"How Beautiful Our Music Truly Is": The Legacy of a Filipino Masterpiece

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In a time when the soul of a nation was searching for harmony and identity, one song rose like a triumphant anthem — a melody that would echo through generations, reminding Filipinos of the unparalleled beauty of their culture and sound. That song is “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika”, translated as “How Beautiful is Our Music” — a timeless ode to Filipino artistry.

Crafted by the genius of Ryan Cayabyab, now a National Artist for Music, and brought to life by the velvet voice of Hajji Alejandro, this masterpiece didn’t just win awards — it captured the heart of a nation.

In 1978, the song conquered the first Metro Manila Popular Music Festival, earning the Grand Prize and proving that Original Pilipino Music (OPM) could stand tall against the tide of foreign influences. But it didn’t stop there. Later that year, “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika” soared even higher — representing the Philippines at the Seoul International Song Festival, where it was hailed with the Grand Prix and Best Singer honors for Alejandro himself.

But beyond accolades, the song became a declaration — a bold, melodic reminder that Filipino music is not just beautiful; it is world-class.

With lines that swell with national pride and a melody that dances between joy and reverence, the song tells us this: We are a people of rhythm, of harmony, of unmatched musical soul. We don’t need to borrow voices from abroad — because our music, our language, our sound — is already a symphony of brilliance.

"Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika" is not just a song.

It is a battle cry.

A celebration.

A love letter to the Filipino identity.

And decades later, it continues to sing — loud and proud — reminding us that indeed, our music is as beautiful as our story.

Here's an English adaptation of "Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika" — capturing the soul, pride, and rhythm of the original while honoring its lyrical depth and patriotic emotion. This is not a direct translation, but a faithful interpretation meant to resonate with an international audience while preserving the spirit of the Filipino classic:

"How Glorious Is Our Music"

Inspired by “Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika”

Composed by Ryan Cayabyab | Interpreted by Hajji Alejandro

English version by ChatGPT

[Verse 1]

From the echoes of the islands to the heart of every soul,

A melody is rising, like the sun in morning gold.

Born from silent struggle, sung in freedom’s purest name,

Our music tells the stories that no voice could dare explain.

[Verse 2]

It dances with the rivers, it flows across the skies,

It drums with every heartbeat, it never says goodbye.

Though storms may try to break us, our voices will remain —

United in our rhythm, we rise beyond the pain.

[Chorus]

How glorious is our music, so rich, so full, so free!

A song that knows no borders, a proud identity.

No other sound could match it, no echo quite the same —

This is the voice of Filipinos, in passion and in flame.

[Bridge]

Let others chase their anthems, their notes from foreign lands,

But we shall raise our banner with our own hearts and hands.

Our song is not a whisper — it's thunder, soul, and grace!

A legacy unbroken, a light no dark can chase.

[Final Chorus]

How glorious is our music — a gift from deep within,

A flame that keeps on burning where all our dreams begin.

So let the whole world listen, and hear our spirit play:

How glorious is our music — the Filipino way.

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