Tag: sunday music

“Paglisan” by Color It Red (1994)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, 14 November 2021
Photo by Ms. Nikki A. Vergara, 2020 at Victoria, Laguna.

We go OPM (Original Pilipino Music) this Sunday with Color It Red’s 1994 single Paglisan from their Hand-Painted Sky album released that same year. Twice did we hear it played this week on two occasions as if accompanying us in our life journey: first was last Tuesday after a friend reminded me of our dinner the following day with her husband before they migrate to Canada and second at the funeral of a former classmate’s husband who suddenly died of a heart attack.

Paglisan perfectly matches our Sunday readings in preparation for the closing of our liturgical calendar two weeks from now. In the gospel we hear Jesus speaking of the coming tribulations and cosmic signs to signal the end of the world for his Second Coming when everything is finally made new in him, vanishing evil and sins on the face of earth. But it is not all destruction and end – it is actually a prelude to new beginnings in life in God.

Endings are new beginnings we must always welcome and anticipate with joy and gladness like the end of the world for the Second Coming of Christ (https://lordmychef.com/2021/11/13/endings-are-new-beginnings/).

Ms. Cookie Chua lends the most perfect voice and attitude to the song Paglisan that speaks about the death of a beloved or maybe a break up. So peaceful and serene with some birds chirping signaling the start of a new day, the song speaks of how everything must come to an end like a journey. And in every leaving and ending, there is always the love that remains and keeps us one with those who have left us.

Kung ang buhay ay isang umagang nakangiti
At ikaw ay ang lupang sinusuyo ng bituin

‘Di mo man silip ang langit
‘Di mo man silip, ito’y nandirito pa rin

Kung ang lahat ay may katapusan
Itong paglalakbay ay makakarating din sa paroroonan
At sa iyong paglisan, ang tanging pabaon ko
Ay pag-ibig

Sa pagbuhos ng ulan, sa haplos ng hangin
Alaala mo ay nakaukit sa pisngi ng langit

‘Di man umihip ang hangin (ah)
‘Di man umihip, ika’y nandirito pa rin

Kung ang lahat ay may katapusan
Itong paglalakbay ay makakarating din sa paroroonan
At sa iyong paglisan, ang tanging pabaon ko
Ay pag-ibig
Ay pag-ibig
Ay pag-ibig

The year is about to end. Let us be thankful for the people and experiences we have had this 2021 despite the pandemic. May we continue to do our part in working for a better future.

Have a blessed week ahead!

*We have no intentions of infringing into the copyrights of this music and its uploader except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.

From YouTube.com

“Lifesong” by John Klemmer (1980)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, 07 November 2021
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It is a very lovely first Sunday of November with so many good things happening around us with the decreasing number of COVID-19 patients and lowering of our alert level. Enjoy and appreciate life but keep your guard, stay safe, practice health protocols, and thank God, remember God for his blessings!

This Sunday Jesus is inviting us to level up, to make a shift in our perspectives and points of view (POV) on wealth and poverty, sharing and grandstanding, on our life in relation with one another, and most especially with God our Father (https://lordmychef.com/2021/11/06/life-is-more-than-pov/).

And that is why we have chosen the cool and soothing jazz piece by American musician and artist Jeff Klemmer called “Lifesong” released in 1980 from his album Midnight Madness.

In this piece with vocals by Danny O’Keefe, Klemmer gives tribute to his beloved wherein he expressed how his entire music has been his expression of great love for her, of how he had let himself be absorbed in her that he gave his very self to her and his music. The song could also be referring to Klemmer’s music which he loves so much.

The lyrics are simple and noble, sincere and honest that perfectly match the melody and relaxing beat of the music interspersed with Klemmer’s saxophone.

I’ve been living all my life
Living just to play for you
Playing all the words
I could never say


But the music says it all
And you know that it’s true, yes you do
That I have to play the words
That I can’t say to you

It’s a life heard through a horn
It all comes from the heart, you see
All the ways you stay
Together & a part of me

All my life I’ve played for keeps
What else could I do
I’ve played it all for love
When I played it all for you

In essence, both Klemmer and Jesus are telling us that the key to fulfillment in life is when we are able to give our total selves to the one we love, when we are able to love someone more than our self for that is when life becomes truly rewarding.

Many times, we cannot let go of our self and personal interests that actually hold us back from growing and maturing. Life is about giving up, of total giving of self.

Have a blessed week ahead!

*We have no intentions of infringing into the copyrights of this music and its uploader except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.

From Youtube.com

“You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want)” by Joe Jackson (1984)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, 24 October 2021
Photo by author, ancient city of Jericho in Israel, May 2019.

