Jose Mari Chan. Image: Philippine Daily Inquirer
MANILA, Philippines — Who wouldn’t know the lyrics of the iconic hits “Christmas in our Hearts” and “A Perfect Christmas”?
Popular and time-honored as these Christmas songs were, singer-composer Jose Mari Chan, dubbed the Father of Philippine Christmas music, decided to rewrite the lyrics of these songs to reflect the more contemplative state of many at the onset of the “ber” months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“I wrote new lyrics to ‘Christmas in Our Hearts’ [and] I have a set of lyrics for ‘A Perfect Christmas,’” he said in an interview over GMA’s Unang Hirit.
Jose Mari Chan sang the new version of “Christmas in Our Hearts,” which goes like:
“Whenever I hear girls and boys
Singing carols in my mind,
I remember the past
When everything was fine.
Whenever I see people
Giving gifts to those in need,
I believe this Christmas
We should be there to lead.
Let’s open up our hearts
For a bright tomorrow,
In any way we can
And drive out all our sorrow.”
Meanwhile, for his song “A Perfect Christmas,” the new lyrics read:
“My idea of a perfect Christmas,
is to spend it with you.
We could Facetime an hour or two,
Any app would do.
Carry with you this Yuletide season,
it would light up my life.
Though we are distant,
You’ll see in my face
That my heart is with you.”
During his interview, the singer revealed that he will help groups of carol singers spread the joy of Christmas through music online and to uplift the spirit of Filipinos burdened by the weight of the coronavirus crisis.