"Anak" (Filipino for child or more accurately my son or my daughter) is a Tagalog song written by Filipino folk-singer Freddie Aguilar. It was a finalist for the inaugural 1977 Metropop Song Festival held in Manila. It has been translated to over a hundred local and international languages. In 2000, a movie of the same name was created. Its plot was inspired by the lyrics of the song, which speak of Filipino family values.
Inspiration and Composition
Freddie Aguilar left family and school unfinished at the age of 18. His father, who had wanted him to be a lawyer, was disappointed. Freddie travelled to far-away places carrying with him, solely, his guitar. With no one to guide and discipline him, he got into gambling. Realizing and regretting his mistakes five years later, Freddie composed Anak, a remorse song expressing apology to his parents. He went back home and asked for forgiveness from his parents who welcomed him with open arms. After his father read the lyrics of Anak, the two became closer to each other. The homecoming proved timely as soon after, his father would pass away. According to Felipe de Leon, Jr., an authority in Philippine Music, the song was composed in a Western style but has aspects of pasyon, a form that many Filipinos can identify with. |
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