Yoyoy Villame, Philippine King of Novelty Songs Passes Away

Tagbilaran, Saturday, 19 May 2007 (updated: Tuesday, 29 May 2007)

• A native of Calape, Bohol and the youngest of 10 children, Roman Tesorio Villame was born on November 18, 1932.
• Before getting into the music industry, Yoyoy was at one time a jeepney driver and at another, an army draftee who fought in the government’s anti-insurgency campaign in Central Luzon.
• Back in Bohol he became a bus driver, and formed a rondalla combo with his fellow bus drivers as band mates.
• When the owner of the bus company finally took notice of Yoyoy’s talents, it set up a the Kinamay Records music studio just for Yoyoy.
• His first recording, entitled Magellan, appeared in 1972, and was the beginning of a long span of albums and recordings of Yoyoy’s humorous yet politically loaded songs in Visayan, Tagalog and English in a style that was uniquely his own.

Remembering Yoyoy Villame

The Philippine King of Novelty Songs

Singer - Composer - Lyricist - Arranger - Musician

18 November 1932 - 18 May 2007

Let us sing together:

Ask your parents and grandparents if they know Butse Kik, chance is 90% they know the song. If you ask those who were born in the 1970s, 80s and 90’s the song is familiar but they could hardly remember the lyrics.

The song was immortalized by a simple probinsyano, Yoyoy Villame.

Long before Lito Camo, there was already Yoyoy who was the irrepressible novelty singer-composer known for his humorous take on the Filipino way of life. Perhaps nobody has done more to carve the date of the “discovery” of the Philippines in the minds of the populace than a comedy singer, former public utility driver, and incumbent elected councilor of one of the boroughs of Metro Manila.

Born on November 18, 1932 in Calape, Bohol, Yoyoy barged into the music scene in 1977 during the Martial Law years with his off-the-wall physical fitness anthem, Mag-exercise Tayo (Let’s Exercise).

Roman Villame in real life, the Bohol-raised Yoyoy experimented and recorded many songs in the Bisaya dialect.

He even came up with the classic Abuchikik, a unique song driven by a catchy melody and seemingly unintelligible words. World-class singer Leah Salonga sang this song in one of her concerts.

Included in his repertoire are hit songs Tarsan at Barok, Si Filemon (A remake of a Philippine folk-song), Nasaan Ka Darling (Where Are You, Darling?) and Da Da Da (Free, and very much so, after The Police).

And what about his Magellan song? It was his most requested song, a history lesson in broken English, with accents in all the wrong places, and the most illegal rhymes in lyric history. But the song Magellan catapulted Yoyoy to fame, and recording companies have since fielded scouts to the Visayan region as though people with his talent grew on trees.

Stories

A CD with Yoyoy's biggest hits.

There are many tales associated with Yoyoy’s songs. Once, my mama told me that Yoyoy’s Magellan was the main cause of a trouble in a prominent family here in Tagbilaran City. Every person in this country owned Yoyoy’s “plaka” (big black disc album made of vinyl for today’s generation) which was also a big hit in the Philippines. “A” bought the “plaka” and her sister borrowed it and didn’t return the “plaka” for many days. “A” told her eldest daughter to get the “plaka.” When the daughter arrived at her aunt’s house, her cousin jested that the “plaka” belonged to them. So, the daughter ran to her house and told her mama about the incident. “A” was angry and she was about to collapse because Yoyoy’s “plaka” was her treasured property. It was the cause of feud between two families. When their patriarch knew about the incident, he called the families and children and punished them by kneeling on the floor even those who didn’t join the “war” were not exempted.

Movie Career

Yoyoy also built a career in front of the movie camera, but was relegated mostly to supporting roles.

He began making movies in the early 70’s, and is noted for his role as a family driver who killed by Vilma Santos in 1974 suspense thriller Biktima in 1974.

He appeared on Eh, Kasi Bisaya, a comedy show with Pilita Corales, Manilyn Reynes and Nova Villa in 1970s.

Who could forget the movie Batul in Mactan directed by Emmanuel H. Borlaza, Yoyoy was with Eddie Peregrina as Gabriel in that movie in 1974; Barok Goes to Hong Kong in 1984 with Palito; Wooly Booly: Ang Classmate Kong Alien (1989) directed by Ben Feleo with Jimmy Santos as Wooly Booly and Gelli de Belen as Girlie. The same director for Tootsie Wootsie in 1990 with Herbet Bautista, Raymart Santiago, Vina Morales, Gelli de Belen and Kempee de Leon and Teacher’s Enemy No. 1 in 1990; Bikining Itim (1990), Wooly Booly 2: Ang Titser Kong Alien (1990), Andrew Ford Medina: Huwag Kang Gamol (1991), Tunay na Magkaibigan, Walang Iwanan... Peksman (1994).

