A Series of Excellent Financial Decisions Bhudoy von Pogi Album lyrics & translation notes Release date: September 18, 2026 Consolidated press reference copy. Tracks are presented in album order. ============================================================================== 01 — Who Are We Trying to Impress? ============================================================================== LYRICS Before we tap the card, before we call it self-care, before we say, “We deserve this”... One small question. Para kanino? We book the table by the window Order the prettiest pasta they have Take forty-seven photographs The waiter rolls his eyes, then reheats it twice We move the flowers, move the glasses Ask him to hold the light up higher Spend an hour looking effortless Then post, “Just another quiet night” Everybody at the table Keeps turning toward the marble wall Nobody remembers what we ordered But the wall is having a very good night Who are we trying to impress? Para kanino? Who is this for? Seven people like it, two are our aunties One sells insurance, one says, “Message me” Who are we trying to impress? They tap a heart and carry on Who are we trying to impress? We are still choosing the caption Nothing fancy, just good energy Nothing fancy, flowers slightly left Nothing fancy, just good energy Forty-seven photos, naturally We wear the label across our chests Large enough for planes to read The shirt introduces us first We arrive a few minutes later We buy the shoes for special occasions Now the shoes cannot touch the street We carry them inside another bag While wearing slippers on our way to Jollibee Everybody at the party Pretends they’re not looking around While everyone else is checking Who might be checking them Who are we trying to impress? Para kanino? Who is this for? One person pauses for half a second Then watches a goat interrupt a wedding Who are we trying to impress? The wedding has moved on to dancing Who are we trying to impress? We are still testing twelve captions Nothing fancy, just good energy Nothing fancy, one more shot by the doorway Nothing fancy, just good energy Everybody act natural, okay? Excuse me. Is this your dream car? Or is it making a brief guest appearance in today’s photograph? No judgment. Mine is due back in eleven minutes. Also, the owner would like the keys back. We fly across the world for breakfast The café near home knows us by name The sunrise arrives exactly on time We ask it to move slightly to the left We never look at the beach behind us We use a filter to improve the sky The ocean refuses to stay in the background Then sprays our shoes to get our attention We buy champagne we don’t actually like Raise our glasses and try not to react Then whisper, “Do they have sweet ice tea?” As soon as the camera moves away The camera battery surrenders The ring light starts blinking red The waiter now has lighting notes And wants one more shot by the window Maganda naman, oo naman The evening is looking fantastic Nobody has tasted anything But the post is doing very well Who are we trying to impress? The shirt gets photographed first Who are we trying to impress? We are somewhere in the background Para kanino? Who is this for? The waiter is directing the shoot Who are we trying to impress? Nothing fancy, just good energy The pasta is cold. The picture is beautiful. The caption says, “Nothing fancy, just good energy.” Everybody wins... except the pasta. TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Para kanino? English: Who is this for? 2. Maganda naman, oo naman English: It looks beautiful, yes, of course ============================================================================== 02 — Flash Tonight, Headache Tomorrow ============================================================================== LYRICS Three hours of dancing Twelve months to remember The flowers are fading in the lobby The first installment is due tomorrow We choose the package with the golden ribbon Because silver looked suspiciously sensible We add the stage, the arch, the ceiling drapes And select the chairs with emotional support Everything arrives looking magnificent The room applauds, the cameras wake We walk smiling through the front door Tomorrow is waiting with the contract The applause leaves in a Grab The invoice decides to stay The candles burn for one evening The due date has booked the month Flash tonight, headache tomorrow The music ends, the payment stays We dance for three unforgettable hours Then replay them in twelve installments Flash tonight, headache tomorrow The flowers fade, the app stays open The guests forget the details by breakfast But the bank remembers our name We say yes to the better package Yes to the upgrade, yes to the view Sige, dagdagan na Nobody remembers what it is supposed to do The salesman says, “It’s only a little more” We nod because he says it very gently By the time we understand the sentence The contract has already moved in It sits beside us during breakfast Joins us politely every month Never arrives late, never needs reminding More dependable than several relatives The compliments leave with the guests The maintenance arrives on Monday The photograph remains beautiful The payment has not changed its plans Flash tonight, headache tomorrow The laughter ends, the payment stays Everyone says, “What a lovely evening” Nobody asks how long we’ll pay Flash tonight, headache tomorrow The ribbon sleeps inside a drawer The guests are posting something else But the bank has saved the date Is this the premium package? Wonderful. And how long will we remember it? Twelve months? Ah. So