Sept.

29,2009

Yesteryears Songs, Regional Songs And New Songs Must Be

Played Side By Side
On The Airwaves
By Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-Yesteryears songs, regional songs and new songs must
be played side by side on the airwaves in the three mediums-
English,Tagalog,Cebuano-or other languages and current hits because these
compositions whether in English,Tagalog,Cebuano or other languages in the
Philippines and in other countries’ languages are irreplaceable, timeless and
inimitable.
I have been observing for many years now that majority of music stations here
in the Philippines only play a very limited number of songs within weeks or
months. They keep on repeating the same songs for weeks or months making it
monotonous to listen to by listeners particularly the music lovers in us-full-
blooded music lovers. Their style in playing the limited number of songs seems to
show that there are only few songs available in the record bars and stores. The
reality is that there are numerous and thousands of good songs available in
various recording companies that were sold during the past decades. Does playing a
limited number of songs means that they have no collections of various albums in
the past years?
Station Managers must choose discs jockeys who are full-blooded music lovers
themselves that will handle the musical programmings.This kind of music lovers
have the natural inclination to listen to various kinds of songs and music. They
are the kind of disc jockeys who can meet the music lovers’€™ expectations of
providing them with a wide variety of songs during musical programming.
In the Philippines there are many languages, so that playing only English and
Tagalog songs is a kind of discriminatory approach on the part of disc jockeys
managing the different musical programs. It is only fortunate that Tagalog was
chosen as the country’s national language.However,the fact is that majority of
the inhabitants in the Visayas and Mindanao are Cebuano-speaking people, aside
from other form of languages in these areas. Making as one of the subjects in all
school levels, Tagalog, which was dubbed as Pilipino as a subject has gained it ‘s
influence in achieving the objective of the Tagalog-speaking people in Central
Luzon who want it to be our national language.
Speaking on the matter of predominant languages in the composition of songs
in the archipelago, regional songs refer to the song compositions written in
Cebuano, Waray-waray, Hiligaynon, Bicolano, Ilocano and other language predominant
in a particular region. In Samar provinces and part of Leyte, the inhabitants
speak inWaray-waray.Although there are places in Samar and Leyte whose denizens
also speak and understand Cebuano.The same also in Negros Island whose people
speak in Hiligaynon(Ilonggo)and Cebuano languages.
When it comes to recorded songs the predominant languages used by the
composers in different regions are those that I have aforementioned. There are
various and many original songs in each of the predominant languages in the
Philippines . They are worth playing on the airlanes for the listening pleasure
and entertainment of its respective people who speak and understand these
languages side by side with English and Tagalog. It should not be relegated to the
sidelines by playing only casually at the start of the opening program or in the
dead of night when majority of the radio listeners are already sleeping. Like the
English and Tagalog songs that were being played during the whole of daytime, so
also with those regional songs in every particular regions of the country.
FMs, including AMs and SWs disc jockeys have the great privilege in adapting
this idea since they are always on the airlanes belting out songs from various
artists for their listeners nationwide, and even perhaps outside the Philippines
via the internet links.
Generally, most of the radio stations have a voluminous stock of
records/albums in their shelves so that some are perhaps gathering dust and
untouched for years. Some were either dotted with moist and molds. Time to open
wide these shelves now and start cleaning those dirtied albums and instrumental
pieces and play them on the airwaves for additional entertainment.
Since there are too numerous to count those various compositions of songs-
adaptation songs, love,classic,rock,ballads,jazz,reggae,rap,antic songs,etc-
covering the 1930s,40s,50s,60s,70s,80s and 90s,a round-robin scheduling in
playing these songs should be adopted as a policy for a fair playing. This system
of playing should be strictly imposed by the FMs/AMs/Sws Station Managers to their
disc jockeys who should be obliged to implement the new musical programmings. Not
forgetting that in playing English and Tagalog songs, regional songs in a
particular region should be played side by side with it. Cebuano songs in the
Cebuano-speaking regions; Waray-Waray and Cebuano in the Waray-Waray-speaking
region; Hiligaynon and Cebuano in Negros Oriental and Occidental; Bicolano in the
Bicol region and Ilocano in the Ilocandia regions.
In applying this new kind of musical programming, which is a radical
departure from the traditional ones employed by the majority of disc jockeys in
the country for many many years now, it must be closely monitored by the
respective Station Managers. This is to see that the newly-adopted system will be
put into practice and maintain by all of the FM s/AMs/SWs stations.

