NDP song: Stick to older, familiar tunes

NDP song: Stick to older, familiar tunes

I much prefer the old National Day songs, such as Home and Where I Belong, to this year's tune ("NDP song cheesy? That's one view"; last Sunday).

The older songs were catchy and easy to sing along to.

If the purpose of National Day songs is to unite us, then perhaps we should stick to the few that almost every Singaporean recognises and can sing along to, rather than pumping out a new one every year.

This way, even the young and the old can connect while singing together.

While the new songs are a lot more varied and complex, I find it hard to imagine ordinary Singaporeans picking them up easily.

Or we could have a new song once every few years, just to keep things fresh.

A recent Swedish study found that when people sing together, not only do they feel emotionally united, but their heartbeats even synchronise.

Perhaps this is why we should focus on simple, memorable songs - so that we can stand together as one Singapore.

Eugene Lim
Reader, The Straits Times


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