Danny Javier’s recording of “Lahat Tayo.” Image: screengrab from YouTube/Homeworkzmusic
[Updated: Nov. 2, 2022, 12:01 p.m.]
Singer-songwriter Danny Javier of the iconic OPM trio Apo Hiking Society wrote and recorded a song about mortality—the final track he left behind before he passed away.
Music producer and Javier’s long-time collaborator Lorrie Ilustre showed a recording of Javier singing about death and relishing life, which Ilustre later produced as the song “Lahat Tayo,” as seen on his Facebook page yesterday, Nov. 1. The track was also released on label HomeWorkZ Music’s YouTube channel yesterday.
According to Ilustre, the video was first posted by Javier on his personal Facebook page.
“I wanted to ask for prayers 3 weeks ago when I learned that he was rushed to the hospital and was in bad shape, but due to the family’s wishes I refrained from posting. I decided to arrange and record instead a tune he roughly sang on his Facebook page,” he narrated. “Through family, I was able to get the recording with his original vocals to his hospital bed.”
“The nurse played the music to Danny and he would nod to acknowledge that it was ok. That’s good enough for me,” Ilustre added.
Ilustre explained that he just “tweaked a note” and rearranged the song’s structure, but he “kept everything the way [Javier] would have wanted it,” noting that he was familiar with the late musician’s writing style and ideas.
Ilustre also recalled the time that Javier informed him last year that he was sick. He recounted that the latter kept a “positive outlook” despite suffering from “several medical conditions.”
“Danny Javier, a man fully aware of his mortality expressed himself in music with lyrics infused with humor. He sang in a way that only he could deliver, singing his own sendoff ahead of its time,” Ilustre told the public. “The man who coined Original Pilipino Music (OPM) left us with this song, ‘Lahat Tayo.'”
Ilustre encouraged the public to celebrate Javier’s life, as the singer would have wanted his “sendoff” to be happy. He urged everyone to share Javier’s music and make “Lahat Tayo” the musician’s “last big hit song.”
Meanwhile, former Apo Hiking Society member Jim Paredes paid tribute to Javier while showing a photo of the latter during a recording session, via his Instagram page yesterday.
“Danny clowning around during recording years ago. ‘Till we meet again, Bro,” he said.
Javier passed away at the age of 75 due to a lingering illness, his close showbiz friends confirmed last Monday, Oct. 31. Among the singers who paid tribute to him were Lea Salonga, Kuh Ledesma, Ogie Alcasid and fellow Apo Hiking Society member Boboy Garovillo. /ra
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