Story behind Jose Mari Chan’s ‘Christmas In Our Hearts’
T
he Christmas season is upon us once again. Malls from all over have started decorating, Pinoys have gone gonzo over completing shopping list, and ham and Queso de bola are flying from shelves.
It’s also that time of the year when we hear “Christmas In Our Hearts.” Like God, it’s everywhere. The song takes us back to more innocent times, one that reminds us “to never forget the love we have for Jesus.”
The voice behind this iconic Christmas song is no other than Jose Mari Chan.
Decades after “Christmas In Our Hearts” was first released, Jose Mari – or simply Jomari – has once again revealed the story behind it.
“That song has a long history,” he began.
Jomari recalled it all started in 1988 when he had just returned from 11 years of doing sugar trading in the United States. He got a phone call from good friend Chari Cruz-Zarate, asking for help to create a melody for a poem she wrote.
“She phoned me and she said that her high school class was celebrating their silver jubilee. She had written a poem titled “Ang Tubig Ay Buhay.” She wanted me to set it to music because she and her classmates would sing it during their homecoming (party),” he narrated. “It was a very lovely poem, the words are very meaningful. It took me about two days to put melody to it.”
Two years later – fresh from the success of his album “Constant Change,” which contains the song “Please Be Careful With My Heart” – Jomari shared the late Bella Dy Tan, then head of Universal Records, called him and suggested he should come out with a Christmas album.
Then and there, Jomari agreed and proceeded to collect favorite Christmas song from his childhood. However, Bella said he needed to include his original composition.
“Then I remembered the melody of ‘Ang Tubig Ay Buhay,” he disclosed.
One particular Sunday morning, Jomari had just attended a Sunday Mass when a young woman knocked on his car window and said: “Sir, may I introduce myself. My name is Rina Cañiza, I’m a budding songwriter. Hopefully one day, you and I could collaborate for a song.”
He kept Rina’s card. And when he got home, he thought maybe they could set up a meeting and work on his original Christmas song.
Jomari then revealed Rina wrote the first line of “Christmas In Our Hearts,” which goes “Whenever I see girls and boys, selling lantern on the streets…” “After few days of going back and forth, we finished the song,” he said.
A ‘perfect’ duet’
Jomari said he felt the recording would be ideal as a duet.
The first name that came to his head was Lea Salonga, who was very popular at the time because of her successful stint on “Miss Saigon.”
Jomari called her up and let her hear the melody. “She liked it and agreed to do the duet,” he said.
Unfortunately, Lea’s recording company didn’t allow her to cross labels.
The “Father of Christmas Songs” then contacted theater actress Monique Wilson – whom immediately agreed to do the duet.
“Unfortunately again, she traveled to Tagaytay and she called me, saying she lost her voice. That’s a day before we were supposed to record,” he shared.
Next thing Jomari knew, he was knocking at the door of his 19-year-old daughter Liza. He asked her: “What are you doing? Can you learn this song for me?”
At that time, Jomari said Liza was cramming for exams, but she didn’t decline, even when he revealed they will record the song the next day. It was all successful. Did you know that “Christmas In Our Hearts” received an unprecedented “double diamond” award (20 times “platinum,” with a sale of more than 800,000 copies so far — and counting), making it the biggest-selling album in Philippine recording history?
“I always believe the hand of the Holy Spirit was there from the very beginning. ‘Christmas In Our Hearts’ was really meant to be a father-daughter song. It’s a perfect combination for the celebration because Christmas is all about family,” he said.
Jomari will have a Christmas concert titled “Going Home To Christmas” with Louie Ocampo as musical director, and Rita Daniela as special guest.
“Going Home To Christmas” is on Dec. 22, 8 p.m. at The Theatre at Solaire.