Local Band Oakë Creates A New National Day Theme Song That Will Warm The Cockles Of Your Heart

When it comes to National Day-themed songs, nostalgic and uplifting undertones, as well as lyrics that conjure up images of the island-city, are classic hallmarks. For the most part, they are composed and sang by Singaporeans, including notables Kit Chan, Stefanie Sun, Taufik Batisah, and JJ Lin. This year, the official theme song is sung by singer Nathan Hartono.

In an era of the coronavirus pandemic, when times are challenging and prospects are bleak, a National Day-themed song needs to serve an even greater purpose, beyond just a patriotic front. Songs ought to also empathise about the present circumstance and be sanguine about the future ahead.

As part of their tribute toward the nation’s 55^th birthday, local Singaporean band, Oakë, recently released a new, heart-warming, animated music video, titled “Where The Heart Will Stay” on their Facebook and YouTube pages as well as on Spotify and Apple Music.

Calling to mind the acoustic tunes of yesteryears, “Where The Heart Will Stay” tells the story of Singapore’s past, present and future in a five-minute-long animated music video. The piece was written by Shea Ng, and co-written by Oakë (Irwin Zephyr Tan, Daniel Wong, Joel Hong).

In the music video, you’ll see the band’s tribute to the samsui women, the late-LKY, our healthcare workers as well as the now-demolished Merlion. They have also highlighted the 2003 SARS pandemic, our favourite Olympic medallists, and the local hawker culture. The animation was done by local creative Ho Hwei Jin.

Here are the lyrics:

There was a time
Our forefathers came to forge a land
A home, a family
In time, they learned for us to survive
We’ll have to join our hands, our lives

So we embarked;
Started a journey
Things we never thought we’d face
But we kept our head up, and our banner high
A thousand colours of a single race

And dark were the times
That together we braved
But we never lost the faith

Chorus
This is home
We’ve built on our own
We’ve found the place that we
Will never be alone
Coz even when we’re far away
Our family will wait
Cause we’ll always return one day
Home is where the heart will stay

Now here we are
Our story of 5 bright burning stars
Ideals we swore to keep
That now what began as a tiny spark
On this world has left its mark

Forward we march
One nation and country
With a family to fight for
We’ll sing it loud,
We’ll sing it proud:
“We are the people of Singapore”

And dark were the times
That together we braved
But we never lost the faith

Chorus
This is home
We’ve built on our own
We’ve found the place that we
Will never be alone
Coz even when we’re far away
Our family will wait
Cause we’ll always return one day
Home is where the heart will stay

For the most part, the lyrics are repetitive and simple. And this is where the magic lies. You will zoom in on the vocals, and be mesmerised by its accompanying melody. I’m certain you will be lost in both the visual and lyrical sense—perhaps that is what the band and this song want you to do.