Of Beautiful Music, Teenage Love and Political Activism: Reminiscing the Nostalgia of the 80’s

Now that I am already in my mid-forties, I actually tend to reminisce a lot. I fondly remember the decade of the 80’s, for this was the time when I was in the prime of my teenage years. The first thing that I associate with the 80’s was its music—they were very beautiful and meaningful to me so much so that even accidentally listening to them would bring back in me a plethora of lovely as well as poignant memories filled with both pathos and exhilaration. It was the song “We are the World, We are the Children” that opened up my innate tendencies towards societal activism and sensitized my conscience to the plight of the poor, the homeless, the womenry and the children. Love songs in the 80’s directly speak to me every time I listen to them. It was the time when love “cuts like a knife”, and when being in love sends you right away to “eternal flame”. It was also the time when you pledge to “cherish the love we have”. Love songs in the 80’s also remind me of the pains of parting and of separation. My favorite love songs of these genre include: “I Wonder Who’s Holding Donna Now”, “Sayang na Sayang Lang”, “You Should Know By Now”, and “Love me Like the First Time and Go”, specifically that version sang by Manilyn Reynes who was one of my celebrity star crushes during those early teenage days of mine (which by the way included Harlene Bautista, Kristina Paner, Janice de Belen, Sheryl Cruz and Jean Garcia).

The dance music in the 80’s of my youth was very crisp, rhythmic and fun; they were really “danceable”, inviting you to dance once you hear them being played. “Bayle” was our kind of disco during those days. You buy a ribbon for your girl partner and pay to get a table (which was usually placed around the dancing area) so you can sit with your dancing friends while waiting for your favorite music to be played. Bayle was fun: you can opt for “sweet music” (this is the one I really liked) or “modern” dance, or cha-cha, not to mention waltz and tango which were the favorites of the older ones. I remember that I enjoyed very much dancing to the following “modern” dance: “Manic Monday”, “Square Room”, “Spanish Eddie”, “Self-Control”, “Tarzan Boy”, “Brother Louie, Louie”, “Bop Bop Girl”, “Touch by Touch” and “Borderline”. Interestingly, last Christmas vacation, I was still able to hear these songs being played at a disco in a barrio next to ours—the sound of the disco speakers were strong to somehow reach our home…

Those were the times when you do not have mobile phones; and that was why we always make it a point to keep our appointments to our friends so as not to break a heart. These were the years when we wrote fervent love letters to our lady love in beautiful pink stationeries; and in return, we received her response in a letter written on blue stationery—even if you were being “busted”, you still receive a kind and polite response (at least in my own experience). This was also the time when you would follow-up your love letter by personally proposing to your lady love—which many a times would bring you a lot of cold sweat, nervous tensions, stammering and “tongue-tiedness”. During my teenage years, proposing to your lady love is like the most serious event and the most important thing in the world; and being spurned by her is like becoming the greatest loser in life…

It was also in the 80’s when my political awakening began. The early 80’s was the dying years of the Marcos dictatorship. August 21, 1983 was very memorable to me: that was when I saw the lifeless and mangled body of Ninoy Aquino being shown at evening news in our black and white TV. That week after the assassination of Ninoy, I also heard the grim news that a remote barrio in the nearby town of Hilongos, Leyte was strafed by the army and the Philippine Constabulary, killing many peasants and villagers who were simply suspected of being NPA rebels. That last week of August 1983 became one of the turning points of my life. Thereafter, despite my young age of 12, I joined rallies and speaking engagements against the Marcos dictatorship. I campaigned for opposition candidates in our town of Bato, Leyte during the local and national elections. When the late president Cory Aquino campaigned in Leyte during the 1986 Snap Election, I was able to accompany her official entourage of speakers’ bureau. These speaking engagements that sent me actively campaigning for Cory and strongly denouncing the Marcos dictatorship brought me to the towns of Baybay, Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato, Matalom, Maasin and Bontoc. I also campaigned for Cory against Marcos in practically every barrio in my hometown of Bato. I was the youngest member of the Laban-UNIDO campaign speakers’ bureau—I was 15 at that time, and cannot even vote; yet I felt it was my civic duty to denounce in the strongest term the conjugal dictatorship of Marcos and Imelda. It was fortunate that Cory was catapulted to the presidency due to EDSA I Revolution. An army friend of my Papa told him that had Marcos won during the Snap Election, I would have been taken by the Army to “who-knows-where” since this soldier friend of my Papa personally saw that my name was there in the hit-list of the military…

I love the 80’s. How I wish I could go on and on reminiscing those memorable happenings of my life during the decade 80’s. In fact, there are still many things that I would like to write here in this essay. I feel that I still need to write my other reminiscences of the decade 80’s at some other time in the future… Those were the times when my life was so uncomplicated and I was so simple then. Those were the enjoyable yet poignant times of my life. I have one word to describe the decade 80’s: “bittersweet”. As for me, the decade 80’s is still alive! I can still hear 80’s love song and dance music being played on radio and TV stations here and there. I can hear 80’s love songs being revived by contemporary singers who still find them beautiful. I miss those years of the 80’s. I cannot forget the 80’s. Nor will I ever forget the 80’s. The memories of that decade are safely etched and will ever be alive within the innermost recesses of my heart for as long as I live… The 80’s—how about you? How do you feel about it?