It’s a dark and gloomy Sunday with some rains across Metro Manila and like our gospel filled with joy and inspiration in Jesus Christ’s healing of the blind man named Bartimaeus, we bring you Joe Jackson’s 1984 hit single You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want) from his album Body and Soul.

We find Jackson’s song perfectly matched the story of the blind Bartimaeus who got what he wanted from Jesus when he passed by Jericho because he has always been focused on what he really wanted in life which is to be able to see (https://lordmychef.com/2021/10/23/seeing-jesus-walking-with-jesus/).

Many times in life, we are easily distracted from our goals and aspirations by many other things that “blind” us and thus divert us from our aims in life. Exactly what Englishman Jackson says in this great musical piece of sophistication – from lyrics to melody and instrumentations!

Sometimes you start feelin’ so lost and lonely
Then you’ll find it’s all been in your mind
Sometimes you think someone is the one and only
Can’t you see, it could be you and me?
But if there’s any doubt
Then I think I’ll leave it out

Cause I’ll tell you one thing
You can’t get what you want
Till you know what you want
Said you can’t get what you want
Till you know what you want

Sometimes you keep busy reaching out for something
You don’t care, there’s always something there
Sometimes you can’t see that all you need is one thing
If it’s right, you could sleep at night
But it can take some time
But at least I’m here in line

Cause I’ll tell you one thing
You can’t get what you want
Till you know what you want
Said you can’t get what you want
Till you know what you want

We’re sure that you too would be giving a great AMEN! after listening to Joe Jackson’s “explosive” live performance of You Can’t Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want).

*We have no intentions of infringing into the copyrights of this music and its uploader except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.

From YouTube.com.

“The One I Love” by R.E.M. (1987)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, 17 October 2021
Photo by Alex Powell on Pexels.com

Finally, I have found an opportunity this Sunday to feature one of our most favorite bands in the 1980’s with its superb music and mysterious – and controversial lyrics – R.E.M. with their first hit song in 1987 The One I Love that has often been misinterpreted by many people as a straightforward love song when in fact it is the opposite.

According to lead vocal Michael Stipe, he was hesitant at first in recording this song because it is about people using people repeatedly for selfish gains, describing it as so “brutal” with a line that says “A simple prop to occupy my time” – of how a man uses the one he “loves” like a thing! 

This one goes out to the one I love
This one goes out to the one I've left behind
A simple prop to occupy my time
This one goes out to the one I love
Fire
Fire
This one goes out to the one I love
This one goes out to the one I've left behind
A simple prop to occupy my time
This one goes out to the one I love

Stipe explained that the song never referred to any actual person nor event except that the band simply played up its lyrics while on tour with just one word at its chorus which is “Fire”.

One can readily find that it is not a love song at all by watching its music video that is generally dark except for some scenes of blue skies with white clouds that featured empty apartments and sad-looking couples.

But such is the genius of these four men who got together to form R.E.M. while students at the University of Georgia in 1980 as one of the earliest alternative rock bands who’s other major hit is called “Losing My Religion” – another song that one must not take literally as anti religion. But, that is another story we are reserving in the future.

We chose R.E.M.’s The One I Love because of its direct relationship with our Sunday gospel, especially at that part in the end when Jesus summoned the Twelve to himself to explain to them the basis of their relationships after the ten became indignant with the brothers James and John’s request from him to be seated at his right and his left when he assumes his kingship as the Messiah or Christ.

“You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 10:42-45

Here we find Jesus clearly telling us how our relationships must be based on love and respect, serving the lowest and weakest among us unlike the way of the world that is based on power and dominance where everyone tries to escape sufferings and persecutions (https://lordmychef.com/2021/10/16/the-things-we-wish-vs-things-we-pray-to-jesus/).

Love always calls for giving up of self, thinking always the good of the other person. Not using them as props.

*We have no intentions of infringing into the copyrights of this music and its uploader except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.

From YouTube.com.

“Question Me An Answer” by Burt Bacharach/Bobby Van (1973)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, 10 October 2021
Photo by Dr. Mylene A. Santos, MD, 2020.

I used to tell my students before that a person is known more with the questions he/she asks than with the answers he/she gives. Too often, our answers are wrong or not certain but if we ask the right questions, even if we do not have the answers immediately, we shall get the right answer at the right time as we mature in life.

What matters most is we ask the right question always.

And that is why we have chosen “Question Me An Answer” from the 1973 movie of the 1933 novel The Lost Lost Horizon for our Sunday music this week. Written by Burt Bacharach and sang by the late Bobby Van in the movie, Question Me An Answer may sound very American and colonial but still, the message is never lost, especially if you listen well to Van’s introduction to his students at Shangri-La.