He also appeared on Milyonaryong Mini: The Movie (after the successful Bisayan late afternoon teleseries) in 1996 directed by Tony Reyes.

In 2004, Yoyoy played a Visayan troubadour in the critically acclaimed movie, Babae sa Breakwater (Women of the Breakwater). Remember the controversial Katherine Luna (sired by unknown father) who won the best actress award abroad?

Television Tribute

Veteran broadcast journalist Jessica Soho paid tribute to Yoyoy’s contribution to Filipino music and film in one its segments last night on her top-rating program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (Saturday, 8:30 pm).

I was with Jessica Soho when she featured Yoyoy for the Bohol episode on January 16, 2005 (before Yoyoy’s life was featured on Magpakailanman) and I was the one who gave the lei for Yoyoy as instructed by Maria Chrisina “Pacing” Pascual, the segment producer of the show.

Veteran broadcast journalist Jessica Soho interviews Yoyoy Villame (in Bohol, 2005)

Jessica Soho’s intro spiel was “Ang original “King of Novelty Songs” na si Yoyoy Villame — isa sa mga ipinagmamalaking anak ng Bohol – ang puntong bisaya ang tila naghatid ng suwerte sa kaniyang buhay.”

On that day, Jessica Soho accompanied Yoyoy to Bohol. At the Tagbilaran airport, there was a “grand welcome” for Yoyoy by the Boholano people. Yoyoy had a duet with a porter singing Abushikik. Going to Poblacion, Calape, Jessica was able to know the real Yoyoy.

“He’s natural na masayahin at palabiro,” she said. He sang Magellan. Jessica told Yoyoy that he’s good in history.

“Matalino, malawak at malikot ang pag-iisip ... dala raw ito ng kaniyang malalim na karanasan sa pagiging sundalo at sa mahabang panahon ng pagiging drayber ng bus, jeep at maging ng mga smuggler,” Jessica said.

Yoyoy with friends in Calape

Yoyoy was discovered by his manager when he sang between hours when he drove a jeepney.

Believe me, Yoyoy could compose and sing the names of different towns of Bohol in an instant! There is no need for a ball pen or paper, right there he could compose the lyrics and give the melody!

“Karamihan sa kaniyang mga kanta sumasalamin sa kutura at pamumuhay ng mga Boholano,” Jessica said.

“Dun ko nga nagawa yung Butsikik eh, yung China Town, nung masira yung jeep ko, nag-antay ako ng mekaniko, ang tagal dumating, kinopya ko yung mga pangalan ng department store, yung mga Leungkok Trading, Langnam Hardware, Fengshui Mami—ginawa kong kanta. Chinese pakinggan pero walang sentence,” Yoyoy said.

It was that time Jessica learned that Butsikik was a name of a store in China Town. Yoyoy said that Butsi cake was a popular Chinese business that time.

Yoyoy admitted that his life was mean in the province. He even confessed that most of the people are poor and they look for a job in another place or join the NPA.

The Punta Cruz Watch Tower in Maribojoc town was Yoyoy’s favorite hang-out.

“Nung nag-drive ako ng bus, tagarito yung kunduktor ko eh. Kaya palagi ako ditto, pagmeron na-excursion, nililibot ko dito,” he shared.

He could be the best guide in Bohol, however he became a tourist guide not in his hometown but in Manila and Tagaytay.

Kaming mga Bol-anon

Yoyoy had lots of true friends, others in drinking sprees and singing contests. “Pinatanda man ng panahon…pero walang kupas pa rin sa husay sa pagkanta ang magbabarkada.”

Jessica’s extro spiel was “Si Yoyoy Villame ... ang bisayang nagpatunay…na sa larangan ng musika ... ang mga Boholanong tulad niya ay di pahuhuli.”

Yoyo succumbed Friday to cardiac arrest at the Las Piñas Medical Center.

The great Yoyoy Villame of Bohol. There could only be one Yoyoy Villame in history...

Meanwhile, after reading this article, let us do our exercise. Let us hear once more, Yoyoy Villame:

Mag-exercise tayo tuwing umaga, tuwing umaga, tuwing umaga
Mag-exercise tayo tuwing umaga upang ang katawan natin ay sumigla!

Again, repeat class!

Leo P. Udtohan

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