Cecile Azarcon Honored with Tribute Song The Songs Came Home
Filipino composer Cecile Azarcon is being honored with a tribute track titled “The Songs Came Home,” released by TrueStoriesSung Creative Studio. The project features lyrics by Cheska CK and music by Jun Mirasol, celebrating a catalog that includes enduring hits like “Lift Up Your Hands” and “Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin.”
The Anatomy of a Songwriter’s Catalog and the OPM Sound
For decades, Cecile Azarcon has written songs that became part of the Filipino soundtrack. Her catalog boasts some of the most recognizable interpretations in local music history. Basil Valdez originally recorded “Lift Up Your Hands” and “Sana ay Ikaw Na Nga,” while Martin Nievera popularized “Ikaw ang Lahat sa Akin.” Other notable tracks include “How Did You Know,” first recorded by Chiqui Pineda and later revived by Gary Valenciano, and “Even If,” originally sung by Jam Morales.
Further cementing her footprint in the industry, Kuh Ledesma recorded “I Think I’m in Love” and “One More Try,” while Gary Valenciano also took on “Reaching Out,” a track later covered by David Archuleta. Raymond Lauchengco interpreted “So, It’s You,” and Iwi Laurel originally sang “Special Memory.” Over the years, these songs have been revived by several artists, proving their lasting resonance.
How TrueStoriesSung Creative Studio Brought The Songs Came Home to Life
The tribute project began with a question from lyricist Cheska CK: How do you write lyrics for someone whose songs have already said it all? Cheska met Azarcon in person and found her “warm, gracious, humble, and generous with her kindness.” That meeting provided the emotional spark for “The Songs Came Home.”
After finishing the lyrics, Cheska gathered the courage to send the song to Azarcon, requesting permission to release and distribute it and use her photo for the cover. Azarcon said yes, prompting a surreal reaction from the lyricist who wondered, “wait… did Ms. Cecile Azarcon just give me permission to release lyrics I wrote for the one and only Ms. Cecile Azarcon?” Driven by piano-led OPM ballad sound, the track features lines that speak directly to the composer’s lifetime of work:
You’ve spent a lifetime giving us the words our hearts could never find. So let us give one song to you this time.
Streaming Availability and the Legacy of Azarcon-Inocentes
“The Songs Came Home” is now available on major streaming platforms, bringing a fresh chapter to the legacy of Azarcon-Inocentes.
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