In this Sunday’s gospel, we find Jesus being asked by a man and then by Peter with questions we ourselves also ask sometimes because deep inside us, we are worried that no one can seem to provide us with the right answer.

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 

Mark 10:17

According to Mark, the man’s “face fell and went away for he had many possessions” after Jesus had answered fully his question which in turn bothered Peter who began to express to Jesus his worry over his answer to the man who had left.

Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.”

Mark 10:28

One of the beauties of seeking and following Jesus are the endless questions that come along our journey with him. That is why we need to pray always and ask for the gift of wisdom so we may be guided in this life that becomes more wonderful with the questions we ask, not with the answers we give, or even get (https://lordmychef.com/2021/10/09/our-secret-worries-in-life/).

And the good news is, next to Jesus to accompany us in this journey in life is we also have great music keeping us company.

*We have no intentions of infringing into the copyrights of this music and its uploader except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.

From YouTube.com

“I Feel Your Soul” by Noel Pointer (1981)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, 03 October 2021
Photo by author, 2019.

It is a laid-back Sunday, perfect for some soul-searching while listening to great jazz music like the late Noel Pointer’s I Feel Your Soul from his 1981 album All My Reasons. Mr. Pointer is so well-loved in our country having gone about once or twice for a series of concerts before.

Born on December 26, 1954 at Brooklyn, New York, Mr. Pointer was only 13 years old when he did his first solo performance doing a Vivaldi with Symphony of the New World that was soon followed by other guest appearances in various orchestras across the United States. He began playing the violin while a high school student that by the age of 19 in college, he was already a session musician jamming with the great jazz bands of that time.

He died in 1994, two weeks before turning 40 years of age but have left such a great impact in the music scene with his life and compositions.

I Feel Your Soul blends perfectly with our Sunday gospel today which is more than just the beauty and sanctity of the sacrament of marriage but also of the need for our relationships to reflect God’s beauty and holiness. We are designed by God to enter into communion with others, to form human relationships based on love and respect, not on impulses of carnal and selfish desires (https://lordmychef.com/2021/10/02/we-are-one/).

Mr. Pointer beautifully expressed this in I Feel Your Soul which is to be a tribute to his one and only love of his life, his wife Chinita with whom he had two daughters and a son.

When people live in harmony, in true respect and love for each, it is not difficult to feel and see one’s soul that must be pure and simple, like that of a child.

We have searched the internet but could not find a copy of the lyrics of this wonderful song which we transcribed with my kinakapatid (son of my godfather) Dindo Alberto. See for yourself the eloquence of Mr. Pointer.

It happened today 
when I looked in your eyes
state of amazement to utter surprise
as you smiled to me
it was revealed to me.

Nothing on earth could 
have suited me more 
just knowing finally you'd open
the door and you let me in
to the love within.

Now I clearly see
where your heart must be
I feel your soul
your beautiful soul.

I feel your soul
through the touch of your hand
your sweet caresses that you understand
when I am not myself
you finally lend your helping hand.

It is a feel good music that makes you experience the intensity of his voice and nobility of his love, especially the violin part played by Mr. Pointer who must be have loved his wife so much that after his death, Mrs. Pointer established the Noel Pointer Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing string music education to inner city students.

Let us be more true in our love for one another, especially family and friends who are all gifts from God we have to nurture and care for.

Have a blessed week ahead.

*We have no intentions of infringing into the copyrights of this music and its uploader except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.

From YouTube.com.

“You Can Call Me Al” by Paul Simon (1986)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, 26 September 2021
Photo by author, Singapore 2018.

Today’s featured music is one of our favorites by the great Paul Simon whose meaning we only realized now. We were discussing in our communication class last week the meaning of his classic Sound of Silence when I invited my senior high students to check this one too.

Released in 1986 from his seventh studio album Graceland that featured South African musicians, You Can Call Me Al according to Simon is inspired by a funny anecdote at a party he and his first wife Peggy Harper hosted in New York in 1970. Simon’s friend and fellow composer Stanley Silverman brought along the French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez who mistakenly referred to him as “Al” and his wife as “Betty”.

You Can Call Me Al became Simon’s first hit since 1980 which according to him is partly about himself and largely a man in a midlife crisis who went to South Africa at the midst of an economic embargo against that nation due to apartheid, so absorbed with so many mundane things that eventually ended up awakening to something extraordinary spiritual experience.

Filled with Simon’s poetic play with words that at first seem to be unrelated but by the time you are absorbed with his music, you realize how in this life God has blessed us with so many good things that we have marred with our selfish interests like labels and groupings, even names as Simon had experienced being referred to as “Al”!

