SUPERSTARstruck: The Nora Aunor Fanatics Blog

Sa tuwing pinapakinggan ko ang awiting “Pearly Shell”
na pinasikat ni Ms. Nora Aunor,
laging bumabalik sa aking alaala ang kahapon.

Taong 1974.
Grade 1 ako noon.
Excited ako sa paghahanda ng aking costume.
Bulaklaking salawal na kulay bughaw
at tinuhog-tuhog ng karayom sa sinulid na puti
ang puting bulaklak
na kung tawagin ay calachuchi
upang maging kuwintas ng hubad kong katawan.
Oo, sa unang pagkakataon,
sa mura kong edad,
iindayog ang aking katawan
sa saliw ng tugtuging “Pearly Shell.”

Hindi ko makakalimutan ang tagpong ito.
Tandang-tanda ko pa.
sa aming pagsasanay ng sayaw,
isang aksidente ang nangyari.

Nauntog ang aking ulo sa “door knob.”
Arraaayyyy!! !!!
Waaaaaahhhhhhhhh! !!!!!!
Ang lakas ng iyak ko as in.
Siyempre, napahiya ako eh.
At dumating ang ate ko para damayan
ako sa kahindik-hindik na mga kaganapan.

Mula Grade 1 hanggang Grade six,
folkdancer ako sa aming school.
At wala nang door knob na umeeksena.

You Tube video posted by Frida Manalo

Sumainyo nawa ang pagpapala ng Panginoon!

March 31, nagbigay-parangal at pagkilala kami sa mga taong
mahal namin sa aming komunidad ng mga katekista.
Sa pagnanais kong iparinig ang mga bagong awitin ni Ate Guy,
gumawa ako ng simpleng videos na may lyrics ng kanta.

1. Sa mga kasamahan namin dito sa Manila na nagkaroon ng
bagong assignment at dahil sa tawag ng paglilingkod at
pagiging masunurin ay malilipat ng ibang lugar

ang theme song para sa kanila ay “Sa Iyo Pa Rin.”

2. Sa kapatid naming namayapa nitong nakaraang Marso,
si Aldrin (please pray for him),
isang katekistang nasa ilalim ng aking pangangalaga,
biglaan ang kanyang pagkawala (na-heat stroke)

kaya theme song namin para sa kanya ay “Ganyan Nga Ba.”
Puwede rin ang “Habang Panahon” pero gagamitin
ko ito para sa susunod na susunduin (hehehe … joke).

At the end, komento ng aking kasamahang coordinator:
“Bro, nadalawahan mo kami ah.”
Natutuwa silang may paghanga. Angkop naman kasi ang mga awit.  

At kinakanta na nila pagkatapos.

At ako naman ay mananatili sa Manila pero maa-assign sa ibang area.
Kaya gagawa ako ng video para sa aking maiiwanan

na ang theme song ay “Friends.”

Sa aking pagtahak sa bagong assignment,

ang theme song ay  “Starlight.”

At para naman sa mga kapatid ko na ayaw palipat ng parokya
dahil ayaw ng pagbabago o komportable na (kung meron man),

ang theme song ay  “Ligaya.”

Ang isa pang plano ko, tribute naman sa mga katekistang “SINGLE” pa
(marami niyan dito; di na nakapag-asawa dahil kay Kristo, huh!)

ang theme song naman nila ay “Kailan.”

Ang iba sa kanila ay 50 years old na, umaasa pa (hehehe … joke uli).
pero ako, nagdesisyon na: “single-blessedness” forever.

During advent, meron kaming special lesson:
Advent and Christmas.  Kaya ang awiting “Pasko”
naman ang papasok.

O di ba ang saya!

Masaya ang maging katekista.
At kung kayo ay nagnanais magkatekista
o may kamag-anak, kaibigan, o
kakilalang gustong maging katekista,
makipag-ugnayan lamang po sa akin.

O kung may kakilala kayong gustong sumuporta sa
pag-aaral ng sinumang gustong  maging katekista,
just let me know.

New Nora Aunor CD Brings Back Beatiful Music . . .
by Ellen Alejano

It was late afternoon yesterday. I was at work and talking to my husband on the phone. “Is there a CD mail in the letter box?” I asked. Hubby replied, “Don’t know, I just got in and I haven’t checked.” I said, “Then go outside and have a look, will you? (Oops, sorry I forgot to say “Please.”) If the CD is there, then save it quickly from the scorching heat (it’s hot Oz summer here, folks, and late afternoon sun can be a bit unforgiving).” That was a lame excuse, I know, but can you blame me? I was just excited to know if I will finally be able to listen to that “priceless” CD of Ate Guy when I come home. Hubby got back on the line and said, “Yes, here it is—fresh from the oven.” Funny but true, it must be really hot inside that mailbox . . . just like inside the oven.

