T@$*%nang Lyrics 'Yan: The Legacy of Sugarfree

This is it. The end of Sugarfree's 12-year stint in the Philippine Music Scene (PMS?). 12 years of heart-felt lyrics on life and love. 12 years of "personal" anthems...of songs that several people claim to be "theirs."

I was at their farewell concert last night (Sugarfree Live: Paalam Pilipinas), and in the middle of the sweaty, smelly crowd, I found myself in a trance (in other words: TULALA). I felt my heart soar and plummet to the ground several times...like I could relate to each and every song at that specific moment. It's been awhile since I've been to a local gig (foreign acts in Araneta Coliseum & MOA concert grounds do not count)...and I must admit that I missed it -- feeling the energy of the crowd, getting carried away by their passion, getting carried away by my passion, feeling the beat of the bass and the drums, getting lost in the lights, singing along and feeling every note.

(On a related note: I miss concert photography. I miss being able to aim my camera's lens towards the bright, colorful stage...and getting a really good shot out of it, despite the darkness that surrounds it. Nothing beats a concert photo...you can feel the color, the energy, and the music coming out of the jpeg file. *see what I mean by checking out my concert photos from before, here.* I will post the photos from last night, soon.)

I don't know what it is about Sugarfree's music, but their words really hit you straight on. Unapologetically emotional, openly bigo, heart-wrenching, and painfully TRUE. Listen to any one of their songs and I'll be damned if you can't relate to at least 1 line in their whole discography.

It's not just the words...the melodies FIT. Ebe's voice has this pleading, emo quality that grabs your heart and squeezes it as you listen to it. It's like he knows what you've been through...he can feel your pain/bliss/despair...he sees right into your heart and speaks exactly what's on your mind. Yes, so I'm being a bit melodramatic here...but take a look at some of the poignant lyrics below and see if you are not reduced into a puddle of mush after.

Everybody can relate to love/unrequited love/infatuation/loss/heartbreak/falling/disappointment/regret. Sugarfree's music tells us the stories of our lives. We listen to them, reminisce, relive the pain...and we keep coming back for more.

* * * *

Words of attraction and true love:

"Pagka't sa isang taong mahal mo ng buong puso

Lahat ay gagawin

Makita kang muli..." -- Makita Kang Muli

"Nalalasing sa 'yong tingin

Di malaman-laman ang gagawin...

Habang lumalim ang gabi

ay lumalapit ang ating mga labi!" -- Prom, Dramachine

"Alam mo bang kanina pa ako magdamag ng nakatingin sayo?

At di mo lang alam

Sa gitna ng kadilimang, di mapakali

Ako'y nabighani..." -- Mariposa, Sa Wakas

Words of comfort:

"Wag ka nang umiyak

Mahaba man ang araw

Uuwi ka sa yakap ko." -- Wag Ka Nang Umiyak, Tala-Arawan

"Tulog na, mahal ko

At baka bukas ngingiti ka sa wakas

At sabay nating haharapin ang mundo

Tulog na...hayaan na muna natin sila." -- Tulog Na, Dramachine

Desperate words:

"Tinatawag kita

Sinusuyo kita

Di mo man marinig

Di mo man madama..." -- Burnout, Sa Wakas

"Ngayong gabi 'pag nagri-ring ang telepono

Ikaw ang naiisip ko

Tumawag ka, tumawag ka...darling, please

Tumawag ka naman..." -- Telepono, Sa Wakas

Words on change and goodbye:

"Kung iisipin mo

Di naman dati ganito

Teka muna, teka lang

Kelan tayo nailang?" -- Burnout, Sa Wakas

"Oh, hello? Di na kita naintindihan.

Malabo na ba ang linya sa ating dalawa?" -- Telepono, Sa Wakas

"Kapansin pansin ang iyong ganda ngayong gabi

At ang lungkot sa iyong mga ngiti

Ang kislap sa iyong mga mata'y wala na...

Kita sa iyong tinging nagsasabing

Tapos na ang lahat sa atin." -- Huling Gabi, Tala-Arawan

Words of regret:

"Pagkakataong mawawala kapag di hinawakan
Madudulas kapag di iningatan..." -- Hintay, Sa Wakas

"Nasanay lang sigurong nandiyan ka

Di ko inakalang puwede kang mawala

Ayan na nga..." -- Unang Araw, Sa Wakas

"Nagsisising matatapos ang gabing alam nating meron nang taning

Nagsisising gigising sa katototohanang di ka naman talaga akin..." -- Mariposa, Sa Wakas

Words about remembering and wondering:

"Walang ilaw...brownout sa aking mundo
Sa init naiinip
Sa dilim nangangapa
Naalala tuloy kita..." -- Kandila, Dramachine

Sino ang unang bumitaw? Sino ang unang bumigay?
(Minahal kita hanggang sa kahuli-huli)
Sino ang unang bumitaw? Sino ang unang bumigay?
(Saan ba tayo nagkamali?) -- Huling Gabi, Tala-Arawan

"Ngayong wala ka na
Kailangang masanay na muling nag-iisa
Sa'n ka na kaya?" -- Unang Araw, Sa Wakas


Moving on, letting go:

"Di ko na kayang mabuhay sa kahapon
Kaya mula ngayon...
Magpapaalam na sayo ang aking kuwarto." -- Kuwarto, Dramachine