Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko

Another (somewhat) bad translation from yours truly, this time requested by my bespren and bosom buddy, Aims. It's an old song, something our parents were listening to in their early twenties, I think. ^^ Hope you like it.


Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko
lyrics by Rey Valera

Kung tayo ay matanda na
Sana'y 'di tayo magbago
Kailanman, nasaan ma'y
Ito ang pangarap ko

Makuha mo pa kayang ako'y hagkan at yakapin, hmm...
Hanggang pagtanda natin
Nagtatanong lang sa'yo ako pa kaya'y ibigin mo
Kung maputi na ang buhok ko

Pagdating ng araw ang 'yong buhok
Ay puputi na rin
Sabay tayong mangangarap
Ng nakaraan sa'tin

Ang nakalipas ay ibabalik natin, hmmm...
Ipapaalala ko sa'yo
Ang aking pangako na'ng pag-ibig ko'y lagi sa'yo
Kahit maputi na ang buhok ko


Even When My Hair Has Lost Its Color
translated by Tina

When we're old and gray
I hope we don't change
This is what I long for
Wherever I am, whatever the time of day

Could you bear to kiss me and hold me in your arms, hmmm...
Until we grow old
I'm just asking if you'll still love me
When my hair has lost its color

The time will come when your hair also loses its color
Let's dream together of good times past

We'll bring back the old days, hmmm...
I'll help you remember
The promise I made to love only you
Even when my hair has lost its color

Joh-pahy, kah-moose-tah kuh nahhh...

It's usually really amusing when an American tries to speak Tagalog. He tends to prolong the vowels or put the accent on the wrong syllables; for instance, he might say "Tag-uh-lohg" instead of Ta-ga-log, or "muh-boo-hey" instead of ma-bu-hay. Once he's familiar with the rhythm of the language his efforts are easier to understand, but the accent remains; he now says "Thi-gah-luhg" and "muh-boo-high." Still amusing, but improvements nonetheless.

Now, an American singing in Tagalog would be another matter altogether. You can imagine my amusement when one of my roommates showed me a Youtube video of this white guy from New Jersey singing covers of Pinoy rock bands. He calls his music jOePM, a pun on what an American guy is usually called in the Philippines, and the acronym for original Pinoy music. So far he's already sung songs by the Eraserheads, Parokya ni Edgar, Sugarfree, and Mayonnaise. His pronunciation is pretty good, albeit still accented (hence the title of this post); it looks like he's been practicing. I doubt that he understands what he's singing, though. ^^ At any rate, he seems to be a true fan of OPM, and apparently the Philippines in general - in his video of Jopay, there's a Philippine flag hanging from a table in the room. From the looks of it he either has Filipino relatives or Filipino friends, maybe both; he even visited somebody in Kalookan City and played for a bunch of kids while he was there. It's heartwarming to see his enthusiasm for Pinoy music; when he says, "Kah-moose-tah muh-nga rah-kees-tahng Pee-noy? (How are you, Pinoy rockers?)" I wanna reply, "Rakenrol!"

He accepts requests for OPM songs, although I'm not sure if he sings any non-Tagalog ones. Maybe I should request Francis M's Mga Kababayan Ko (My Countrymen), or Three Stars and a Sun; maybe he can rap too. :D