Anak (song)
"Anak" (Filipino for child or more accurately my son or my daughter) is a Tagalog song written by Filipino folk-singer Freddie Aguilar. It was a finalist for the inaugural 1977 Metropop Song Festival held in Manila. It became an international hit, and was translated into 26 languages.[1] The lyrics speak of Filipino family values.[2]
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[edit] Inspiration and composition
Freddie Aguilar left family and school unfinished at the age of 18. His father, who had wanted him to be a lawyer, was disappointed. Freddie travelled to far-away places carrying with him, solely, his guitar. With no one to guide and discipline him, he got into gambling. Realizing and regretting his mistakes five years later, Freddie composed Anak, a remorse song expressing apology to his parents. He went back home and asked for forgiveness from his parents who welcomed him with open arms. After his father read the lyrics of Anak, the two became closer to each other. The homecoming proved timely as soon after, his father would pass away.[1] According to Felipe de Leon, Jr., an authority in Philippine Music, the song was composed in a Western style but has aspects of pasyon, a form that many Filipinos can identify with.[2]
[edit] Impact
"Anak" became a finalist in the first MetroPop Song Festival. It went on to become very popular in the Philippines and eventually abroad. The song generated a hundred cover versions, was released in 56 countries and in 26 different foreign languages, and it has sold 30 million copies. Billboard reported that the song was the number two world hit of the 1980s. As of 2006[update] it was unsurpassed as the all-time highest-selling record of Philippine music.[1]
A successful movie of the same name was released in 2000, with a plot inspired by the lyrics of the song.[2]
[edit] Other recordings or versions
- ASIN (from the 1978 album Masdan Mo Ang Kapaligiran)
- Larry Matias (from the 1978 self-titled album)
- Regine Velasquez (from the 1991 album Tagala Talaga)
- Gary Valenciano (from the 2000 movie soundtrack Anak) (only appears on the movie soundtrack)
- Sharon Cuneta (from the 2000 movie Anak) (used in movie credits)
- Kuh Ledesma (from the 2000 album Duet With Me)
- Side A (from the 2001 album The Platinum Collection)
- The Kelly Family (from the 1980 single Alle Kinder brauchen Freunde)
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Dot Ramos Balasbas-Gancayco (2006-12-12). "Still up on his toes (an interview with Freddie Aguilar)". The Philippine Star. http://telebisyon.net/balita/Still-up-on-his-toes/source/119613/. Retrieved 2010-06-06.
- ^ a b c Rodell, Paul A. (2002). Culture and customs of the Philippines. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 186. ISBN 9780313304156. http://books.google.com/books?id=y1CVR74_KHQC&pg=PA186&dq=anak+freddie. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
[edit] External links
- Anak Epilog, youtube.com
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