Top 5 National Day songs: A personal ranking.

Ever since the immense success of "Home" in 1998, Singapore has maintained a tradition of coming up with a theme song for its National Day Parade, every year. 

And so I have made a countdown of my Top 5! (It's actually 6 but 6 is a weird number)

Prior to "Home", there were also numerous community songs and NDP theme songs produced in the 80's that have become crowd favourites, such as "We Are Singapore", "Stand Up For Singapore", "One People One Nation One Singapore", and my personal favourite, "Count On Me Singapore". For this list though, we won't be including the "pre-Home" era.

This will be based on just my personal feelings and memories connected with the songs. We won't say too much about the lyrics or technical aspects since I'm no music expert. Almost all NDP songs are written by Dick Lee anyway.

To be fair it isn't easy to write an NDP song. First of all, it has to please the ears. At the same time the tune must be easy enough for it to be a sing-along. The lyrics have to relate to Singaporeans of all walks of life, without being too corny. You can't have people being too embarrassed to sing a national song. And because every new year demands a new song, there is a need to be fresh. 

So having to tick all these boxes, which special few made the cut?

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Honorable Mention: What Do You See (2009)

Definitely the most hipster NDP song to date, it being the only one to be performed by an indie rock band, Electrico. But while I easily took a liking to this refreshing change, many others did not. Perhaps the masses still prefer the formulaic recipe of a pop ballad. 

They could still take this song and rehash it into a pop song, but they instead opted for a more acoustic/folk version in 2014 (true to current trends in music). No matter what, even with my indie rock bias aside, I still think the melody and lyrics for this song is really good, and it will always be up there among my favourites. 

"There’s a jewel on the ocean,
a gem upon the sea
Where the future is an open book
A land of destiny"

I like the description in this verse.

"The strength of a million
and the courage of a million more"

Conspiracy theorists will say this line is trying to desensitize us to the Population White Paper though...

5. We Will Get There (2002) 

By 2002, Stefanie Sun was blowing up in Taiwan and Asia. Nobody was more deserving than her to lead the nation in not one, but two NDP songs, the first being We Will Get There in 2002, and the other, "One United People" in the following year. It was the former that would be more fondly remembered (and featured in one of her top selling albums), partly because of the dance that came along with it. 

I remember having to meticulously practice the moves in school as if our grades depended on it. 2002 was also the year my batch as Primary 5 students, would get a chance to watch the NE Show/NDP Rehearsal. To date, it is still the only time I've been to a National Day parade so I have fond memories of this particular song. 

"So why don't we try? If we stand side by side
I know we'll build a new world
A world of hope for ever after"

Yes, can we please start being nicer to one another? Deep in my heart I know we can. 

4. Shine On Me (2000)

Not many people remember this song but for some reason, it has always been up there among the best, for me. It could be just the melody that I like in particular, or it also could be the lyrics which I thought was symbolic. 

"Stars and Crescent shine on me
Make us more than what we can be"

3. Together (1999)

A similar case to the previous entry, perhaps. I don't think many people remember this one too. Perhaps both songs suffered the fate of having to match the standard of its almighty predecessor. Still, it has always been a personal favourite of mine. It's message, which tells us to aspire to achieve, creating a future with everyone in mind, and to never be afraid if we have to change our ways are all valid points to me. The MV is pretty cute too.

"Together we make a difference, one voice, one destiny
We remain undivided, our hearts in harmony
Together we make a difference, our friends, our families
We will share a special dream, together we feel the Singapore heartbeat"

Dreamz FM don't release any songs in English any more these days, do they? 

2. Home (1998)

What can I say about this one? "Home" is like the song to end all songs. The one song to rule them all. It is the Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali of NDP songs. There won't be anything else like it. Home is probably the closest that we have to a representative Singapore tune, that is almost universally accepted as a timeless classic. Unfortunately, it is only ranked second best on this list, but hey, that's just me. 

This is the song that sparked the whole 'one new song every year' thing, really. Yet still, among so many others that have come after it, none can compare. The lyrics written by Dick Lee convey very earnest feelings of belonging, and Kit Chan carries it perfectly. 