-2-

As it is discussed earlier, songs of the past 7 decades are irreplaceable,

timeless and inimitable. What were composed at that time cannot be composed
anymore by the breed of composers and songwriters nowadays. The simple reason is
that the gift of music varies from composers to composers. We should not abandon
the songs of the past decades. They are precious and priceless as long as real and
full-blooded music lovers, young and old, are concern. Songs are also agless.Only
man will aged. Songs will always remain unchanged by the movement and the passing
of time. If the songs were pleasant and melodious to hear and listen to in the
past, it will remain the same. The pleasantness of its tunes and melodies will not
be affected by the passing of years and even decades. Relegating yesteryears songs
in the shelves of oblivion is a waste of talent and time among the composers’
efforts in creating those songs. Its existence would then become meaningless. The
only way to make it meaningful and useful to the society of music lovers is to
play them from time to time via the round-robin scheduling.
All music lovers, regardless of his/her nationality, creed or race, will love
to listen to various music and all kinds of songs and music.
When I was a kid in the 1950s,I love listening to music/;songs and
instrumental pieces done in guitar and in piano. Although I do not understand
English, Tagalog or Spanish songs at that very young age, I love to listen to
their songs everytime I heard it on the radio. Much more to Cebuano songs. It
seems that irrespective of what kind of lyrics the songs were written I always
love the singers’ renditions of the songs’ tunes and melodies. I’ve also
learned that some of the songs I’ve heard at that time were in the1930s and 40s
compositions. It is also much better for the current disc jockeys to revive the
style of the past disc jockeys of announcing the titles and names of the singers
of some songs that are seemingly “new” to the listeners but in truth have
already recorded ten or more years ago. The purpose of this measure, which is
actually a public service, is a kind of sharing of informations to make their
respective hundreds and thousands of listeners become familiar with those songs.
This is the main reason why until now I can still recall some titles of songs and
names of singers in the past decades.
 Notwithstanding the kind of songs an FM/AM/SW stations have compiled and
kept, the important thing is that it will adopt a system of a round-robin
scheduling so that every song has the opportunity and a chance to be heard by
radio listeners. Disc jockeys in either aforementioned radio stations should not
wait for a request of songs to be played. They should adopt a free-wheeling style
of playing various songs from various bands and different local/foreign
soloists/singers for 3 days. What would be the only changes is the time the
various songs are being played. The three-day successive playing is an important
measure for the listeners to embed the lyrics and tunes of the songs in their
minds for familiarity. and easy recall. Then another set of songs will be culled
from the same bands and soloists as every band and soloist has commonly numerous
songs to their credit, also for 3 successive days playing. When all of the songs
of some bands and soloists were already played on the airwaves, and then time to
subject other bands’ and soloists’ albums for selections. The same pattern
will be continually applied to other bands and soloists until all stock of songs
available in every radio stations will all be played, then back to square one.
The playing of selected songs schedule always starts every Monday. It would
mean that the playing of the second batch would start playing on Thursday up to
Saturday. Sunday would always be featured songs from various bands and soloists
that a certain FM/AM/SW stations have possessed. Songs played on that particular
Sunday should be repeated the next Sunday. Of course with the same purpose to
embed the songs’ tunes and lyrics for the listeners familiarity.
The round-robin scheduling of playing numerous collections of songs/music is
the only fair and effective way in order that available songs in all FM/AM/SW
stations in every country throughout the world will have the time to be played on
the airlanes and be heard by its respective listeners for total musical
entertainment.
How can the young, adult and old music lovers recognize and appreciate a song
or songs if they don’t hear them at all? How can they make a request of any
songs if they do not know its title and name of singers and its composers? Putting
this idea into sustainable implementation and serious application by all concerned
Station Managers of all kinds of radio stations in all countries of the world is
profoundly beneficial to all peoples who are under the mantle of a Musical World.
Songs of (living and dead)bands and soloists to be covered in a wide
collections of repertoire in the three mediums, local and foreign, among others,
are the following: Jaime Salazar, Nora Hermosa, Al Comendador,Taks Suguete,Serges
dela Peña,Carmen Camacho, Pauline Sevilla, Ben Zubiri,Dos Compadres, Max Surban,
Yoyoy Villame,Diomedes Maturan, the new breed of Cebuano singers in the 1970s,80s
and 90s,Pelita Corrales, Nora Aunor,Carmen Soriano,Linda Alsid,Mercy Molina, Eddie
Mesa, Eddie Peregrina,Victor Wood, Carmen Pateña, Louie Levant, Fred Panopio,Cenon
Lagman,Ruben Tagalog,Ric Mandrique,The Reycard Duet, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley,
Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, Pat Boone,Sherley Boone, Helen Reedy, Andy Williams,
Buddy Haley, DianaRoss, Whitney Houston, Bobby Goldsboro, Barry Mannilow,The
Platters, The Drifters, The Four Seasons, The Temptations, The Association, The
Turtles, The Animals, The Four Tops, The Righteous Brothers, Freddie and The
Dreamers, Connie Francis, Doris Day,Timi Yuro,Brenda Lee, Sue Thompson, Paul
Anka,Niel Sedaka,Herman’s Hermits, Del Shannon,Niel Diamond, Cliff Richard, Carole
King, Jack Jones, Tom Jones, Sarah Vaughn, Dusty Springfield,Lulu,Lettermen,Dave
Clark Five, The Beattles,The Rolling Stones, Gerry and the Peacemakers, Gary Lewis
and the Playboys, The Village People, Credence Clearwater Revival, The Monkees,The
Beach Boys, Bee Gees, The Cascades, The Bread,Everly Brothers, Simon and
Garfunkel, ,The Ghost Squad,Air Supply, , Firehouse, Bobby Vinton, The Ghost
Squad, Shamrock and the Pharaohs, Ohio Express, Peter and Gordon, Chad and Jeremy,
Patti Page, Celia Black, The Hollies, The Searchers, The Spiral Staircase, The
Fabulous Echoes, Anita Bryant,Petula Clark, Jerry Vale, Eddie Fisher, Billy
Walker, Teddy Randazzo,Matt Monroe, Patsy Cline, Joni James,Engilbert
Hamperdenck,Chubby Checker, Michael Jackson, Julie Andrews, Steve Lawrence, Johnny
Mathis, The Eagles, Johnny
Tilottson,FreddieFender,TheScorpions,Metallica,Queen,Bon Jovi;Tito,Nash and
Bill;Harry Velafonte and all Spanish songs, instrumental numbers done in guitar
and in piano pieces, and among other singers whose songs are available in some of
the music stations worldwide.
-3-

