‘We’ve always maintained that every artist should have a rainy day song, as much as a Christmas, happy, sunny, long drive, kilig-romantic, what-if, break-up and goodbye piece.’
It has been raining heavily the past few days, with the Metro experiencing severe downpours and flooding in some areas. With work and classes suspended yesterday, we turned to our safe space: our playlist.
For us, there’s a song for every reason and season. We believe every artist should have a rainy day song, just as much as a Christmas, happy, sunny, long drive, kilig-romantic, what-if, break-up, and goodbye piece.
As a manager, I was delighted when composer-friend Gino Cruz, who has faced many challenges this year, presented his song “Sa Pagbuhos Ng Ulan” for our talent Arman Ferrer to record. This song, released before his mother Tweetums Gonzalez passed away, might now be a fitting tribute to her, especially with these powerful lines:
“Sa pagbuhos ng ulan, hindi na ako maghihintay/Tatakbong palabas, hihintaying lumakas/ Ang pagbuhos ng ulan, sana ay bumagyo/ Dahil dyan iniwan ang tanging yakap mo/ Mahahawakan sa kamay ang pag-ibig mo/ Sa pagbuhos ng ulan, ikaw ay nandyan.”
Here’s my “Ulan” (Rainy Day) playlist. Move over “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “Come in From the Rain,” and “I Made It Through the Rain”–we’re going Original Pilipino Music (OPM)!
“Saranggola sa Ulan” by Gary Granada
Great lyrics and music that affirm Gary Granada’s firm grasp of his art, the song leaves us with the age old values of faith, hope and love with very powerful images and metaphors that make it very memorable.
“Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling Ka” by Ryan Cayabyab
Basil Valdez, Regine Velasquez, Eraserheads had great versions of this classic ulan song with very relatable lyrics and catchy melody. This is one of the defining pieces of our National Artist, Maestro Ryan Cayabyab.
“Swerte Swerte Lang” by Joel Navarro
A Metropop classic originally sung by the composer , and had very good versions by The Company, Nonoy Zuñiga and Sharon Cuneta. Light and bubbly, almost a novelty, but this song strikes our core with an earnest longing to be loved back – in a stroke of luck.
“Pumapatak Na Naman ang Ulan” by Danny Javier
Originally sang by the Apo Hiking Society, this song is Filipino pop culture at its purest with the most authentic and real representations of Pinoy experiences such as “radyo, TV at mga lumang komiks wala nang iba pang mapaglibangan, at kung meron kang tatawagan, 75 sentimos ika’y makakaltasan.” Takes us back to the pre-celfone era. Bravo to the payphone heroes – APO!
“Sukob Na” by Alexeeb Flores and Frasco Moriz
This song which was originally sung by the boygroup 17:28, also recorded by Ice Seguerra and The Company, was so catchy as an ad campaign that it once became the station ID of ABS-CBN. One pass and you already get the song’s drift, that’s how effective it is!
“Basang Basa sa Ulan” by Aegis
“Heto ako ngayon nag-iisa” catches you from the start and hooks you until the end, leaving you singing its classic refrain, “Heto ako basang basa sa ulan, walang masisilungan, walang makakapitan.” This Aegis classic may very well be the Filipinos’ plea for a better life, thus, the narrative became the precursor of the widely followed PETA musical “Rak of Aegis.”
“Tag-Ulan” by Wency Cornejo
Trust After Image to come up with this memorable song that talks about our hopes and dreams that may be simple and personal but very authentic and true, like the rain in the backdrop.
“Tila” by Chat Zamora and Liza Dy
It got me at “Tila inulan ang puso ko” with Lani Misalucha lending her flowing and masterful voice with “tila” having a double meaning: one as a glimmer of hope with happy anticipation and the other, the more literal meaning of having the rain stop. Whichever the case, this song transcends the personal to that of the community and society.
“Raining in Manila” by Lola Amour
Hands down, this is the most popular rain anthem of this generation. As Chris Martin said, “If it’s about rain here, there’s only one song that comes to mind.” For now at least. The very vivid details and catchy melody made this a major hit not only among locals but even to foreign acts like Coldplay, when they got to Manila recently. Proud moment indeed!
“Laging Mayroong Bukas” by Jun Ceriño
For the niche market, this song has a special place. It hits you at the gut level and ends up hopeful for a better tomorrow. We even have our version of this on Spotify …. “Uulan, babagyo, guguho ang daigdig ko, giliw kung ako’y iiwan mo” can very well be a song for a loved one, and even for our Lord, whose help we seek especially in times of major calamities such as what we are experiencing now.
What’s your “ulan” playlist?
