OPM Music and Beyond

Even before BTS produced their last 3 English-language songs, this South Korean supergroup had already crossed over to global superstardom. Their 300-plus discography was in Korean, and yet, that did not prevent them from exploding into the international scene. Thousands of international fans are now learning to speak this Asian language. 

Over the years, several non-English songs managed to capture the world’s attention. Aside from the 4 BTS songs, “ON,” “Boy with Luv,” “Fake Love,” and "Life Goes On," other non-English music infiltrated the much-touted American mainstream. Yes, beautiful music transcends language barriers. 

These non-English songs placed on top of the American pop charts: 

1. "La Bamba" (1958 & 1987), Ritchie Valens & Los Lobos 

2. "Despacito" (2017), Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee, Justin Bieber 

3. "Gangnam Style" (2012), PSY 

4. "Macarena (Bayside Boys Remix)" (1996), Los Del Rio 

5. "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" (2002), Las Ketchup 

6. “Guantanamera” – (1966), The Sandpipers 

7. “Dominique”- (1963), The Singing Nun 

 It is my wish that Original Pilipino Music (OPM) will finally claim its place on the global stage. The following OPM songs broke through some of the barriers, with some songs translated into other languages, and other songs actually being sung in the Tagalog language. It is a matter of time.

  ANAK (“Child”), 1978 

 Written by Filipino folk-singer Freddie Aguilar for the Metropop Song Festival held in Manila. The song is of remorse and apology by the son to his parents, like a prodigal son coming back home. The poignant lyrics were translated into 27 foreign languages and generated cover versions in Korean, Malay, Japanese, French, Mandarin, Spanish, Dutch, and several other languages. "Anak" is 43 years old this year.

 Freddie Aguilar (original)

 

Maria Fiselier

Korean band

Kang Jimin

J-Morning

Johnny Walther

IKAW (“You”), 2014 

 Written and recorded by Filipino singer-songwriter Yeng Constantino. This is a love song and was sung by Yeng in a pre-nuptial video to her then-fiance. In English, “You are the love I waited for” pretty sums up the romantic sentiments of the bride, which had made this song popular at weddings. 

 Yeng Constantino (original)

 

너에게 Noege ”IKAW” Yohan Hwang (2017)

 

Dave Moffatt

BUWAN, (“Moon), 2018 

 Written and sung by Filipino actor, singer, and songwriter, Juan Karlos Labajo. This rock/alternative song was released on June 22, 2018, through MCA Music. The song won several local music awards and became more popular through song challenges overseas. Local versions by Bugoy Drillon and Angeline Quinto are also worth listening to. 

 Juan Karlos (original)

 

Christo

Fanzi Ruji

Bugoy Drillon (What the heck, I'm including Bugoy's reggae version)

SAYANG NA SAYANG, (“What a Waste”), 2006 

 Performed by the Filipino pop-rock band Aegis. The group came together in 1995 and is composed of the 3 Sunot sisters on lead vocals, 3 other females playing instruments, and one male member Rey on guitar. The vocals are incredibly high, searing to the heavens, and emotionally charged. Most of the songs were composed by Rey’s brother before he passed away. The songs about love, loss, regrets, and pain are iconic, well-loved by the common people, and have become the soundtrack of many Filipinos’ lives. 

 Aegis (original)

Minje Kwon

Here’s another Aegis song “Luha” covered by J-Morning (who also covers several other OPMs)

 

PAUBAYA, (“Letting Go”), 2020 

Moira Dela Torre is a singer-songwriter known for her heartfelt lyrics and sweet melodies. In 2018, she was the No. 1 most-streamed artist on Spotify Philippines. She recorded the song "Paubaya" which she later released as a music video. It is a song about unrequited love where the couple let each other go to give in to true love to happen with somebody else. 

 Moira Dela Torre (original)

US Navy Band

Waleska Herrera- a well-known video reactor (also a singer)

AKIN KA NA LANG, (“Please Be Mine”), 2014 

 Written by Francis Salazar and performed by Asia's Phoenix Diva Morissette Amon. Morisette is known for her belting prowess, whistles, and signature voice “crack.” This phenomenal song garnered 137,177,234 views on Youtube as of August 2021. 

 Morissette Amon (original)

Piet Arion -

Indonesian Cover by Thalia Sharon

 

It is good to note that Filipino songs have captured the interest of chorale groups all around the world. In chorale competitions, the pieces on “Da Coconut Nut,” “Rosas Pandan,” “Paru-parong Bukid” and many more traditional Filipino songs are wildly popular.

