"Open City" - Filipino World War II Song (c. 1943)

TRANSCRIBER’s NOTES
*“(Ka?)” probably refers to a place name although I cannot decipher the exact word.
*UPDATE: As suggested by several people in the comments and in discord, this refers to the town of Atimonan, part of what was then known as Tayabas Province and later on renamed as Quezon Province. There was a Japanese landing in Atimonan during the Philippine Campaign of 1941-1942. Thanks for the correction.
NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF THE SONG
1. In the article by Dr. Vicencio Jose entitled Patriotic Lyrics in Folk Tradition (2001), Dr. Jose records two variant lyrics of the song, both from the Second World War. One version from Nueva Ecija was labeled “Nang Magpaalam si MacArthur”. Another version, from Bataan, was titled “Presidente Manuel Quezon” and is dated circa 1943.
2. The Ermar Duet’s version recorded in 1975 seems to be a combination of the two versions, although some parts in their rendition were not present in these variants from Dr. Jose’s paper. It might be explained by one of either possibilities here:
a.) Since it seems that the lyrics in Dr. Jose’s paper were collected through interviews years after the war, it is possible that the interviewees misremembered parts of the song and/or forgot some of the verses altogether.
b.) The Ermar Duet made some revisions and additions on the lyrics when they recorded their version on 1975.
As of now, I am inclined to accept possibility “a”. More study might be required.
3. The song uses the tune of the “Open City March”. According to a column by Manuel Quezon III (MLQ3), the march was used to welcome parading Japanese troops in Manila when they entered the City. There seems to be no information on the authorship of the Open City March. In his podcast, MLQ3 mentioned in passing that Felipe Padilla De Leon composed it. I doubt this very much unless there is a primary source that can verify. The question now is whether the song (with the lyrics) came first before the march or whether people made words or lyrics to fit into the march.
References:
Jose, Vivencio R.. 2001. Patriotic Lyrics in Folk Tradition: Implications on National History. Retrieved from www.scribd.com...
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SOURCES
Audio: • Open City
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[@francis9428]

It's nice to see an Asian country help out a fellow Asian country. Hopefully it isn't just some ploy to occupy and exploit that said country, while using anti-colonialism as a veil to hide purely imperialist intentions...

[@jeremiahmontejo9625]

Most of the Filipino Kuleboretors (collaborators) where veterans of the 1897 Revolution and Philippine American war. E.g. Ricarte and Aguindaldo

[@frederickoftheartic2209]

​@@jeremiahmontejo9625 I'd be pretty pissed at Americans and Europeans too if I had to fight them. I can see why they thought the Japs were "liberators"

[@Brslld]

​@@jeremiahmontejo9625 Kalungkot lang na 'di nila nilabanan ang mga mananakop, iba ay tumulong pa.

[@jasonsan6708]

I see what you did there lol

[@TheMaster4534]

​@@Brslld Old duties and grudges die hard. Just imagine having to watch the Americans destroy all you have during the Philippine-American War. Sino kayang hindi madaling matukso ng pagkakataon. Para kay Aguinaldo at Ricarte, "Round Two" ng Phil-Am War ang pagpasok ng mga Hapon

[@blizst2127]

its really weird to hear a japanese with rural tagalog accent lol

[@leslieannelopez8405]

I think the Ka is Atimonan as atimonan is a place in the philippines and much close to tayabas and also being part of quezon province, please just doublecheck it

[@cancionesdefilipinas1898]

Yes, it seems it's Atimonan

[@AlvinMarino-ir5ol]

​@@cancionesdefilipinas1898it is Atimonan I checked the original lyrics because I'm trying to memorize it it's such a good song I already memorize "mabuhay".

[@darkflamemaster6541]

What a nice song, I hope nothing happens like some IJA successfully made a puppet states and experience a 3 hellish rule from the Japanese

[@jeremiahmontejo9625]

Most of the collaborators where veterans of the 1897 Revolution and Philippine American war

[@darkflamemaster6541]

@@jeremiahmontejo9625 yeah and they'll realized how f up their decision are in 1943

[@swampdonkey3958]

@@jeremiahmontejo9625 so? most veterans of the 1897 war fought against the collaboration government.

[@johnpaulabocad6941]

No different from the US, who waterboarded captured Filipino soldiers during the Philippine American war

[@wendigobanshee]

​@@johnpaulabocad6941at least their warcrimes weren't as organized as japs, tignan mo yung bataan death march, bahay na pula Ay unit 731.

[@AlvinMarino-ir5ol]

Not only the Brits and the Filipinos had a similar looking uniform but they ware also making amazing songs.

[@BestANT832]

Try to listen to the "Rule Britannia"

[@ztfes52]

Thats because we just stacka 2 of 3 ceramic bowls welding, taping or strapping them together and thats our helmet

[@theobuniel9643]

0:31 I think they're saying "Atimonan".

[@DaveMathewslayer0345]

Nah, nah, I think he said, "katipunan". (I am not Filipino, but that's what it sounds like to my ears)

[@theobuniel9643]

@@DaveMathewslayer0345 That makes no sense. They're singing place names.

[@DaveMathewslayer0345]

@@theobuniel9643 yeah, "I think". What did you expect from a guy who's from Spain?

[@DaveMathewslayer0345]

@HAU-Phemastism What?

