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.
Pito Ni Juan
Apo Hiking Society Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Mahusay magbilang lamang sa paaralan
Sa maraming bagay may kahusayan si Juan
Talagang mahusay si Juan
Pitong taong gulang pa lang
Marunong nang pumito si Juan
Pitong taong gulang pa lang
Mga babae'y pinipituhan
Pipito-pito si Juan
Pipito-pito si Juan
Pipito-pito pipito-pito
Pipito-pito si Juan
Lumipas ang ilang taon lumawak ang karanasan
Matipuno at may dating si Juan naging crush ng bayan
Bawat natitipuhan siya'y pinapatulan
Basta't nasisipulan sila ni Juan
Labimpitong taong gulang
Makamandag ang pito ni Juan
Labimpitong taong gulang
Mga babae'y pinipituhan
Pipito-pito si Juan
Pipito-pito si Juan
Pipito-pito pipito-pito
Pipito-pito si Juan
At nang malaunan nagkaroon ng anak si Juan
Pito ang isinilang sa bawat inang alam
Pito ang asawa na hindi man lang pinakasalan
Hindi talaga maawat si Juan
Pitong bahay ang inuuwian
Naubos ang pinaghirapan
Hiningal hinika si Juan
Pitong ipin na lang naiwan
Humina ang pagpito ni Juan
Humina ang fagfito ni Juan
Fifito-fito fifito-fito
Fifito-fito si Juan
Pitong put pitong taon pito-pito ang iniinom
Ngunit 'di makatulong sa tuhod ni lolo Juan
Pitong talampakan ang lalim ng libingan
At pitong sepulturero na walang pakialam
Yumao siyang nag-iisa
Iniwanan ng buong angkan
Naiwan lang ay pustiso
Sa basong kinalalagyan
'Di na pumipito si Juan
'Di na makapito si Juan
'Di na pumipito 'di na makapito
'Di na pumipito si Juan
The song "Pito Ni Juan" by the Apo Hiking Society tells the story of a man named Juan who, even from a young age, was already skilled in many things. He was particularly adept at counting and quickly developed the ability to count objects in school. As he grew older, Juan's charm and good looks made him popular with the ladies, and he began to develop a reputation as a ladies' man. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Pipito-pito si Juan" over and over, which means he would whistle at the ladies he fancied.
Despite Juan's many talents and charms, he was unable to settle down with just one woman, and he ended up fathering seven children with different mothers. Juan's story, as the song tells it, ultimately ends in tragedy. He dies alone, and all that is left of him is his dentures in an empty glass. The song's lyrics are both humorous and cautionary, warning of the dangers of promiscuity and the need for companionship in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Bata pa lang si Juan marami na siyang alam
Even as a child, Juan was already knowledgeable.
Mahusay magbilang lamang sa paaralan
He excelled at counting and math in school.
Sa maraming bagay may kahusayan si Juan
Juan had an aptitude for many things.
Talagang mahusay si Juan
Truly, Juan was highly skilled.
Pitong taong gulang pa lang Marunong nang pumito si Juan
At just seven years old, Juan already knew how to whistle.
Pitong taong gulang pa lang Mga babae'y pinipituhan
Even at seven, Juan was already charming the ladies with his whistle.
Pipito-pito si Juan Pipito-pito si Juan Pipito-pito pipito-pito Pipito-pito si Juan
Juan would whistle his tune, drawing the attention of those around him.
Lumipas ang ilang taon lumawak ang karanasan
As time passed, Juan gained more life experience.
Matipuno at may dating si Juan naging crush ng bayan
Juan became a popular crush because of his good looks and charm.
Bawat natitipuhan siya'y pinapatulan
Any girl that caught his attention also reciprocated his feelings.
Labimpitong taong gulang Makamandag ang pito ni Juan
At 17, Juan was even more irresistible and seductive in his whistling manner.
Labimpitong taong gulang Mga babae'y pinipituhan
At 17, Juan continued to enchant the ladies with his whistle.
At nang malaunan nagkaroon ng anak si Juan
Eventually, Juan had a child.
Pito ang isinilang sa bawat inang alam
Every woman that Juan had a child with gave birth to seven children.
Pito ang asawa na hindi man lang pinakasalan
Juan had seven common-law wives.
Hindi talaga maawat si Juan
Juan just couldn't be contained.
Pitong bahay ang inuuwian
Juan had seven houses.
Naubos ang pinaghirapan Hiningal hinika si Juan
He worked hard, but eventually became tired and worn out.
Pitong ipin na lang naiwan
In the end, Juan was left with just seven teeth.
Humina ang pagpito ni Juan Humina ang fagfito ni Juan Fifito-fito fifito-fito Fifito-fito si Juan
Juan's whistle grew weaker and weaker over time.
Pitong put pitong taon pito-pito ang iniinom
He drank seven times seven-year aged wine.
Ngunit 'di makatulong sa tuhod ni lolo Juan
But it couldn't help his achy old knees.
Pitong talampakan ang lalim ng libingan
Juan's grave was seven feet deep.
At pitong sepulturero na walang pakialam
Seven careless grave diggers lowered him down.
Yumao siyang nag-iisa Iniwanan ng buong angkan Naiwan lang ay pustiso Sa basong kinalalagyan
Juan died alone, abandoned by his family. All that remained of him was a denture in a glass.
'Di na pumipito si Juan 'Di na makapito si Juan 'Di na pumipito 'di na makapito 'Di na pumipito si Juan
Juan's whistle is silent, never to sound again.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Bernadette Arcena-Jacinto
on Blue Jeans
a sa on sa ondai.