It was only when two of its four members were about to retire from the field of amateur music, however, that the APO, then known as the Apolinario Mabini Hiking Society, finally had a city-wide audience. One of them was scheduled to leave for Turkey as an exchange student. The other had a position waiting for him in his father's advertising firm.
Why a talented young man of 21 would want to go to Turkey, every young man in the early seventies would probably understand. But what the APO could not understand was their fourth member's decision to leave the irresponsibility of being unemployed to join the ranks of the corporate world.
The trip to Turkey did not materialize and the APO, now a tentative trio, pushed on steadily towards fame and fortune.
Looking back, the APO members Danny Javier, Boboy Garrovillo, and Jim Paredes do not regret never having been regular wage earners. Their farewell concert, which had SRO audiences for two stormy nights, not unexpectedly became a hit record the following year.
In the three decades since that "farewell" concert, the APO has made 22 record albums; hosted several television shows including their own noontime Sunday show "Sa Linggo nAPO Sila"; and launched hugely successful major solo concerts and countless provincial, dinner, and corporate shows. They have performed in over 50 cities in the United States, in Canada, Singapore, Indonesia, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Japan to bring Original Pilipino Music to Filipinos the world over.
In October of 1987, during their annual US tour, the APO became the first Filipino pop artists to perform at the Main Hall of New York's prestigious Carnegie Hall. They also performed at the equally prestigious Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada's music capital. Both concerts, as well as the other shows held during that particular concert tour, were sold out. The APO were also the first Filipino artists to perform in a public concert in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In 1987, they were one of the first Filipino artists to be recorded on compact disc. And in 1994, they were awarded the first Dangal ng Musikang Pilipino by Awit Awards - the Filipino equivalent of the Grammy. They have also been conferred the Tanglaw Ng Lahi Award, the highest accolade given by Jesuits in the field of culture and arts.
The APO also earned international recognition for Jim Paredes' anthem on the bloodless Philippine revolution in 1986. "Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo" was recorded by 15 Filipino artists in April 1986. A few months later, the English version "A New and Better Way" was launched in Australia. In February 1987, the first anniversary of the Philippines' People Power revolution, the song was released in London, England. The lyrics of the song are embedded on a wall of Our Lady of Edsa Shrine, the center of the revolution.
1-2-3
Apo Hiking Society Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mahirap kausapin at di pa namamansin
Di mo ba alam ako'y nasasaktan
Ngunit di bale na basta't malaman mo na ...
Mahal kita, mahal kita, hindi ito bola
Ngumiti ka man lang sana ako'y nasa langit na
Mahal kita, mahal kita, hindi ito bola
Sumagot ka naman 'wag lang ... ewan ...
Sana naman itigil mo na 'yang
Kakasabi ng ewan at anong bola na naman 'yan
Bakit ba ganyan, binata'y di alam
Na ang ewan ay katulad na rin ng oong inaasam ...
Mahal kita, mahal kita, hindi ito bola
Ngumiti ka man lang sana ako'y nasa langit na
Mahal kita, mahal kita, hindi ito bola
Sumagot ka naman 'wag lang ... ewan ...
Sumagot ka naman, wag lang ewan
(Sumagot ka naman, wag lang ewan)
Sumagot ka naman, wag lang ... ewan ...
The song "1-2-3" by Apo Hiking Society deals with unrequited love and the pain that comes with it. The lyrics express the frustration of the singer, who is in love with someone who is difficult to talk to and seems to be unaware of their feelings. The opening lines "Hindi ko alam kung bakit ka ganyan, mahirap kausapin at di pa namamansin" set the tone for the whole song as it describes how the singer feels helpless and confused about what to do.
The chorus of the song is the most poignant part, with the repetition of the lines "Mahal kita, mahal kita, hindi ito bola" emphasizing the sincerity of the singer's love. The singer is begging their love interest to reciprocate their feelings and simply acknowledge their presence in their life, even if it's just a smile. The line "Sumagot ka naman 'wag lang ... ewan ..." shows the singer's desperation for a response, any response, just as long as it's not a dismissal or an "ewan" which means "I don't know" or "whatever."
The song's simple lyrics, catchy melody, and relatable theme have made it a timeless classic in the Filipino music scene. It serves as a reminder that sometimes, despite our best efforts, love may not be returned, and we are left with nothing but hope and a deep longing for the ones we love.
Line by Line Meaning
Hindi ko alam kung bakit ka ganyan
I don't know why you are like this.
Mahirap kausapin at di pa namamansin
You're hard to talk to and you're not even aware of me.
Di mo ba alam ako'y nasasaktan
Don't you know that I'm hurting?
Ngunit di bale na basta't malaman mo na...
But it doesn't matter as long as you know...
Mahal kita, mahal kita, hindi ito bola
I love you, I love you, this is not a joke.
Ngumiti ka man lang sana ako'y nasa langit na
If only you could smile at me, I would be in heaven.
Sumagot ka naman 'wag lang ... ewan ...
Just answer me, not just some vague stuff.
Sana naman itigil mo na 'yang
I hope you would stop it already.
Kakasabi ng ewan at anong bola na naman 'yan
You keep saying vague things and jokes again.
Bakit ba ganyan, binata'y di alam
Why is it like this, young man doesn't know that...
Na ang ewan ay katulad na rin ng oong inaasam ...
...the vague words are just like the things you desire.
Sumagot ka naman, wag lang ewan
Just answer me, not just some vague stuff.
(Sumagot ka naman, wag lang ewan)
(Just answer me, not just some vague stuff)
Sumagot ka naman, wag lang ... ewan ...
Just answer me, not just some vague stuff.
Contributed by Kennedy D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bernadette Arcena-Jacinto
on Blue Jeans
a sa on sa ondai.