Rosas Pandan- http://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/search/label/Rosas%20Pandan 

Da Coconut Nut- http://jcerrudocreations.blogspot.com/2017/08/da-coconut-nut.html

Original Pilipino Music (OPM) Lives On

Original Pilipino Music (OPM) lives on.

When I left the Philippines in the early ‘80’s, the country was awash with nationalistic fervor and government protest actions. I eschewed the more political folk songs and preferred pop songs, especially ballads. Singers like Rico J. Puno, Hajji Alejandro, Rey Valera, Marco Sison, and Nonoy Zuniga appealed to my romantic heart. In my apartment in New York, I surrounded myself with cassette tapes of Tagalog music and listened to them when I was feeling homesick.

Soon I gained a more eclectic appreciation of all genres of music in my new home in the United States. Life happens and I did not have much time to indulge in music except for the easy-listening music on 106.7 as I drive around and kid songs that my young son loved to sing over and over again. Thankfully, my son outgrew Barney (You love me, I love you...) and I was able to listen to regular music again.

The wide reach of the internet and the social media have finally exposed foreign music to those who may not even understand the words but do appreciate the universal appeal of a good melody. Non-English songs in the worldwide music directory? Not really unheard of because we did have French songs like La Vie en Rose and C’est Si Bon and Italian songs in the international market before. However, the dearth of non-English songs in popular media is pitiful.

The popularity of Luis Fonsi’s Despacito brought Spanish music into mainstream again. Hey, if Justin Bieber can sing in Spanish, so can everyone, right? K-pop (Korean pop) buoyed by massive support from their Asian fans, invaded America. Psy and the phenomenal Gangnam Style video achieved 3.3 billion views on Youtube, even though he was singing and rapping in Korean. BTS, a seven-man South Korean mega-group, looks like a reincarnation of the Beatles with their massive success among fans of all races and ages, although most of their songs are in Korean.

OPM lives on, now with a new breed of artists. These are songs written in Tagalog and sung by Filipinos, but now they have broader appeal and had reached the global audience. Their Youtube videos have garnered millions of views from Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike. In one of the reaction videos, four African-American males were belting out "Akin Ka Na Lang". I fervently hope that OPM will achieve the same success as K-pop and Latino songs. The OPM songs are beautiful, catchy, and can actually be pronounced if you try your best to roll your tongue. Baby steps. Since some Tagalog words have been derived from Spanish, surely, even Justin can sing "Buwan"?



BUWAN- by Juan Karlos Labajo
(English: “Moon”)

Juan Karlos started as a contestant in “The Voice Kids edition”. Now, as an 18 y/o rocker with his own band, he has achieved platinum status with the song “Buwan”. The viral music video which he wrote and released in September 2018 received 117,001,309 views, because “Buwan” is truly a beautiful and poignantly haunting song. The video is somewhat weird and confusing which had birthed many weird and confusing explanations, too.


.

Angeline Quinto - Buwan (Live Performance)
Out of the many versions that followed the song’s release, this is my favorite.

DAHIL SA ‘YO- by Inigo Pascual
(English: "Because of You")

Inigo emerged from the shadow of his immensely popular actor father Piolo. Inigo wrote this catchy melody "Dahil Sa’Yo," which dominated the Billboard Philippines charts for several weeks. This feel-good song has been featured in many local TV and movie soundtracks, and in dance videos. The dance steps are so challenging and definitely more complicated than Electric Slide. I really wish that I have the moves and easy rhythm of the Millenials and the Generation Z'ers. If only I can do the steps!







AKIN KA NA LANG- by Morisette Amon
(English: “Please be mine”)

This 2014 song, written by Francis Salazar, showcases Morissette’s incredible five-octave range and whistle that caused many of her video reactors’ jaws to drop. This “hugot” song is a love song to her former lover to return to her; not exactly what I would urge for strong women like me. But all is forgiven, because Morissette is an incredibly versatile and talented singer who is destined for a bigger worldwide audience. This song has been sang in Tagalog by a slew of foreign singers from Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Canada, Indonesia, United Kingdom, Vietnam, and France.





IKAW- by Yeng Constantino
(English: “You”)

An accomplished singer-songwriter, Yeng penned this song as a wedding gift to her husband in 2014. It was the most played OPM song for that year and continues, to this day, to be a favorite wedding day song. This song is a heartfelt message of enduring love and the charming wonderment of the gift of love.



