12.27.07 kulturnatib

Comme d'habitude

Huh? Exactly my reaction when I heard this bit of French, comme d'habitude. This translates in English to, 'as usual.' So?

Not much really. But, for those among us who have to say something (almost always) about the Philippines or Filipinos, this bit of French or the history associated with it is useful information, if only to have handy in the trivia pocket.

This piece of trivia relates directly to this distinction – self-awarded, not surprisingly – of being a people who will, at the drop of a hat or, even, for no reason at all, break into song.

We are, in short, singers and, for Cebuanos, guitar players. Music thus, for those who equate national identity with something innate, is in our blood. As it happens, murder or homicide, as well.

'As usual' doesn't ring a bell except as a common enough English expression. But, the translation from the French that rings a huge bell for us is this: My Way.

Aha! Now we're talking.

So, talk gets around to this at the dining table with Canadian friends; 'My Way,' and how the Philippines has earned the distinction – this time confirmed in what is developing into a world authority on almost all matters, the Wikipedia – as being the country where “. . . it has been reported to cause numerous incidents of violence and homicides among drunkards in bars . . . .”

Along with this entry is a link to news of the latest reported killing in the city of San Mateo dated June of this year by an irate security guard who couldn't stand the off-key singing of 'My Way,' and the way the singer wouldn't listen to him who wanted it his way, for the singer to stop singing.

I also related having been at a party sometime two or three years ago in Makati where I met a group of film students from Denmark who were in the country to do a documentary of those who had fallen to the murderous charms or compulsions of this song and that at that time they had just been back from Samar tracking down the family of one victim who was willing to be interviewed on camera.

'My Way' is related to the earlier mentioned French phrase as a matter of parentage. At least as for the French song's melody whose publishing rights were bought, altered, restructured and given English lyrics.

The person to do this is singer Paul Anka who, as happens, is a Canadian from Ottawa and has a street named after him there and who, it seems, is among those Canadians who make it big outside Canada – the Philippines comes immediately to mind, think Celine Dion, Michael Buble, and others – before Canadians would hear of them.

Paul Anka then gives the rewritten song to Frank Sinatra who, as Paul Anka relates, was at that time, wanting to quit show business. Sinatra records it in 1969 on an album with the same title and, as they say, the rest is history.

One bit of history – obscure as it may be for many – that is worth mentioning here is the short film produced by Produksiyon Trantomina of Bacolod City. This film is patterned after the classical videoke music video where the song lyrics appear below the screen with a 'bouncing ball' that moves through the lyrics as they are to be sung as an aid to the singer or singers.

The content of the video is that of an embalmer going about his business as a baker would with his. Filmed in black and white, it contrasts the frankly grisly action with the embalmer's practiced and professional nonchalance that, with the lyrics and the bouncing ball that takes on a positively airy disposition, makes one clutch the stomach from the hilarity of it and, at the same time, to keep the stomach's contents from gushing out.

Still, My Way, is a somewhat appropriate Philippine anthem, which also translates to 'Only In The Philippines.'

As we shuffle towards the exit door of 2007 and stumble into 2008 we might give this some thought. And, just possibly, alternately laugh and cry.