa aking bulong at sigaw
Tangis at hiyaw at walang nakinig
Ngunit sa kataastaasan
Ang katotohanan kailanman'y di lingid

Ang Dios ng pag-ibig at kapayapaan
Dios din na hukom, Dios ng katarungan
Babalik na ang hari, magsusulit kayo
Sa tunay na may-ari ng lupang ito



Bahay

Isang araw ako'y nadalaw sa bahay tambakan
Labinglimang mag-anak ang duo'y nagsiksikan
Nagtitiis sa munting barung-barong na sira-sira
Habang doon sa isang mansyon halos walang nakatira

Sa init ng tabla't karton sila doo'y nakakulong
Sa lilim ng yerong kalawang at mga sirang gulong
Pinagtagpi-tagping basurang pinatungan ng bato
Hindi ko maintindihan bakit ang tawag sa ganito
Ay bahay

Sinulat ko ang nakita ng aking mga mata
Ang kanilang kalagayan ginawan ko ng kanta
Iginuhit at isinalarawan ang naramdaman
At sinangguni ko sa mga taong marami ang alam

Isang bantog na senador ang unang nilapitan ko
At dalubhasang propesor ng malaking kolehiyo
Ang pinagpala sa mundo, ang dyaryo at ang pulpito
Lahat sila'y nagkasundo na ang tawag sa ganito
Ay bahay

Maghapo't magdamag silang kakayod, kakahig
Pagdaka'y tutukang nakaupo lang sa sahig
Sa papag na gutay-gutay ay pipiliting hihimlay
Di hamak na mainam pa ang pahingahan ng mga patay

Baka naman isang araw kayo doon ay maligaw
Mahipo n'yo at marinig at maamoy at matanaw
Hindi ako nangungutya, kayo na rin ang magpasya
Sa palagay ninyo kaya, ito sa mata ng Maylikha
Ay bahay





Tatsulok

Totoy bilisan mo, bilisan mo ang takbo
Ilagan ang mga bombang nakatutok sa ulo mo
Totoy tumalon ka, dumapa kung kailangan
At baka tamaan pa ng mga balang ligaw

Totoy makinig ka, huwag kang magpagabi
Baka pagkamalan pa’t humandusay diyan sa tabi
Totoy alam mo ba kung ano ang puno’t dulo
Ng di matapos-tapos na kaguluhang ito

Refrain
Hindi pula’t dilaw ang tunay na magkalaban
Ang kulay at tatak ay di siyang dahilan
Hangga’t mas marami ang lugmok sa kahirapan
At ang hustisya ay para lang sa mayaman

Chorus
Habang may tatsulok
At sila ang nasa tuktok
Hindi matatapos itong gulo

Lumilikas ang hininga ng kayraming mga tao
At ang dating lunting bukid ngayo’y sementeryo
Totoy kumilos ka, baligtarin ang tatsulok
At katulad mong mga dukha ang ilagay mo sa tuktok

Repeat Refrain and Chorus twice

Ikaw na May Baril

ikaw na may baril
mabigat ang yong pasanin
pagpisil mo ng gatilyo
ilang buhay ang kikitilin
ilang anak ang iiyak
o di kaya'y di maisisilang
pagpisil mo ng gatilyo
isip-isipin mo lang

ang balang tingga
ay walang mata
kung saan ka nakaturo
doon siya pupunta

kaya ikaw na may baril
tiyakin mo ang iyong layunin
pagpisil mo ng gatilyo
ano ang nais mong abutin
ikaw ba'y tagapagligtas
o di kaya'y isa lamang mandarahas
pagpisil mo ng gatilyo
isip-isipin mo lang

ang balang tingga
ay walang mata
kung saan ka nakaturo
doon siya pupunta

ang balang tingga
ay walang mata
kung saan ka nakaturo
doon siya pupunta



these are some songs that taught me to hold on to my beliefs, my principles...they made me stronger, over and over again they showed me how right, how correct it is to fight for what you know is right and what you believe in.

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