CHUA-AY - Philippine Folk Song (Ifugao)

Chua-ay is probably among the most popular Ifugao folk song. This simple song first appeared in Emilia Cavan's book "Filipino Folk Songs" published in 1924. According to this book, Chua-ay is an "Igorot Wedding Song."

Nonetheless, it became popular in the academe as the Ifugao "rice pounding song," and the pounding of the pestles are supposed to follow the rhythm of the song. How this sudden change of understanding came down to present-day Filipino students is not known.

The song text translation below was taken from Cavan's book, p. "v."

Man-child brave, man-child strong,
For thee we call, oe!, oe!
Brave to fight, strong to work,
We bid thee come, oe!, oe!
Carry rice from field to town, oe!, oe!

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ILI-ILI TULOG ANAY - Philippine Folk Song (Hiligaynon)

Ili-ili Tulog Anay is probably the most popular Filipino lullaby. Thanks to Prof. Prisicilla Venturanza Magdamo who was able to record this gem-of-a-song from a certain Maria Abitang in Bañga, Aklan. It was later published in her Philippine Folk Songs: Songs of the Visayas Vol. 1 (with piano accompaniment), Vol II (fakesheet style), and in Vol. III for chorus. And the rest is history. The short soothing song simply means: Ili-ili (a crooning word for babies) sleep awhile/ Your mother is not here,/ She went to the store to buy bread/ Ili-ili sleep awhile. The notation below was taken from a learning module available online.

SI FILEMON - Philippine Folk Song (Cebuano)

This is among the most easily recognizable Cebuano-Visayan folk song. Thanks to Yoyoy Villame, this already popular song became even more popular especially to non-Visayan speakers. The comic song is about a fisherman named Filemon who went fishing in the sea. All he got was a small mudspringer ( tambasakan ), which he sold at a dilapidated market for 50 centavos ( kura ) each. His earning was enough to buy himself tuba wine.

FOLK SONGS FROM THE PHILIPPINES

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