Lucio San Pedro’s Ugoy ng Duyan: Immortal lullabye

Lucio San Pedro has composed many songs and hymns, but he is most known for and associated with the lullabye Sa Ugoy ng Duyan. It is said to be as familiar as the Philippine National Anthem. Indeed, Sa Ugoy ng Duyan is the greatest, the most beautiful and famous Filipino lullabye. It is immortal.

San Pedro composed Sa Ugoy ng Duyan in the ’40s, meant to be an entry to the competition in 1943 during the Japanese Occupation. But because he could not find a collaborator to write the lyrics, he was not able to submit it.

In 1948, on his way home from studies at Juilliard School of Music in New York, San Pedro met Levi Celerio while on a stopover in Honolulu, Hawaii. During the rest of their trip, Celerio completed the lyrics of Sa Ugoy ng Duyan.

San Pedro drew inspiration from his mother Soledad Diestro, who hummed when he and his siblings were put to sleep.

Various artists interpreted Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, including baritone Aurelio Estanislao and soprano Evelyn Mandac. Popular singers also recorded Sa Ugoy ng Duyan, the likes of Pilita Corrales, Kuh Ledesma, Lea Salonga, Aiza Seguerra, Christian Bautista, Jeremiah and Regine Velasquez. The song is also part of the soundtrack of the Lorna Tolentino starrer Abakada…Ina.

Both San Pedro and Celerio were later named National Artists. They died in 2002, only two days apart from each other.

Sa Ugoy ng Duyan

Music by Lucio San Pedro

Lyrics by Levi Celerio

Sana’y di magmaliw ang dati kong araw

Nang munti pang bata sa piling ni Nanay

Nais kong maulit ang awit ni Inang mahal

Awit ng pag-ibig habang ako’y nasa duyan

Sa aking pagtulog na labis ang himbing

Ang bantay ko’y tala

Ang tanod ko’y bituin

Sa piling ni Nanay

Langit ang buhay

Puso kong may dusa

Sabik sa ugoy ng duyan mo Inay

Sana narito ka Inay

Sana’y di magmaliw ang dati kong araw

Nang munti pang bata sa piling ni Nanay

Nais kong maulit ang awit ni Inang mahal

Awit ng pag-ibig habang ako’y nasa duyan

—RKC