“Ode From Nowhere” is a new song I composed for Banda Fantastica 3. It’s the second original song performed by Transient Attack (my band) and my first composition for this year. Supposedly, the band will not be taking part in the recently compiled BF3 album due to some band concerns, but it was a test of how far the band can go while members are tested for bandhood.

I wrote the song during the time that I felt the world was not on my side and unfortunate series of events happened in my life. It was during the composition month when (1) my nephew (godson/foster child) had pneumonia, (2) my close cousin died, (3) my dad had a stroke 2 days before my birthday, (4) my cousin’s mom was bedridden after her death, and (5) my closest uncle died. All these things happened in just one month and the lyrics of the song was gradually revised to depict what I have in my heart and mind during that period.

“Ode From Nowhere” is a story of broken people in a lot of ways. May it be because of money, fortune and luck, family, job, business, relationship, anything. It is a story of something that broken people hope to achieve and that is to at some point be on top in everything they wanted to achieve. “Ode From Nowhere” is a story of my life.

The song is the summation of the experiences I undergone during the course of my life here on earth. It was a dream to write a song about my life, and this was the fulfillment of that dream.

There were a lot of instances (and still there are) in my life that I feel I’m an outcast. And even if I tried to mingle with people; that same feeling strikes me most of the times, makes me wonder if I really established strong bond with people. This is eminent with my past and present peer and social groups. It pains me inside if someone forgets or dumps me without any reasons, or any loved ones connected to me (e.g. family, friends). This is what “am I a failed exile now, standing on a semi-tonal scene” (pre-verse) is all about. This is the main reason why I grew up enjoying things alone and be in a place where serenity rules the place.

The first verse simply depicts the anger I feel inside because of life showbizness and politics. Anger for those people who judges; who mocks; who backstabs; who treats people good but deep inside isolates them in a lot of ways; who uses friendship for personal gain; who always whines or complains about life; who loves showbizness and keeps minding other people’s lives; who loves politics and keeps on seeing other people’s faults rather than theirs; who manipulates people; and who praises God inside the “church” and yet don’t know God and don’t imply godliness when outside. That when you let these kinds of people be in your life, you’ll end up like being controlled and misled (“falling in a stupid show”).

Chorus simply depicts the desire to end all those dirty businesses up. The part

“and I’ll soar up high and fly, to that place I will go, to a place where all fear go”

merely means:

“Lord, You’re all I want always. Draw me close into Your arms coz I wanna be with You in heaven. Where there’s no fear and rejection, where all are deaf and can’t speak bad things about others, where all are blind and can’t see faults from others and can’t judge others, where there’s no showbizness and politics.”

Behind the lines of the chorus is the hope to be exalted from the worldly principles and hounds. Behind those lines is the hope of someday, broken people will be on that day that they will experience God’s wonders that are incomparable to earthly standards.

“Brave” impersonates – those people who think they are great; those who assume they take control; those who boast of their skills and forgets their roots; those who whine about work and still proud they don’t care if they’ll be kicked off; ask more but work less; give comment yet knows nothing; give something but with personal credit; “love” someone and yet picking another one for fun; blasphemers; and those who don’t value relationships – whether family, friends or something for long-termed ones.

Second verse is an answer to the first verse and a personal decision not to fall to any of those worldly fences. The bridge is the realization of being misled and blinded by others. Last part is the answer to the first part of the song.

This is a story of someone who grew up in broken family, broken society, broken finances and in some point lived a broken life. This is the story of my life – and of some who desires to end the melancholy of this world.

For the whole lyrics, please refer below:

Ode From Nowhere (5:07)
(words by A. Manalo. music by Transient Attack)

Am I a failed exile?
And standing on a semi-tonal scene
Am I living a life from nowhere?
In a place that I’ve never been

The world and death will get along
To a solitary cell of angry, angry paradigm
Life’s a match in a death row
Cursing worth that they all know
And selling soul to lurkers
Like falling in a stupid show

Chorus:
And I’ll soar up high and fly
To that place, I will go
To a place where all fear go
And I’ll soar up high and fly
It’s time for all the broken to rise
It’s time for all the brave to fall

And I’ll count the ways to fall into debt
Life’s saturation, it’s slowly fading and it’s slowly ending
I’m a match in this death row
Curse my worth that they all know
I won’t sell my soul to lurkers
Won’t fall for a stupid show

Repeat Chorus

Coz somebody told me the wrong way…
Coz somebody told me the wrong way…
Coz somebody told me the wrong way…

Repeat Chorus

I’m a failed exile now
Rebuilding a semi-tonal scene
Writing down an ode from nowhere
In a place that I’ve been

 

Thanks to Mr. Noypee for giving us another notch as the best track (again) for BF3 album. Kudos sir. To my bandmates, stay humble or else I’ll kick your asses out of the band =). To PhilMusicSG, thanks for the another ground to showcase filipino talents. To my friends, thanks for supporting me since day 1 (Gashaus days) of my music days here in Singapore. To my family, don’t worry; we’re on our way to that kind of comfortable life we’re all dreaming of. To the Almighty, this song is offered to you Father. Thanks for rocking my world.