How I Have Loved

I love to listen to music.

Be it Korean, English, Japanese, Pilipino, Chinese or even American.

My favorite, it has to be said is OPM (Original Pilipino Music). Songs there are in English, Tagalog, Visayan and Taglish.

Pilipinos seem to have been born clutching guitars, they are so good.

Amongst the singers from the Philippines, some of the best are Sharon Cunata, Jose Mari Chan, Gino Padilla, Gary Velanciano, Regine Velasquez and the Angelic Jolina.

Jolina rose to fame at 17 years old and she still has a voice like a nightingale.

I was making my way back to Korea a few years back, and in the airport lobby, there is a tiny bar there. Tony, the barman, served my usual drop of local muck, San Miguel, and we got to talking.

At the time, Jolina was at her peak. She had a string of recent hits, "Laging Tapat" (true love), "T.L Ako Sa'yo" (True Love Just for You) and the incredibly sad "Kapag Ako Ay Nagmahal" (How I have Loved).

Our conversation turned to music, and I told Tony that the little music store opposite never had much selection.

Jolina's name came up and he said his favorite of hers was the unpublished "Kanino Ba" (Whose).

Try as he might, he could not remember the name of the sad song. I was amused, as he was a Pinoy!

After several minutes wracking his brains, during which I was looking on in amusement, I had to put him out of his misery, but I told him the English title instead, and he looked at me in puzzlement.

I asked for another beer and only then did I tell him "Kapag Ako Ay Nagmahal".

We both burst out laughing, him at his forgetfulness, myself at the incongruity.