Pinoy Songs of the 70’s Generation by CyberDJRon

Pinoy songs have been a part of the Filipino psyche.  He grew up listening to them; and when he first fell in love with someone, the more the love songs affect him as he picks up lyrics that aptly describe his love for his girl. Pinoy songs like the Perslab by the Hotdogs, the playful “The Way We Were” by Rico J. Puno (who would forget the catchy line that goes,

Ala-ala, nang tayo’y mag-sweetheart pa

Namamasyal sa Luneta…..Na walang pera….

Indeed, pinoy songs have greatly colored and provided texture to the fabric of the Filipino in the 70’s.  Besides Cinderella, or the Hotdogs, Basil Valdez, Leah Navarro, Hadji Alejandro, and the other artists of pinoy songs, the pinoy rock bands are the ones that shone the brightest during this era.  The 70’s was the golden age of pinoy rock.

Civil discontent (the First Quarter Storm in 1970) and leftist movements also characterized the era.  This became one of the vehicles for the sentiments of the movement (anti-Marcos, anti-US emperialism, etc.) as pinoy songs were mostly done in Filipino language which is Tagalog, and songs were mostly nationalistic.

While pinoy songs, particularly pinoy rock of the seventies were heavily influenced by the hippie mentality and the era of “Woodstock” music of the west, the Filipino bands succeeded in creating music that is truly Filipino.

Heber Bartolome, Sampaguita, and the “godfathers’” of pinoy rock Joey Pepe Smith, Wally Gonzales and Mike Hanopol of the Juan de la Cruz Band, were swaying dominance in the rock scene.  Allied genres like folk rock, the music of Asin, Freddie Aguilar, Florante and several others followed in the footsteps of the gods of pinoy rock music.

Asin was better known for its socially and environmentally relevant folk songs.  Who would not sing-along or often time find himself mouthing some lines from hits like, “Balita,” “Pagbabalik,” “Ang Bayan Kong Sinilangan,” “Usok,” “Tuldok?”  Even internationally popular group Black Eyed Peas (because of a pinoy member) used the first lines of the most popular “Balita” of Asin in the “APL Song” that goes,

Lapit mga kaibigan at makinig kayo

Ako’y may dala-dalang balita galling sa bayan ko

Nais kong ipamahagi ang mga kwento

At mga pangyayaring nagaganap sa lupang ipinangako.

While these type of pinoy songs, pinoy rock, speak of more serious political and environmental angst, several bands and artists from other genres also formed and flourished.  There were the Hotdogs, VST & Company, the Apo Hiking Society, and several other solo artists who provided for the lighter side of life (although the Apo Hiking Society also wrote and sang socially relevant songs and later on anti-Marcos commentaries) in the Philippines.

Along with these bands (especially the Hotdogs), Rico J. Puno, Hadji Alejandro, Leah Navarro, and songwriters like Rey Valera, George Canseco and several others unwittingly created a distinct musical awareness of pinoy songs called the Manila sound.  Who would not wax sentimental with, Hotdogs’ “Manila,” “Ikaw Ang Miss Universe ng Buhay ko,” “Perslab,” Rico J. Puno’s “The Way We Were,” “Buhat,” “Macho Gwapito.”

Today, these pinoy songs continue to live in the Filipino’s heart, and even transcended generations as younger bands and artists who are the new superstars of pinoy songs created remakes of these songs.