It has even inspired many remixes down the years, such as a choir version in 2004, and a rock version by JJ Lin in 2014. An ensemble of local singers also got together to do their own rendition in 2011, in similar style to 25 For Haiti which was released the year before. Musicians from other countries cover it, and it was also sang during the wake of the late LKY. "Home" will go down as a true Singaporean classic. 

"Whenever I am feeling low
I look around me and I know
There's a place that will stay within me
Wherever I may choose to go"

You know these lyrics. And you will sing along. 

1. Where I Belong (2001)

And so, the big revelation. This is MY favourite NDP song of ALL TIME. Where I Belong, written and performed by Tanya Chua (where is she these days??). 

It isn't the soft, sentimental crooner that Home is. It starts slow and subtle, but almost immediately steps up a gear, turning into a bright and uplifting song. Its light pop rock tone instantly won me over, and I find it clever that Tanya managed to write a Singapore song without mentioning the country by name in the lyrics. 

It is, however, the music video that seals the deal for me. I actually think it is perfect. While most NDP videos are filled with spectacular shots of Singapore and it's biggest attractions, or involve a few characters acting out different scenes, Where I Belong's MV is pretty simple. 

It follows the singer, which we assume is in a cab, leaving Changi Airport and then peeping into the lives of everyday people, as it passes by everyday places in the singer's sunny island. This isn't Singapore dressed for an occasion. This is plain Singapore as it is, be it a couple in a light embrace, students on the way to school, or boys having a football kick-about. Even the neighbourhood cat gets featured. It is a candid view of Singapore through the window pane of a taxi. 

I think about this song every time I'm on that long cab ride home from the airport, back from overseas. You know that long drive out of Changi with large trees over you as you pass by the entire east coast? And then you're on that really tall highway near Tanjong Rhu where you start to see the bright city lights and the skyline, and you know you're back home. It's a sad thing that you don't get to use this route any more since the MCE opened. But point being, Where I Belong had become an automatic soundtrack in my mind whenever I'm on a long drive around Singapore. 

I digressed a little bit there, but it's really the song that's talking. It makes me think of all the little things like the island's glorious greenery, bright lights that shine on the streets at night, friends and families by my side, and every little day's experience, bitter sweet or sour, they're still wonderful. 

Unlike most other songs, Home and Where I Belong's lyrics do not focus on clichéd themes of unity, togetherness and achieving our goals. Instead, they tend to evoke strong feelings of shared memory and longing for home. I guess that's what made the two songs stand out.

Where I Belong is truly, where I keep my heart and soul...

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My favourite moments from the SEA Games.

[Very delayed post. Somehow forgot to publish]. Being an avid fan of sports, I've been looking forward to the 28th SEA Games hosted in Singapore for the longest time. As it turned out, I would indeed be involved in it, however, in a different capacity. I was called up for reservist, to support the SEA Games throughout the entire duration of the competition. So near, yet so far. 

Still, this did not stop me from catching at least some of the action. I did manage to attend a few events, such as the Singapore vs Philippines football match, some athletics, some softball, and I also managed to soak in a little bit of the atmosphere at the Sports Hub during the games. Most of the time though, I was limited to watching highlights, recaps, and live screenings/streaming, which would explain why I exceeded my mobile data cap by nearly 2GB. FYI, I have 12GB worth of data usage a month. 

This month's bill may not be a pretty sight, but for what it's worth, I managed to catch some great moments in Singapore sporting history. Here's a few of my favourites. 

1. Fandi Ahmad & Irfan Fandi light up the torch. 

I may be biased here, and I'm not going to hide it. I have stickers of this fella still pasted in my room. I think it's fair to say that Fandi is the one true crossover star out of local sports. You may not play football, you may not even follow sports, but you would still know or have heard of his name. The 53 year old is now head coach for the LionsXII team, and here he is joined by his eldest son, Irfan Fandi, whom local football fans have very high hopes on. Though the results did not go our way for football, we all hope that Irfan and the rest of the Young Lions will grow from this experience. 

Fandi shares the view with his son, Irfan.

"You look beautiful tonight, Singapore."

