Forked Tongues

I'd like to share a song adaptation of the poem written by Philippine hero José Rizal on the night before his execution in 1896, posthumously entitled Mi último adiós. The song uses only three stanzas of the original 14-stanza poem (the first and last stanzas and one other), alternating with singer-songwriter Gary Granada's own Tagalog translations of each stanza.

(The file is freely downloadable at his website, but I've re-uploaded it at Box.net to spare his bandwidth.)


Ultimo Adios
original Spanish by José Rizal; selection, Tagalog translation, and music by Gary Granada
(provided by me: English translation by Edwin Agustín Lozada)

¡Adiós, Patria adorada, región del sol querida, Perla del mar de oriente, nuestro perdido Edén! A darte voy alegre la triste mustia vida, Y fuera más brillante, más fresca, más florida, También por ti la diera, la diera por tu bien.	Farewell, beloved Country, treasured region of the sun, Pearl of the sea of the Orient, our lost Eden! To you eagerly I surrender this sad and gloomy life; And were it brighter, fresher, more florid, Even then I’d give it to you, for your sake alone.
Paalam bayang hirang, lupang hitik sa araw Perlas ng Silanganan, aming naglahong Eden Lugod kong iaalay, lanta’t hapis na buhay Naging mas marilag man, sariwa’t mas mabunga’y Handog man din sa iyo, sa iyong ikagagaling
Ensueño de mi vida, mi ardiente vivo anhelo, ¡Salud te grita el alma que pronto va a partir! ¡Salud! Ah, que es hermoso caer por darte vuelo, Morir por darte vida, morir bajo tu cielo, Y en tu encantada tierra la eternidad dormir.	My lifelong dream, my deep burning desire, This soul that will soon depart cries out: Salud! To your health! Oh how beautiful to fall to give you flight, To die to give you life, to die under your sky, And in your enchanted land eternally sleep.
Mithi ng aking buhay, adhikang nagniningas Mabuhay! hiyaw ng diwang handa nang maglakbay O kay timyas pumanaw, tamis ang kamatayan Upang ika’y mabuhay, maitanghal ka lamang Sa iyong sinapupunan, malaong hihimlay
Adios kapatid, magulang, kabiyak ng aking diwa Kababatang kaibigan sa tahanang natangay Sa nakakahapong araw, salamat at hihimlay na Adios dayong magiliw, aking sinta’t ligaya Mga mahal paalam, kapahingahang mamatay
Adiós, padres y hermanos, trozos del alma mía, Amigos de la infancia en el perdido hogar, Dad gracias que descanso del fatigoso día; Adiós, dulce extranjera, mi amiga, mi alegría, Adiós, queridos seres, morir es descansar.	Goodbye, dear parents, brother and sisters, fragments of my soul, Childhood friends in the home now lost, Give thanks that I rest from this wearisome day; Goodbye, sweet foreigner, my friend, my joy; Farewell, loved ones, to die is to rest.

( my own thoughts )