Song genres like
the basultu, kuraldal, harana, kundiman, juvenile songs and many others written and
composed by anonymous, often unlettered folks all bear witness to the immense
richness of Kapampangn culture. Here is a comprehensive list of popular, as
well as less-known folk tunes from the Kapampangan region:
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1. ATIN KU PUNG
SINGSING
This may very well be the national hymn of Pampanga, as
this plaintive folk song—about the
promise of a girl to give her heart to the man who finds her lost ring—is known
all over the country. It is an example of a ‘basultu’,
a people’s song that often has an allegorical theme. “Atin Ku Pung Singsing” has been recorded by many artists
including Nora Aunor and Freddie Aguilar, and a Tagalog version exists.
LISTEN TO "ATIN KU PUNG SINGSING" HERE:
by Mabuhay Singers
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2. ARO, KATIMYAS NA
NITANG DALAGA
It has been a tradition in old Pampanga for a swain to
sing a serenade song to the object of his affection during the period of
courtship. This dramatic kundiman, is
sung from the point of view of a young man as he espies his true love from a
distance—Isyang, daughter of Apung, charmed by her beauty and graceful
movements as she carries a basket-full of rice cakes on her head.
LISTEN TO "ARO KATIMYAS NA" HERE:
sung by Earl Policarpio
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Another harana
song, in which the singer exalts ‘Atsing
Rosing’ by offering her a fantastic assortment of gifts: a necklace of stars, a half-moon crown, a hammock made of clouds
held by a blue rainbow rope. The singer summons heroes Rizal and Bonifacio to guard
the lovely Rosing.
LISTEN TO 'ATSING ROSING' HERE:
sung by Andy Alviz
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4. DALUMDUM NING
BENGI
This harana
song is different in that the singer does not refer to his heart’s desire, but
instead, describes in poetic terms the intense moment of their evening
encounter—the falling of rain, cloudy, star-less skies—the only light being the
brief flash of lightning.
LISTEN TO 'DALUMDUM NING BENGI' HERE:
sung by Totoy Bato
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There are many songs in Spanish called “No Te Vayas” (Don’t Go), and these were
eventually introduced to Filipino. The most well-known is the popular “No Te Vayas de Zamboanga”
by Juan Cuadrado, Sr., which even merited an English version (“Don’t you go,
don’t you go to far Zamboanga!”). This Pampango version was provided by Imang
Fely Tinio.
LISTEN TO "EKA MAMAKO" HERE:
sung by Mr. Ernie Turla
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This very popular
‘basultu’ has so many versions, lyrics-wise—from romantic to the comic (“Inyang malati ku, linub kung kutseru, sira
ya'ing kalesa, pile ya'ing kabayu”) . Even the beat is sung in varied
ways—from slow and wistful, to bouncy and upbeat. This version has a more
nostalgic feel to it.
LISTEN TO "INYANG MALATI KU" HERE
sung by Jonas David & April de los Santos
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Another “basultu”
which is perfect for dancing. Many grandmothers also sang this as a lullabye to
put their ‘apos’ to sleep. The singer
calls a friend’s (“kaka”) attention and then proceeds to sing his
observations of him and of things around him, in a light, playful and teasing
manner.
LISTEN TO "O KAKA, O KAKA" HERE:
sung by Juan Miguel Louise B. Soto
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The lilting “Oyan
na ing Papel” has a repetitive tune
and short lyrics that give a directive for Maring to catch a piece of paper
being blown by the wind. The windblown paper that contains Pepings’s wedding
details, including riding an unrepaired cart to the ceremony
LISTEN TO "OYAN NA ING PAPEL"HERE:
Sung by ArtiSta.Rita
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A playful song of many contradictions that talk about a
flat mountain, a tree that grows like a vine, a banana tree that grows in a
flower pot, monggo that needs a trellis, a santol-bearing
mango tree, a hen that’s also a chick, and a rooster that lays eggs. Indeed,
this is something for Ripley’s!
LISTEN TO "O PATAG A BUNDUK" HERE:
sung by Je Manansala
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10. ONE DAY, MISAN A
ALDO
Our love affair with things American began
immediately—language was not a barrier. This narrative song begins in fractured
English, which is immediately translated literally in Kapampangan—to hilarious
effects. This popular song is known to tagalogs as “One Day, Isang Araw”.
LISTEN TO "ONE DAY, ISANG ARAW'
Tagalog Version
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This old non-sensical song bout n imaginary election
among river fishes surprisingly provides a glimpse into folk lifestles, beliefs
and attitudes. This ‘basultu’ was
contributed by Magdalena Dayrit of San Fernando which Dr. Alejandro Perez
included in his 1968 book ‘Pampanga Folklore’.
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12. SISINGLE, SISINGLE
This is a play song that is sung in consonance with a
game of the same title, variationof ‘talanan dutung’. It starts with a line
of children holding hands, with the lead
child holding fast to a wooden wall, gate, tree trunk, or nay wooden object.
With held hands swaying, as they sing. At the last note of the song, the
players break the line and scamper to look for a wooden object to touch. A
player who fails to do so becomes the next “taya”
or ‘it’.
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SOURCES:
