Probably one of the most genuinely patriotic songs ever written about the Philippines and the struggle of the Filipino under the yoke of foreign oppression. The song and its lyrics are originally perceived to relate to Spanish rule in the Philippines and a general call for independence. Perhaps the strongest lyric in the song is "sa sariling lupa ay alipin ako ng banyaga" - which loosely translates as: In my own country I am a slave to foreigners. These sentiments align closely with the work of Jose Rizal in exposing the injustices of the time. In terms of style and lyrics it is close to the Asin's song Balita; although this song is a downbeat song which paints a grim picture of the Philippines under the Marcos regime, whereas Sa Kuko ng Agila is more of a march to Revolution! The song still has relevance in modern times, perhaps not when read literally, but when understood as a struggle for independence from oppression. Although the Spanish have long left the Philippine islands, its people still struggle for economic/ financial inclusion where millions live on less than a dollar a day; and where millions of overseas filipino workers suffer harsh conditions under foreign employers around the world. Despite struggling for independence from the corruption under the Spanish; the Philippines government is still battling to rid polictics from widespread corruption and violence. Ka Freddie's song still lives on therefore (I think), and it would be interesting to know what Rizal ...

• published: 29 Nov 2010
• views: 34677
• author: WhiteySingsTagalog