Song adaptations, anyone?

Judging from the good sales performance of Payong and other hits by Ms. Ganda, there is money to be made here out of native language adaptations of foreign songs. This is the usual practice in most countries where everything foreign, songs, movies, video games, etc. are translated into the local language.

Adaptations never caught on here in a big way because the Philippines is considered “an English speaking country.” So they say, who needs translations or adaptations out here? Nobody daw. But there are instances wherein adaptations can work even in this part of the world that pegs its pop culture development on the US or as what is happening right now, on Korea. Watch out for the coveted Tagalog version of Nobody But You.

Then a few months ago somebody thought of doing adaptations, but of current hits, not oldies. Surprisingly the Tagalog versions made a killing. It was like rain after a long drought for a hit-starved music industry. Main reason was that the songs were actually good and will be so in any language. I also say it was perhaps because of the current low demand for originals, these are expensive to promote and the dwindling supply of oldies to revive. We have done them all. OK, maybe not Who Let The Dogs Out.

Then Right Now (Na Na Na) from the album Freedom by Akon came along. It became a big hit and was therefore ripe for the Tagalog treatment. It was alternative artist Blanktape who also did Chika Lang ‘Yon, who got to it first. He titled his song Banana. A record label, Alpha Music, liked it and released his CD. Some DJs liked it and played the song on the air. A lot of people heard it and were either amused or appalled.

Among those who were offended was the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), which requested radio stations not to play the song. A statement from Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez of Caloocan City and the CBCP called attention to the double meaning of the lyrics of the song.

I heartily agree. While freedom of expression is important and should perhaps take some precedence and Blanktape was probably just having fun when he wrote his Banana, decency also demands that the people involved should not offend the sensibilities of the public.

You say it is all in the mind. I do not buy that. It is in the mind, because that is precisely what the song wants you to think about. So if you want to buy a copy of the CD and listen to Banana in private, that is just fine. But to hear it blaring from loud speakers in the malls or the bus’ radio is something else.

As of this writing, one hardly hears Banana over the radio anymore and Alpha Music has sent out its apologies to the public. People listen when the CBCP speaks. That is good. What is bad is that Banana put to end, let us hope temporarily, the now lucrative practice of adaptations. Foreign publishers who control the rights to most hits have become very wary about licensing their songs to Filipino record labels. They do not want to end up with a Banana in their hands.

Meanwhile if you want to check out the original version and find out how Banana was born, get a copy of Freedom by Akon. This guy from Senegal is one of the biggest hip-hop artists in the world today and also one of the best. He has an innate flair for melody. He likes to experiment but always ends up with stuff that is danceable and easy on the ears.

Freedom comes after two big-selling albums, Trouble and Konvicted and hit singles like Don’t Matter, I Wanna Love You and Smack That. Best bets aside from Right Now (Na Na Na), are the sweet ballad Be With You, I’m So Paid, a collaboration with Lil Wayne and Holla Holla featuring T-Pain.

Also included are Beautiful, Keep You Much Longer, Troublemaker, We Don’t Care, Against The Grain, Sunny Day, Birthmark, Over The Edge and Freedom.

Take note Freedom is also a hip-hop CD with no “Explicit Lyrics” warning. Akon is cleaning up his act and gaining a wider market. Blanktape, who is a very good writer, should perhaps also take a cue from him in this regard.