Since there are countries in the world whose mother tongue is not English, the
round-robin scheduling of playing various songs in 3 or 4 languages in any music
stations is likewise applicable and adaptable to those countries that have music
stations. We must sustain, cherish, nurture and patronize the songs and music
written and compose in our respective mother tongues so that each country
throughout the world can develop its respective strong multicultural foundations
as a distinct identity of each race and nationality.
This novel idea, unperceived by the majority of disc jockeys in the
Philippines, and most probably in other countries, is a win-win thing to
adapt.1)FM/AM/SW disc jockeys who will adopt this ideas discussed in this article
and put into regular practice in weeks, months and years indefinitely from
generation to generation will have a gradual increase on its listeners, thus
making their respective stations popular;2)Their respective listeners will be able
to hear and listen to a wide variety of songs that would satisfy their cravings
for various melodies and tunes;3)Recording companies would increase their sales of
different albums to meet the demands from music lovers who want to listen and sing
it themselves for learning and mastery;4)Paying of radio slot time for
advertisements would increase as well as free-of-charge public
services;5)Composers/Musicians will also continue to receive their royalties from
their recorded songs that they’ve composed, thus encouraging and inspiring them
to compose more and more songs for the pleasure and satisfactory entertainment
among music lovers worldwide.
Additionally, all recording companies in the Philippines and worldwide must
have their respective 2 copies as files for every song’s lyric and 2 copies for
its music sheets that they have recorded for future references. This is vitally
important because in the future some music companies, music lovers and musicians
may want some lyrics of the songs and music sheets they like but could not find
any lyrics and music sheets of some songs anymore even in the internet. Two files
of every album/CD from every band and every singer is also recommendable for
future reference as the needs arises. Because of overlooking the importance of
having files for every song’s lyric and its music sheets, some websites like that
of Cliff Richard, Del Shannon, Brenda Lee, Timi Yuro, Jerry Vale, Eddie Peregrina
and other websites dedicated to some of the yesteryears popular singers, viewers
were invited to post/contribute their songs’ lyrics if they have any in their
possessions (Copyright 2008 by Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

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