Deconstructing Betamax: Part 2

Here We Go!

1 Wala pa nung MYX, wala pa nung MTV
2 Wala pa nung internet
3 Wala pa nung ipod o mp3
4 Wala pa nung cable
5 Wala pa nung cellphone
6 Wala pa ring cd o dvd
7 Meron lang Betamax

8 Sa JINGLE magazine
9 Natutong mag gitara
10 Sinifra ang mga kanta
11 Sa cassettte at plaka

12 Mula sa himig ni Pepe Smith
13 Mag blues si Wally Gonzales
14 Lumaki sa layaw ni Mike Hanopol
15 Bumalik ang kwago ni Bosyo
16 Kamusta mula sa Maria Cafra
17 Umistambay si Heber
18 Sa bahay ni Gary Granada
19 Nagbago ang lumad ni Joey Ayala

20 Nagreklamo si Chikoy Pura
21 Sa balita ng Asin
22 Ang anak ni ka Freddie
23 Kinontra ni Edu Abraham
24 Dumibidoo ang Apo Hiking
25 Mga kababayan ni Francis M
26 Beh buti nga sa Hotdog
27 Nosibalasi Sampaguita

28 Wala pa nung MYX wala pa nung MTV
29 Wala pa nung internet
30 Wala pa nung ipod o mp3
31 Wala pa nung cable
32 Wala pa nung cellphone
33 Wala pa ring cd o dvd
34 Meron lang Betamax

35 Sa JINGLE magazine
36 Natutong mag gitara
37 Sinifra ang mga kanta
38 Sa cassettte at plaka

39 Ipagpatuloy ang daloy ng alon
40 Ipagpatuloy ang daloy ng alon
41 Ipagpatuloy ang daloy ng alon
42 Ipagpatuloy

43 Padayon

44 Baby baby Rico J
45 Musikahan ni Ryan Ryan
46 Umiskul bukol kay Tito Vic and Joey
47 Sumayaw sa VST
48 Humataw kay Gary V
49 Bumilad sa ballad ni Martin Nievera
50 Request sa dj ni Sharon Cuneta
51 Nangako sayo si Rey Valera
52 Salamat sa the Dawn
53 Ang tatay ko, si Jack Sikat
54 Disyembre ni Binky Lampano
55 Nangarap ang Identity crisis
56 Wag kalimutan ang Wuds
57 Namatay sa ingay ng Dead Ends
58 Never meant to be Betrayed
59 Sa XB, NU at Club Dredd

60 Wala pa nung MYX wala pa nung MTV
61 Wala pa nung internet
62 Wala pa nung ipod o mp3
63 (Wala)
64 Wala pa nung cable
65 Wala pa nung cellphone
66 Wala pa ring cd o dvd
67 Meron lang Betamax

68 Sa JINGLE magazine
69 Natutong mag gitara
70 Sinifra ang mga kanta
71 Sa cassettte at plaka

72 Ipagpatuloy ang daloy ng alon
73 Ipagpatuloy ang daloy ng alon
74 Ipagpatuloy ang daloy ng alon
75 Ipagpatuloy

76 Padayon
77 Padayon
78 Padayon
79 Padayon

My takes:

1-7, 28-34, 60-67: The song’s chorus that sums up its theme of nostalgia of that time between 1980s – 1990s (Betamax came out in 1975. MTV Philippines started in 1992.) At that time, the most popular distraction for bored teenagers would be the then ubiquitous Betamax. The song does not discuss how many kids discovered the limits of the human body via Linda Lovelace or that Cannibal Holocaust was a very elaborate fake (surprise, surprise!). I loved the video, which just showed the band playing on the porch/stairs of an old house and some clips of children playing traditional Filipino games like syato, patintero, sipa, trumpo and others. Later on, the band members join the kids in the games and the song ends with the band sharing merienda: pandesal (or, could it be pan de coco?) and 7up/Mountain Dew in plastic and sipped through a straw. Nostalgia sells. Good thing that Cafe Puro ad showed Myrene playing hopscotch/piko.

8-11, 35-38, 65-71: JINGLE was the brand name of “songhits” then. No lyrics.com for you. In the spirit of their popularity with teenagers, the song magazine was very unfriendly to parents. It was full of toilet humor, crude drawings and a mascot of a cherub urinating against a wall. Pilyang Kerubin indeed! Commercial music was very reasonably priced. Cassette tapes stood up well to abuse (except magnets). People got low-quality songs (and rock concerts via NU107) free on the radio by hitting the red record button. I used to know people who learn chords and songs to play on the guitar by ear. Kinakapa. Maybe that was what was meant by sinifra (cipher).