it comes with memories. We drive home beneath the city lights Still smiling from the evening The car looks beautiful under the moon The insurance is due on Tuesday We wear the jacket once for pictures Then place it carefully out of sight By the time we finish the installments The moths have enjoyed it more than we have We sleep that night without concern Monday sends us back to work The first envelope waits on the table Beside a note that says, “We had a lovely time” We make the coffee slightly stronger And open envelope number three The voice that said, “Sige, dagdagan na” Is not returning our calls Ay, bayad na naman The coffee pot knows what to do The bank remembers our monthly anniversary Right on time, as always The contract is still living with us And has started receiving mail Flash tonight, headache tomorrow The spotlight fades, the payment stays We dance for three unforgettable hours Then pay for them in twelve easy ways Flash tonight, headache tomorrow The music stops, the app says due The guests have moved on to lunch But the bank remembers everything Flash tonight, headache tomorrow The room is empty, the chairs are gone The photographs say, “What a perfect evening” The payment says, “See you next month” The flowers are gone. The candles are gone. The guests are gone. The moths look expensive. The bank sends its warm regards. TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Sige, dagdagan na English: Fine, add some more 2. Ay, bayad na naman English: Oh, another payment again ============================================================================== 03 — New Phone, Bye-Bye Interest ============================================================================== LYRICS New screen, same thumbs Old one still on the bed Working overtime to transfer everything To the reason it lost its job I chose the color called Midnight It was black, but with ambition The salesman tilted it toward the light I nodded like I understood the difference The old one charges by the electric fan Still doing every job I ask WhatsApp, Viber, Signal, LINE Twenty-seven chats before breakfast Half the names are made up Everybody asks, “Kumain ka na?” Okay pa naman But the replacement opens apps much faster I save almost half a second Several times a day Phone ngayon, interest goodbye New glass shining, my GCash needs to lie down Phone ngayon, interest goodbye My savings left before setup finished I scan my face and choose a ringtone My balance doesn’t recognize me Same old chats, now slightly faster Phone ngayon, interest goodbye The transfer says three hours remaining Two hours later, still calculating The old one works straight through dinner Moving photos, contacts, and ten thousand chats Mostly “haha,” “okay,” and thumbs-up An archive of modern civilization Every word arrives safely on the new one I can’t remember why I sent them I keep the old one as backup Because throwing it away seems wasteful Now the replacement handles everything And the old one guards the spare pillow The money sat quietly in my GCash Wearing plain clothes, causing no trouble Now it lives in a brighter rectangle And recognizes my face in the dark No farewell, no final speech No balloons beside the balance The interest simply stops arriving While I compare camera modes Phone ngayon, interest goodbye Night mode sharp, my future slightly blurry Every pore now in high definition My GCash remains unavailable for comment I point the camera at the rice The portion suddenly looks bigger Then point it back at me Ah. It’s doing this to everyone. The old one’s still doing the transfer The old one lies beside the new one Connected by my emergency contact’s cable I borrowed it without asking She’s already searched her sofa twice The old one trains its replacement No bonus, no farewell cake The new one says, “Software update” And takes a twenty-minute break Okay pa naman The old one has excellent references She’s checking under the bed The cable’s doing important work Phone ngayon, interest goodbye The camera found details I never needed Phone ngayon, interest goodbye My savings politely left the picture I hold the new one beneath the kitchen light Say, “Worth it,” to an empty room Phone ngayon, interest goodbye The old one takes the call while the new one updates Same thumbs, same chats, same habits Same owner, slightly less money New glass shining, GCash lying down Interest goodbye New screen. Same thumbs. Same password. The old one’s still on the bed. Six new messages asking about the cable. The charger is sold separately. Interest not included. TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Kumain ka na? English: Have you eaten? 2. Okay pa naman English: It was still perfectly fine 3. Phone ngayon, interest goodbye English: New phone now, interest goodbye ============================================================================== 04 — Next Month Is Already Sold ============================================================================== LYRICS 다시 한 번 결혼을 진심으로 축하합니다. 신랑 신부 두 분의 특별 요청으로 들려드리는 곡은 “Next Month Is Already Sold” 입니다. 