Yesteryears Songs,Regional Songs,New Songs Must Be Played Side By Side On The Airwaves

March 8.2010
Yesteryears Songs,Regional Songs And New Songs Must Be Played Side By Side
On The Airwaves
By Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-Yesteryears songs, regional songs and new songs must be played side by side on the airwaves in the three mediums-English,Tagalog,Cebuano-or other languages and current hits because these compositions whether in English,Tagalog,Cebuano or other languages in the Philippines and in other countries’ languages are irreplaceable, timeless and inimitable.
I have been observing for many years now that majority of music stations here in the Philippines only play a very limited number of songs within weeks or months. They keep on repeating the same songs for weeks or months making it monotonous to listen to by listeners particularly the music lovers in us-full-blooded music lovers. Their style in playing the limited number of songs seems to show that there are only few songs available in the record bars and stores. The reality is that there are numerous and thousands of good songs available in various recording companies that were sold during the past decades. Does playing a limited number of songs means that they have no collections of various albums in the past years?
Station Managers must choose discs jockeys who are full-blooded music lovers themselves that will handle the musical programmings.This kind of music lovers have the natural inclination to listen to various kinds of songs and music. They are the kind of disc jockeys who can meet the music lovers’€™ expectations of providing them with a wide variety of songs during musical programming.
In the Philippines there are many languages, so that playing only English and Tagalog songs is a kind of disc riminatory approach on the part of disc jockeys managing the different musical programs. It is only fortunate that Tagalog was chosen as the country’s national language.However,the fact is that majority of the inhabitants in the Visayas and Mindanao are Cebuano-speaking people, aside from other form of languages in these areas. Making as one of the subjects in all school levels, Tagalog, which was dubbed as Pilipino as a subject has gained it ‘s influence in achieving the objective of the Tagalog-speaking people in Central Luzon who want it to be our national language.
Speaking on the matter of predominant languages in the composition of songs in the archipelago, regional songs refer to the song compositions written in Cebuano, Waray-waray, Hiligaynon, Bicolano, Ilocano and other language predominant in a particular region. In Samar provinces and part of Leyte, the inhabitants speak inWaray-waray.Although there are places in Samar and Leyte whose denizens also speak and understand Cebuano.The same also in Negros Island whose people speak in Hiligaynon(Ilonggo)and Cebuano languages.
When it comes to recorded songs the predominant languages used by the composers in different regions are those that I have aforementioned. There are various and many original songs in each of the predominant languages in the Philippines . They are worth playing on the airlanes for the listening pleasure and entertainment of its respective people who speak and understand these languages side by side with English and Tagalog. It should not be relegated to the sidelines by playing only casually at the start of the opening program or in the dead of night when majority of the radio listeners are already sleeping. Like the English and Tagalog songs that were being played during the whole of daytime, so also with those regional songs in every particular regions of the country.
FMs, including AMs and SWs disc jockeys have the great privilege in adapting this idea since they are always on the airlanes belting out songs from various artists for their listeners nationwide, and even perhaps outside the Philippines via the internet links.
Generally, most of the radio stations have a voluminous stock of records/albums in their shelves so that some are perhaps gathering dust and untouched for years. Some were either dotted with moist and molds. Time to open wide these shelves now and start cleaning those dirtied albums and instrumental pieces and play them on the airwaves for additional entertainment.
Since there are too numerous to count those various compositions of songs-adaptation songs, love,classic,rock,ballads,jazz,reggae,rap,antic songs,etc-covering the 1930s,40s,50s,60s,70s,80s and 90s,a round-robin scheduling in playing these songs should be adopted as a policy for a fair playing. This system of playing should be strictly imposed by the FMs/AMs/Sws Station Managers to their disc jockeys who should be obliged to implement the new musical programmings. Not forgetting that in playing English and Tagalog songs, regional songs in a particular region should be played side by side with it. Cebuano songs in the Cebuano-speaking regions; Waray-Waray and Cebuano in the Waray-Waray-speaking region; Hiligaynon and Cebuano in Negros Oriental and Occidental; Bicolano in the Bicol region and Ilocano in the Ilocandia regions.
In applying this new kind of musical programming, which is a radical departure from the traditional ones employed by the majority of disc jockeys in the country for many many years now, it must be closely monitored by the respective Station Managers. This is to see that the newly-adopted system will be put into practice and maintain by all of the FM s/AMs/SWs stations.
