This Universal Records act Orange and Lemons told Manila Bulletin when sought for reaction to allegations that the melody and musical arrangement of their radio smash "Pinoy Ako," also used as theme song in the hit reality show, "Pinoy Big Brother," was patterned after an obscure single dubbed "Chandeliers" by 80’s New Wave group, The Care.
"The guitar intro part, perhaps," the quartet allowed. "But then again, if you listen to most New Wave songs, lahat naman halos nagsisimula sa gitara. ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ by The Cure is one example. What’s important is that the melody of ‘Pinoy Ako’ from ‘Chandelier"s is different. Kahit i-compare mo yung dalawa ng note for note, safe kami sa panggagaya kasi di naman talaga kami nanggaya at lalong di kami yung tipong magnanakaw ng kanta ng may kanta. Kung magkatunog man, walang malisya yon."
Orange and Lemons said that Universal Records (their mother company) and even Star Records (company that produced "Pinoy Ako") have already looked into the matter and found the group not guilty of infringing on any intellectual property rules.
BMG Music (now Sony BMG Music Entertainment) that owns the rights to The Care’s "Diamonds And Emeralds" CD from which "Chandeliers" came is yet to issue a statement or take legal actions if it so warrants.
"In fact, while recording the song, our producer Robert Javier was with us. Eh di dapat siya na mismo ang unang nagsalita. You can say that ‘Chandeliers’ was the inspiration, the peg of ‘Pinoy Ako.’ But it wasn’t derived from that or any other song."
How did they end up recording ‘Pinoy Ako,’ anyway, considering that they did so for another record company?
"Lauren Dyogi, who directs ‘Pinoy Big Brother,’ heard our first single ‘Hanggang Kailan’ at the mall. He liked what he heard so he suggested to ABS-CBN that we do the theme song for the reality show. The lyrics were written by Jonathan Manalo tapos nilagyan na lang namin ng tono at ginawan ng areglo. Funny, but when I was doing the song in the studio, I wasn’t thinking of The Care at all but Rey Valera," said Orange and Lemons vocalist Mcoy Fundales.
This is not the first time that Orange and Lemons has been accused of musical plagiarism. The band revealed that even when they released their independently produced album under Toti Dalmacion’s Terno Records a few years ago, some people have come up to them to point out similarities between some of their originals and songs by international British groups.
"Minsan nga, nagdadala pa sila ng CDs ng mga kanta to prove their ‘point,’" they said.
"Pero di naman namin ito gaanong pinapansin. Unang-una, kung meron kami talagang naagrabyado dahil sa panggagaya, bakit walang complainant? Hindi ba dapat, ang unang mag-complain ay yung may ari ng kanta?"
They added: "Besides, mas madaming tao ang lumalapit sa amin thanking us for the music that we do. We even have fans from as far away as Japan e-mailing us, ‘You’re amazing!’ It’s not also unusual na makakita ka ng buong pamilya sa mga shows namin because even parents who grew up to New Wave music appreciate our sound."
They continued, "This is our way of paying back to artists who have set the road before us; this is us paying our dues."
The quartet stressed though they are not solely a New Wave act.
"We’re indie pop bordering on New Wave. Besides, our influences go beyond New Wave to include The Beatles, Oasis, The Smiths, etc. Ang The Beatles ba, New Wave? Hindi. Minsan nga, napagbibintangan kami na New Wave poseurs kasi hindi naman daw kami lumaki during the New Wave era. But New Wave is not just an era but a sound; one of elegance and eloquence that we appreciate. Siguro, what’s more accurate to say is that we were influenced by British bands and that years of emulation have brought about our present sound."
When asked where their name came from, they pointed to an old XTC (another New Wave band) album. "Yun nga lang, it was called ‘Oranges and Lemons.’ May ‘s.’ Sa amin, wala. We liked the name kasi it denotes freshness of bittersweet quality. Parang yung mga songs namin na fresh ang dating from other local bands but at the same time may nostalgia kasi nga you can hear the old in the new," they explained.
The band also emphasized that they are no overnight success. "We have been in the scene for six, seven years now. Kaya nga namin nakuha yung New Wave sound kasi we had to do covers in the past para magkaroon kami ng gigs. Back then, the trend was to do 70’s music. Para maiba, we chose to do New Wave and Brit pop covers. But make no mistake about it-Orange and Lemons is basically Pinoy at heart and in sound."
Confronting the allegations are farthest from the minds of Orange and Lemons members right now. Rather, it’s their busy schedule that they’d like to concentrate on beginning with the release of the repackaged "Strike Whilst The Iron Is Hot" that will contain four bonus tracks including acoustic versions of "Hanggang Kailan" and "Heaven Knows" (their current single) and "Pinoy Ako."
There, too, is the release of the upcoming single "Blue Moon" also to be used as theme song to Regal Films Metro Manila Filmfestival entry of the same title.
"We’re too busy to even listen to radio or watch TV let alone pay attention to critics. Anyway, the truth will set us free eventually," they ended.
Orange and Lemons is composed of Ace Del Mundo on drums and percussions, JM Del Mundo on bass guitar, Mcoy Fundales on vocals and acoustic guitar and Clem Castro on vocals and electric guitar.