Ikaw ang pagibig na hinintay
Puso ay nalumbay ng kay tagal
Ngunit ngayo'y nandito na ikaw
Ikaw ang pagibig na binigay
Sa akin ng may kapal
Biyaya ka sa buhay ko
Ligaya't pagibig ko'y ikaw

You are the love that I waited for
My heart has grieved for so long
But now you are here
You are the love
That was given to me by the heavens
You are the grace in my life
You are my happiness and my love

The OPM of my Youth

When I was growing up in the Philippines, music provided the soundtrack to the milestones in my life. My father and all his siblings were blessed with beautiful voices as they regaled us with the romantic kundimans of Levi Celerio. The musical talent must have skipped a generation because only my middle brother could actually sing (sorry to my other brods). However, that unfortunate reality did not prevent me from singing along to the romantic ballads of Rey Valera and to the lilting melodies of Apo Hiking Society.

The Original Pinoy Music (OPM) compositions dominated my “playlist” in the 1970s through the early ‘80’s. The songs of that bygone past always evoked special feelings in me. OPM resonated with me and tugged at my heartstrings because I lived through all the joys and the angst of those times. The songs marked the defining moments of my life. I was touched when one suitor nervously handed me a letter offering his never-ending love. To my consternation, I recognized the sentimental lyrics from Valera’s “Kung Kailangan Mo Ako”.

When I left the Philippines for the United States in 1983 to pursue my nursing career, my attention was turned towards American pop music. For my first few years, I was busy soaking up the Stateside way of life. My head was filled with the music of Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.

After I had settled down from the euphoria of the American experience, I felt homesick for the warm and the familiar music of my youth. Over the years, the karaoke music sessions that were almost always present in Filipino gatherings reminded me of the beautiful music I left behind. I started to appreciate the richness of the musical culture of that era. My favorite OPM songs have become timeless hits, and their composers and singers have become legends in their own right.

For those of us of a certain age, join me in nostalgic remembrance...


“Manila”- by Hotdog
The band Hotdog ushered in the light-hearted and innovative “Manila Sound”





“Anak” by Freddie Aguilar
The song about a prodigal son’s remorse and apology to his parents became an international hit that was translated into 26 languages.





“Handog”- written and sung by Florante, folk singer





"Nakapagtataka"- written by Apo Hiking Society and covered by Hadji Alejandro





“Pumapatak na Naman ang Ulan”- by Apo Hiking Society





“You are My Song”- written by Louie Ocampo, sung by Martin Nievera





"Here and Now" - written by Jose Mari Chan, sung by JMChan and Cynthia Patag





“Awitin Mo at Isasayaw Ko” written and sung by VST and Company (Tito, Vic, and Joey)





Rey Valera Top Hits





“Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok Ko”- written by Rey Valera, sung by Sharon Cuneta.





“Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin”- written by Cecile Azarcon, sung by Martin Nievera





”How Did You Know?”- written by Cecile Azarcon, sung by Gary Valenciano





“Masdan mo ang Kapaligiran” by ASIN
Asin, folk singing group)incorporated indigenous musical instruments into their songs.





"Pangako", written by D. Subido, sung by the Flippers.
Just because it reminds me of a special someone. This song gives me the feels.






I pay tribute to the venerable composers of OPM:

Levi Celerio (Ang Pipit, Tunay na Tunay, Saan ka Man Naroroon, Sapagkat Kami’y Tao Laman),
George Canseco ( Kapantay ay Langit, Ikaw, Dito Ba?, Paano),
Nicanor Abelardo (Bituing Marikit), Willie Cruz (Bituing Walang Ningning),
Ryan Cayabyab ( Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika),
Jose Mari Chan (Constant Change, Afterglow, Love to Last a Lifetime),
Louie Ocampo (Tell Me, Kahit Isang Saglit, and You Are My Song),
Apo Hiking Society (Batang-Bata Ka Pa,Blue Jeans, Kaibigan, Pumapatak ang Ulan, Yakap sa Dilim, When I Met You),
Freddie Aguilar (Anak, Bayan Ko, Estudyante Blues),
Rey Valera (Sorry Na, Puede Ba, Mr. DJ, Maging Sino Ka Man, Malayo Pa Ang Umaga),
Cecile Azarcon (Lift Up Your Hands, Ikaw and Lahat sa Akin),
and the tough-hits composer trio of Tito, Vic, and Joey (Awitin Mo At Isasayaw Ko, Rock, Baby, Rock, Disco Fever).

Today, the musical genres in the Philippines cover a wide-ranging spectrum that also includes alternative and diverse musical styles. The OPM I know and still cherish have been resurrected by current musical artists. Some of those songs have been adapted as theme songs in movies and television series. I wish that OPM continues to thrive. I hope that like the OPM songs of my youth, today’s music will claim its landmarks on tomorrow’s musical scene.