Power of sound

Netnet Camomot .

THE senior moment’s skeptical and cynical brain has learned to stop making New Year’s resolutions. But I’ve been trying to read books. Operative word: trying.

I’m now reading two books, since the first one—Nancy Friday’s “The Power is Beauty”—can be too serious, it’s like doing research work. But the second book—Paul Toutonghi’s “Red Weather”—has been gathering dust on a coffee table, I have to read it again from the first page since I can’t relate anymore with page 50, where the bookmark is.

At least, Friday’s book is not a story, thus, I don’t have to recall its previous pages in order to understand the current page I’m reading.

I may have to start reading a third book in case I’m totally lost with “Red Weather.” Hmmm, “third time’s a charm,” as the famous line goes.

Now that the “ber” months are here, expect the weather to be, well, not red. But the right word also starts with the letter R: rainy. With December as the worst for typhoons. Remember Sendong? Oh, a Cagayanon will never forget Sendong. That’s one sad memory that will be handed down from one generation to the next.

On Sunday night, Mindanao Gold Star Daily associate editor Cong Corrales, who also writes a column here in the Opinion page every Tuesday, took a photo of the current bad weather then and posted it on Facebook with the caption, “Thunderbolts and lightning.” My comment was, of course, “Very very frightening me.” Someone then commented with, “Galileo!”

This was not the first time for that spontaneous Facebook “sing-along” to happen for Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Other songs may also end up the same way in the Comments section once someone starts writing a song’s lyrics.

“Bohemian Rhapsody” is now a movie, to be shown in November 2018, featuring the story and songs of Queen and its late lead singer, Freddie Mercury. Its trailer is now being shown in theaters and even that is already eliciting an excited “Wow!”

“We Are the Champions,” “We Will Rock You,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “Another One Bites the Dust” are also Queen songs that have turned classic, it will be interesting to watch the film that will hopefully reveal the real story behind the headlines.

By the way, “Another One Bites the Dust” can be a theme song for Tokhang and the war on drugs.

Hotdog is another band whose songs have also remained relevant and popular in the 21st-century Pinas. I did ask an 18-year-old Pinay if she knows the Hotdog band, and she said, “Familiar.” How about the song, “Manila”? The same reply: “Familiar.” Then, she added, “Tigulang na man na sila.” Ouch.

Yes, Queen, Hotdog and the bands of their generation are now old. But they made great music that has managed to last even up to now. That’s one achievement that only a few can replicate.

And then, at 9:38 pm on Sunday night, Hotdog’s co-founder Dennis Garcia posted a photo of his brother, Rene, and captioned it with, “i will miss you like hell, bro!”

Talk of shocking news. Rene Garcia, 65, died of cardiac arrest at 8 pm that night. He was the band’s co-founder and lead singer.

And there I was, mulling over regrets. I’ve not watched a Hotdog concert due to this unrealistic belief that they would always be as healthy as they were in the ’70s when the band began and made the “Manila Sound” famous.

When a foreign artist or band performs here in Pinas, there’s the avid Pinoy fan comparing costs—at least he doesn’t have to pay for plane tickets and hotel accommodations for their concert abroad.

Hotdog, on the other hand, is a local band, and the Pinoy fan thinks, They’ll always be here.

Well, guess what—not always.

Rene Garcia had this distinct voice that gave life to “Manila,” “Langit Na Naman,” “Annie Batungbakal,” “Bongga Ka Day,” “Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko,” “Beh, Buti Nga,” and other Hotdog classics.

Any ’70s dance contest loves to use their greatest hits as nostalgia embraces the balikbayan or overseas Filipino worker with “Manila”: “Hinahanap hanap kita Manila/Ang ingay mong kay sarap sa tenga/Mga jeepney mong nagliliparan/Mga babae mong naggagandahan/Take me back in your arms Manila/And promise me you’ll never let go/Promise me you’ll never let go.”

As for the hopeful romantic, there’s “Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng buhay ko/Ilang beses ko ba namang sasabihin sa ‘yo/Sa piling mo, tanggal ang lumbay/Ni kasiyahan walang kapantay.”

Plus “Langit Na Naman”: “Wala nang iba para sa akin/Maging sa panaginip ikaw ang nais makapiling/Di pagpapalit kahit kay Rio Locsin/Wala nang iba para sa akin.”

The young Rio Locsin was then every boy’s ideal girl, in case the millennial is wondering.

Nora Aunor also became part of Hotdog’s story when she starred in “Annie Batungbakal,” the plot of which was based on the song’s lyrics: “Si Annie Batungbakal na taga Frisco/Gabi-gabi na lang ay nasa disco/Mga problema niya’y kanyang nalilimutan/Pag siya’y yumuyugyog, sumasayaw.”

FYI: “Beh, Buti Nga” was inspired by Queen. Six degrees of separation right there.

Music has a way of reminding us of the past. One line of a song, and there’s the young once going, Sigh.

Oh, well.

If ever Dennis Garcia will decide to write a book about Hotdog, that will definitely be an interesting read.