The official NDP 2008 theme songs are now upon us!
See the NDP website (here) to learn about the songs in their full glory, including lyrics and hi-res video.
Shine For Singapore
Music & Lyrics by Benny Wong
Performed by Hady Mirza
The English song is “Shine For Singapore”, written by Benny Wong.
What can I say?
It fulfills all the criteria of what an official NDP song should sound like - safe, sweet and satisfying.
It’s got a nice, pleasant tune and a hook which promises to stick in our minds.
Comes complete with sure-win phrases such as “you will achieve”, “reach out for the sky”, “as one we’ll stand”, “it’s here that we belong”, and “nowhere I’d rather be”.
You can’t ever go wrong with a song like that can you?
(In fact, the NDP song that I’m currently writing is filled with such lyrical cliches too, haha!)
NB: You know what? I was listening to the first few notes of the intro to “Shine For Singapore” and I thought they sounded really familiar. I finally figured out what it is…it’s similar to the intro of Celine Dion’s “That’s The Way It Is”! Seriously, go check out her song (here) at the 0:10 mark. I’m just sayin’.
晴空万里
Music by Benny Wong
Lyrics by Ms Xiao Han
Performed by Joi Chua
The Chinese version is “晴空万里”, with lyrics by Ms Xiao Han.
It’s given quite a different treatment, so at first I thought it was a completely different song! There are bits here and there which are tweaked a little bit, so it isn’t exactly a carbon-copy of the English version.
Especially the choruses…the English chorus has a little bit of syncopation whereas the Chinese chorus is just a string of five straight beats.
It really makes a difference to the whole song, even though it’s just a slight tweak in the chorus.
Imagine if one day one of the Songcrafters were to actually write the official National Day song for Singapore. That would be so cool!!!
haha… i know this has nothing to do with the music or the lyrics… but the girl in the video is quite chio…
btw, r we the only nation that has a new song ever year? haha… even if we r not, i am sure that we r the only one that has it in 2 languages… i am proud to be a Singaporean :)
“the girl in the video is quite chio…”
Ah…why does this not surprise me? Haha!
And yup, I don’t really know of any other nation that comes up with new songs on an annual basis the way we do. It is really something to be proud of! Maybe next time they’ll have up to 4 different languages per song!
Hmm, I hope I’ll grow to like the song ‘cos I’m not really diggin’ it right now…
The ideal national day song for me is one which EVERYONE can sing together, esp at the Chorus. This song is lacking the “commaderie” (sorry, if wrong spelling) feel.
What happened to “Count On Me, Singapore”, “This Is My Country” kind of songs???
N sorry to say too, the video’s kinda… weird.
Ok, I’m so picky but… sigh, just kinda disappointed.
Hmm, I should like, work really hard on MY national day song, then huh ;p
Hi jeremy, once again, thanks for the review. I remember reading your review on last year’s NDP theme song.
Just to let u know, I referenced u in my post.
B: Yeah I totally agree on how NDP songs nowadays are lacking the “camaraderie” feel. They aren’t as sing-along as they used to be, back in the “Count On Me, Singapore” and “One People, One Nation, One Singapore” days. Nowadays, they are just like any other radio-friendly pop song!
And yeah, the video is kinda weird. Isn’t it supposed to be an NDP video? How come it doesn’t look like one?!? It looks like any other regular MTV.
Jzin: Hello! Thanks for the reference! Looks like we both love writing about NDP songs eh? Cheers.
It’s amazing
Nowdays NDP song not like in the past that we all can sing along.. in the past song like “Stand up for singapore, we are Singapore”.. are much easy to be sing along especially kids.. Also why there no four version of our them song for the four official language? What i know now we in Singapore had many singer English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil during like des theme song we should have the four language bring up the theme songs.. Hope in future we cud see Malay and Tamil theme songs too..