Kuda Hitam

There was a period from the late 70s till early 80s where I listened to Malay radio a lot. The song, Kuda Hitam "Black Horse" is one of the songs that I had liked since I was a child. This evergreen Indonesian song has lyrics that stay true to the traditional, Malay-styled nature of imparting advice - non-confrontational, courteous and analogous. Sounds simple but isten to the song carefully.

The Malay language is simple yet intensely clever. They say that to know the language is to know the culture. How apt.

I especially like this version sung by the legendary songbird, Hetty Koes Endang.

Kuda Hitam
Kuda hitam aduh... kuda hitam
Tak dihitung namun berbahaya
Lari tenang aduh... pelan-pelan
Tau-tau bisa nyampai keluan

Gadis manis aduh... kulit hitam
Hidung mancung agak... berbahaya
Tenang-tenang aduh... menghanyutkan
Tau-tau bisa bikin kejutan

(chorus)
Kalaulah naik kuda hitam
Lari kencang nafas pun panjang
Kalaulah punya pacar hitam
Walau hari panas senyum senang

Jangan marah aduh abang-abang
Hati-hati hidup di dunia
Jangan pandang aneh pandang ringan
Aku nyanyi bukan sembarangan

Majulah Singapura.

I'm a Singaporean and I hold my pink IC proud. But when a party chants Majulah PAP, Majulah Singapura at election campaigns... I Malu-lah, Singapura! (Singapore, I'm embarrassed).

I believe Zubir Said wrote the National Anthem for Singaporeans, not for any political party.

Majulah Singapura (original Malay version)
Mari kita rakyat Singapura
Sama-sama menuju bahagia
Cita-cita kita yang mulia
Berjaya Singapura
Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura
Marilah kita bersatu
Dengan semangat yang baru
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura

Onward Singapore
Come, fellow Singaporeans
Let us progress towards happiness together
May our noble aspiration bring
Singapore success
Come, let us unite
In a new spirit
Let our voices soar as one
Onward Singapore
Onward Singapore
Come, let us unite
In a new spirit
Let our voices soar as one
Onward Singapore
Onward Singapore

Please be respectful.