As it is discussed earlier, songs of the past 7 decades are irreplaceable, timeless and inimitable. What were composed at that time cannot be composed anymore by the breed of composers and songwriters nowadays. The simple reason is that the gift of music varies from composers to composers. We should not abandon the songs of the past decades. They are precious and priceless as long as real and full-blooded music lovers, young and old, are concern. Songs are also agless.Only man will aged. Songs will always remain unchanged by the movement and the passing of time. If the songs were pleasant and melodious to hear and listen to in the past, it will remain the same. The pleasantness of its tunes and melodies will not be affected by the passing of years and even decades. Relegating yesteryears songs in the shelves of oblivion is a waste of talent and time among the composers’ efforts in creating those songs. Its existence would then become meaningless. The only way to make it meaningful and useful to the society of music lovers is to play them from time to time via the round-robin scheduling.
All music lovers, regardless of his/her nationality, creed or race, will love to listen to various music and all kinds of songs and music.
When I was a kid in the 1950s,I love listening to music/;songs and instrumental pieces done in guitar and in piano. Although I do not understand English, Tagalog or Spanish songs at that very young age, I love to listen to their songs everytime I heard it on the radio. Much more to Cebuano songs. It seems that irrespective of what kind of lyrics the songs were written I always love the singers’ renditions of the songs’ tunes and melodies. I have also learned that some of the songs I have heard at that time were in the1930s and 40s compositions. It is also much better for the current disc jockeys to revive the style of the past disc jockeys of announcing the titles and names of the singers of some songs that are seemingly new to the listeners but in truth have already recorded ten or more years ago. The purpose of this measure, which is actually a public service, is a kind of sharing of informations to make their respective hundreds and thousands of listeners become familiar with those songs. This is the main reason why until now I can still recall some titles of songs and names of singers in the past decades.
Notwithstanding the kind of songs an FM/AM/SW stations have compiled and kept, the important thing is that it will adopt a system of a round-robin scheduling so that every song has the opportunity and a chance to be heard by radio listeners. Disc jockeys in either aforementioned radio stations should not wait for a request of songs to be played. They should adopt a free-wheeling style of playing various songs from various bands and different local/foreign soloists/singers for 3 days. What would be the only changes is the time the various songs are being played. The three-day successive playing is an important measure for the listeners to embed the lyrics and tunes of the songs in their minds for familiarity. and easy recall. Then another set of songs will be culled from the same bands and soloists as every band and soloist has commonly numerous songs to their credit, also for 3 successive days playing. When all of the songs of some bands and soloists were already played on the airwaves, and then time to subject other bands’ and soloists’ albums for selections. The same pattern will be continually applied to other bands and soloists until all stock of songs available in every radio stations will all be played, then back to square one.
The playing of selected songs schedule always starts every Monday. It would mean that the playing of the second batch would start playing on Thursday up to Saturday. Sunday would always be featured songs from various bands and soloists that a certain FM/AM/SW stations have possessed. Songs played on that particular
Sunday should be repeated the next Sunday. Of course with the same purpose to embed the songs’ tunes and lyrics for the listeners familiarity.
The round-robin scheduling of playing numerous collections of songs/music is the only fair and effective way in order that available songs in all FM/AM/SW stations in every country throughout the world will have the time to be played on the airlanes and be heard by its respective listeners for total musical entertainment.
How can the young, adult and old music lovers recognize and appreciate a song or songs if they don't hear them at all? How can they make a request of any songs if they do not know its title and name of singers and its composers? Putting this idea into sustainable implementation and serious application by all concerned Station Managers of all kinds of radio stations in all countries of the world is profoundly beneficial to all peoples who are under the mantle of a Musical World.
