National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab’s Pinoy yule classic “Kumukutikutitap” returns and makes its much-awaited debut on streaming platforms with the release of the “One Christmas” album.

As one of the most adored Pinoy Christmas songs ever, it’s hard to believe this tune has been missing in action on music streaming platforms until now.

Originally, “Kumukutikutitap” was written for a musical called “Bituin (The Star Of Bethlehem)” by Cayabyab with Jose Javier Reyes’ lyrics and was supposed to be used as a contest piece for a big choral competition back in 1983 that got canceled due to the aftermath of the Ninoy Aquino assassination.

The song then found its way into a fund-raising event where it was sung by The Singers’ Foundation choir, which included some of the biggest OPM acts as its members at the time.  As recounted by Mr. C in an interview after its debut, all the choirs that heard “Kumukutikutitap” asked for its choral score. Ever since, the song, with its trademark a cappella arrangement, has become a staple of choirs’ Christmas setlists every Yule season.

However, singer Joey Albert first recorded and released it in 1984.  And while her take was equally cheery, her version had instrument accompaniment.

It took the future National Artist seven more years before he recorded it for “One Christmas” (released in 1991 under the Telesis Recording label). This record served as the Cayabyab’s follow-up to his successful solo album “One.”  And just like the latter record where Cayabyab is the single performer of all the vocals he also arranged, he did the same for “One Christmas.”

“Kumukutikutitap” is a bouncy tune that starts off with an instrumental nod to another enduring Pinoy carol in “Pasko Na Naman Muli” before it turns into an a cappella affair as the main song kicks in. The all-vocal style is a Cayabyab trademark by this time and his arrangement on this one easily shows why he’s a master.  

And this is just one of the many highlights on said album.

The Cayabyab-written “Heto Na Naman,” “Ano’ng Gagawin Mo Ngayong Pasko” (with its “Pasko Na Naman” nod) and the lovely “Miss Kita Kung Pasko” are easy favorites and mixed with old favorites such as “Ang Aking Pamasko” by Antonio Velarde and Levi Celerio, “Noche Buena” by National Artists De Leon and Celerio, “Maligayang Pasko at Masaganang Bagong Taon” a.k.a. “Ang Pasko ay Sumapit” by Vicente Rubi and Celerio, “Himig Pasko” by S.Y. Ramos, and “Payapang Daigdig” also by De Leon.

These, plus a “Pasko Na Sinta Ko” cover complete the collection. “One Christmas” was produced for Telesis by Cayabyab and the late Margot M. Gallardo.  It was recorded at the now-defunct Greenhill Sound Productions studio and sound-engineered by Monching Payumo.

“One Christmas” was almost relegated to analog obscurity if not for the recent acquisition of its distributor Ivory Records by Viva Music, which has now made it easily available on all digital platforms.

So, if you’re thinking of rehashing the same old Christmas songs this Yule season, you’re better off dusting these holiday classics instead. And not just anybody’s cranked-to-death Yule tunes, but a whole record’s worth of Pamasko-themed songs from Ryan Cayabyab himself.

“Koronahan mo pa nang palarang bituin!”