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.
When I Met You
Apo Hiking Society Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just mindin' my own world
Without even knowin' what love and life were all about
Then you came
You brought me out of the shell
You gave the world to me
And before I knew
There I was, so in love with you
You gave me a reason for my being
And I love what I'm feelin'
You gave me a meaning to my life
Yes, I've gone beyond existing
And it all began when I met you
I love the touch of your hair
And when I look in your eyes
I just know, I know I'm on to something good
And I'm sure my love for you will endure
Your love will light up my world
And take all my cares away with the aching part of me
You gave me a reason for my being
And I love what I'm feelin'
You gave me a meaning to my life
Yes, I've gone beyond existing
And it all began when I met you
You taught me how to love
You showed me how tomorrow and today
My life is different from the yesterday
And you, you taught me love
darling, I will always cherish you
Today, tomorrow and forever
And I'm sure when evening comes around
I know we'll be making love like never before
My love, who could ask for more?
You gave me a reason for my being
And I love what I'm feelin'
You gave me a meaning to my life
Yes, I've gone beyond existing
And it all began when I met you
When I met you
You gave me a reason for my being
And I love what I'm feelin' (love what I'm feeling)
You gave me a meaning to my life
Yes, I've gone beyond existing
And it all began when I met you
When I met you
The song "When I Met You" by Apo Hiking Society is a love song that tells a story about how the singer's life changed after meeting someone special. In the first verse, the singer describes themselves as an "empty piece of a shell" who is just "minding their own world" without any experience of love or understanding of what life is all about. Then someone special enters their life (presumably a romantic partner), who helps them come out of their shell and shows them what the world has to offer.
The chorus expresses how this person has given the singer a sense of purpose and meaning in life that they had been missing before. They go beyond just existing and start truly living, all because of this one person. The second verse goes on to describe the physical attraction and deep love the singer has for this person, and how being with them makes everything in life feel right. The bridge emphasizes the impact this person has had on the singer's life, turning their world upside down and teaching them how to truly love.
Overall, the song is a heartfelt expression of love and gratitude for someone who has truly changed the singer's life. It's a romantic and uplifting tune that reminds listeners of the power of love and how it can transform someone's entire worldview.
Line by Line Meaning
There I was, an empty piece of a shell
I was existing in a life devoid of purpose
Just mindin' my own world
I was living my life without any external connection
Without even knowin' what love and life were all about
I was clueless about love and the meaning of life
Then you came
You appeared in my life
You brought me out of the shell
You helped me find my true purpose in life
You gave the world to me
You introduced new perspectives into my life
And before I knew, There I was, so in love with you
I fell in love with you without realizing it
You gave me a reason for my being
You gave me a sense of purpose in life
And I love what I'm feelin'
I feel content with the love and happiness you bring me
You gave me a meaning to my life
You gave me a deeper understanding of the world
Yes, I've gone beyond existing
I have transcended a life without meaning
And it all began when I met you
Meeting you sparked the start of a new life
You taught me how to love
You showed me the beauty and power of love
You showed me how tomorrow and today
You taught me how to appreciate the present moment while looking forward to the future
My life is different from the yesterday
My life has changed significantly since you entered it
And you, you taught me love, darling, I will always cherish you
You showed me how to love, and I will always be grateful and cherish you for that
And I'm sure when evening comes around
I am confident that we will continue our love journey with passion and intimacy
I know we'll be making love like never before
Our love will continue to deepen and grow stronger
My love, who could ask for more?
I am content with the love and happiness we share
When I met you
Everything transformed for the better
You gave me a reason for my being
You became the driving force behind my purpose in life
And I love what I'm feelin' (love what I'm feeling)
I am immensely satisfied with the love and happiness you bring me
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Jaime Paredes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bernadette Arcena-Jacinto
on Blue Jeans
a sa on sa ondai.