Local musicians pay tribute to S R Nathan with a video

SINGAPORE – For singer-songwriter Clement Chow (who’s behind National Day theme song Count On Singapore), the passing of former president S R Nathan on Monday night has greatly saddened him. But because of his busy schedule as he has been commissioned to conduct a musical for the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) which requires multiple rehearsals, Chow could not visit the Istana to pay his respects and struggled to find a way to commemorate the late president.

“A friend texted me and suggested I do a song for him,” Chow explained. And he promptly did. The 55-year-old said he dropped everything and wrote the song A Man Of The People together with actor and musician Benjamin Chow (last seen in The LKY Musical) on Tuesday. “The song talks about S R Nathan and his life – and who he was to us,” Chow explained. “He’s a guardian, a person who served his country” and “the world recognise him because he has a firm yet gentle voice.” Rapper Masia One-Lim also contributed a rap segment which was sent while she is on the road overseas.

After completing the song, Chow released it on his Facebook page the following day. Chow then worked on the video with a studio recording sponsored by School of Music and the Arts. The video features 12 singers performing the song, with names such as local comedian Suhaimi Yusof, Ritchie Yeo, Alemay Fernandez, Michelle Poh, Desmond Charles Perry-Wong and Chow himself in the mix.

“It was spontaneous,” Chow said on how they all came together for the recording. After Chow received word that the studio could be sponsored, he shared the news with his fellow musicians on a Whatsapp group and request he “would like many people to come and sing in honor of him.” Chow shared some wanted to turn up but could not make it such as Tay Kewei and Fauzie Laily, and they sent their best wishes.

Chow hopes that this song “will stir people to remember and honour him rightly.” S R Nathan is, after all - A Man Of The People.

LYRICS TO A MAN OF THE PEOPLE (TRIBUTE FOR FORMER PRESIDENT SR NATHAN)

A MAN OF THE PEOPLE

AN ORDINARY MAN

WITH EXTRAODINARY GIFT OF LIFTING PEOPLE’S SPIRITS

STRUGGLED THRU HIS FATHER’S PASSING

HE KNEW THE HARD LIFE

SO HE KEPT ON CLIMBING BUT HE NEVER LOST SIGHT OF HIS

ROOTS & WHERE HE’S BEEN

GROWING UP IN PORVERTY HE UNDERSTOOD THEIR PAIN

WE RESTED ON HIS STRENGTH AS A GUARDIAN

A FIRM BUT GENTLE VOICE THAT GOT RESPECT THROUGHOUT THE

WORLD

WITH A DEEP FAITH IN HIS COUNTRY

HE WAS A SERVANT TO THE END

A GREAT BUT SIMPLE MAN

A HUSBAND AND A SON

INSPIRING THIS NATION

TO FOLLOW AS ONE

HE CAME FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND

NOW LOOK AT ALL THE GOOD HE’S DONE

WE CELEBRATE HIM HOME

GROWING UP IN PORVERTY HE UNDERSTOOD THEIR PAIN

WE RESTED ON HIS STRENGTH AS A GUARDIAN

A FIRM BUT GENTLE VOICE THAT GOT RESPECT THROUGHOUT THE

WORLD

A DEEP FAITH IN HIS COUNTRY

A SERVANT TO THE END

RAP:

A SINGAPORE SON,

STRENGTH THAT IS SECOND TO NONE

GENTLE SPIRIT THAT UNITE ALL OUR VOICES TO ONE

SMILE TO ALL PEOPLE, BRIGHTENS UP EVERY DAY

WARM HANDSHAKE THROUGH HEARTACHES

KEPT FAITH

KEPT FAITH THROUGH THE RAIN LED THROUGH THE HARDSHIPS, EXPERIENCE AND PAIN LION CITY PATRIOT, RESILIENCE MAINTAINED, REMEMBERING OUR NATION, BROTHER, HUSBAND AND SON A FIRM HAND TO LEAD, ALL THE GOOD THINGS HE’S DONE. REMEMBER IN HUMILITY, BATTLES ARE WON, REMEMBER GOOD WORKS OF SINGAPORE’S SON. GROWING UP IN POVERTY HE UNDERSTOOD THEIR PAIN WE RESTED ON HIS STRENGTH AS A GUARDIAN A FIRM BUT GENTLE VOICE THAT GOT RESPECT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD A DEEP FAITH IN HIS COUNTRY A SERVANT TO THE END HE BELIEVED IN US – AND SO SHOULD WE