TL;DR – A new recording and a ground-up music video of our national anthem were released today.
So, Singapore’s state symbols – the state crest, flag and national anthem – turned 60 years old today. To mark the occasion, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has created a new official rendition of our national anthem, Majulah Singapura.
Basically, this is a new recording of the national anthem. This new recording was played for the first time in public on the steps of the National Gallery Singapore, 60 years from the date of its unveiling.
Why a new recording?
The last recording was done in 2001, and it was an arrangement by composer Phoon Yew Tien.
The new recording released today is to for better sound quality to reflect the improvements in audio technology since 2000. This higher quality will allow us to hear the nuances of the music arrangement, especially in larger venues with modern sound systems.
Since the arrangement is the same as the previous version, you probably won’t hear much of a difference, but the 2019 version is slightly faster – about five seconds faster.
You can check out and download this new official recording of our national anthem from go.gov.sg/national-anthem. Hehe, I bet you it will be tough to spot the difference between this and the previous version!
As for all the other details and interesting tidbits, including lyrics, of Majulah Singapura, check out this page.
One huge confusion because a Majulah Singapura music video was also released
At almost the same time, a new music video for Majulah Singapura to celebrate anthem’s 60th anniversary was also released. This is separate from the new recording of the anthem, and this is a ground-up initiative.
Apparently some people have mistaken this music video to be the new official recording. Nope, the new official recording is an “instrumental” piece by SSO, and it does not come with any music video.
The team behind this ground-up new music video includes creative producer Benjamin Tan, 30, who was also the show producer for this year’s and last year’s NDPs.
This music video is based on the 2019 National Day Parade (NDP) rendition by veteran singer-songwriter Ramli Sarip, alongside a group of 24 Singaporeans. These include the country’s first female Olympian Tang Pui Wah, comic writer-artist Sonny Liew and wheelchair-bound rapper and music producer Danial Bawthan, better known as Wheelsmith. It also includes paralympian Theresa Goh and former Nominated Member of Parliament Kuik Shiao-Yin.
I repeat,
This music video is a ground-up initiative and separate from the new recording of the anthem by the SSO.
Some people continue to be confused and think that the music video version is the new official recording of our national anthem. Someone even started a petition to “remove the funeral version of Majulah Singapura”.
Opposition party leader Lim Tean needs to learn to read
Supposedly a trained lawyer, I would have thought opposition party leader Lim Tean would be more discerning than most netizens. But no, he has already posted a few times about the new rendition just today, being totally confused and had thought the music video was the new recording. With his multiple posts, he has undoubtedly further misled more netizens and caused more confusion online.
He really needs to learn to read more carefully, or risk spreading online falsehoods or half-truths to his followers.
If (unfortunately) he were ever to be elected into Parliament, I sure hope he pays more attention to his reading materials and be 10,001 times more alert and discerning.
So now, go on and tell all your friends which is which and get things right.
(Featured image via)