‘The best music is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with.’
— American singer-songwriter and guitarist, Bruce Springsteen
My friends, do you listen to the radio every day? I do, especially when I’m in my car.
I listen to the radio, particularly Lite FM, a lot on my way to the office and when I’m heading home at night.
This is because I work far from my home. My office is at MetroCity in Matang, about 45 minutes’ drive from Tabuan Jaya, near where I live.
“45 minutes? That’s not far,” some of you may say.
But to me, it is quite far. Sometimes, the journey to the office takes longer because of road blocks and traffic jams.
Oh, another thing. Matang is in Kuching City North while I live in Kuching City South. And I cross the famous Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Rahman Bridge that spans the Sarawak River every day if I use one of the routes. Near this bridge is another famous landmark in Kuching City, the Suspension Bridge.
In retrospect, I consider myself lucky. On my way to work, I also pass the famous Sarawak Museum Garden, the Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) building and Wisma Satok in Satok
But alas, most of the time, I have no time to admire the beautiful scenery because of the need to keep my eyes on the road.
One song I’ve been hearing a lot on Lite FM, an English-language radio station managed by Astro Radio, is “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life.” The DJs seem to like this song, Indeep’s modest dance floor hit, a lot. Indeep was a 1980s New York-based group best known for this song.
The lyrics tell the story of a woman who is bored while alone at home. She wants to speak to her man but fails to reach him. She is thinking of leaving him until a DJ plays a hot song and saves her from a broken heart.
Personally, deep in my heart, I thank the DJs on Lite FM every day for brightening my journeys to and from work. Some of the old songs bring back unforgettable memories of days long gone. Some are songs I’ve never heard of before.
I tend to listen to songs played by DJ Non (Aanont Wathanasin) a lot because he works at night and I go home late at night. He has a soothing and sexy voice.
I also like listening to DJ Terry. He sounds so young and cheery and I think he really works hard to select all those nice and happy songs to share with us, listeners. DJ Ika sounds serious and has a mature voice. I’m surprised to find out from the internet that she is actually quite young.
Meanwhile, DJ Sheela, who hosts the special Saturday music show “On the Rocks”, sounds happy all the time.
I turned in the Lite FM by accident and liked the selections of music so much that I’ve stayed with it most of the time.
Occasionally, I do tune in to Hitz, another Malaysian national radio station managed by Astro Radio. Hitz plays mostly contemporary hits.
When I’m home, I don’t listen to Lite FM or Hitz. I just listen to English, Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin songs on YouTube. Do you know that as listeners, we are spoiled for choice when It comes to songs on YouTube?
Recently, I was delighted to come across old English songs dating back to the early1970s. Those were the days when I was still schooling and often wrote to Red FM, a radio station operated by RTM Sarawak, to dedicate songs to my friends.
Every day after school and sometimes until late at night, I would tune in to the radio station and listen to my favourite DJs.
These days, whenever I’m not working, I will turn to YouTube and play my favourite Mandarin or Bahasa Malaysia love songs loudly as I cook, wash my clothes, sweep or mop the floor.
Yes, my friends, music is not only physically good for your heart and can reduce your anxiety, blood pressure, pain and mood. It also makes your work light.
I’d like to conclude my column this week by thanking all DJs, particularly those at Lite FM, all songwriters and musicians for the music they share with me and the rest of the world.
Yes, thank you, thank you and thank you all for the music.