A man walks down the street
He says, “Why am I short of attention?
Got a short little span of attention
And, whoa, my nights are so long
Where’s my wife and family?
What if I die here?
Who’ll be my role model
Now that my role model is gone, gone?”
He ducked back down the alley
With some roly-poly little bat-faced girl
All along, along
There were incidents and accidents
There were hints and allegations

If you’ll be my bodyguard
I can be your long lost pal
I can call you Betty
And Betty, when you call me, you can call me Al
Call me Al

A man walks down the street
It’s a street in a strange world
Maybe it’s the third world
Maybe it’s his first time around
Doesn’t speak the language
He holds no currency
He is a foreign man
He is surrounded by the sound, the sound
Cattle in the marketplace
Scatterings and orphanages
He looks around, around
He sees angels in the architecture
Spinning in infinity
He says, “Amen and Hallelujah!”

In our readings today, we find how people would always resort to labels and tags, names and groups in determining what is good and best for everyone when God has total freedom in dispensing his blessings to everyone. All good gifts come from God which he gives us meant to be shared with everyone for the building up of the community. How sad that in our simplistic views, we feel that we are doing a great service in jealously guarding the generous prerogatives of God and others.

In this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus reminds us that “sky’s the limit” when it comes to doing good in the name of God. The only limitation and obstacle we have to guard against in this life is sin (https://lordmychef.com/2021/09/25/and-god-said-sanaol/).

Have a lovely Sunday and a blessed week ahead with Paul Simon’s feel good video to his 1986 hit You Can Call Me Al with his friend, actor Chevy Chase.

*We have no intentions of infringing into the copyrights of this music and its uploader except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.

From YouTube.com.

“Stages” by David Benoit (1982)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, 12 September 2021
Photo by author, 2019.

It is very “bed weather” this Sunday in Metro Manila with the rains hopefully putting a stop to us all from going out unnecessarily to help lower the cases of COVID-19 that have set a new record in the country yesterday with over 26,000 infections.

Reflecting on the gospel this Sunday, right away we have thought of going instrumental with David Benoit’s 1982 title track for his album with the same title Stages from which came too his more popular songs Take A Look Inside My Heart and Promise Me A Carousel.

Benoit is an American jazz pianist, composer, and producer who has charted over 25 albums since 1980 and nominated for three Grammy Awards. A frequent visitor to Manila for concerts since the 1980’s, Benoit is best remembered as performer and music director of later adaptations of the Peanuts comic strip like The Peanuts Movie (2015).

Born in 1953, Benoit studied piano at age 13 and had himself immersed with great musicians and artists of his home state of California, particularly at Los Angeles where he is now based.

His music sounds sophisticated, very appealing as it incorporates classical beat into modern tunes that soothe the soul, giving you the right chill to meditate and free your mind and soul of negativities and many other things needed to be discarded so that you may be empty and be ready to be filled with fresher and better thoughts and ideas.

This we find perfect for us to answer Jesus Christ’s question to his disciples at Caesarea Philippi, “But who do you say that I am?” (Mk.8:29).

We can never grow deep in our knowledge of Jesus and faith in him unless we are able to say with personal conviction and commitment who he is. It is a lifelong process we go through “stages” (hence, Benoit’s music) that Jesus himself assured would be difficult and painful but fulfilling (https://lordmychef.com/2021/09/11/knowing-jesus-with-conviction/).

Stay home, stay safe, and let David Benoit’s music help you in your reflections.

Have a blessed week ahead!

*We have no intentions of infringing into the copyrights of this music and its uploader except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.

https://youtu.be/Lq-sYTxhhnw
From jose plays vinyl via YouTube.

“Out of Touch” by Hall & Oates (1984)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, 05 September 2021
Photo by author, 2020.

The “ber” months are finally with us and despite the daily five-digit number of COVID-19 infections, so many of us seem to be so “out-of-touch” with so many who do not seem to care at all for their loved ones nor for the country like our corrupt officials. Or to God at all.

That is why we have picked Daryl Hall and John Oates’ 1984 hit Out of Touch from their album Big Bam Boom. It was the heydays of Hall and Oates who were then called the “dynamic duo” of the music world with so many hits before and after this song.

We were in college when Out of Touch came with a lot of extended and remixed versions due to its great sound that everybody loved this song.

But, behind that danceable groove and beat, Out of Touch lyrics are so in-touch with realities in life that unlike their other compositions, Hall and Oates sounded a bit philosophical here that we find it perfectly attuned with our Sunday gospel where Jesus touched the ears and tongue of a deaf to heal him of his sickness (https://lordmychef.com/2021/09/04/opening-our-ears-and-heart/).

