Tirso Cruz: Composer of Mabuhay — My Philippines

The composer of Mabuhay — My Philippines — usually sung and played upon the arrival of the President — is the legendary Tirso Cruz. The marching hymn was first performed on May 16, 1931 at The Manila Hotel, where Cruz was ‘mainstay’ — conductor of The Manila Hotel Orchestra. Cruz was then the most popular and highest paid orchestra leader in Manila.

Words were written by James King Steele.

Remember When? prints the complete lyrics of Mabuhay — My Philippines.

Deutschland toast with pros-it

Sweden answers skoll

England says here’s cheerio

And lifts the flow-ing bowl

Japan shouts her ban-zai

But out in the Phil-ip-pines

You hear this cheer-ry cry

Chorus

We say Ma-bu-hay

We say Ma-bu-hay

Under the blue sky

When our friends sit by

Gree-ting a farewell

A toast that will wear well

We lift our glass-es and say

Ma-bu-hay!

Gol-den days of trop-ics

Where the blue waves toss

Gleam like gorgeous jewels

Neath the South-ern Cross

Soft brown eyes are spark-ling

Lus-cious lips come near

If you lis-ten close-ly

This is what you hear

Chorus

Sunny lands of laughter

Set in South-ern Seas

I long to be back again

Be-neath your man-go trees

When I’m in the is-lands

Where I’m going to stay

We will raise a brim-ming glass

And this is what we’ll say

The descendants of Cruz are, to date, all over showbiz, especially music.

Think of Tirso Cruz III (Pip) and the other Cruzes, including: Carding, Joey, Diana, Jeffrey, Sunshine, Donna, Sheryl, Renzo, Geneva, Rayver, Rodjun, Melody and Jesse (Ricky Belmonte). — RKC