I got a call from a very close friend of mine today. I was awakened by her call and she just said "I want to hear your voice". While she was saying this, I told her that is a song. She didn't know about this song and I told her the lyrics so I remembered this beautiful song. I have this song saved on my portable music player.

I know this is what I needed during these times and a friend who will always give me company. Thank you, you give me strength to keep moving on.

Your vote of confidence and voice of encouragement sustains me.

So far away on a cold, lonely night
If I could only hear your voice,
then I'd be alright
Tell me that you love me,
Tell me that you care
I just want to hear your voice
Come floating through the air
Telephones are lonely
Tell me you're alright
I just want to feel you near
When I lay down tonight.

I'd give anything to see your face
Just to share the silence of your eyes
Your love is something no one can replace
While I'm gone I don't want you to cry
Please don't cry.

Tell me that you love me,
Tell me you're okay
Telephones are lonely
It sounds so far away
Tell me that you need me
Tell me it's alright
I just want to hear your voice
When I lay down tonight.

I'd give anything to taste your kiss
Just to feel your body touching mine
It hurts me to be wanting you like this
So tell me that you love me one more time
One more time...

Tell me that you love me
Tell me you're alone
I just want to hear your voice
I'm so far from home
Tell me that you love me,
Tell me that you care
I just want to hear your voice
Come floating through the air.

Tell me that you love me,
Tell me that you care
I just want to hear your voice
Come floating through the air
Telephones are lonely
Tell me you're alright
I just want to feel you near
When I lay down tonight.
(http://www.free-lyrics.org)

This is the song:

Tell me that you love me - Lou

Lyrics | Abba lyrics - Fernando lyrics

My mom loves to sing, no wonder I'm so inclined to music. In fact, the rest of my family members are: my dad, who sings duet with my mom; my sister who sings so great especially with beer in hand; my big brother, who had for himself his own videoke machine and; our youngest brother, whose song I have previously featured here in my blogsite (title: STAY).

Fernando is a song that would remind me greatly of my birthplace: it's called San Fernando, La Union (North of Manila, here in Philippines). I am not really sure if Abba was really referring to a place or a person but for me it is the former. There is so much memory in that place and each time I hear this song, my mind would really bring me back to that place. There were a lot of good childhood memories there for me. We cooked, we went fishing, we learned how to swim, boating, stroll in the evening, played hide and seek (forever because the players usually go straight to the beach while the "seeker" seeks players among the trees, houses and all).

That part of my childhood is like a paradise. There is beach to your left, a runway to your right and playmates in the middle. When we get tired playing in the runway (which was not yet fully functional back then), we play on the grasses, we rest then go swim in the beach. It sounds fun huh? Envious? Come visit our San Fernando one time! Lots of foreigners there too.

Enjoy the sound:

Fernando - ABBA

This is an Abba song that my mom used to sing in what we call "magic sing". We were one of the fortunate families who got the first edition of such gadget for entertainment. It was circa 90s.

Of course, prior to that, my mom had already been singing, even before she was born (wink)... singing is her twin.

Funny thing that I remember this song so much because next to singing, my mom is also fond of that "sports". That kind of sports you will usually see in casinos. When this song was played or sung by her, I almost always try to picture her playing cards and wish she'd "win it all", really! Who would want to lose anyway.

Everyone in the family would attest to the fact that my mom is a mild gambler. She does this during the weekend, after her office work, but not really on a weekly basis (granting that, we would have been so rich, plus she wins it all!) She skips it sometimes, and probably forgets about playing cards when she's with her grand children.

I can just see the smile on my mom's face when she wins it all and so we'll end up singing this song together. haha! Well, anyway, that is my story about this song: my mom, the winner of it all! And let me add that she's really a winner as a mom, a wife, a boss, a lola (grandma) and all.

Here is the lyrics:

Lyrics | Abba lyrics - The Winner Takes It All lyrics

Here is the music:

The Winner Takes It All - ABBA

This is where I would start my Mamma Mia saga. Everyone knows about this musical movie consisting of Abba songs. For the succeeding posts, let me impart with you my stories behind some songs of Abba.

