# Alapaap

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{{Use Philippine English|date=April 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Alapaap
| cover      =
| alt        =
| type       =
| artist     = [Eraserheads](/source/Eraserheads)
| album      = [Circus](/source/Circus_(Eraserheads_album))
| released   = November 4, 1994
| recorded   = 1994
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = {{hlist|[Pinoy rock](/source/Pinoy_rock)|[psychedelic rock](/source/psychedelic_rock)|[grunge](/source/grunge)}}
| length     = 4:23
| label      = * [Musiko Records](/source/BMG_Records)
* [BMG Records (Pilipinas) Inc.](/source/Sony_Music_Philippines)
| writer     = [Ely Buendia](/source/Ely_Buendia)
| producer   = Robin Rivera
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title =
| next_year  =
}}

"'''Alapaap'''" ({{literal|High Clouds}}) is a song by the Philippine alternative rock band [Eraserheads](/source/Eraserheads) from their second album ''[Circus](/source/Circus_(Eraserheads_album))'' (1994).

==Music and lyrics==
Along with other Philippine rock songs at the time such as "Iskolar ng Bayan" by [Yano](/source/Yano) and "Laklak" by [Teeth](/source/Teeth_(Filipino_band)), "Alapaap" became a subject of controversy due to its suggestive lyrics, which Senator [Tito Sotto](/source/Tito_Sotto) saw as promoting drug use. Sotto, who was a member of the Citizens' Drug Watch, called for the song to be banned from radio in August 1995.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bersola |first1=Christine |title=Play it again, Sen. (Manila Standard, August, 26, 1995) |url=http://www.schizo-archives.com/eraserheads/press/press_1995-8-26_ManilaStandard.jpg |website=Schizo Archives |access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref> The band responded with a letter to the senator stating that it was a misinterpretation and that the song was their "ode to freedom", not drug abuse. "That is freedom of expression," stated writer [Ely Buendia](/source/Ely_Buendia). "''Gusto ko lang kumawala sa problema sa mundo, gusto ko lang lumaya'' (I just wanted to get out of the world's problems, I wanted to be free)." They also personally met with the senator, vowing to join the Junior DrugWatch for an anti-drug campaign.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Labog |first1=Juliet M. |title=Eraserheads: 'Alapaap' ode to freedom, not to drugs (Philippine Daily Inquirer, August 25, 1995) |url=http://www.schizo-archives.com/eraserheads/press/press_1995-8-25_PhilDailyInquirer.jpg |website=Schizo Archives |access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref>

In a 2012 ''[Esquire](/source/Esquire_(magazine))'' article, Buendia confirmed that the song did allude to drug use but at the same time maintained that it can also be interpreted otherwise. He also acknowledged its similarity to the [Pale Fountains](/source/Pale_Fountains) song "Reach".<ref name="Romulo">{{Cite web |last=Romulo |first=Erwin |title=Ely Buendia on Existence, Loneliness, and the Songs That Matter |url=https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/profiles/ely-buendia-a1553-20170509-lfrm5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519223708/https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/profiles/ely-buendia-a1553-20170509-lfrm5 |archive-date=2022-05-19 |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=[Esquire](/source/Esquire_(magazine))}}</ref>

The opening melody of the song was later sampled by [Francis M.](/source/Francis_M.) for his song "Whole Lotta Lovin'" from the 1998 album ''[The Oddventures of Mr. Cool](/source/The_Oddventures_of_Mr._Cool)''.

==Covers==
* [6cyclemind](/source/6cyclemind) covered the song twice: with then-vocalist Ney Dimaculangan for the first Eraserheads tribute album ''[Ultraelectromagneticjam!: The Music of the Eraserheads](/source/Ultraelectromagneticjam!%3A_The_Music_of_the_Eraserheads)'', released in 2005; and with vocalist Tutti Caringal and Eunice Jorge of Gracenote on guest vocals for the second Eraserheads tribute album ''[The Reunion: An Eraserheads Tribute Album](/source/The_Reunion%3A_An_Eraserheads_Tribute_Album)'', released in 2012.
* [Yeng Constantino](/source/Yeng_Constantino) & [Harana](/source/Harana_(band)) covered the song for the 2017 film ''[Dear Other Self](/source/Dear_Other_Self)''.
* Leanne and Naara covered the song in 2019 as part of the third Eraserheads tribute album ''[Pop Machine the Album](/source/Pop_Machine_the_Album)''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bodegon-Hikino |first1=Kara |title=Leanne and Naara, Munimuni share their takes on Eraserheads classics - listen |url=https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/leanne-and-naara-munimuni-share-their-takes-of-eraserheads-classics-listen |website=Bandwagon Asia |date=October 4, 2019 |access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>
* [Dilaw](/source/Dilaw_(band)) covered the song for the 2023 film ''[Firefly](/source/Firefly_(2023_film))''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dilaw performs 'Firefly' theme song 'Alapaap' |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/hobbiesandactivities/885204/dilaw-performs-firefly-theme-song-alapaap/story/ |website=GMA News |date=October 14, 2023 |access-date=11 August 2024}}</ref>

===In popular culture===
In 2008, comedian [Michael V.](/source/Michael_V.) and a few cast members from the Philippine late night show ''[Bubble Gang](/source/Bubble_Gang)'' (known as the "Eraseyourheads") made a parody cover of the song entitled "Hala Pack Up" (English: Oh No, Pack Up). The song's lyrics tell the story of a fan who goes to a concert of a famous band only to be disappointment when the concert had to be cut short, referencing the band's first reunion concert that year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir2XFSf1RIw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/ir2XFSf1RIw |archive-date=December 20, 2021 |url-status=live|title=Eraseyourheads - Hala Pack Up|website=[YouTube](/source/YouTube) |date=October 24, 2008 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Live performances==
The band opened their first reunion concert in 2008 with “Alapaap”.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Eraserheads}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Eraserheads songs
Category:1994 songs
Category:1994 singles
Category:Songs written by Ely Buendia
Category:Obscenity controversies in music
Category:Songs in Tagalog
Category:Songs about cannabis

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alapaap](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alapaap) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alapaap?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.