Hit list 2018

The top 10 most played songs from my 2018 playlists and their 1 liners:

10. Blind by: Lifehouse
"When my love for you is blind but I couldn't make you see it."

9. Goodbye Alice in Wonderland by: Jewel
"There is a difference between dreaming and pretending."

8. Feels Like Home by: Chantal Kreviazuk
"Something in your eyes makes me wanna lose myself in your arms."

7. Forgiveness by: Sarah McLachlan
"If you're asking for forgiveness you're asking too much."

6. Still Falling by: Hunter Hayes
"After all this time you think I'd be used to the pull of your gravity."

5. Audition (The Fools Who Dream) by: Emma Stone
"She said she'd do it again"

4. Miss You by: Darren Hayes
"Give me a reason why I now understand the beauty and simplicity of everything surrounding me."

3. Brick by: Ben Fold Five
"Now that I have found someone I'm feeling more alone than I ever had before."

2. Drops of Jupiter by: Train
"Did you fall for a shooting star, one without a permanent scar."

1. Boston by: Augustana
"You don't know me, you don't wear my chains."

It has been a rough year for me. And though I know that God did not abandon me,there were times when I'm so drowned by my own struggles that His presence goes unnoticed, and during these moments when I'm so numb to feel His presence, somehow music made it bearable.
It's like His way of telling me that if I don't want to talk, then maybe just listen, because thru music I give my message to you.

Hello 2019!!!

The Sung Heroes

It has been my blogging tradition to post something about heroism every 30th day of December as a special post for the Philippine National Hero's day also known as Rizal's day.
For what reason?... Because I'm a fan of Gat Jose Rizal.

So today, I would like to talk about this hero who we never really thought of as a hero per'se.

And I'm talking about MUSIC.

Music is part of our day to day lives. And we might not give too much thought about it, but seriously, HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU CLING ON TO MUSIC FOR SALVATION?
When you broke up with your girl/boyfriend, music was there to help you move on.
When you had a shitty day at your work, music was there to make it bearable.
When you were sad and lonely, music was there to cheer you up.
When you were stressed out, music was there to help you unwind.
When you're mad, music was there to help you express your angst.
When you are alone, music was there to keep you company.
When you're on the verge of giving up, music was there to keep you strong.
When you're happy, music was there to make it perfect.

MUSIC SAVES OUR MORTAL SOUL.

Very cliche but true.

So today, let us remind ourselves of the sung heroes that's keeping us on track.

From the songwriters, lyricist, composers, and musicians. To the singers and producers and managers, as well as the record labels selling this gift.
As a part of the whole music production, in spite of what genre, I thank thee for giving us the gift of music.

Jack Went Up the Hill

Jack went up the hill.
There he found his Jill.
He fell in love,
Broke his heart,
And the crown that once was there on his head,
All scattered on the ground.
And its been 16 years to infinity.
Do you want to see the scars you've left me?
Trace it like your own,
Cause you did this all along.
For the instinct of a man to catch a falling woman is always strong.
But then Jack was wrong.
He is not broke.
He is just strong.
Strong enough to break.
Fight the urge to sleep and stay awake.
To live.
To bleed.
To feel the shame.
To fill all those excuses so lame.
People change...
Or they never change at all.
They just come out from the mask
That's hiding their real face all along.
So Jack went back to that hill.
Once again looking for Jill.
But a brand new man
Now he knows.
To go back in town
Wearing again his old crown.

Listening to Dan

It's 9 am and sunrise is lovely,
I'm having my 3rd cup of coffee.
With my hair undone,
Listening to Dan.

He's got a flight to L.A.
He's got music to play.
With a song unsung
Plugged inside the van.

We waited last night
For a wishing star in sight.
For a fate unplanned,
For a ground to stand.

We didn't sleep lying on bed.
We always say we have plenty of time to do that when we're dead.
He asked - "Will you still love me even if I'm damned
To be drowned with glitters and fake charms?"

He said - "I'm lucky to have a girl beside me,
Loving me behind the spotlight that's blinding me."
As we clasp our fingers and
Promised to live hand in hand.

But he is a rockstar to be,
Until all promises became a fantasy.
Singing with his band
With a guitar on his hand.

Train said falling for a star
Won't leave you with a permanent scar.
But like grains of sand,
He is slipping from my palms.

And now I'm here at Starbucks
Having my 3rd cup of coffee to block
All my elusive bond
While listening to Dan.

Scar A Mouche

We all have our own version of stories...

This is the story of how I came to know Art in music back in 1994.

2018
I was planning to see the movie Bohemian Rhapsody for the longest time but my schedule did not allow me to go to the movie theatre till last week. Unfortunately, the theatre I went to last week no longer plays that movie, hence, my Creed story goes.

But my frustration to see Bohemian Rhap made me swim on my bed all night these past days. I really have to see this movie.

So today, I bought a newspaper and went straight to the movie guide and checked which local cinema still got this rolling. And right after lunch time I found myself sitting at the dark theatre all by myself, lost in his life story.

You wonder what is all about the fuss. Why there is that certain urge inside me to watch this movie.
Well every actions and emotions has a long story to go.

Here is my Bohemian Rhapsody story.

I was 7 years old when Freddie Mercury died. I wasn't aware of him at that time. I don't even know who Queen was, though I hear their music on the radio almost everytime, me, being a kid would just sing along with the wrong lyrics and never bothered to know the artist behind every song.

Two years later, I started to have this thing on guitars, I would play just about any song that comes out on the radio. And I was starting to finally have my own choice of music. I started watching MTV and begin to love the likes of Nirvana, Bush, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, The Verve... Yeah, the rock makers of the 90's.