It all started with the song Chiquitita.

I remember watching a televised singing contest with my parents. It was "Ang Bagong Kampeon" hosted by (the late) Bert Marcelo and Ms. Pilita Corales (translation: "The New Champion" circa 80s). It was the first time I learned about the song when one of its contestants sung it as a contest piece. I asked my mom about the original singer and she said it was Abba. At the back of my head, I wondered why would someone be named Abba (in my dialect, it means a kind of rootcrop -vegetable).

My parents used to encourage me to join in a singing contest. My confidence was never solid to start with so I brushed the idea behind my brain. I would recall how my dad would tell me "you can do that, too". I really had a fan in my dad. But my mom would just be quiet as she was maybe listening to my flaws while singing Chiquitita with the contestant.

If my memory serves me right, the contestant who sang that song was proclaimed the new champion. I really loved the part where it says (in a high note) "Try.... once more... like you did before... sing a new song Chiquitita" then the instrumental after that. I can't help but sway with it.

It's good, play it:

Chiquitita - ABBA

and here is the lyrics:

Lyrics | Chiquitita lyrics

Such a timing song! I intend to blog about David Cook's rendition of Mariah Carey's Always Be My Baby, but I have to keep that hanging for the meantime.

My writer partner just blogged about parting ways and as I was browsing the internet, I came accross this song by an artist who happened to be another personal favorite. I guess this is a new song after "Light On". It's like this song sung the present feelings and thoughts of music247, my fellow blogger here.

Come Back To Me

you say you gotta go and find yourself
you say that you're becoming someone else
don't recognize the face in the mirror
looking back at you

you say you're leavin as you look away
i know theres really nothin left to say
just know i'm here whenever you need me
i'll wait for you

so i'll let you go, i'll set you free
and when you see what you need to see
when you find you come back to me

take your time i wont go anywhere
picture you with the wind in your hair
i'll keep your things right where you left them
i'll be here for you

oh and i'll let you go, i'll set you free
and when you see what you need to see
when you find you come back to me

and i hope you find everything that you need
i'll be right here waiting to see you find
you come back to me

i can't get close if you're not there
i can't get inside if there's no soul to bear
i can't fix you i can't save you
its something you have to do

so i'll let you go, i'll set you free
and when you see what you need to see
when you find you come back to me
come back to me
so i'll let you go, i'll set you free
and when you see what you need to see
when you find you come back to me

and i hope you find everything that you need
i'll be right here waiting to see
you find you come back to me

when you find you come back to me
when you find you come back to me
when you find you come back to me
>>>end<<<

And I'm wishing you'd both find way back in each others arms. Hang on!

If anyone is looking for the story behind this song, just refer to the previous blog (I'll Never Go). That is the best story so far because it is based on a painful but true story of my co-author.

To you, God bless your courageous heart! You'll survive this, like the way I did when I was in that same situation. So hang on!

Here is the music:

Come Back To Me - David Cook

Ill Never Go - Erik Santos

The site of him saying goodbye is still very clear in my mind. I can exactly recall how, every second I was with him that very day counts.

We both decided to give each other a space. I wish I could stop the time so I'll never have to say goodbye. It breaks my heart little by little letting him go, but it was a step we both have to painfully undertake. I've never acted like this before. It was such a humbling experience -putting myself down- just to make him stay and hold on to the relationship. It was not an issue of "a love gone"...It was more of personal factors beyond our control. They just seem to interfere with the relationship, so we had to cool down a bit.

It was so difficult because we both knew how we really love each other to let the relationship disappear. The more it shattered my heart into pieces the last minute he kissed my lips several times whispering how much he loves me and he'll always do. I saw him shed tears that very moment I stepped out of his car.

