Thursday, August 11, 2005
The Straits Times, Thursday, 11 August 2005, Forum
RECENT NATIONAL DAY SONG LACK MASS APPEAL
Watching the spectacular National Day Parade on Tuesday, I was struck by the evolution of National Day songs over the past couple of decades.
The recent repertoire, including this year's Reach for the Skies, is ostensibly more melodic, sophisticated and attuned to popular culture than the previous decades' Count on Me Singapore and We are Singapore.
And yet, despite the former's congruence with current tastes, the songs just don't seem to catch on as readily with Singaporeans as the simpler, folksy songs of yesteryears. As I watched the spectators belt out Stand up for Singapore an the other campfire-like songs, but sway silently to the newer sounds of Home and the aforementioned 2005 National Day song, I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps the latter are just a tad too sophisticated for mass singing.
These National Day songs are meant to rally Singaporeans in celebration of the special day and to generate a feeling of pride in our country.
That invariably involves the songs together as a nation. But mass singing requires simple melodies, "reachable" notes, and easy-to-remember (that is, repetitive) lyrics – elements that the latest songs don't quite possess. Though I have enjoyed the fresh, inspirational and aspirational harmonies that showcase our country's young talent, our National Day songs should b be timeless, not just hip now.
Perhaps we should look towards creating less demanding songs that can bridge the gap between the nerdy old-school chants and the newer inaccessibly-pitched tunes – songs that people of any vocal range can readily belt out with pride.
I have also noticed that songs of recent years mention the words "Singapore'" and "Singaporeans" sparingly or not at all. Though I fully recognise that it is unnecessary to punctuate the songs with these terms (for we all know who we are and where we live_ and that this makes for a more universally acceptable piece of music that wouldn't embarrass school-going children and teens when compelled to learn and sing these numbers, these words offer the songs an identity of which we should be proud enough to declare.
One of our more memorable tunes proclaimed, we are Singapore, Singaporeans, so why not say it (o sing it) with pride?
-- Marisa Low Tze-Mien (Ms)
¶ 8/11/2005 01:05:00 am RECENT NATIONAL DAY SONG LACK MASS APPEAL
Watching the spectacular National Day Parade on Tuesday, I was struck by the evolution of National Day songs over the past couple of decades.
The recent repertoire, including this year's Reach for the Skies, is ostensibly more melodic, sophisticated and attuned to popular culture than the previous decades' Count on Me Singapore and We are Singapore.
And yet, despite the former's congruence with current tastes, the songs just don't seem to catch on as readily with Singaporeans as the simpler, folksy songs of yesteryears. As I watched the spectators belt out Stand up for Singapore an the other campfire-like songs, but sway silently to the newer sounds of Home and the aforementioned 2005 National Day song, I couldn't help but wonder if perhaps the latter are just a tad too sophisticated for mass singing.
These National Day songs are meant to rally Singaporeans in celebration of the special day and to generate a feeling of pride in our country.
That invariably involves the songs together as a nation. But mass singing requires simple melodies, "reachable" notes, and easy-to-remember (that is, repetitive) lyrics – elements that the latest songs don't quite possess. Though I have enjoyed the fresh, inspirational and aspirational harmonies that showcase our country's young talent, our National Day songs should b be timeless, not just hip now.
Perhaps we should look towards creating less demanding songs that can bridge the gap between the nerdy old-school chants and the newer inaccessibly-pitched tunes – songs that people of any vocal range can readily belt out with pride.
I have also noticed that songs of recent years mention the words "Singapore'" and "Singaporeans" sparingly or not at all. Though I fully recognise that it is unnecessary to punctuate the songs with these terms (for we all know who we are and where we live_ and that this makes for a more universally acceptable piece of music that wouldn't embarrass school-going children and teens when compelled to learn and sing these numbers, these words offer the songs an identity of which we should be proud enough to declare.
One of our more memorable tunes proclaimed, we are Singapore, Singaporeans, so why not say it (o sing it) with pride?
-- Marisa Low Tze-Mien (Ms)
