Waray Songs -- The Naughty and The Nonsense

"The Waray people were musically-inclined. They sang every day and stopped singing only when they were sick or when they were asleep." I read this in William Henry Scott's book titled Barangay: 16th Century Philippines.





Apparently, the modern-day Warays are very similar to their ancestors in that respect. Musically inclined, that is. Proof of this is the popular and the folk songs composed by the Waray people, many of which were sung and recorded by artists like Balinsasayaw Singers, Ms. Cielo Tibe, and Mabuhay Singers.



Aside from the love songs and the ones that made their way to the mainstream music scene are some other songs which up to this day remain undocumented. Go around Samar and Leyte and you will notice a lot of singing. You will likewise hear two types of Waray songs -- the naughty and the nonsense. Below are some of the songs with their lyrics. {This is Rated SPG (Strong Parental Guidance). You may read at your own risk.}


Inggids
May ako inggids nga bag-o pero daan
Halipot an leog tandos la an kupsan
Akon pangutan-an kon sin-o an ngaran
Si Mr. Tanduay nga adto sa tindahan.


Ismayling
Ismayling pakpak
Ulunan taplak
Higdaan katre
Sa adlaw gab-i
Tukba na sudlot
An kan Inday pugtot
Isul-isol ngadi
Kay mahuro-hagkot.

Karantahon
Si Loloy matawa-tawa
Bisan halipot may karantahon
Diri buwas, kundi yana.
Taron nga lahing.

Katsapa

May katsapa nga dinapa sa bangalog
Nga nagtatabag sin kosta nga hininog
May man tango pero lunod di natukob
Dakpa iton kay im sangod.

Misay, misay, misay
Misay nga mambanon
Sinaka kagab-i
An suga ginparong
Dayon ko la buhat
Ngan panginanoon
Salbahis nga misay
Kinupkop la dayon.

Hala la, hala la
Kupkop la, kupkop la.
Basi ka takasan
San akon mantika.
Hala la, hala la
Kupkop la, kupkop la.
Basi ka takasan
San akon mantika.


Pinya
Ako magtatanom sin lemon
Sa iyo libong bayai
An im asawa kay kita
An magpipinya.

Ako magtanom sin lemon
Nga waray dahon
Natudok in maagahon
Naghahanap sin kamatayon.

Nanggamot iton niyan
Nananaringsing san im tiyan
Tiunay ka Inday
Sa kasing-kasing.


Pitaka ug Batuta
Sindo babaye, may pitaka
Sindo lalaki, may batuta
Nakakita ak sin pitaka
Ginbatuta.


Tanaman
Kahawan, kahawan
Kan Inday tanaman
Haglapad an dahon
Kaupay sirungan
Sindo an nalabay
Nga may kabilinggan
Nadiskanso anay
Kan Inday higdaan.

Pirikoykoy, pirikoykoy
Pirikoriyang, pirikoriyang
Sa kahoy
Sindo an nalabay
Nga may kabilinggan
Nadiskanso anay
Kan Inday higdaan.


Tipatay
Kinikila an tipatay
Nalaylay an pamitay
Nasulod, naguwa
Nasulod, naguwa
Napakanhi ka la
Paghimo sin bata.

Ada pa man ngay-an
Ada pa man ngay-an
Nagbinitay-bitay
Nasulod, naguwa
Nasulod, naguwa
Napakanhi ka la
Paghimo sin bata.

Tugon

An tugon ko sa im pinalangga
Ayaw pagpalabti an nabutnga
Kon may iba ka na nga ginpapalangga
Patabuk-tabuki gad la.

These songs are either senseless or replete with double meanings and are usually sung in informal gatherings or drinking sprees. The good thing is that you forget to dwell on the nonsensical and sometimes vulgar text and learn to enjoy the songs because of their melodies.



7 comments:

  1. This is interesting Rhodora, I enjoy getting to know different things about people:)

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  2. LOL I remember some of these songs from my childhood! We are indeed a very "musical" people, very talented! =) Salamat han pag-share Doray!

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  3. I love it when people go around singing. My teenage son wakes up singing and sometimes he wanders around playing his guitar. Music puts a whole different feeling on your day. I was so interested to hear that a whole group of people do this.

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  4. The power of music is so wonderful. Though I don’t know the language and so can’t understand the lyrics, the music sounds beautiful and I enjoy the video very much.

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  5. Thanks for checking this out, fellow bloggers.

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  6. hi...
    good day... ^_^

    is "Tugon" really the title of this song?:
    "Antugon ko sa im pinalangga
    Ayawpagpalabti an nabutnga
    Kon mayibakananga ginpapalangga
    Patabuk-tabuki gadla."

    and is this also part of the "Tugon" song?: "Kon pagbubulangon, an duha nga manok, perdi an kan inday kay waray tutoktok...."

    I really want to download this song, but I don't find a result on google when I searched it, can you please give me a download link for this?, I'll do anything in return.

    please send me a link, here's my email (gmail): johnreygoden49@gmail.com

    or just send it via sms: 09052073779 (Globe)

    thanks in advance...
    ^_^

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  7. Thank you so much for your Blog. My nanay was from Samar and she used to sing Ismayling to me as a kid when she tried to make me take a nap. I don't know waray but being able to see the lyrics and was really precious.

    Would you know what the song means?

    ReplyDelete