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NDP 2008 Featured Songs

-by Kelvin Yang

The racial harmony amidst diversity present here is probably one of the most often cited features of modern Singapore – the four main races living in harmony have long been regarded as a primary factor in Singapore’s rise from third world to first, and we are proud of it. This year, NDP 2008 features 4 songs, each in one of the four main languages of our country. Testament to the willingness and ability of Singaporeans to adapt is the fact that all of these songs have been remixed – the familiar strains of “Home” is played in Tamil, “My Island Home” in Chinese accompanied by an operatic poem and “There’s No Place I’d Rather Be” in Malay complemented by a Malay poem. Additionally, “We Are Singapore” is also featured in an “a capella” rendition of the popular tune. Chinese, Malay, Tamil and English – the four songs encapsulate the Singapore Spirit of racial tolerance and friendship, and we celebrate them at NDP 2008.

 

 

 

 

Home
English Version
Tamil Version (Veedu)

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
I will always recall the city
Know every street and shore
Sail down the river which brings us life
Winding through my Singapore

Chorus:
This is my home truly, where I know I must be
Where my dreams wait for me, where that river always flows
This is home surely, as my senses tell me
This is where I won’t be alone, for this is where I know it’s home

When there are troubles to go through
We’ll find a way to start anew
There is comfort in the knowledge
That home’s about its people too
So we’ll build our dreams together
Just like we’ve done before

Just like the river which brings us life
There’ll always be Singapore

Repeat Chorus
For this is where I know it’s home
For this is where I know I’m home


En Mananm Thalarnthu pohgum
Kaalam naan suttri parkkuman thaneram
Kanmunneh kaanum kaatchi
Endrum en naivanthu sehrum
En neenai vil thondrum nagaram,
Naanghum therintha oor
Naan valvai nohkum pathayil
Kandhenen Singapur

Ethuvehthan en veedu endrum en manathodhu

Kanavugal pala enakkukaana muigirathu
Ethuvehthan en koodhu endrum ennathunaahu
Thanimai ennai arugathey
Yen endral ethu enveedu

Ethuvehthan en veedu endrum en manathodhu
Kanavugal pala enakkukaana muigirathu
Ethuvehthan en koodhu endrum ennathunaahu
Thanimai ennai arugathey
Yen endral ethu enveedu endrum en manathodhu

Kanavugal pala enakku kaana mudigirathu
Ethuvehthan en enru mennathu naadhu
Thanimai ennai arugathey
Yen endral ethu enveedu
Yen endral ethu enveedu

 

 

My Island Home

English Version
Chinese Version


This is my home
She’s everything to me
Grace and beauty
In all that you see

My island home
Wherever I may be
I never will forget her
Nor will she forget me

Chorus:
And I will sing
A song of home
A land of peace
Where dreams are born everyday
My home
Wherever I may be
I believe
You will always be a part of me

My island home
Home of my family
This is my future
Where I want to be

This is my future


绿色岛屿
洋溢家的气息
温馨也炫麗
独有的風景

美丽岛屿
有爱也有回忆
不管我身在哪里
都忘不了这里

Chorus:
我們用 愛
跨越风雨
打造奇迹梦想在这里成形
未来
更值得去憧憬

我相信
幸福是这岛屿的图形
美丽岛屿
充满爱和鼓励
未来的双翼
带梦想飞行

Chinese Poem Recital During Song

领军挂帅定江山

赤胆忠心卫国邦 领军挂帅定边疆

爱国爱民扶社稷 丹心一片保江山

阵前分列雄师马 忠心之将气昂扬

 

 

There's no place I'd rather be
English Version
Malay Version (Tida Lain Bagiku Melainkan Di Sini)

I’ve walked the streets of Cairo and Bombay

I’ve seen the neon signs of old Broadway

I’ve climbed the Eiffel Tower

The Great Wall in one hour

Experienced sweet and sour but that’s okay.

Seen Hollywood, the sunsets in LA,

The London Bridge, Big Ben, the Themes, UK

I’ve crossed the River Kwai

Yet still I don’t know why

I think of you each night and every day.


There’s no place I’d rather be

You’ll always be a part of me

And even though I have roamed the world

It’s still my home I long to see

This is where my family

And my friends grew up with me

So I’ll cross the skies and sail the seas

To be where I wanna be


Cos there’s no place I rather be


Kususuri Kaherah dan Bombay
Kulihat sinar neon di Broadway
Ke menara Eiffel
Tembok Besar Cina
Rasa pahit manis ku disana…
Di Hollywood, mentari di LA
Ke London Bridge, Big Ben, di Thames, UK
Lintasi River Kwai
Bertanya mengapa
Kau ku ingat di setiap masa…

Tia-da lain bagiku,
Melainkan di sini
Sedunia ku jelajahi
Negaraku dirindui
Ke-luar-ga ku di sini
Handai taulan di sisi
Selami lau-tan, dan langit tinggi

Ke tempat ku ingini

Malay Pantun (Poem) Recital During Song

DAKAPAN SEJARAH

Gelombang, mahkota dan singa hanya lembaran tua
kita lalui kehidupan dan memahami erti hayat
kita harungi bersama dengan rentak sejiwa
dan langkah serta lenggang setarap sejagat.

Akan selamanya kita hadir segar dan tegap
mengharumi bumi kita dengan bakti tertinggi
dan tegas dengan sumpah khidmat yang cekap
cekal bina negara tanpa mengira kurnia diri.

Berbilang budaya dan serentak kita berdiri
bina Singapura setulus hati.

 

 

We are Singapore (A capella version)

There was a time when people said
That Singapore won’t make it, but we did
There was a time when troubles seemed
Too much for us to take, but we did
We built a nation, strong and free, reaching out together
For peace and harmony

Chorus 1
This is my country, This is my flag
This is my future, this is my life
This is my family, These are my friends
We are Singapore, Singaporeans

We the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one united people
Regardless of race, language or religion
To build a democratic society
Based on justice and equality
So as to achieve happiness
Prosperity and progress for our nation.

Chorus 2
We are Singapore, we are Singapore
We will stand together, hear the lion roar
We are Singapore, we are Singapore
We’re a nation strong and free forevermore

Repeat Chorus 1

We are Singapore, Singaporeans (x2)