I should say many of us can listen to a song over and over, and over, again until our desire to throw up gets in the way of fun. I have one of my favorites which I’ve been enjoying for the nth time as I am writing this.
First, here’s an excerpt from ‘Ang Pagbabalik ng’ Juan dela Cruz by Igan D’ Bayan…
“In one hazy, green-tinted day in the ’70s, just before the guys of Juan dela Cruz - Joey “Pepe” Smith, Wally Gonzalez and Mike Hanopol - were about to play a gig at the Luneta, Pepe found himself in a toilet at the Luneta Observatory, scribbling lyrics on a sheet of toilet paper.”
“I wrote a song about 20 minutes before we got onstage,” Pepe recalls, adding that he wanted to write a song with the same title as that of the gig: Ang Himig Natin. So, he ended up in the ladies’ room (since the men’s room was full) writing what has become the “national anthem” of the Pinoy Rock generation, and arguably the best OPM song ever written.”
My introduction to the band came on one rockin ‘n rollin night at UP Fair. I believe it was Liza who invited me to this event when I was still a Freshman. (I miss you Liz!) Anyway, it was this one evening at the fair and it smelled ganja in the air. I honestly didn’t know anything about ganja in those days as I was only 15. Back then I thought the stench was a cocktail of too much cigarettes, too much booze, as well as puke, and, because it rained earlier that day, wet grass. So I was right one out of three—it stunk of grass that night!
I was with High School classmates and we were crossing the street towards the open field of jumping, and jumpy, boys and girls when a guy randomly passed by us as he was exaggeratedly swaying his hips. This guy was obviously straight, drunk, and loud. I asked myself, “What’s an old fart, a very old fart in this case, doing at a UP Fair?” I figured he was taking his Masters degree 5 times over and so I let him pass any more scrutiny from me.
“Do you know who he is?” asked one of my more musically-inclined classmates.
“Pepe Smith. He’s popular.” He said.
“I see. No wonder he looks familiar. What horror films did he star in?” I was serious.
Needless to say, I got a crash course on 70s Rock Music from my friends later that evening who, I’m now guessing, might have considered not tagging me along at the next UP Fair. And yes, they did point out that Pepe Smith is the “Father of Pinoy Rock Music” and stared at me like I crucified the guy to the cross.
Anyway, I later came to genuinely like the Juan Dela Cruz Band. Pepe Smith together with Mike Hanopol and Wally Gozalez form this great band. I learned that I had gotten to listen to some of their tracks in a lot of places even when I was little. Hits such as Beep, Beep, Titser’s Enemy No.1, Laki sa Layaw, and, definitely, Ang Himig Natin. They’re the only band that has remained in the Filipino consciousness for over 30 decades now. And you have to admit, nothing or no one rocks the stage or Arina like Pepe.
My introduction to the band came on one rockin ‘n rollin night at UP Fair. I believe it was Liza who invited me to this event when I was still a Freshman. (I miss you Liz!) Anyway, it was this one evening at the fair and it smelled ganja in the air. I honestly didn’t know anything about ganja in those days as I was only 15. Back then I thought the stench was a cocktail of too much cigarettes, too much booze, as well as puke, and, because it rained earlier that day, wet grass. So I was right one out of three—it stunk of grass that night!
I was with High School classmates and we were crossing the street towards the open field of jumping, and jumpy, boys and girls when a guy randomly passed by us as he was exaggeratedly swaying his hips. This guy was obviously straight, drunk, and loud. I asked myself, “What’s an old fart, a very old fart in this case, doing at a UP Fair?” I figured he was taking his Masters degree 5 times over and so I let him pass any more scrutiny from me.
“Do you know who he is?” asked one of my more musically-inclined classmates.
“Pepe Smith. He’s popular.” He said.
“I see. No wonder he looks familiar. What horror films did he star in?” I was serious.
Needless to say, I got a crash course on 70s Rock Music from my friends later that evening who, I’m now guessing, might have considered not tagging me along at the next UP Fair. And yes, they did point out that Pepe Smith is the “Father of Pinoy Rock Music” and stared at me like I crucified the guy to the cross.
Anyway, I later came to genuinely like the Juan Dela Cruz Band. Pepe Smith together with Mike Hanopol and Wally Gozalez form this great band. I learned that I had gotten to listen to some of their tracks in a lot of places even when I was little. Hits such as Beep, Beep, Titser’s Enemy No.1, Laki sa Layaw, and, definitely, Ang Himig Natin. They’re the only band that has remained in the Filipino consciousness for over 30 decades now. And you have to admit, nothing or no one rocks the stage or Arina like Pepe.
I hope he forgives a fifteen-year-old girl’s blunder though. Whoever she was- that girl!
Ang Himig Natin
Ako’y nag-iisa
at walang kasama
di ko makita
ang ating pag-asa
Ang himig natin
ang inyong awitin
upang tayo’y magsama-sama
sa langit ng pag-asa
Ako’y may kaibigan
at s’ya’y nahihirapan
handa na ba kayong lahat
upang s’ya’y tulungan
Ang himig natin
ang inyong awitin
upang tayo’y magsama-sama
sa langit ng pag-asa
Ang himig natin
inyong awitin
ang himig natin
inyong awitin
ang himig natin
inyong awitin
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