Shake it up is all that we know
Using the bodies up as we go
I’m waking up to fantasy
The shades all around aren’t the colors we used to see
Broken ice still melts in the sun
And times that are broken can often be one again
We’re soul alone
And soul really matters to me
Take a look around

You’re out of touch
I’m out of time
But I’m out of my head when you’re not around

You’re out of touch
I’m out of time (time)
But I’m out of my head when you’re not around

Oh oh oh oh oh oh

Reaching out for something to hold
Looking for a love where the climate is cold
Manic moves and drowsy dreams
Or living in the middle between the two extremes
Smoking guns hot to the touch
Would cool down if we didn’t use them so much, yeah
We’re soul alone
And soul really matters to me
Too much

Aside from their usual poetry, Hall and Oates say something so deep using many metaphors in narrating how a wonderful romantic relationship had suddenly turned bad because the lovers had been out of touch with each other like with these lines:

I’m waking up to fantasy
The shades all around aren’t the colors we used to see
Broken ice still melts in the sun
And times that are broken can often be one again
We’re soul alone

Notice how in both stanzas they both mentioned the importance of the soul, of the heart and inner self. Or of spirituality, if you may:

Manic moves and drowsy dreams
Or living in the middle between the two extremes
Smoking guns hot to the touch
Would cool down if we didn’t use them so much, yeah
We’re soul alone

We said in our homily today that opening to God involves our whole person, our whole being. Not just our eyes and ears, but most of all our heart. And the first step for us is to take a break from our ordinary life, from our daily routines that have numbed us that we have lost our consciousness of the present moment, even of our very selves. To a certain sense, this is the grace of the pandemic – an opportunity for us all to spend more time with Jesus in prayers at home or in the church and to bond and fix those broken ties in our family. Before the pandemic, couples and children rarely have the chance to be together even at meals due to each one’s busy schedule; but, with COVID-19’s new mode of work and learning “from home”, many were thrown off balance because some have long lost their sense of being with family members.

Beginning this Sunday, let us get in touch with our true selves, with others and with God to pull through this pandemic before it gets us and tell us how out of touch we have been.

*We have no intentions of infringing on the copyrights of this music except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.

From YouTube.

“Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo” by Yano (1994)

The Lord Is My Chef Sunday Music by Fr. Nick F. Lalog II, 29 August 2021
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

It is the last Sunday of August, the month we celebrate our National Language as we offer an Original Pilipino Music (OPM) that perfectly fits our gospel today about sincerity of our heart against all forms of hypocrisy, Yano’s “Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo” (Holy Dog, Saintly Horse).

Released in 1994, Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo is a cut from the band’s first album simply titled “Yano”. The band is composed of Dong Abay on vocals and Eric Gancio in guitar.

Many think Yano is from the word “Probinsiyano” or one coming from the province (probinsiya) or rural area; but, according to the band’s founder Abay in one account, yano means “simple” in their old Tagalog spoken in Quezon province.

Yano’s music is a fusion of western and ethnic Filipino but what set them apart from the other bands of the 90’s was their deep social and political themes. Unlike some bands who were just cute, Yano had depth and meaning in their songs that were poetic and even eclectic expressed in casual Filipino. One can notice right away the conviction when Abay sings even if the melody may sound light and easy like Kumusta Na, even playful (Esem)or sometimes mischievous (Tsinelas and Senti).

Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo is “spiritual” in a sense; it opens with a man laughing sarcastically with “Hihihihihi…” to introduce some vignettes of daily hypocrisies among us:

Kaharap ko sa jeep ang isang ale
Nagrorosaryo, mata n'ya'y nakapikit
Pumara sa may kumbento
"Sa babaan lang po", sabi ng tsuper, "kase may nanghuhuli"
Mura pa rin nang mura ang ale

Banal na aso, santong kabayo
Natatawa ako, hi-hi-hi-hi
Banal na aso, santong kabayo
Natatawa ako, hi-hi-hi-hi
Sa 'yo

Like today’s gospel, Banal na Aso, Santong Kabayo is timely during this pandemic when even if we have all the soaps and alcohol to wash our hands and all the prayers to recite to stop COVID-19, the virus will persist for as long as we have no regard for the dignity of every person. Washing of hands means washing of one’s heart, of cleansing ourselves of our sins and self-centeredness and other impurities (https://lordmychef.com/2021/08/28/two-hands-and-a-heart-in-between/).

May the music of Yano help you in examining your heart today.

Have blessed week ahead!

*We have no intentions of infringing on the copyrights of this music except to share its beauty and listening pleasure.

From YouTube.com.