You guessed it right. I came home last night and the first thing I picked up was the CD mail. Inside was the signed copy of Ate Guy’s new CD album Habang Panahon. Precious! After reading the sweet note from dear Cece, I popped the CD into my PC. Instantly, the family room was filled with the all too familiar golden melodious voice, singing what else but the first cut “Habang Panahon.” From the first note, I was hooked. My nine-year-old daughter who was doing her homework at that time remarked, “I don’t understand what she’s saying but I like her singing.”(Hmmm . . . teach her more Tagalog words, Mom!) Then I heard someone said, “Nice voice!” Was that my husband? If I have to say this, my husband very seldom gives compliment and when he does, there’s almost always the “but” argument added to the end of it. So those words (without the “but”), well that’s true and honest compliment. I’ll take it wholeheartedly on behalf of Ate Guy, thank you very much!

I finished listening to all the songs. The whole time I sat glued to the computer chair. I soooo love the new CD. There are 10 original songs composed by husband-and-wife team of Bodjie Dasig and Odette Quesada. They provided the nice blend of backup vocals too. Each song is beautiful with pleasant tune and meaningful, easy-to-recall lyrics. The arrangement and the mix are refreshing. Even the Christmas song titled, what else, “Pasko” has a happy, catchy jingle beat. Ballad, jazzy, upbeat, pop (whatever!), Ate Guy sung with the perfect voice. Minus high notes and high-strung interpretation, the CD is truly music to the ears, soothing and affecting. Ate Guy’s voice remains brilliant through the years. It projects the right emotion (it helps to be a great actress too, doesn’t it?). Like vintage wine, her voice has matured with smooth texture that cuts through sharply but amazingly painless.

It is not easy to pick favorites from the CD. I like “Habang Panahon,” “Ganyan Nga Ba?” and “Sa Iyo Pa Rin” the first time I heard them. The other songs got better as I listened to them over and over. Excellent pieces! My little girl is now able to sing “Starlight” (at least she gets the meaning of this one). My eldest daughter thought that the jazzy “Friends” is cool.

This new Nora CD is a wish come true. I hope that more Pinoys (and all Noranians, of course) will have the chance to listen to it. Through beautiful music, Ate Guy will ease her way to the hearts of the Filipinos, once more . . . like in the old times.

Thank you, Tony V., for making it happen.

Thank you, Mr. Bodjie and Ms. Odette, for writing the lovely songs and letting our dear Nora sing them from the heart, as always . . .

P.S. To my dear friend Cece, super thank you talaga. Luvya Sis.

From the Nora Aunor Yahoogroup, posted on February 3, 2009

Sa loob ng tatlong taon, mula 1969 hanggang 1972, nakagawa si Nora Aunor ng 18 LP at 216 singles. Halos bawat minuto ay maririnig ang kanyang plaka—sa jukebox, sa radyo, o sa TV. Saan mang lugar—sa mga pamilihan, sa mga pampublikong sasakyan, sa mga opisina, sa mga kapistahan at iba’t ibang okasyon. Sa bawat record stores sa Raon, minu-minuto kung patugtugin ang kanyang plaka.

Sa top ten chart ng local recordings, madalas number one si Nora at ilan pa niyang kanta ang karaniwang nasa listahan. Sa paramihan ng benta ng plaka sa Pilipinas, tumba kay Nora ang The Beatles at si Elvis Presley.

Pumasok si Nora sa recording industry sa panahong namamayani ang colonial mentality ng mga Pinoy; ikinahihiya ng marami ang pagtangkilik sa local singers. Binago ito ni Nora. Mayaman o mahirap, masa o elitista, kinagiliwan ang tinig ni Nora. Pinatugtog ang kanyang plaka sa bawat bahay—hamak man o malapalasyo.

Umabot hanggang sa labas ng bansa ang paghanga sa boses ni Nora. May mga nagpadala sa Alpha ng mga sulat ng paghanga. Sa Sabah, naiulat na ipinagbibili ang mga plaka ni Nora sa presyong pang-black market. Pinakamabili doon ang Hawaiian songs ni Nora. Sa London, ibinalita ng isang Filipina na kaliwa’t kanan ang panghihiram ng dala niyang mga plaka ni Nora—ng parehong mga Filipino at Briton.  Isang Tsino ang nagsabing hindi siya makapaniwala na may mang-aawit na kasinghusay ni Nora ang Pilipinas. Maraming Filipino na nasa ibang bansa ang nag-request na mapadalhan ng kopya ng mga record ni Nora (“They Go for Nora, Too!” Philippines Daily Express, July 18, 1972). Sa Guam, nangunguna rin sa bentahan ang plaka ni Nora. Isang Amerikanong nagngangalang Douglas Whitney ng California ang nagsabing isa si Nora sa pinakamahusay na mang-aawit na narinig niya. (Philippines Daily Express, “Superstar, Hinangaan ng mga taga-Guam, US,” August 14, 1973).