I guess... this is a part of growing in a relationship. I will always remember that very moment with him wheneder I hear this song. I dedicate this song to the only man I love and will always love every single day of my life. "I'll never go, so far away from you even the sky will tell you that I need you so. For this is all I know I'll never go... far away from you"

I will just be around, waiting for you...XX

I'll Never Go
By Eric Santos

You always ask me
Those words i say
And telling me what it means to me

Every single day
You always act this way
For how many times i told you
I love you
For this is all i know

Come to me and hold me
And you will see
The love i give
For you still hold the key

Every single day
You always act this way
For how many times i told you
I love you
For this is all i know

Chorus:
I'll never go far away from you
Even the sky will tell you
That i need you so
For this is all i know
I'll never go far away from you

Come to me and hold me
And you will see
The love i give
For you still hold the key

Every single day
You always act this way
For how many times i told you
I love you
For this is all i know

I believe this is the second song I will post by Billy Joel (I came to know him because of this song). This is the most influential song to my thirst for knowledge. This embraces a lot of things in our lifetime (even before I was born).

I consider this a very influential song because when I entered high school, I know I had an edge in our History class because I was already oriented about some places, events and persons around the world because of this song. I love singing, I will claim that over and over again. Because of this love for music, I memorized a lot of songs and you may not believe it but this is another one of those songs I have memorized. I don't know why I spend time memorizing songs... but I guess it was really a part of my life. Music and songs are an innate part of me.

I will not claim I passed high school because of this song. I somehow made it through it because of the historical accounts of its lyrics, events that happened before my birth and during our life time. In fact, I even had those names memorized til College. I was reminded of this song most especially in out International Politics subject. (I was a Political Science major, by the way)

There you are... the vast influence of music to me.. from friendship to past life to higher learning to history.

Let us all be reminded of the song but first, check out the lyrics and see if anyone could memorize it in a month or a year.

We Didn't Start The Fire Lyrics

and the music is here:

WE DIDNT START THE FIRE - Billy Joel

A recent loss to my favorite artists here in the Philippines is Francis M. As one newspaper headline said it: "Cancer claimed Francis M's life". The news was really devastating.

I have appreciated Francis M when I was still in high school. As a teen-ager in the 90's, he was an icon. I remember a lot of his songs and this song I loved the most. This was more of a rap and I remember I love listening to this music using my brother's walkman (truly vintaged). I love the way this song was sung and he was just so good.

I memorized this part of the song:
Let the sunshine
let the rivers run away
'Coz it's a beautiful day now
to play now...

FRANCIS MAGALONA lyrics

Those were the times when all I cling on to is nature... watching the sunset, breathing fresh air in the mountain, birds chirping, wind blowing... exactly the things mentioned in his song. I remember my sister told me this was the song Francis M. played harmonica, like the way Alanis Morissette combined her harmonica in her songs (Ironic).

Each time I hear this song played, I can't help but sing and rap with him. I love rap music and if anyone would ask me, I would agree with the rest of the world. Francis M is the best rapper the Philippines has ever had.

Your music will live Kiko! Here is the music and I'm sure as the music starts, you can't help but sing with him. I will always be proud that I memorized your song... This is it:

Girl Be Mine - Francis M.

I was with my cousin the other day. We were just having some fun time at a restaurant when suddenly the owner brought out their "videoke". She (my cousin) asked me to sing -have I mentioned singing is my second nature? Perhaps she knows me enough to have not asked me if I can sing at all but she asked me to sing.

I'm a song lover, no wonder I have this blog site. However, being confronted what to sing at that moment, my mind was blank. I have sang a lot of songs already and I don't know what to sing. She told me about this song on her way to our meeting place that night, and asked me if I know this song. Of course I do. I also happened to sing this once when there was an occasion in our house.

So without much debate, she entered the song number and handed me the mic. It was my first song in that restaurant and as they say, one has to give a good impression at the start. But this song would not give me that chance. The note was just too high for me so I didn't sing it entirely. To our surprise, when the song ended, the videoke machine gave me a 98% rating. Impressive enough but I wasn't convinced because I know I blew the song.

Well, I was just given the chance to practice more on the song and hopefully I could sing it better next time. And by the way, the lyrics of the song is good... But this is my story about this song.

Hope you'll love it!

alone - heart