Lines from an Old Love Song

I remember two lines only from an old love song my father used to sing but they led me to the song.

After writing Nanay’s Song for Daddy, my thoughts went to what was Daddy’s song for Nanay. The memory of Daddy regaling us with his stories flashed in my mind. Daddy was really fond of story-telling and one of these was his telling us the song he used to sing when he was still a bachelor. He sang these lines.

Kung ako’y mag-aasawa , pipiliin ko’y tahimik (If i marry, I’ll choose the quiet type)

Everyone who knew my mother will agree that my mother was a gentle woman. In fact on Mother’s day, I wrote For Mother which talked about Gentleness being real strength.

I’m not sure if this was Daddy’s song for Nanay but I distinctly remember those lines being sung by him so I searched for the song Kung Ako’y Mag-aasawa . There were several Original Pilipino Music which popped up but most of the songs were released after my father passed away and they don’t have the lines I remember. I clicked on a kundiman, even if it wasn’t popular anymore during that time the song must still be sung after it’s heyday. It was a match! I found the song sang by Ruben Tagalog, there were lines that matched the lines sang by Daddy.

Here’s the song with my English translation:

Kung Ako’y Mag-aasawa (If I Marry)

Ang dalagang umiibig A woman who loves
Ng dakila at dalisay Nobly and purely
Habang pinasasakitan lalong yumayabong As she experiences hardship , grows/deepens
Ang pagsintang tunay true love

Kahit mo na paluhain Even if you make her cry
Lalo ka pang susuyuin She will soothe/woo you even more
Kahit na nasa kasawian Even in defeat
Ikaw ay lilingapin She’ll care for you

Kung ako’y mag aasawa pipiliin ko’y tahimik If I marry, I’ll choose the quiet type
Ayaw ko sa paralumang salawahan sa pag-ibig I don’t like a woman who is fickle in love
Nais ko’y sariling tunay ang kanyang pag-ibig at buhay I want to be truly me/mine , her love and life/existence
Aming pagsasaluhan ligaya’t kalungkutan magpahanggang libingan We will share happiness and sadness ’til grave/death

Nais ko’y sariling tunay I I want to be truly me/mine
Ang kanyang pag-ibig at buhay her love and life/existence
Aming pagsasaluhan ligaya’t kalungkutan We will share happiness and sadness
Magpahanggang libingan ’til grave/death

Notes:

Kundiman is a genre of traditional Filipino love songs. The lyrics of the kundiman are written in Tagalog. The melody is characterized by a smooth, flowing and gentle rhythm with dramatic intervals. Kundiman was the traditional means of serenade in the Philippines.

The kundiman emerged as an art song at the end of the 19th century and by the early 20th century, its musical structure was formalised by Filipino composers such as Francisco Santiago and Nicanor Abelardo; they sought poetry for their lyrics, blending verse and music in equal parts. (From wikipedia)