Binuksan niya ang pinto para sa maraming local singers. Sa tagumpay ni Nora, lumakas ang loob ng maraming record producers na tumuklas ng mas maraming local talents at mag-produce ng maraming albums. Naging aktibo ang maraming musikero. Nagkasunod-sunod ang tulad nina Eddie Peregrina, Victor Wood, Tirso Cruz III, Edgar Mortiz, Vilma Santos, Novo Bono, Manny De Leon, Esperanza Fabon, Perla Adea, at marami pang iba.

Adaptations ang kalakaran noon sa industriya. Pinatunayan ni Nora na may merkado rin ang mga lokal na komposisyon. Sa kanyang ikalawang album (More, More, More), halimbawa, pito ang original songs. Nang magtagumpay ang album, naging in-demand ang Filipino song writers tulad nina George Canseco, Danny Subido, at Bert Dominic.

Kinikilala ng mga nakakabatid sa loob ng industriya ang mahahalagang kontribusyon ni Nora Aunor sa pagsulong ng Philippine recording industry.

"Together Again" by Nora Aunor and Tirso Cruz III
(Cut from the album Nora Aunor: Superstar ng Buhay Ko,
released by Vicor Music Corporation)

You Tube video by Superstarstruck

To cover the health care needs of UAE embassy officials and personnel, I was assigned for a month-long duty in Kabul, Afghanistan, where never in my wildest dream I thought I will ever be. I tried all possible means to combat boredom: read (finishes a book in just two days); exercise (two hours on treadmill every day); rearrange stuff in the clinic and in my room; chat with the doctors, police personnel, cleaners, cook, embassy officials—anyone worth talking to. Still, days ran so slow in Kabul. I terribly missed my wife and kids.

Luckily, I had my laptop loaded with movies, some worthwhile articles suited for reading, and MP3s, including a lot of Nora Aunor songs to which I listened attentively. I was mesmerized by the beauty and elegance of Nora Aunor’s voice, which made me listen to her songs again and again.

Her renditions of old songs like “Bakit Mahal Kita,” “Lihim Kitang Mahal,” and “Buhat” transported me back in time 25 years ago when my mom simply could not wait for the Superstar show to begin on Channel 9, to which all my aunts and some of our neighbors were also glued, anticipating Nora’s every song numbers.

Her “Kapantay ay Langit” [listen to the song] is simply the best. (Even Pilita Corrales’s version is no match to it!) “Ikaw ay Akin,” “Ikaw,” “Dandansoy” could take even the most fretful baby to sleep.

“Never, Never, Never” is enunciated perfectly that anyone could be misled that the artist is a native English singer.

“Ay ay Kalisud” is another classic Nora—simple yet very unique.

Her “Maalaala Mo Kaya” cannot be compared to what MMK has been using as a theme song.

“Di Mo Ba Nadarama” could be compared to “Mr. Dreamboy” era. May ganito rin palang mga kanta si Nora!

“Paru-parong Bukid,” “Sarung Banggi,” “Sinisinta Kita” are folk songs sung so softly but full of life.

“Bakit May Kahapon Pa” showcases her artistry as a singer, the lyrics telling her own story. Tumitindig ang balahibo ko sa kanta na ’to!

The Philippines is so fortunate to have a Nora Aunor—The Singer, The Actress. Her Talent is World Class.

Nora, given a chance to record songs of our present crop of talented composers—the likes of Ryan Cayabyab, Vehnee Saturno, Rey Valera, Danny Tan, Louie Ocampo, Ohgie Alcasid, etc.—will surely breath life anew to OPM. After all, Nora sold albums after albums during the height of her recording career. I do believe, however, that Nora Aunor’s talent as a singer has yet to reach its highest potential.

Nora’s voice is so captivating that she makes one listen to her songs more and more. I believe Nora could sing praise songs even more powerfully. How I wish Nora sang some of my favorite praise songs by female artists like Hillsong (“I Will Never Be the Same Again,” “Made Me Glad,” “Through It all”), Amy Grant (“I Can Only Imagine”), Natalie Grant (“Held”), and Sandy Patti (“How Great Thou Art”).

I pray that God will use Nora in a very moving way, and that she will likewise find Him more intimately.

From the Original Nora Aunor Yahoogroup

Nora Aunor's "Kapantay ay Langit"
Video uploaded on You Tube by Superstarstruck