Short Stories: Arnold Morales on “Manila Girl” and “Jolly Dominique”

Short Stories: Arnold Morales on “Manila Girl” and “Jolly Dominique”

by rick olivares

“Manila Girl” was the first single from Put3ska’s debut album that was released in 1995. The song, written by Put3ska guitarist Arnold Morales was actually a hit for his 1980s punk band, Urban Bandits a decade earlier.

It was the fourth track of side one on the Urban Bandits’ cassette debut on Twisted Red Cross Records during the Filipino punk rock explosion of the 1980s. 

Morales told us how the song, “Manila Girl” came about: “I was at a friend’s house in Bulacan and I was intrigued by a statement I heard by this local girl. Nagkukulitan sila tungkol sa pormahan nila sa tambayan nila and she said, ‘Uy, Manila girl ‘to, no?’”

Photo of Arnold that I snapped the other year in Poblacion, Makati, for an article about the Urban Bandits.

“Sabi ko naman, ‘Nasaan yung birth certificate mo?’”

PInaglaruan ko lang yung lyrics at doon nagsimula.

Why did he lend Put3ska use the song?

“Because of its power. Because of its power.”

The song, re-arranged for ska, became a massive hit for Put3ska.

As for the gig favorite, “Jolly Dominique”, sung in acapella was in some ways an homage to English Two-Tone band, Madness. 

The last track of Madness’ debut album, One Step Beyond, was this military-style acapella song, “Chipmunks are Go.”

Morales wrote “Jolly Dominique” for the song of his Urban Bandits bandmate, Ferdi “Fur” dela Cruz – Dominique. “At that time I wrote it, biglang lumaki si Dominique and as a result, na expect namin siya maging kasing tangkad ng daddy niya (who is tall). It is about a young boy quickly growing up."

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Additional reading: Click on this link to read about the Urban Bandits' recording a new album