In lieu of the impending Valentine's day, this blog post would be about a band that is very close to my (and perhaps every Filipino's) heart: the Eraserheads.
First off, let's set one thing straight: as legendary as they are, the Eheads is still an underrated band. Seriously.
And I say this only because for the fact that for every Eheads song that you put on a pedestal, another equally good piece gets overshadowed.
This is why today, I give you my Top 10 Underrated Eraserheads Songs:
1. Shake Yer Head
Aside from the feel-good vibe Shake Yer Head gives, this has got to be the most relatable song I have heard/would hear in my lifetime (I'm Too Sexy excluded). Similar to Hey Jay, this is yet another one of the band's testament against the highly-conservative Filipino culture, thus solidifying their position as the 90's "F-you-conservatives!" icon.
2. Peace It Together
There's this famous saying that the fastest way to make you hate a song is to set it as your alarm. Peace It Together proved that wrong. Need I say more?
*I like to think of Peace It Together as the Bohemian Rhapsody of the 'Heads. You just can't bring yourself to not jam along whenever this comes up.
3. Kailan
If ever anyone needs proof of just how versatile Eheads is, slap this link to their faces. This is an in-your-face, pure, unadulterated romantic love song from the band, which is worlds away from their usual edgy, pop-rock hits.
4. Tamagotchi Baby
Be sure you're alone when you listen to this, the riffs are so good it's pornographic.
*also, am I alone when I think the song's about sex toys?
5. Wishing Wells
This is one of my absolute favorites from the 'Heads simply because I fell in love with the lyrics. I also find it adorable that the whole vibe of the song gives off this bright, light-hearted feel--making it cohesive with the fairytale universe the song talks about.
6. Slo Mo
Ah, Raymund. I think this might be the one and only "rap" song of the 'Heads and I'm so glad the band chose him to sing this. From how laidback the music is, Raymund performed the lyrics in just a way that it provides a stark contrast with its accompaniment.
7. Fill Her
Fill Her, for me, is the equivalence of the Beatles' Blackbird. Short and sweet in all forms, this song is perfect for Sunday afternoon siestas or for when you're pretending to be in a music video on car rides.
8. How Far Will U Go
Similar to Sa Tollgate, How Far Will U Go is the perfect song for road trips with your barkada or put in on repeat for when you need a ceaseless motivator when jogging (Ely would ask "How far will you go?" for about 20 times in 3 minutes).
9. Tama Ka
It's no secret that Buddy is my favorite Eraserhead, not only because he can really work his bass, but also because of his underrated singing prowess (I hope it's not that obvious that I like underrated stuff). Sino Sa Atin and Fabulous Baker Boy are other pieces Buddy sang and, I don't care if I'm being biased, I loved those just as much.
10. Finetime
Similar to why I really liked Shake Yer Head, I fell in love with Fine Time because of how relatable it is. Aside from that (and the really light and catchy tune), subtle love songs are one of my weaknesses and this song is one perfect example.
HONORARY MENTIONS (because holy crap that list was hard to make):
Sino Sa Atin, Poorman's Grave, Balikbayan Box, Hard to Believe, Fruitcake, Easy Ka Lang, Andalusian Dog, Milk and Money, Tikman
**PERSONAL EXCERPT:
Last night, me and my friends went to UP Fair's Freefall and Tanya Markova (also one of my favorite bands) sang a bit of Alapaap. Let me just say, more than a decade after the Eraserheads disbandment, they're still very much alive even in today's youth.
*Ransom Collective also sang Ang Huling El Bimbo, by the way.
Even during last year's UP Fair, it never failed to amaze me how astounding the 'Heads' effect is on the crowd. There's a certain high that a unified singing crowd gives, and it's one of those things that makes me wish I was born during their heyday.
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