SG50 - National Day Theme (Patriotic) Songs
Today's Singapore celebrates its 50th year of independence. This week, we have seen endless celebration in Singapore. From the broadcast of the Proclamation of Singapore's Independence, to National Day Speeches, to grassroots National Day dinners, to air force acrobatic displays, and will all culminate at the National Day Parade.
One of the most powerful way in which Singaporeans celebrate is through song - National Day Parade Theme songs. These are patriotic songs Singaporeans sing. For Australians, they have "Waltzing Matilda", the English have "Rule Britannia" and the Americans have "The Star Spragled Banner". On the other hand, Singaporeans have songs like "Count on me Singapore" and "Home". What all these songs have in common is the power to evoke strong emotion - like what most music is able to.
Close to each National Day, these National Day music will be played on TV. Schools will practice singing these songs weeks in advance during music lessons. There are high celebrations the day before National Day each year where school students sing these patriotic songs together and are given a half-day off school.
For myself, the first encounter of these songs was the year before I started Primary school. It was the year 1990, the Silver Jubilee of Singapore's independence. My parents had a cassette tape of a compilation of the National Day theme songs and I played it repeatedly at home. There weren't many. We had "Count of me Singapore", "Stand up for Singapore", "We are Singapore", "One People, One Nation, One Singapore".
By the time I started primary school the following January, I learnt most of the words. More importantly through "We are Singapore", I learnt the words to the pledge. I clearly remembered at our first flag raising ceremony at primary school, I managed to recite the words of the pledge while having the music of "We are Singapore" playing at the back of the mind". Indeed, music can be pretty educational.
National Day theme songs have morphed over time. In the early years of theme songs (1984 -1990), songs like "Count on me Singapore" or "Five Stars Arising" served as a stark reminder of the pains of nation building and why we should stand united together.
In the later years, songs like "Home", "It's the Little Things" or even the newest "My Singapore" serves as a binding force focusing on the identity of individuals to what make them Singaporeans. The concept of "home" and the "little things that we share" do have a strong emotive towards patriotism.
There's power with catchy tunes where people can sing along. There are various songs in other tongues like "Mennaeru Vaalibaa" in Tamil or "xiao ren wu de xin sheng" in Mandarin; or "Chan Mali Chan" in Malay. Most of Signaporeans are able to sing along despite not really having a clue what the song means!
Sadly, this is also true for the National Anthem - Majulah Singapura, which is written in Malay - the official national language. In every school, rain or shine, the day begins and ends with the flag raising ceremony where the National Anthem is sung. Despite that, a 2009 Straits Times poll show that a majority of Singaporeans understood the meaning of Majulah Singapura (as Onward Singapore), but could not understand the rest of the lyrics. Probably that's why it reflects my experience when in Secondary School and Junior College, hardly anyone sings the National Anthem at flag raising. I do hope schools will teach what our National Anthem do mean, so that citizens will understand the meaning and have some pride in the Anthem.
Happy 50th National Day to all Singaporeans!
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Related Posts
SG50 - Thank You my dear ... Bus driver
SG50 - A Brief History of Singapore National Day Parade (NDP)
SG50 - 8 Ways Singaporeans Celebrate National Day
Links
Wikipedia, Majulah Singapura
Videos from Youtube
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| Picture Source: Cheekymonkey |
(Count on me Singapore)
Close to each National Day, these National Day music will be played on TV. Schools will practice singing these songs weeks in advance during music lessons. There are high celebrations the day before National Day each year where school students sing these patriotic songs together and are given a half-day off school.
For myself, the first encounter of these songs was the year before I started Primary school. It was the year 1990, the Silver Jubilee of Singapore's independence. My parents had a cassette tape of a compilation of the National Day theme songs and I played it repeatedly at home. There weren't many. We had "Count of me Singapore", "Stand up for Singapore", "We are Singapore", "One People, One Nation, One Singapore".
By the time I started primary school the following January, I learnt most of the words. More importantly through "We are Singapore", I learnt the words to the pledge. I clearly remembered at our first flag raising ceremony at primary school, I managed to recite the words of the pledge while having the music of "We are Singapore" playing at the back of the mind". Indeed, music can be pretty educational.
National Day theme songs have morphed over time. In the early years of theme songs (1984 -1990), songs like "Count on me Singapore" or "Five Stars Arising" served as a stark reminder of the pains of nation building and why we should stand united together.
(Home, Kit Chan)
In the later years, songs like "Home", "It's the Little Things" or even the newest "My Singapore" serves as a binding force focusing on the identity of individuals to what make them Singaporeans. The concept of "home" and the "little things that we share" do have a strong emotive towards patriotism.
There's power with catchy tunes where people can sing along. There are various songs in other tongues like "Mennaeru Vaalibaa" in Tamil or "xiao ren wu de xin sheng" in Mandarin; or "Chan Mali Chan" in Malay. Most of Signaporeans are able to sing along despite not really having a clue what the song means!
Sadly, this is also true for the National Anthem - Majulah Singapura, which is written in Malay - the official national language. In every school, rain or shine, the day begins and ends with the flag raising ceremony where the National Anthem is sung. Despite that, a 2009 Straits Times poll show that a majority of Singaporeans understood the meaning of Majulah Singapura (as Onward Singapore), but could not understand the rest of the lyrics. Probably that's why it reflects my experience when in Secondary School and Junior College, hardly anyone sings the National Anthem at flag raising. I do hope schools will teach what our National Anthem do mean, so that citizens will understand the meaning and have some pride in the Anthem.
Happy 50th National Day to all Singaporeans!
To subscribe to my blog, please Like on our Facebook page.
To support my blog, please click on one of my sponsor's advertised links :)
Related Posts
SG50 - Thank You my dear ... Bus driver
SG50 - A Brief History of Singapore National Day Parade (NDP)
SG50 - 8 Ways Singaporeans Celebrate National Day
Links
Wikipedia, Majulah Singapura
Videos from Youtube
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