Here’s another Visayan song, again thanks to Robert Petines and his friends in the early 1960s…

May Gitago Kong Pagbati (I Have A Secret Feeling)

May gitago kong pagbati
Alang ‘day gayod kanimo
Ang kahadlok ray nagalabi
Nga balibaran mo

Daw sayun ang pagpahayag
Kadako sa huna-huna
Mga hanaw lang ang pulong ko
Sa atubangan mo

Sa akong mga damgo
Gikaloy-an mo ako
Tinuod ba kini
Nga ako gihigugma mo?

Kung kining akong pagbati
Pagalumsan sa kanunay
Magpailub lang intawon ako
Kay pagbuot sa palad ko

And here’s the very loose translation (native speakers, please help me out…)

I have a secret feeling towards you (with emphasis), Inday. I am so afraid that you will reject me.

While it may seem easy for me to explain/speak out, the thought looms large in my mind how powerless/weak (hanaw) my words (pulong ko) are when spoken in front (atubangan) of you.

In my dreams, you pity me (gikaloy-an). Is it true that you love me?

If my feelings for you will always (kanunay) be drowned (pagalumsan), then I will just accept (magpailub) how pitiable (intawon) I am, because that is the will/destiny (pagbuot) of my fate (palad).

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 nahigugma

Mag-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!)