(Gee Weez) Heart Songs

"Isa kang Batang 90's kung may mga kanta kang paborito noon na hanggang ngayon ay hindi mo pa rin pinagsasawaang pakinggan." 

Heart Songs

by Weezer

Gordon Lightfoot sang a song about a boat that sank in the lake at the break of the morn'

and a cat named Stevens found a faith he could believe in and Joan Baez

never listened to too much jazz but hippie songs could be heard in our pad

Eddie Rabbit sang about how much he loved a rainy night

Abba, Devo, Benatar were there the day John Lennon died

Mr Springsteen said he had a hungry heart

Grover Washington was happy on the day he topped the chart

These are the songs...

these are my heart songs

they never feel wrong

and when I wake for goodness sake...

these are the songs I keep singing

Quiet Riot got me started with the banging of my head

Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, and Slayer taught me how to shred

I gotta admit though, sometimes I would listen to the radio

Debbie Gibson, tell me that you think we're all alone

Michael Jackson's in the mirror

Gotta have faith if I wanna see clear

Never gonna give you up, this new love a wishing well

It takes two to make a thing go right, if the fresh Prince starts a fight

Don't you worry for too long 'cause you know...

These are the songs...

these are my heart songs

they never feel wrong

and when I wake for goodness sake...

these are the songs I keep singing

Back in 1991 I wasn't having any fun

'til my roommate said "come on" and put a brand new record on

Had a baby on it, he was naked on it

then I heard the chords that broke the chains I had up on me

got together with my bros at some rehearsal studios

then we played our first rock show

and watched the fanbase start to grow

signed the deal that give the dough

to make a record of our own

the song come on the radio and now people go "This is the song"

These are my heart songs (these are my songs)

they never feel wrong (never feel wrong)

and when I wake for goodness sake

these are the songs I keep singing

(these are my heart songs)

these are the songs I keep singing

(they never feel wrong)

these are the songs I keep singing

(these are my heart songs)

these are the songs I keep singing

These are the songs I keep singing

Weezer has been one of my favorite bands because, for me, they are the epitome cool geeks. I am a nerd myself until I heard the music from Seattle back in the 90's. Rivers Cuomo and the rest of the guys are responsible for hit songs like “Buddy Holly”, “Undone”, “Pink Triangle”, and the ever-popular “Say It Ain't So”. They have great discography which includes albums whose CD jackets features their group photo in different color backgrounds – “The Blue Album”, “The Green Album”, and their latest, “The Red Album”. Know more about them here.

I have been listening to their “Red Album” for the past few days and I am really struck by the song entitled “Heart Songs”. Musically speaking, it has the potential of becoming the next “Say It Ain't So”, an easy-listening song that really rocks in a subtle way. Anyway, I am not here to review the album nor the song. I just like it so much because it reminds me of the songs that I also consider my “heart songs”. In this masterpiece, Cuomo name-dropped his favorite songs and artists (like in “In the Garage”) that made him who he is right now.

Like them, I and my band mates from Demo From Mars were heavily influenced by the Greatest Trio from Seattle. The album called "Nevermind" from Nirvana was also my “calling” to form a band of my own.

Para naman sa mga gawang-Pinoy, heto ang listahan ng mga kantang humubog sa aking pagkatao:

“Mga Kababayan Ko” at “Cold Summer Nights” by Francis M. Dati akong hip-hopper at iniidolo kong lubos ang Master Rapper. Kahit na naging rocker na ako noong Panahon ng Gitara ay hindi ko ikinahiyang nakikinig ako sa talas at bilis ng kanyang pagra-rap.

“Mas Gusto Mo Siya” by Andrew E. Itong kantang ito ang pinakagusto kong nagawa ni Gamol. Malayo siya sa hanay ng "Humanap Ka ng Panget". Isa itong labsung ng mga sawi sa pag-ibig kaya ramdam na ramdam ko ito noong aking kabataan.

“Bring That Booty” at “Is It Tyme?” by Masta Plann. Kung mapapansin niyo, talagang mahilig ako sa rap. Gustung-gusto kong gayahin ang kanilang pamamaraan ng pagkanta pero maigsi ang dila ko para makasabay sa kanilang bilis. Nang makilala sila sa Pinas, parang nagkaroon ng "state side" na rap sa ating bansa. 

“Hindi Magbabago” by Randy Santiago. Idol na idol siya ng utol kong si Pot at crush na crush siya ni ermats noong kanyang kasikatan. Kahit na sintunado ang boses ko ay palihim ko itong kinakanta sa aming karaoke kapag walang tao sa bahay. 

"Sikat na si Pedro" at "Ipako sa Krus" by Philippine Violators. Sila ang nagmulat sa akin sa Pinoy underground. Sapul na sapul ng mga kantang ito ang buhay noong aking kapanahunan. Naging paborito ko ang mga ito dahil ang buhay ni Pedro ang buhay na pinagdaraanan ng mga musikero noon habang mas pinatindi ng pagpako sa krus ang galit ko sa mga pulitiko.

“Inosente Lang Ang Nagtataka” by the Wuds. Isa pang Pinoy punk group na nagpatibay ng mga prinsipyo ko sa buhay. Sa totoo lang, ang kantang ito ang naging pamantayan ko noong aking kabataan. Hindi ako mamatay na inosente dahil ayokong magtaka sa mga bagay-bagay.

“Maling Sistema” at “Pera” by Bad Omen. Katulad ng mg mga naunang punks sa itaas, galit sa gobyernong bulok at mga mukhang pera ang namuo sa pakikinig ko sa kanila.

“Son of Sam” by Death After Birth. Bukod sa musikang punk ay nahilig din ako sa death metal. Nagbuo pa nga ako ng sarili kong grupo na ganitong klase ang tugtugan. Ang DAB ang pilit kong ginagaya noon, lalo na ang boses ng malufet nilang bokalistang boses pusa!

“Hipokrito” by Dead Sperm. Ito ang pinakasikat na kanta mula sa grupo ng patay na tamod. Madalas ko itong kantahin sa saliw ng aking gitara sa tuwing may mga kupal na kung makapuna ay akala nila'y sila lang ang magaling.

“Kapitbahay”, “Lagot Ka sa Pulis”, at “Sabihin Mo” by Askals. Madalas kong patugtugin ng malakas ang mga ito sa aming karaoke tuwing umaga lalo na kapag araw ng Linggo. Gusto kong marinig ng mga kapitbahay ang bangis ng kanilang tugtugan dahil siguradong tatagos sa tutule ng mga makakarinig ang pangil ng mga salitang mula sa tahol ng mga asong kalye.

“Kahit Kailan” by South Border. Ito ang pang-senti mode ko. Parang walang bayag ang bokalista kung makahiyaw lalo na doon sa bahaging napakataas ang tono. Naisip kong kung makakanta ko ito ay siguradong maraming kababaihang malalaglag ang salungguhit.

“Shotgun Baby Bang Bang” by True Faith. Malufet ang pagkakagawa ng liriko ng kantang ito. Maituturing kong isang henyo si Medwin sa obrang ito. Napakasarap sabayan, parang matagal ko nang alam ang awitin.

Kayo mga kadekads, ano ang mga kantang naging bahagi ng iyong buhay?