It's Singapore's Birthday!!

HAPPY 40th Birthday Singapore!!

9th August 1965 was the Sunny Island's independence day! Young nation perhaps.

Just before I enter the parade again to sing all the national songs I used to sing during one of the assembly days when I was in primary school. The teacher in-charge would lead the whole student population in learning 2-3 songs once every week. Almost all the lyrics of the songs are still within my memory, can even sing them without looking at the lyrics! 18 years of singing them, at least once during national day parade celebration.

Up to my junior college days, we are all supposed to sing the national anthem that is in Malay, very meaningful at least I must say to a Singaporean.


Just wanted to share one of the song which I felt that it described Singapore quite truly.

You can visit Sing Singapore website for more songs that was sang as a celebration of the country's birthday! http://www.singsingapore.org.sg/songs.asp

We Are Singapore
© Ministry of Information, Communications & The Arts
http://www.singsingapore.org.sg/video.asp

There was a time when people said
That Singapore won't make it, but we did
There was a time when troubles seemed too much
For us to take, but we did
We built a nation, strong and free, reaching out together
For peace and harmony

Chorus 1:
This is my country, this is my flag
This is my future, this is my life
This is my family, these are my friends
We are Singapore, Singaporeans

Singapore our homeland, it's here that we belong
All of us united, one people marching on
We've come so far together, our common destiny
Singapore forever, a nation strong and free

( Repeat Chorus 1 )

( Sung ) ( This is actually the Singapore pledge )
We the citizens of Singapore
Pledge ourselves as one united people
Regardless of race, language or religion
To build a democratic society
Based on justice and equality
So as to achieve happiness
Prosperity and progress for our nation

Chorus 2:
We are Singapore, we are Singapore
We will stand together, hear the lion roar
We are Singapore, we are Singapore
We're a nation strong and free forevermore

( Repeat Chorus 1 & 2 )

We are Singapore, Singaporeans ( X 2 )



If you have noticed the lyrics of the song together with others that you have found at the website, it is easy to notice that Singapore government has managed make use of such lovely music and lyrics to motivate THE PEOPLE. Of course you have to try to imagine that you are singing along with hundreds and thousands of people, extra motivated haha.

For my Estonian Friends, you can ask Triin for her first hand experience, she was there last year and she was amazed at how I do not need to look at the lyrics projected on the big screen while she was following the lyrics closely =P