First Masskara Festival Music found!
Posted on September 8, 2008
This is the first Masskara Festival ever used. Imagine 29 years ago, the masks then were made of papier mache, costumes were more simpler but colourful. Choreography wasn’t as complicated as today’s.
Sine time immemorial, I have been seeing newspapers, magazines and even TV shows describing Masskara as a festival where locals garbed in colourful costumes dance to the Latin beat.
But who was the first ever person to describe Masskara with Latin beat music? It was so wrong.
When the festival started, they have used this music several times until they replaced it sometime in the 80’s
This music is a Harry Belafonte medley featuring the popular Jamaican folk song “The Banana Boat Song” more popularly known as “Day-O”. It also includes other songs like Jamaica Farewell.
The medley doesn’t have the upbeat tempo more common in Latin music. This Masskara music is actually a calypso.
Aside from the Trini Lopez medley which was used in 1988, I guess this is one of the best Masskara Music ever used.
Donj and I were having conversation last weekend as to when this music was actually used.
My estimate was Masskara 1981. That time (October 1981), my mom was already pregnant to my younger sister who was born January 1982. At that time GSIS, a government where both my parents used to work, joined the open category. During those early years, boom boxes lined up at the streets were not yet common. What they do is have a float were the music would be played. And that was the very music used in 1981. I was 2 years old then.
Donj, confirmed in his blog that the music has been repeatedly used since the festival started.
Now I have eight Masskara Music in my possession. I just hope that the Masskara Foundation has a copy of the 21 other songs.
I would love to have this music complied in a CD in celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Masskara Festival next year.
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8 Responses to ”First Masskara Festival Music found!”
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see i told you that this is one of thier music. remember when you ulpoad all those festival music?
i made a comment about trini lopez and this the other one that i meant. good thing you found it. lol….
according to my father..eto daw talaga ang unang music…research ko pa natin baka mali
during silay and talisay and pahanocoy years, they got thier own music in thier final presentation. but they have the same music in thier street dance copmetition. i don’t know what kind of music it is, coz its a compilation of latin music. the silaynon choreographer got accident and i forgot his name. he is still in silay i guess. and the talisay choreographer is jun tanilon. i don’t know if they still kept the music they used during those years.
maybe if you know somebody who’s updated of masskara and know this persons. you can retrieve atleast 6 musics. not to mention panoy might have the copy of pahanocoys music, stefania and colgate palmolive days.
awesome
hmm i believe panoy dont have those music at all…coz as what i have noticed he always leave those stuffs on the baranggay…the best way to retrieve those music is to contact the masskara foundation
hi byahilo… may i ask you one thing? why is it so hard to log in the skyscrapercity nowadays?
here are some info to help you scout for Masskara Music Used in the Previous Years
– Lambada
– La Bamba - Used for Years
– Maria by Ricky Martin
– Volare - Used for Years
– a song with a “YELLOW” on the title
– ABCD
– Downtown
– Ricky Martin song with lyrics that goes this way - here we go ale ale ale, go go go, ale ale ale! ( I dont know if its maria but im sure its a different song - they actually used two different ricky martin songs in different years)
Actually I know a lot of Masskara Songs before but i really cant remember their titles. I have a cassette tape (ages ago) which contains several masskara songs used and i think its somewhere in my dads memorablias placed in his old vintage player. Ill see if i can find it. If youre interested, please text or call me 09218133994 and ill be much willing to lend it to you. Its also one of my dreams to revive the old classy and lively masskara dances.. and having it in a cd compilation would be a dream come true..
thanks byahilo boy! we are proud bacolodnons! proud negrenses! proud filipinos!
yes it is the harry belafonte medley….
c
ome mr. tallyman tally me banana,
daylight come and we wanna go home…
cnu may alam na massakara song dati na may lyrics na “your land is my land, from california to the new york island”??? plz let me know