Pete Lacaba (author/columnist/screenwriter) has been entertaining denizens of his Plaridel mailing list for eons with his witty Tagalog translations of popular English standards. Now we've just got word that a whole bunch of them will be unleashed to the public through a special Valentine edition of "Talkback," Tina Monzon-Palma's program on the ANC channel.

The special, aptly titled "SALINAWIT" features Ka Pete's Pilipino adaptations of classic love songs, including chestnuts like As Time Goes By, La Vie en Rose, The Way You Look Tonight. She, I'll Be Seeing You, How Do You Keep the Music Playing, The Look of Love, Till, Because of You, and That's All.

Lending their pipes for the occassion are guest vocalists : Ricky Davao, Pinky Amador, Isay Alvarez, Robert Sena, Arthur Manuntag, Girl Valencia, and Susan Fernandez. Bonnie Bayosa accompanies them on piano.

The special airs February 12, Monday, 8-9 p.m on ANC, with replays on February 13, Tuesday, 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. Also on February 18, Sunday, 12 midnight and 6 a.m.

Here are some samples of Pete's take on a couple of Bossa Nova standards by Antonio Carlos Jobim:

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DESAFINADO (SLIGHTLY OUT OF TUNE)
Music: Antonio Carlos Jobim
Original Portuguese lyrics: Newton Mendon�a, 1962
English lyrics: Jon Hendricks and Jessie Cavanaugh


Love is like a never-ending melody.
Poets have compared it to a symphony,
A symphony conducted by the lighting of the moon,
But our song of love is slightly out of tune.

Once your kisses raised me to a fever-pitch.
Now the orchestration doesn't seem so rich,
Seems to me you've changed the tune we used to sing.
Like the bossa nova, love should swing.

We used to harmonize, two souls in perfect time.
Now the song is different, and the words don't even rhyme,
'Cause you forgot the melody our hearts would always croon,
And what good's a heart that's slightly out of tune?

Tune your heart to mine the way it used to be,
Join with me in harmony and sing a song of loving.
We're bound to get in tune again before too long.
There'll be no desafinado
When your heart belongs to me completely,
Then you won't be slightly out of tune,
You'll sing along with me!


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DISINTUNADO
Sa himig ng "Desafinado"
Salinawit: Pete Lacaba


Pagsinta ay awit na walang-hanggan,
Tila ba harana sa kalangitan,
Isang haranang gigising sa puso't diwa mo,
Pero medyo yata wala sa tono.

Dati ang halik mo ay bumibirit,
Ngayon ay tila tinig na naiipit.
Ibang tugtog na ba ang nasa labi mo,
Nilimot ang kundiman ko sa 'yo?

Noon ang tiyempo natin ay akmang-akma,
Ngayon ang mga letra ay hindi nagtutugma.
Hindi na maalala'ng himig na kinakanta,
Wala sa tono tayong dalawa.

Pagtugmain muli ang ating damdamin,
Indayog ng duweto ay muli nating buhayin.
Babalik na tayo sa wastong tono,
At di na disintunado
Ang kundimang ating inaawit,
Magiging awit ng anghel
Ang ating pag-ibig!


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QUIET NIGHTS OF QUIET STARS (CORCOVADO )
Music & Portuguese lyrics: Antonio Carlos Jobim
English lyrics: Gene Lees & Buddy Kaye
Helen Merrill version


Quiet nights and quiet stars,
Quiet chords from my guitar,
Floating on the silence that surrounds us.

Quiet thoughts and quiet dreams,
Quiet walks by quiet streams,
Climbing hills where lovers go
To watch the world below
Together.

We will live eternally
In this mood of reverie,
Away from all the earthly cares around us.

My world was dull each minute
Until I found you in it,
And all at once the happiness I knew
Became these quiet nights
Of loving you!


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GABING TAHIMIK
Sa himig ng "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars"
Salinawit: Pete Lacaba


Tahimik ang mga bituin
Sa gabing tahimik din.
Gitara ko'y bumubulong sa hangin.

Tahimik ang kalahatan,
Tahimik ang aking dasal
Na sana sa gabi't araw
Ikaw ang aking
Kaulayaw.

Dito sa tabing-dagat,
Pangarap ko'y matutupad,
Lungkot at pagdurusa ko'y lilipas.

Ang aking inaawit
Ngayong gabing tahimik
Ay inaalay ko sa 'yo, hirang.
Ikaw ang tangi kong
Minamahal.