But it was one fine Sunday, without a month, in the year 1994 when I first saw the music video of Bohemian Rhapasody and until now, I can still recall how, for that 7 minutes of my life, my eyes got fixed on TV and the world around me stopped... for about 7 minutes... Yes, 7 minutes lost in Bohemian Rhapsody.
And I was in awe.
After seeing their music video, I exclaimed to myself - "That is what art is!"

I did not get a good night sleep at that same night. The video just kept on playing inside my brain. And when sleep just finally came, I found myself dreaming of it. I don't know how to call it, but the song, the music video, the impact of it to me was so life awakening. I feel like I'm being haunted by that song. It was like an alarm clock awakening me from a deep sleep to finally see what art really is... or supposed to be.

I started to see lyrics in a different way. I started digging about meaning and stories behind every song that I hear.

That those unknown, meaningless Scar a mouche Scar a mouche, Galileo and Figaro, maybe, are just nonsense to some, but for me, its an art. An art of not knowing the meaning but you create your own Scar a mouche with a meaning only you know. And its one of the deepest artwork I've ever encountered in my life.
Its life changing, mind shifting, passion burning kind of awakening.

I've come to know art through Bohemian Rhapsody.

So that is the fuss. That is the reason why I have to watch Bohemian Rhapsody by any way or another.
It is like a tribute to the one who opened my eyes.

Like everything matters.

Queen is a master of art.
They are music geniuses.

Collecting Waters in the Gutter

If sitting at the park to watch the passing cars,
Is almost the same as counting the midnight stars.
Then maybe we could do something by the end of summer,
Like collecting waters in the gutter.

Without a sense or valid reason,
Just for you to stay for another season.
Then maybe before the first snow hits the winter,
You'll be trapped with me here forever.

Ember of Chances

She's doing good in her life so far,
She's not looking for another permanent scar.
Then you're coming right off bat,
Leaving footprints all over the path.
Like a mountain lion
Resurging from zion.
So dangerous yet so beautiful.
Strange on her like a fool.
She would touch you if she could,
Even though she never should.

She's too strong to feel pain now,
But then somehow,
You left her with another permanent scar,
And the deepest so far.
You've got that elemental gravity,
You get all things fall within your vicinity.
Just as they thought they're flying over to the atmosphere,
You got them spinning all around and your hand is on the sphere.

Is it her looks or is it her wits?
Made you tell the truth right from the gist.
Without a jest or a twist,
Beautiful lies all caught up in a mist.
She built that bridge of chance.
And you burned it while she watched the ember turn into ashes...
Then suddenly a trance.

Creed

Because of the recent drama in my life, I found myself totally jaded, exhausted and seriously wasted, so I decided to go and see a movie today.
I've been planning to see the movie "Bohemian Rhapsody" since last month but my schedule was totally in a brink of collapsing for too many activities. I was really hoping its still showing. Unfortunately, Bohemian Rhapsody is no longer on the run and I was really disappointed, but then, since I'm already at the cinema, then might as well watch any movie that's available on the screen. I was thinking of Robinhood or Fantastic Beast 2 but I'm not in the mood for bows and arrows and Harry Potter this time. No offense, I am a fan of Harry Potter.
So I decided to watch Creed 2 thinking it was the sequel of the movie Assassin's Creed.
Well, stupid me, its not Assassin's Creed 2, but another movie series of Rocky Balboa.
Damn! Though I'm a fan of Rocky Balboa movies, I'm not in the mood for a boxing movie today. But then again, too late. I already had my ticket.
So while I'm inside the cinema, I realized that I've been playing solitaire for almost... I can't remember but I'm comfortable being alone. Not to mention I'm the only girl watching this movie. Then during the fighting scenes of Draco and Creed, I was not aware that I'm punching and clapping my hands all along... I was being carried away by the fighting scenes. Imagine a girl, alone, watching a boxing movie. Damn! solitude is mocking me.

But the beautiful part of this day's disappointment is that, the movie is not that bad. In fact, it is a good movie. Like God did make me watch this to realize something that is connected to my recent drama. And that is, old people are always wiser than the youth. Period.

Creed's story is different from the usual underdog boxing movies because in here, he is the champ.
A champion who's about to lose his belt to an underdog.
Its a story about living within other people's expectations, about the pressure of having to win all the time, and the self doubts and abandonment. But it's also about family sticking with you till the end, win or lose, fight or run.
And at the end of the day, we don't fight for someone, we fight because it is our battle. And we stand up not for someone but because it is our ground and we have to stand up for it.

At the end of the day, we fight invisible battles because it is our fight. We don't fight because our loved ones want us to fight, but because it is our own battle and we have to fight to survive because we want to live to see them... Again.

And sometimes we do run away from a fight... No, we are not damn cowards... We run because we are not ready to fight, and if we're not ready we might lose, or worse, die. And we want to live just one more day to see our loved ones again.

But the irony of it all is that we can't run forever. Sooner than we thought we have to face our giants. So while we're running, we must also prepare for that day when we can no longer run, and no way to turn but to face the battle.


It was not what I planned to see, but I'm glad I did watch this movie.

Toasted Bread

If there's one thing that I've learned from the recent drama in my life is that... No matter how strong or wise we thought we were, older people will always be wiser and their personalities will always be stronger than the youth. And there's always something to learn from them.
And no matter what, no matter how sure you are that you're right, at the end of the day, older people will always be right and the youth wrong. Damn it all you want but they are damn always right. Because they are wiser beyond our years. And we have to accept that fact.
Well, I finally accepted that fact that I still have to eat a lot of bread to be like them. Its still a long long way full of bread.
Thank you for imparting another lesson.
You are a great boss.