“AKO LANG.”

Friday, March 13, 2009 at 1:30am

The first I took time to play the CD “Ako Lang” in the car on the way home from Katipunan was on Tuesday evening. And song after song, I realized ,”Wala ka nga’ng itatapon ni isa ( there’s no track wasted ).” Each song was a chapter in Jim Paredes’ life as himself, freely flowing. And I have always believed that when one knows the story behind the creation of each song, it has the power to allow him to appreciate it even deeply.

The hardcore sentimental me had tears wanting to fall down as soon as the lyrics of the 3rd track came out clearly as it played! Hahaha. It was called “Lumisan Na Siya.” I explained to a friend today that it was the kind of track that you would love listening to when driving on a highway on the way to Tagaytay, Baguio or Batangas “na humahagulgol (bursting in tears)!”

Tthe 5th captured me, nonetheless , because it was a song he wrote for his wife Lydia and children Erica, Ala and Mio. When I was browsing through the list of tracks, I asked if it was mellow - he said yes, and that’s the song only he can sing because no other man will have the same names of his wife and children. Made sense?

“Live Your Own Life,” if I can recall, was the one he played during our workshop which he wrote for his daughter as she began to face her world and “Thank You,Mama” was a personal tribute to his mother.

I liked that it was limitless in the scope of creating what materials he recorded. To quote Jim, “Naglaro ako sa album na yan.” And that playground, actually, was like a sandbox where kids played and threw sands at each other! He played, too, with the musicians who collaborated with him. I think Ugoy-ugoy was it. This was Jim Paredes’ playground in the form of these 10 songs he wrote in 1996 and 1997. Original Filipino sound that had that calming effect of a lullaby according to my sentimental standard.:)

Thanks,Jim. If for anything, we take the inspiration from the fact that you’re walking us through this road. How much longer would it take on this journey doesn’t really matter at all, as long as we all share the connection under one premise. This album is your gift.