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.
O Giliw Ko
Apo Hiking Society Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nung tayo'y magkasama
Huli ng saya tuwing magkikita
Inaasam-asam ang bawat umaga
At wala na ngang ibang mahalaga
Ano na nga bang nangyayari ngayon?
Ang bawat araw ay parang dapithapon
Hindi na ba magbabalik ang kahapon?
Ohhh... Oh,oh Giliw ko
Minamahal mo pa ba ako?
Naaalala mo pa ba ang tamis ng ating kahapon?
Oh giliw ko
Minamahal mo pa ba ako?
Gusto mo rin bang ibalik ang ating saya
Hindi ko malimutan
Ang dating pagsusuyuan
At ang ating mga tuksuhan
Lahat ng kilos at gawain ay naiingatan
Puso'y umiiwas na masaktan
Ano na nga bang nangyayari ngayon?
Ang bawat araw ay parang dapithapon
Hindi ka ba nananabik
Hindi na ba magbabalik ang kahapon?
Ohhh... Oh oh giliw ko
Minamahal mo pa ba ako
Naaalala mo pa ba ang tamis ng ating kahapon?
Oh giliw ko
Minamahal mo pa ba ako?
Gusto mo rin bang ibalik ang ating saya
Oh,oh giliw ko
Minamahal mo pa ba ako?
Naaalala mo pa ba ang tamis ng ating kahapon?
Oh giliw ko
Minamahal mo pa ba ako?
Gusto mo rin bang ibalik ang ating saya
Giliw ko
Minamahal mo pa ba ako?
Naaalala mo pa ba ang tamis ng ating kahapon?
Oh giliw ko
Minamahal mo pa ba ako?
Gusto mo rin bang ibalik ang ating saya
Oh giliw ko
Minamahal mo pa ba ako
Naaalala mo pa ba ang tamis ng ating kahapon?
Oh giliw ko
The song "O Giliw Ko" by Apo Hiking Society is a Filipino classic that tells the story of a past love that the singer longs to rekindle. The song starts with reminiscing about the past, when the two were together, enjoying each other's company, and looking forward to every morning. But as time passes, the relationship has become stagnant, and the singer wonders if their love still exists. The lyrics speculate on the end of the relationship and the possibility of reigniting old feelings.
The chorus cries out in a desperate plea to the lover, asking if they still remember the sweetness of their past love, and if they too long to have their happiness back. The singer reminisces over the "pagsusuyuan" and "tuksuhan" of the past, and how they cherished every move, guarded their every action, and tried not to hurt each other, knowing how fragile love can be.
The song captures the bittersweet feeling of reminiscing about an old relationship and the desire to bring it back to life. It speaks to the heart, reminding listeners that love can be fragile, and if one is not careful, it can slip away like sand between one's fingers.
Line by Line Meaning
Kailan lamang
Only recently
Nung tayo'y magkasama
When we were together
Huli ng saya tuwing magkikita
We were always happy when we saw each other
Inaasam-asam ang bawat umaga
We looked forward to every morning
At wala na ngang ibang mahalaga
And nothing else mattered
Ano na nga bang nangyayari ngayon?
What's happening now?
Ang bawat araw ay parang dapithapon
Every day is like a dusk
Hindi ka ba nananabik
Don't you miss it?
Hindi na ba magbabalik ang kahapon?
Will yesterday never return?
Ohhh... Oh,oh Giliw ko
Oh my dear
Minamahal mo pa ba ako?
Do you still love me?
Naaalala mo pa ba ang tamis ng ating kahapon?
Do you remember the sweetness of our past?
Gusto mo rin bang ibalik ang ating saya?
Do you also want to bring back our happiness?
Hindi ko malimutan
I can't forget
Ang dating pagsusuyuan
Our old courtship
At ang ating mga tuksuhan
And our teasing each other
Lahat ng kilos at gawain ay naiingatan
We cherished all our actions and deeds
Puso'y umiiwas na masaktan
Our hearts were trying to avoid getting hurt
Giliw ko
My dear
Contributed by Vivian Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bernadette Arcena-Jacinto
on Blue Jeans
a sa on sa ondai.