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.
Good Good Time
Apo Hiking Society Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Just minding 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
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 love is diff′rent from the yesterday
I knew, you taught me to love
And 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′
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 lyrics of the song “Good Good Time” by the Apo Hiking Society represents a beautiful love story that tells us how someone can bring meaning and love to one's life. The song begins with the singer describing himself as an empty piece of a shell, unaware of the beauty and joy that love and life can bring. Then, someone special comes along, takes him out of his shell, and shows him the world. The singer is grateful for this person who has given him a reason to live and has made him feel a depth of emotions beyond just existing.
The singer goes on to describe the details of the love he shares with this person. He adores her hair and finds joy in looking into her eyes. In her presence, he feels he is on to something good and knows this love will endure. He recognizes that the love he has experienced with her is different from that of the past, and he is grateful for it. The song ends with the singer expressing his certainty that when evening comes around, they will make love like never before, and he feels happy and content with his partner.
Line by Line Meaning
There I was, an empty piece of a shell,
I was lost and without direction in life.
Just minding my own world;
I was occupying myself with my own everyday actions and thoughts.
Without even knowin′ what love and life were all about
I was totally unaware of what it meant to live a life full of love and meaningful experiences.
Then you came,
You, a special and significant person, entered my life.
You brought me out of the shell;
You helped me find my way out of my disconnected and disengaged state.
You gave the world to me
You showed me a new, brighter vision of the world.
And before I knew, there I was so in love with you
Before I realized what happened, I had fallen deeply in love with you.
You gave me a reason for my being
You gave me a sense of purpose and direction in life.
And I love what I'm feelin′
I am filled with love and happiness as a result of being with you.
You gave me a meaning to my life
You showed me that there is more to life than just existing, that I can find fulfillment and happiness in living.
Yes, I've gone beyond existing
I have transcended a mere existence and found real joy in life.
And it all began when I met you
My journey towards a truly fulfilling life began with our meeting.
I love the touch of your hair
I am deeply enamored by even the smallest details of your physical self.
And when I look in your eyes
When I gaze into your eyes, I am filled with emotion and connection.
I just know, I know I'm on to something good
I have a deep conviction that what we have together is truly special and worthwhile.
And I'm sure, my love for you will endure
I have a strong belief that my affection for you is lasting and timeless.
Your love will light up my world;
Your love is like a beacon of light, illuminating and enlivening everything around me.
And take all my cares away
Your presence in my life has a calming and soothing effect, taking away the stresses and worries of everyday existence.
With the aching part of me
Even with the parts of myself that are in pain or discomfort, your love brings me peace and joy.
You taught me how to love
You showed me how to love deeply and truly.
You showed me how tomorrow and today
You taught me that love extends beyond just the present moment, but exists in both the past and the future as well.
My love is diff′rent from the yesterday
My love for you is new and unique, never before experienced in my life.
I knew, you taught me to love
I came to understand that you were teaching me the meaning and importance of love itself.
And darling I will always cherish you today
My affection and appreciation for you will never fade, it will always remain strong and constant.
Tomorrow and forever
Our love will endure and last for all of time.
And I'm sure when evening comes around
I am certain that when the day is over and night falls, we will be together and in love.
I know we′ll be making love like never before
Our passion and affection for each other will be more intense and potent than ever.
My love, who could ask for more
I am already so fulfilled and grateful to have you in my life, what more could I possibly desire?
When I met you
All of this - the love, the passion, the fulfillment - began when I met you.
Writer(s): danny javier
Contributed by Penelope J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bernadette Arcena-Jacinto
on Blue Jeans
a sa on sa ondai.