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

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.

Misay nga Mambanon -- A Waray Parody of Mocking Bird Hill

Here's a Waray song I learned from my father. In the early 1970's he was assigned in San Antonio, Northern Samar as a PACD (Presidential Assistant on Community Development) officer and it was there that he learned the song.

Image source

I became familiar with the Mocking Bird Hill (by Patti Page) tune because of Misay nga Mambanon (Spotted Cat). I'm posting here the lyrics of the song. You may play the youtube video -- audio actually, because except for that static photo there's nothing else to see -- while singing Misay nga Mambanon.


MISAY NGA MAMBANON

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

Misay, misay, misay, misay nga mambanon
Sinaka kagab-i an suga ginparong
Dayon ko la buhat ngan panginanuon
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

To the "Warays" out there, I hope you'll include this in your list of favorite Waray songs. 

You might also like:
Misay: A Waray Folk Song (with voice clip and English translation)

Lyrics of Isla Han Samar (A Waray Song)

I.

Isla han Samar, tulo ka parte
May Este, may Weste, ug Norte
Ngaran han syudad, Calbayog City
Nga sakop han dapit ha Weste

Inin Borongan sentro han Este
Catbalogan naman ha Weste
Ug an Catarman sentro han Norte
An Samar kasumpay han Leyte.

Koro:

An mga bungto nga sakop hinin probinsiya
Han Western Samar: Catbalogan, Calbiga, Wright,
Ug sugad man an Pinabacdao
Talalora, Tarangnan, Marabut, Basey, ug an Villareal,
San Jose de Buan, Motiong, Jiabong
Sugad man an Matuginao.

II.

Upod gihapon an Zumarraga,
Sta. Margarita, Santa Rita,
Darram, San Jorge ug an Almagro,
Gandara, Tagapul-an, Sto. Niño
Inin Pagsanghan ug Hinabangan
Sugad man bungto han San Sebastian.
Isla han Samar nga akon natawhan
Tuna nga matam-is pagpuy-an.

Waray Tutorial: The Other Meaning of Pinya

To Filipinos, pinya is generally known as pineapple; however, there is another meaning of pinya that's familiar to Waray speakers. Let's take a look at this folk song I learned from San Roque, Northern Samar.

www.healthprivatecare.com

I

Ako magtatanom sin lemon

Sa iyo libong bayai

An im asawa kay kita

An magpipinya.
II

Ako magtatanom sin lemon

Nga waray dahon

Natudok in maagahon

Naghahanap sin kamatayon.

Loose translation:

I

I will plant a lemon tree

In your backyard.

You leave your husband

So we can be lovers.
II

I will plant a lemon tree

That has no leaves

A lemon tree that grows at dawn

Searching for death.

I recorded the song and uploaded it to youtube. Yes, that's the link to the song. Actually, it has a chorus, but I didn't include it in this post as well as on youtube. Perhaps I will, in the future. Anyway, if you're from Samar or Leyte, you must have heard this song before; hence, you know the part which I omitted. [(Update: You may listen to this song from this link PINYA: A Waray Folk Song (With English Translation)]

To the Warays, pinya may refer to the fruit or to a lover. In Samar, it is common to hear such statements as "Si Maria, pinya ni Mario" (Maria is Mario's lover) or "Magpinya si Maria ngan si Mario" (Maria and Mario are lovers). A couple is magpinya when engaged in an adulterous relationship. They are NOT magpinya if both parties are single and unattached.

Image source

Back to the song: it reflects the playful nature of the Warays and their fondness for symbolism in their language. The last four lines allude to a man's erection and to the sex act. The leafless lemon tree is, apparently, a phallic symbol.

Lyrics of a Waray Song (Kon Akon Madumduman)

Kon akon madumduman

Buktot ko nga ugangan

Daw marupok an akon dughan

Sugad san penitensiya

San bayaw ko nga buta

Dughan ko rinibenta

Dugangan pa man ngani

San bilas ko nga bungi

Diri na gud mahihimo

Pirit ko aantuson

Asawa ko nga hubagon

Mag-antos kay swerte naton.

More Songs:

Cha-Cha Waray Medley (with lyrics)
Waray Songs on Life and Love
Waray Songs -- The Naughty and The Nonsense
Misay Nga Mambanon: A Waray Parody of Mocking Bird Hill
Lyrics of Bahal Nga Tuba
Lyrics of Isla Han Samar