[@Ob1JuanCannoli]

​@@theobuniel9643 as a pilipino my self, masasabi ko po rin na ang sinabi po niya ay katipunan.

[@MCGIHymns-Psalms23]

The correction for the lyrics that you said "Ka?" is not the one named Katipunan but rather Atimonan. Atimonan, officially the Municipality of Atimonan (Tagalog: Bayan ng Atimonan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines.

[@alezacrespublik6655]

2:10 May Pantapat kay P. Ramlee

[@alwinvillero9505]

Another based video to add to my "Based Filipino Music" playlist. Thank you!

[@DerKlaviermusiker315_]

it's Sing with DK time

[@dahyunista8468]

Atimonan

[@thirdyespedido9606]

I think 0:32 is Atimonan

[@Brohbdingnagian]

Katipunan ata

[@balistixmapping197]

🇵🇭✊†

[@provocatedmediocre2024]

Atimonan yung sa 0:32.

[@datubagani-m3u]

haha, may dagdag pang Aikoku Koushinkyoku

[@Ob1JuanCannoli]

The "(Ka?)" Is "Katipunan".

[@yoylecakeyoye]

its atimonan

[@justinnamuco9096]

"Ricarte" refers to Gen. Artemio Ricarte? He would have been around 75 at the time.

[@misskonaxia]

Yes

[@cancionesdefilipinas1898]

Ricarte sided with the Japanese during the occupation period, making propaganda speeches and radio broadcasts. He was part of the Preparatory Committee for Philippine Independence in 1943 which laid the groundwork for the Second Republic. He was also co-founded the pro-Japanese Filipino militia MAKAPILI in 1944 along with Pio Duran and Benigno Ramos.

[@justinnamuco9096]

@@cancionesdefilipinas1898 He was really hoping that Japan would grant independence though, first and foremost, which makes sense due to his service in the first Philippine Republic. It was his request that he personally expressed to the Prime Minister of Japan who sought him as he had been in Japan for quite a while before Japan invaded the Philippines.

[@ErvinDeGuzman-h6o]

Pulang araw brought me here

[@renzoskinedts]

The Japanese lyrics seem wrong tbh

[@naps_878]

its prolly the point

[@abigaelbautista778]

The reason its like that makes it more easy to say.

[@Coco3Pirata]

They include "Aikoku koushinkyoku" Lol

[@ranfodar8888]

Is it Patunungan at 0:32 ?

[@GabeChua]

Atimonan

[@markoko27]

You said "(ka?)" because you didn't heard the last province. Or maybe, they said nonsense

[@markoko27]

I heard Atimonan on the (Ka?l

[@keannoxyrenceesquivel2349]

​@@markoko27ye

[@Itz_Ethanael0628]

The Ka lyrics is actually Atimonan

[@TheJoshua7820]

Hopefully one day an orchestra or a military band would recreate this song, for marching parades

[@Me-fm9zk]

Thank you! I have been looking for this for years. Where can I find side B? Side A is about the occupation, side B is about the liberation

[@MrushankaMPG]

This song thought me tagalog a little Im not russian im a pinoy

[@Wasted_my_life]

I’m Filipino and American so IDK what to say.

[@ShaunRicardo-if8qx]

When the whole Philippines was turned into a puppet by the Japanese

[@paulvaldon6965]

Ngayon naman Chinese ang nagbabalak, kawawa naman mga kapwa ko Pilipino kung sakali wag naman po sana

[@roaldtutit4998]

naka tira ako sa pilipinas ay lola ko ay wala pa jan translet to english i live in pilipins my grandmother is not there born in 1945

[@randygloria]

Ang kagahapon nila ni ama at ina mga pakita ug gin unsa kita pag ubos xa lantaw xa mga langyaw😂😂😂 Litsugas kamo na buli Hain mga iroy...😂😂😂 Ambot alaw MN nka intindi wer r u at..... san k dw😂😂😂😂

[@icosahedrongod527]

Singing is actually good

[@lilyesmeraldagazellian6377]

I swear if there was an American hearing this

[@peopleskingdomofwolcottia]

Yes, an American is listening to this right now.

[@jhareyjace2008]

Araw ng kagitingan❤🪖🕊

[@joejovellano2616]

The "Ka?" is Atimonan

[@mathoj6762]

Lets do a revolution

[@IamthestormThatisapproac-tk3jv]

BTW the (?) is (Atimonan)

[@broccolinyu911]

Did they really just yoink a page from Aikoku Koshinkyoku? 😂

[@mdominic-kl4hp]

They are offering a peace to japan to dont cause more trouble like bombing they write the patriotic japanese music for accepting them

[@idontknow_chan]

Dont care still beats.

[@martineamosantonio]

They dont make songs like these anymore 😢

[@XandieFireman]

You want a war song again?

[@Makapiliparasabayan]

​@@XandieFiremanyes

[@BestANT832]

​@@Makapiliparasabayan R U L E B R I T A N N I A

[@Philippinecountryball123]

​@@BestANT832MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!

[@LJZuluetaEdits]

0:29 it's "Laguna,Tayabas at Atimonan"

[@naps_878]

alam na siya, check description

[@abandonthis]

0:32 At patungo na ?

[@SethAtSNK]

Atimonan

[@dude_uncool_6969]

Bro can you do bagong umaga

[@vincenttt8289]

Laguna, Tayabas, at Katipunan? or Kalipunan