Lately

Lately, I have

• been writing songs
• been directing events
• been getting some sun
• been nursing a badly wounded heart
• been pounding my blues away on Kyle - my new toy djembe given to me as a gift by the other half of Kokum, Konrad a.k.a. Piper (love you!)
• been watching a lot of Discovery and National Geographic
• been busy relearning the piano to help me write songs
• had my hair shaved
• had Kokum's logo tattooed on my arm
• been seriously considering getting a permanent tattoo
• been living free and easy - no tight schedules!
  

Whooo! I love my life!

Paglalayag

Dalhin mo 'ko kung saan lahat bago
Kung sa'n walang kilala kahit sino.
Magkahawak-kamay nating libutin
Itong mundo ng pag-ibig natin.

Handa na 'kong harapin ang mundo.
Ikaw na nga ba'ng makakasama ko?
Oh sana, sana, sana nga'y totoo!

Gumawa tayo ng kastilyong buhangin
Sabay buuin ang pangarap natin.
Lumangoy sa dagat, tangay ng hangin
Sa paraisong pinanalangin.

Handa na 'kong harapin ang mundo.
Ikaw na nga ba'ng makakasama ko?
Oh sana, sana, sana nga'y totoo!

Abutin ang ulap na maputi
At balutin natin ng ngiti.
Dito, ikaw ang tanging kahati
Maging sa ligaya o pighati.

Handa na 'kong harapin ang mundo.
Ikaw na nga ba'ng makakasama ko?
Oh sana, sana, sana nga'y totoo!

Lumaya nang lubus-lubusan
Maglayag sa 'ting pagmamahalan.

Oh sana, sana, sana nga'y totoo!

- written January 9th

Nakaw-Tingin

Nagsimula sa isang sulyap,
Sa maikling sandali
Nagtalik ang mga mata:
Ilang saglit ng pagnanasa
Na makaniig ang isa't isa.

Pagsamong 'di ikinaila,
Pag-iisang hinangad nang lubusan
Inihayag sa isang tingin.
Pagtanging tulad ng sa isang bituwin
Sadyang ibinato sa hangin.

Woooh...

Dapat bang pagsaluhan ang isang kahangalan

Isang pagtinging walang katiyakan?

Dapat ba kong umasa sa isang malik-mata

Isang sandaling sadyang hindi atin?

Nakaw-tingin

Ikinatakot ang paglilingkis
Ng malalagkit nating titig

Nangamba sa 'yong pagsuyo
Umiwas ako't piniling lumayo.

Umalpas na ang sandali,
Dagli ko itong naisip
At tinanggap nang malugod.
Pero naaninagan ka sa 'king likod
Pinili mo palang sa aki'y sumunod.

Woooh...

Dapat bang pagsaluhan ang isang kahangalan

Isang pagtinging walang katiyakan?

Dapat ba kong umasa sa isang malik-mata

Isang sandaling sadyang hindi atin?

Nakaw-tingin

Ang apoy ng paggiliw mo,
Mabilis na sumiklab, mabilis ding naglaho
Biglang binawi ang hamon mo
Isip mo'y kaagad na nagbago.

Bago pa 'ko nakakurap
Nawala ka na lang nang parang bula.
Tinangay na ng hangin
Palayo sa mainit kong pagtingin,
Palayo nang palayo sa 'king piling.

Woooh...

Dapat bang pagsaluhan ang isang kahangalan

Isang pagtinging walang katiyakan?

Dapat ba kong umasa sa isang malik-mata

Isang sandaling sadyang hindi atin?

Nakaw-tingin

- written January 9th, revised with music January 12th

Mr. Bora

Hey, Mr. Bora, nasaan ka?
Saang butas ka nakalungga?
Sinuyod ang Station 3, 2, at 1
Pero ang ‘yong kakisigan, ‘di pa rin naaninagan

Pa’no na’ng paraisong ito
Kung di rin lang ikaw makakasama ko?
Uuwi bang luhaan, masakit ang tiyan
Nasa’n ka, Mr. Bora, nasa’n?

Oh, Mr. Bora!
Oh, Mr. Bora! Magpakita ka!
Oh, Mr. Bora!
Oh, Mr. Bora! Magparamdam ka na!
Oh, Mr. Bora, nasa’n ka na nga ba?

Hey, Mr. Bora, nasaan ka?
Nag-iisang lalaking makapagpapaligaya
Matagal pinangarap makadaupang-palad
Pero ang ‘yong kasarapan, ‘di pa rin natitikman

Pa’no na ang puso kong ito
Na nangungulila sa iyo?
Uuwi bang mag-isa, umiiyak walang kasama
Nasa’n ka, Mr. Bora, nasa’n?

Oh, Mr. Bora!
Oh, Mr. Bora! Magparamdam ka na!
Oh, Mr. Bora!
Oh, Mr. Bora! Magpakita ka!
Oh, Mr. Bora, nasa’n ka na nga ba?

Oh, Mr. Bora!
Oh, Mr. Bora! Magparamdam ka na!
Oh, Mr. Bora!
Oh, Mr. Bora! Magpakita ka!

(Repeat until fade out)

- written January 8th, revised January 26th with music by Kokum

Dreamshore

The sun sets on me today
Wiping my sadness away
The sky slowly turning gray
As thoughts of you fade away

Sailboats gliding gracefully by
As I let a tear fall from my eye
The clouds high up in the sky
Paint sweet pictures of goodbye

I am alone on the shore of dreams
Blowing cigarette smoke in streams
Dusk sets on my, on my love tonight
And I'm ready now, ready now, to give up the fight

Gave it all I could ever give
But you didn't wanna believe
You know I've my life to live
And that's why I had to leave

I am alone on the shore of dreams
Blowing cigarette smoke in streams
Dusk sets on my, on my love tonight
And I'm ready now, ready now, to give up the fight

But if by chance you think of me
Remember me most sweetly
I loved you with all my heart
I loved you

Oooh, baby

And I'm ready now
And I'm ready now
And I'm ready now, ready now, to give up the fight

Give up the fight....

- written January 8th, at the shores of Boracay, music completed January 25th

Drift

It's the turn of the year
I see everything clear
Got a new job at a new place
Ready now to run the race

Packed my bags and said goodbye
To all the ones that passed me by
Everything fresh, everything new
It's all too good to be true

I face the road ahead

With much ado 'bout nothing
But the truth is I am running

Running away from you

Running away from you, oh woooh

Running away from you, oh woooh

Looked back at the pier
As mem'ries disappear
Of the love that I once knew
Farther away from you

Now I reach the shores of promise
But something's still amiss
Not everything fresh, not everything new
It's not complete without you

I face the road ahead

With much ado 'bout nothing
But the truth is I am running

Running away from you

Running away from you, oh woooh

Running away from you, oh woooh

I have crossed the seas and oceans blue
Only to find my heart...

Drifting back to you, oh woooh

Drifting back to you, oh woooh

Drifting back to you, oh woooh

Drifting back to you

- written January 7th, on the night I arrived in Boracay, revised with music January 13th

Kokum Rising

We call ourselves the Kokum Band or simply Kokum, the hottest band to come out of the closet. We write songs, we sing, we play music, and we touch lives.

Meet Konrad, the guitarist (in red), and Kumpradia, the percussionist-drummer (in beige).

Together, we are Kokum. By the way, here we are, at the dry run of our recording. It felt good. It felt right.

Here we are with our newfound friend, Jay Durias, who is all out in support of Kokum.

This is it. Mark this day, for today is the beginning of Kokum rising.