The Story Behind the Baleleng Song

The song Baleleng is one of the most famous folk song in the Philippines. Though majority or almost all is familiar with the tune of the song, no one exactly knew the message behind the lyrics. This is because the original language behind the song is unfamiliar.

The Baleleng song is Tausug in Origin according to Lolo Mao. The song's original writer and composer is unknown since the song has been passed by way of tongue particularly the tune from province to province with the original lyrics being altered. Local and national artists created a sensible Visayan and Tagalog Lyrics of the song which gained great popularity.

The love song Beleleng is a story on a perspective for a young man bidding goodbye for his lovely maiden locally called "Leleng" (my dear) as Frauline in Berlin or Senorita to Mexico. The "Ba" was supposed to be a word which is placed after every question phrase in the local dialect (eg. Magaling ka ba? or Are you good?;Naintindihan mo ba? or Did you understand?)however mistakenly added to Leleng which famously became Baleleng.

The song is has a bittersweet story of a young male lover describing his anxiety in a poetic manner to his girl as he was going to war. There is a huge probability that the man is defending his hometown as his lines was that he will follow the girl even that far instead of saying I will be back.

These are the original lines of remorse by the lover (with spacing of the words placed sensibly):

I
Mutya ka ba Leleng? Sa katahom
Timgas pa sa puti nga baybayon
Sa kasingkasing ka panganduyon
Perlas ka nga angay gyud angkonon

II
Pila na ba Leleng? Layu-layu?
Si Tangkay ba Leleng? Pa Sibutu ?
Bang 'kaw bunal ba Leleng matuyo
Urul kaw ba Leleng pama layu

III
Kon ikaw ba Leleng ay mawala
Kon ikaw ba Leleng di ko makita
Gugma ko ba Leleng magahulat
Taliwala 'ning lawod sa mga luha


Transcription in English (line by line):

I
Are you a gem of splendor my dear?
More enduring like the white sand onshore
You will be yearned in my heart
And a pearl to be owned

II
How far is the distance my dear?
Sitangkai to Sibutu (and Island distant from Sulu)
If you my dear insist,
I'll follow you my my dear even that far...

III
If you my dear is gone
If you my dear I cannot find
My love my dear will be waiting
In the middle of these ocean of tears...

Listen to Original Baleleng Song