The newly released single of Ben & Ben featuring Munimuni dropped a line that can resonate with everyone, especially in a time of global unrest. The song Sugat is a haunting yet powerful song about self-healing and overcoming past wounds. Written by Ben & Ben’s vocalist Paolo Guico and percussionist Toni Muñoz, every line in the song is carefully curated to complement the signature sound of Ben & Ben and reinforcement of Munimuni, the best artist to deliver a masterpiece of this caliber.
‘Di ikaw ang iyong nakaraan
The song starts with eerily relatable questions that most of us dread to answer. Some experiences left scars in our hearts. They make us bury them in the past, refusing to acknowledge or confront what has been hurting us for so long. The words in the song were from Toni’s deeply personal experiences – a depiction of her struggles back when self-doubt reigned over her. It is a love letter for herself which she offers to everyone struggling to heal from the pains of the past.
Kung ayaw mong pakawalan ang galit na nasimulan. Paano ka tatayo?
Healing is never easy when we can’t confront what’s causing it. We try to resort to band-aid solutions only to end up carrying the wounds longer. Some of us tend to find something we can blame to no avail. We look at ourselves and eventually accept that there is nobody else to blame other than us. But we fail to acknowledge that we are designed to make mistakes because we are destined to rise above them. We are built for these challenges and in every step we take, there is no other way but up.
Pa’nong ang bigat maglalaho?
We carry the weight of our past mistakes in fear of feeling the pain. We struggle to lift ourselves and move forward. Every breath becomes thinner; every step gets heavier. We try our might to carry on with the weight of our past without realizing that our journey will be lighter without it.
May paglaya sa pagsuko.
It’s arguably the most haunting and thought-provoking line in the song. It speaks directly to us by posing a question and eventually giving the most obvious answer. May paglaya sa pagsuko is such a powerful claim that applies to most of our struggles in life. It will make any listener ask if the juice is still worth the squeeze, another question that some may find difficult to address, either because of sheer innocence or fear. But sometimes, holding on does more damage than letting go.
The song Sugat is a timely piece of art that speaks deeply through our inner selves. It reminds us that temporary comfort can only do so much in our journey towards liberation. That eventually, we’ll have to let go of certain things to be truly free. That to do so, we’ll have to face bravely the things we fear the most. Inaction breeds fear.
Only when we decide to take action will we start healing from the wounds of the past; easier said than done. Some of us have our hands clenched into a fist frozen shut. But try still. Slowly rest your hands and take a leap of faith. There is no shame in letting go; there is only freedom.
