Love Songs: Waiting in the Wings

love songs: waiting in the wings

love love songs. I mean, I love songs in general, but I’m a sucker for passionate well-written love songs, and I believe we have plenty of that in OPM (Original Pilipino Music). Including some of my favorites in Waiting in the Wings was such a fun thing to do, but also a little daunting, only because I couldn’t really quote the lyrics in the book. Often, I wondered if describing the songs was enough to get their messages across, and when I felt that wasn’t enough, I put together a Waiting in the Wings Spotify playlist.

Today, I’m sharing the lyrics to the four OPM songs mentioned in the book, together with English translations so that international readers may also understand what they mean. Please bear in mind though that I’m not a translation expert, but I tried my best to capture the feeling of the songs. Take a look/listen:

Iniibig Kita / I Love You

Iniibig Kita (words and music by Ryan Cayabyab), or Ramon’s audition song, was first mentioned in Chapter 8, when he rehearses the song in front of Erin. Click here to listen to a version by OJ Mariano.

Iniibig KitaI Love You
Kulang ang araw at gabi
Pag kita'y kapiling
Kahit ang bukas ay di rin sapat
Upang mamasdan lamang kita

Labis kitang minamahal
Pag-ibig ko'y walang kapantay
Kung kaya ko lang abutin ang mga bituin
Tiyak ito'y gagawin

Chorus:
Malaman mo lang
Wala nang ibang
Mas hihigit pa sa pag-ibig ko sa iyo
Walang ibang magmamahal nang tulad ko
Sana'y paniwalaan mo
Iniibig kita

Kulang ang araw at gabi
Pag kita'y kapiling
Kahit ang bukas ay di rin sapat
Upang mamasdan lamang kita

(Repeat chorus)
Days and nights are never enough
Whenever you're beside me
Even tomorrow won't suffice
If I wanted to gaze at you

I love you so
My love is unparalleled
If I could reach for the stars
I will surely do it

Chorus:
So you would know
There's nothing else
That could surpass my love for you
No one else will love you like I do
Please believe me
I love you

Days and nights are never enough
Whenever you're beside me
Even tomorrow won't suffice
If I wanted to gaze at you

(Repeat chorus)

Maghihintay Sa ‘Yo / I Will Wait For You

Maghihintay Sa ‘Yo (words and music by Dingdong Avanzado) appeared in Chapter 14. This is the song Ramon sings during the impromptu jam session that happened at Jericho and Hiraya’s engagement party. Click here to listen to the original version of the song, sung by Dingdong Avanzado.

Maghihintay Sa 'YoI Will Wait For You
Ikaw ang syang ligaya ko
Nagbibigay sigla sa puso ko
O giliw ko, pakinggan mo
Ang nais sabihin ng aking puso na...

Chorus:
Mahal, mahal na mahal kita
Hindi ako magbabago
Asahan mo ito
Mahal, mahal na mahal kita
Ang puso ko'y iyong iyo
Asahan mong maghihintay sa'yo

Ang puso ko'y malulumbay
Kung 'di ikaw ang kapiling sa habang buhay
Pag-ibig ko'y walang hanggan
Maghihintay sa iyo magpakailan pa man

(Repeat chorus)

At magbuhat, ngayon at kailanman
Ikaw ang iibigin
Ito'y iyong dinggin

(Repeat chorus)

Hindi ako magbabago
Asahan mong maghihintay sa'yo
You are my happiness
(You) bring life to my heart
Listen, my dear
To what my heart wants to say, that...

Chorus:
I love you so much, my love
Trust that I will never change
I love you so much, my love
My heart is yours and yours alone
I promise that I'll be waiting for you


My heart will be lonely
If I don't get to spend the rest of my life with you
My love is eternal
(And) I will wait for you forever

(Repeat chorus)

And from now and evermore
Hear this:
You will be the one I love

(Repeat chorus)

I promise that I'll be waiting for you

Nandito Ako

Also in Chapter 14, the song Nandito Ako (words and music by Aaron Paul del Rosario) was mentioned. It was the song Ramon and Erin danced to. Click here to listen to the Nyoy Volante version, which is how I imagined Jericho playing/singing it.

Nandito AkoI'm Here
Mayroon akong nais malaman
Maaari bang magtanong?
Alam mo bang matagal na kitang iniibig?
Matagal na akong naghihintay

Ngunit mayroon ka nang ibang minamahal
Kung kaya't ako'y 'di mo pinapansin
Ngunit ganunpaman, nais kong malaman mo
Ang puso kong ito'y para lang sa iyo

Chorus:
Nandito ako, umiibig sa iyo
Kahit na nagdurugo ang puso
Kung sakaling iwanan ka niya
Huwag kang mag-alala, may nagmamahal sa iyo
Nandito ako

Kung ako ay iyong iibigin
Di kailangan nang mangamba
Pagkat ako ay para mong alipin
Sa iyo lang wala nang iba

Ngunit mayroon ka nang ibang minamahal
Kung kaya't ako'y 'di mo pinapansin
Ngunit ganunpaman, nais kong malaman mo
Ang puso kong ito'y para lang sa iyo

(Repeat chorus)
There's something I want to know
Can I ask you a question?
Do you know that I've been loving you for so long?
I've been waiting a long while

But you love someone else
And you don't take notice of me
Even then, I want you to know
That this heart of mine is only for you

Chorus:
I'm here, loving you
Despite my bleeding heart
In case (he) leaves you
Don't worry, someone loves you
I'm here

If you choose to love me
You don't have to worry
Because I will be your slave
Only for you, and no one else

But you love someone else
And you don't take notice of me
Even then, I want you to know
That this heart of mine is only for you

(Repeat chorus)

Ikaw Lamang / Only You

Ikaw Lamang (words and music by Dodjie Simon) appeared in Chapter 15 as Pio’s audition song. Click here for a version by Piolo Pascual. Did Pio’s name come from Piolo’s? Maybe. 😛

Ikaw LamangOnly You
Ikaw ang pangakong taglay ng isang bituin
Tanging pangarap sa Diyos ay hiling
Makapiling sa bawat sandali

Ikaw ang pag-ibig sa araw at gabi
Ikaw ang pag-asang tanglaw sa dilim
Napapawing hirap at pighati

Chorus:
Langit ang buhay sa tuwing ika'y hahagkan
Anong ligaya sa tuwing ika'y mamasdan
Sa piling mo ang gabi tila araw
Ikaw ang pangarap
Ikaw lamang

Ikaw ang pag-ibig sa araw at gabi
Ikaw ang pag-asang tanglaw sa dilim
Napapawing hirap at pighati

(Repeat chorus)
You are the promise carried by a star
The only dream I asked from God
Is to be with you every moment

You are love every day and every night
You are hope that shines in the dark
Easing away (my) difficulty and pain

Chorus:
Life is heaven each time I kiss you
I feel such joy every time I look at you
Night seems like day in your arms
My dream is you
Only you

You are love every day and every night
You are hope that shines in the dark
Easing away (my) difficulty and pain

(Repeat chorus)

EXTRA NOTES: While writing the translations, I realized once again how much I love my native tongue. There are emotions expressed in Filipino that don’t quite sound as powerful when translated in English, so I felt like some of the translated lyrics read a little cheesy. 😛 I hope you guys enjoyed this, though! ^_^

 

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