2. Lee Tze Yuan's (Gold, Wushu) medal ceremony.

I always make it a point to watch the victory ceremonies of sports competitions. Most of the time we only get to see focused and serious side of athletes during their events. A medal ceremony offers an opportunity to catch their more candid and human side; the smiles, when they strike gold, or the look of disappointment when they don't. And sometimes, the emotions get the better of them, and this happens. 

As Majulah Singapura played, Lee Tze Yuan who had just won Gold for Men's Taijiquan in Wushu, could not hold back his tears. It goes on to show how much hard work these athletes put into their craft, and what it means to them, to finally be rewarded for it. And while you're at it, why not do your country proud too? 

I've actually been looking at this lad's face for the past few weeks, as he appears on one of those large SEA Games display boards that showcase Team Singapore athletes who come from your hometown. In this case, Lee hails from the Radin Mas/Telok Blangah area. I'll make sure I say hi if I spot you, Tze Yuan!

3. Nur Alfian Juma’en's (Gold, Silat) victory ceremony.

For similar reasons as the former, this is another memorable moment, and arguably for more romantic reasons. 

Nur Alfian's opponent was a world champion, plus halfway through the fight, his foot was badly cut, leaving a trail of blood across the mat. Still, against the odds, Alfian defeats his opponent and could not hide any of his emotions during the national anthem. 

His gold medal would also turn out to be the 80th one by Team Singapore, effectively meeting an "ambitious" 80 gold medal tally target set up by The Straits Times.

4. Shanti Pereira's Gold medal for Women's 200m.

The day this happened, I had a rare off-day so I decided to make the best of it by going to the National Stadium to check out a little bit of Athletics. I knew the Women's 200m was scheduled that evening, but I did not expect much as I've also heard the Philippines sprinter Kayla Anise Richardson was the hot favourite for the event.

But when it was our very own Shanti Pereira who crossed the finish line first, the stadium was ecstatic! Shanti had broken the national record to win the country's first gold medal in the event since 1973. A historic moment indeed! 

5. Women's Netball Team's Gold medal.

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The ladies in the Netball team deserve a lot more credit than they get. Ranked 17th in the world (highest in Asia), the team went into this competition with eyes set on the Gold medal that they missed out to rivals Malaysia back in 2001. Since then, Netball, has not been included in the games. 

It was a revenge mission against Malaysia in the finals, and they emerged victorious in a thrilling encounter that ended 56-53. I felt really happy watching the game as I felt that this is a team that has remained consistent in recent years, and continue to perform despite limited resources and the relative low profile of the sport.

6. Women's floorball.

Floorball was confidently billed as two definite Gold medals for Singapore. But while the Men's team steamrolled their opponents in the finals, the Women's final had a more exciting narrative. After a ping-pong scoreline of 3-3, and even sudden death failing to separate the two finalists, it was down to penalty shootout. 

You could see what it meant to them as this is the first time the sport is featured in the Games, presenting them with their first ever chance to win a Gold. In subsequent interviews, the players and coaches also revealed their hopes on raising the profile of the sport in Singapore. A meaningful Gold indeed.

7. Men's Hockey finals.

Now this is one event on this list that Team SG does not win Gold in. This being a list from my own experience, I include it because I managed to catch this game live on the telly during a break from a long day of duty.

The opponents were all too familiar: Malaysia. Meeting them in a final is such a cliche. Being 2 points down at Half-Time against a hockey powerhouse in Asia, I didn't think our boys had much of a chance, I'll admit. But in these cases, I love to be proven wrong, and Team SG managed to tie the score at 2-2 with just 1:30 mins to go. Not every story has a fairy tale ending though, as they would eventually succumb to the favourites through a penalty shootout. 

8. A swimming pool of Gold.

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It isn't always about winning. The Games also have an emphasis on sportsmanship and determination, among other qualities. But let's be honest, winning is good, and in the pool, we always win. 

23 gold, 12 silver and 7 bronze medals, and a total of 25 Games records broken, Team SG made sure they they continue to rule supreme. 

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Joseph Schooling. 'Nuff said...



So that's just a few things that left an impression for me during the 28th SEA Games. There were many more of course, coming from different sports and different countries too. I hope the region can continue to advance and challenge itself to greater heights!

I think there's no better way to end here than with this brilliantly done montage. I shed a tear...

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