Sing a song for Singapore - National Day 9 August

Singapore exited from the Federation of Malay States in August 1965 to become a stand-alone country. Since that date it has strived to create a unique national identity through collective experiences and collective goals. That continues to this day through an unrelenting devotion to national service and pride in the nation. It’s a remarkable feat but much credit must go to the vision of the founding fathers that have set the path and shepherded the people.


Every year there is a celebration of Singapore’s success, strength, identity, shared aims and place in the world. The National Day Parade (NDP) is, as mentioned before, a big deal to everyone and requires a phenomenal rehearsal. We experienced our first NDP this year, after seeing the rehearsals for many weeks, but were a little confused by the content of the show that unfolded under the 2010 theme of “Live our Dreams, Fly our Flag”


For weeks on end the airwaves (remember, state owned airwaves) have been flooded with the sound of this year’s theme song; “Sing a song for Singapore” (for your listening pleasure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVF_WClXXQc ). Malls have been running talent contests on Saturdays where small children (and some not so small children) sing along to the backing-track and television adverts have been reminding us day in and day out of the importance to the Nation.


I like my music, I really do and I think that my generic digital music device has some eclectic sounds on it. But this soporific and sentimental song has really pained me, every bar and chord irritates me. But in the hearts and minds of most people I see on TV, it brings them to tears. “It makes me feel proud” is a common phrase. I have tried to think of other songs that have instilled the same sense of National Pride in my most beloved countries and can only recall two equally powerful anthems:

• Jerusalem - by William Blake and

• Down-Under - by Men at Work
 As the NDP unfolded at the Padang in central Singapore, Lady and I wondered how often the same themes can be repackaged every year in a fresh and dynamic way. Brotherhood, Sisterhood, Respect, Filial Piety (the current favourite), Graciousness, Unity, Hard Work...the list goes on. And then we realised that you only need to pick a couple of these each year and when you run out of ideas you roll out the military. This year we are living our dreams, in camouflage, apparently.


It’s quite a spectacle coming from such a small nation who is, I believe, the second highest military spender per capita behind Israel, when they roll out the tanks, and armoured personnel carriers, the guns, soldiers and arrange the perennial fly past by Apache helicopters and F15 and F16 jets.


Admittedly it’s not quite like watching North Korea’s thousands of soldiers march in time past Kim Jong Il, but within 30 minutes of their exit from the stage, tanks and trucks were rolling through five heartlands around the island, Eunos (east coast) was one of them, saluting the local officials and receiving the cheers of a few thousand lucky spectators. To all intents and purposes, it’s a show of strength to the nation and the surrounding nations that Singapore is well armed and ready to take action if needed. All the NDP was missing was a sail-past in Marina Bay by a few frigates and a destroyer or two to really show what this was all about.


And as with all good national celebrations, once you’ve run out of ideas, sung all your national songs, recited the pledge of allegiance and sung the national anthem the next logical step is to light the firework touch-paper. And goodness me, can Singapore do some fireworks! WOW!

With the city and new integrated resort with a backdrop, the fireworks were spectacular! From our balcony, it looked like a fire was raging and the plumes of smoke ballooned over the roofs for a good few minutes. From the viewpoint high above the city in one of the five star hotels, it must have been one heck of a show!

Shovel