The stanzas are consist of wordplay using the music or song that defined or popularized the artist. Hence:

Ang Himig Natin – Pepe Smith (Juan De La Cruz Band)

Wally’s Blues – Wally Gonzales (Juan De La Cruz Band)

Laki sa Layaw – Mike Hanopol (Juan De La Cruz Band. Edmund Fortuno na lang, kumpleto na sila!)

Pagbabalik ng Kwago – Bosyo (bosyo is also the indigenous term for goiter)

Kamusta, mga Kaibigan – Maria Cafra (May logo sila na kahawig ng logo ng halos lahat ng action film noong 1970s.)

Istambay – Heber Bartolome (Banyuhay ni Heber. Dating board of trustee ng FILSCAP, na humiwalay din.)

Bahay – Gary Granada (He recently left the music industry in a protest against piracy.)

Bagong Lumad – Joey Ayala’s band (a play on bago/new/alternative and luma(d), the lumads of Mindanao and the word old). Isa sa mga naunang Pinoy alternative.

Reklamo nang Reklamo – Chikoy Pura (The Jerks. Repeat after me, “PUNK’S NOT DEAD!”)

Balita – Asin (Kailangan pa ba itong i-intro e pinalutang ulit ito ni apl.de.ap sa ere)

Anak – Freddie Aguilar (Ang masama, yung PAMANGKIN ni Ka Freddie)

Kontra-GAPI – Edru Abraham (Kontemporaryong Gamelan Pilipino. Award-winning band.)

Doobidoo – Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society (Yes, that was what APO was called dati. In an old interview, they revealed that they almost called their group the Jose Rizal Bulletproof Vest Company. The said song was updated for a tribute album by Kamikazee.)

Mga Kababayan – Francis Magalona (One of the late rapper’s early hits that catapulted him and Filipino rap into mainstream radio. Made the “running man” ubiquitous.)

Beh Buti Nga – Hotdog (May show din si Janno Gibbs at Anjo Yllana titled Beh Bote Nga. Wala lang.)

Nosi Balasi – Sampaguita (If you haven’t known by now, the title is reversed.)

Rico J. Puno – His trademark was singing alternate Tagalog and English lyrics. And abuse of the word, “BABY.” Much much better than Renz Verano (although I liked Larawang Kupas) or Justin Bieber. Umabot naman sa cutoff, since 1976 siya nanalo sa Aliw Awards.

Ryan Ryan Musikahan – Ryan Cayabyab (The man who created Smokey Mountain, the singing group. I didn’t care much for music when I was very young, but nowadays I realized I missed too much sleeping early.)

Iskul Bukol – Tito, Vic and Joey (Not a music group, but a TV show. Isa lang ang masasabi ko dito. IDOL)

Sumayaw, Sumunod – VST and Co. (In a Mel and Joey interview, Joey jokingly remarked that Tito was so domineering, VST actually stood for Vicente Sotto the Third and Company. The band the senator’s two brothers Val and Vic, Spanky, Male and Roger Rigor, Monet Gaskell, Celso Llarina, and Jum Medina. It adapted Bee Gees styling and falsetto to Pinoy ears.)

Hataw Na – Gary Valenciano (Initially marketed as the Michael Jackson of the Philippines, he was known better for his dance hits, ballads and religious songs (sometimes mixing them up).

Martin Nievera – Gary’s “rival.” Magaling kumanta ng ballad. Walang kuwenta magsalita ng Tagalog. 🙂

Mr. DJ – Sharon Cuneta (The Escalera’s little sister. Wala pa siyang 17 nito I think. And patweetums pa rin hanggang ngayon.)

Pangako Sa ‘Yo – Rey Valera (How many lovers made this their theme song? Show of hands, anyone?)

Salamat – The Dawn (That powerful voice, that thundering beat and that crying guitar. Bring out the ice cold beer!)

Ang Tatay Ko – Jack Sikat (Ethnic Faces. Eighties na eighties. Punk, new wave, multicolored na jacket, studs sa kung saan-saan. Herbert Bautista in leotards.)

Disyembre – Binky Lampano (Dean’s December. I don’t know more, I only have namedrops from Rock N’ Rhythm magazine but here’s a link.)

Pangarap – Identity Crisis (Another revered band that I honestly know very little. Here’s another link to appease curious souls.)

At Nakalimutan ang Diyos – The Wuds (Binaboy naming magpipinsan hanggang naging: “at nakalimutang mag-juice.”)

Mamatay sa Ingay – Dead Ends (You guessed it right. They’re punk. Here’s their facebook page.)

Never Meant to be This Way – Betrayed (dubbed the fastest band in the land.)

XB, NU at Club Dredd – DWXB (102.7), where Binky Lampano was a former DJ. DWNU (107.5) survives as the home of new rock (DWLA105.9 surrendered quietly) and Club Dredd was the place to be.

Padayon? That’s a Visayan (waray, sugbuanon, cebuano) word for “to continue.” The song is essentially urging listeners to continue making sweet music. OPM forever!