Got hold of some of the lyrics of Nabilanggo Ako, a Visayan song Roberto Petines (from Manila) learned in the early 60s from drinking buddies in the Visayas.
Nabilanggo Ako (I Was Imprisoned)
Nabilanggo ako sa gugma mo
Tul-tuli ako ngadto sa dalan
Nga wala’y kalisdanan.Init ug ulan gi-antos ko kining tanan
Wa mo tagda kay wa ka man nahigugmaMag-unsa ako kung wala na ikaw?
Kinsa pa ma’y akong sampitan? Ay…Nakita ko ang imong larawan sa kalangitan
Ug balikon ko sa pag-ingon nga unungan
The song is sung from the point of view of a man smitten by love. He is smitten so badly, that he feels imprisoned and wishes that someone would point the way to the easy road (one without difficulty).
The man endures the heat and the rain, but his love doesn’t even notice because she is not in love with him.
He asks what will he do if she is no longer around. Who else will he talk to? Ay…
He sees her face in the heavens, and he wants to keep saying that he and the woman will be united.
(If you something lost in the translation [since I am not Bisaya], please help me out. Thanks!)