Songs of (living and dead)bands and soloists to be covered in a wide collections of repertoire in the three mediums, local and foreign, among others, are the following: Jaime Salazar, Nora Hermosa, Al Comendador,Taks Suguete,Serges dela Peña,Carmen Camacho, Pauline Sevilla, Ben Zubiri,Dos Compadres, Max Surban, Yoyoy Villame,Diomedes Maturan, the new breed of Cebuano singers in the 1970s,80s and 90s,Pelita Corrales, Nora Aunor,Carmen Soriano,Linda Alsid,Mercy Molina, Eddie Mesa, Eddie Peregrina,Victor Wood, Carmen Pateña, Louie Levant, Fred Panopio,Cenon Lagman,Ruben Tagalog,Ric Mandrique,The Reycard Duet, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole, Natalie Cole, Pat Boone,Sherley Boone, Helen Reedy, Andy Williams, Buddy Haley, DianaRoss, Whitney Houston, Bobby Goldsboro, Barry Mannilow,The Platters, The Drifters, The Four Seasons, The Temptations, The Association, The Turtles, The Animals, The Four Tops, The Righteous Brothers, José Feliciano,Freddie and The Dreamers, Connie Francis, Doris Day,Timi Yuro,Brenda Lee, Sue Thompson, Paul Anka,Niel Sedaka,Herman’s Hermits, Del Shannon,Niel Diamond, Cliff Richard, Carole King, Jack Jones, Tom Jones, Sarah Vaughn, Dusty Springfield,Lulu,Lettermen,Dave Clark Five, The Beattles,The Rolling Stones, Gerry and the Peacemakers, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, The Village People, Credence Clearwater Revival, The Monkees,The Beach Boys, Bee Gees, The Cascades, The Bread,Everly Brothers, Simon and Garfunkel, ,The Ghost Squad,Air Supply, , Firehouse, Bobby Vinton, The Ghost Squad, Shamrock and the Pharaohs, Ohio Express, Peter and Gordon, Chad and Jeremy, Patti Page, Celia Black, The Hollies, The Searchers, The Spiral Staircase, The Fabulous Echoes, Anita Bryant,Petula Clark, Jerry Vale, Eddie Fisher, Billy Walker, Teddy Randazzo,Matt Monroe, Patsy Cline, Joni James,Engilbert Hamperdenck,Chubby Checker, Michael Jackson, Julie Andrews, Steve Lawrence, Johnny Mathis, The Eagles, Johnny Tilottson,FreddieFender,TheScorpions,Metallica,Queen,Bon Jovi;Tito,Nash and Bill;Harry Velafonte and all Spanish songs, instrumental numbers done in guitar and in piano pieces, and among other singers whose songs are available in some of the music stations worldwide.
Since there are countries in the world whose mother tongue is not English, the round-robin scheduling of playing various songs in 3 or 4 languages in any music stations is likewise applicable and adaptable to those countries that have music stations. We must sustain, cherish, nurture and patronize the songs and music written and compose in our respective mother tongues so that each country throughout the world can develop its respective strong multicultural foundations as a distinct identity of each race and nationality.
This novel idea, unperceived by the majority of disc jockeys in the Philippines, and most probably in other countries, is a win-win thing to adapt.1)FM/AM/SW disc jockeys who will adopt this ideas discussed in this article and put into regular practice in weeks, months and years indefinitely from generation to generation will have a gradual increase on its listeners, thus making their respective stations popular;2)Their respective listeners will be able to hear and listen to a wide variety of songs that would satisfy their cravings for various melodies and tunes;3)Recording companies would increase their sales of different albums to meet the demands from music lovers who want to listen and sing it themselves for learning and mastery;4)Paying of radio slot time for advertisements would increase as well as free-of-charge public services;5)Composers/Musicians will also continue to receive their royalties from their recorded songs that they’ve composed, thus encouraging and inspiring them to compose more and more songs for the pleasure and satisfactory entertainment among music lovers worldwide.
Additionally, all recording companies in the Philippines and worldwide must have their respective 2 copies as files for every song’s lyric and 2 copies for its music sheets that they have recorded for future references. This is vitally important because in the future some music companies, music lovers and musicians may want some lyrics of the songs and music sheets they like but could not find any lyrics and music sheets of some songs anymore even in the internet. Two files of every album/CD from every band and every singer is also recommendable for future reference as the needs arises. Because of overlooking the importance of having files for every song’s lyric and its music sheets, some websites like that of Cliff Richard, Del Shannon, Brenda Lee, Timi Yuro, Jerry Vale, Eddie Peregrina and other websites dedicated to some of the yesteryears popular singers, viewers were invited to post/contribute their songs’ lyrics if they have any in their possessions (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)