즐겁게 들어주세요. I spent all day beneath the Manila sun Carrying subscriptions door to door Water plans and rented furniture Up another flight of four I came home holding my paycheck Proud of everything I’d done Walked inside with a fresh suntan And a salary hard-won At the doorway, as I kicked off my shoes The left one started flashing blue “Please renew before the morning Or we cannot walk with you” Renting is so convenient for you, sir Ownership is stress You cannot afford to buy it So we bill you something less Every month One small payment, one small promise Nothing sounded very large But tomorrow lost a little Every time I tapped the card Next month is already sold They were waiting by the door I brought my salary home proudly It never touched the floor Next month is already sold Every appliance knew my name Payday entered through the hallway And the whole house made a claim The fridge was dark and full of silence Its thirty-day plan expired last night This month has thirty-one days The company was technically right I found a warm diet soda Appa had paid the year in full It offered no nutritional value But the subscription was still active Renting is so convenient for you, sir Ownership is stress You enjoy the lovely product We still own it, nonetheless Every month I reached my plush rented sofa But the cushions folded flat A green light said, “Standing’s included” So I stood and stared at that The television froze the actor One hand hanging in the air A payment box covered his face While his mouth kept moving there I turned the radio on softly Only adverts filled the room Music was a higher package Available for upgrade soon I started up my gaming console My little hero waved at me The world loaded, bright and beautiful But moving cost a monthly fee Shoe plan, seat plan, cooling fee Screen plan, sound plan, fantasy Cloud wants money, phone wants more Every small charge joined the line Car lease due before sunrise Miss one payment, enjoy the exercise One by one they formed a queue All very pleased that payday came through Tap for the shoes, scan for the seat Pay for the picture, pay for the beat Pay for the hero to move in the game Pay for the car just to earn it again Own it? No Use it? Yes Sign right here, sir We own the rest Next month is already sold They were waiting by the door I brought my salary home proudly It never touched the floor Next month is already sold Every appliance knew my name Payday entered through the hallway And the whole house made a claim Appa said, “When your money leaves you Bring home something built to last Something real with lasting value Long after the payment has passed” I looked around my glowing kingdom Every light was shining bright I had paid to keep them with me But not one belonged to me tonight My money flew into the evening Like paper lifted by the wind Every payment bought permission That would soon expire again Renting is so convenient for you, sir Why should ownership be hard? You may never own the lifestyle But it fits upon your card Every month Next month is already sold They were waiting by the door I brought my salary home proudly It never touched the floor Next month is already sold Every service got its share The couch came out, the fridge woke up The car agreed to stay Next month is already sold The house was glowing bright Everything was reactivated Everything should work tonight I reached the bedroom at six-oh-two The door displayed a steady red Payment had been due at six BedShare had reassigned the bed A booking notice lit the hallway “Occupied until morning light” Behind the door, a guest complained His pants plan would not renew 뭐야, 바지 구독 끝났대! 결제는 왜 또 안 돼? 내일 아침에 뭐 입고 나가? Wait, there’s a pants subscription? Where do I sign up? TRANSLATION NOTES 1. 다시 한 번 결혼을 진심으로 축하합니다. 신랑 신부 두 분의 특별 요청으로 들려드리는 곡은 “Next Month Is Already Sold” 입니다. 즐겁게 들어주세요. English: Again, heartfelt congratulations on your marriage. By special request of the happy couple, this is “Next Month Is Already Sold.” Please enjoy. 2. Appa English: Dad 3. 뭐야, 바지 구독 끝났대! 결제는 왜 또 안 돼? 내일 아침에 뭐 입고 나가? English: What? They say my pants subscription expired! Why isn’t the payment working again? What am I supposed to wear tomorrow morning? ============================================================================== 05 — Debt Is Not a Paycheck ============================================================================== LYRICS Oh-ho-ho, oh-ho-ho Here comes the money Oh-ho-ho, oh-ho-ho I never ask when it goes back My sister heard my urgent problem I said the old TV had finally died She sent money Thursday morning When I plugged it in again, it sprang back to life By Thursday evening, eighty inches filled the wall Ferry passengers saw Caprice and Lella win She asked, “Was that the emergency?” Her question drowned in surround sound My account looked extremely healthy For almost four full hours Then my sister texted, “My money?” No emoji. Perfect grammar. Utang ay hindi sweldo Oh-ho-ho, I called it payday The money came in, I shouted, “Let’s go!” It went out before Thursday night Oh-ho-ho, now she calls every day She said it wasn’t mine to keep It came with someone else’s name I spent it all the same Oh-ho-ho, oh-ho-ho It arrived with a return schedule Oh-ho-ho, oh-ho-ho I acted like it came to stay My cousin heard the house was too quiet Two microphones, karaoke machine He asked when his money was coming back I said, “After I test the dream” Echo, echo, echo Auntie heard my tragic back story Twelve settings and a cup holder Three relatives, three upgrades, what a week No payment plan, but free delivery The TV still fills half the wall I mute it when my sister calls The karaoke sleeps till midnight Then the mice rehearse till five The massage chair found my left hip And treats it like unfinished work I pressed the button marked “Relax” It folded me like an Angel’s Pizza box I finally own the things I wanted Exhibits A, B, and C Every time I try to enjoy them Someone asks about the money Utang ay hindi sweldo Oh-ho-ho, now my Cousin wants to know The TV goes quiet, the mice take the mic The chair keeps fighting with my hip Oh-ho-ho, where did all the money go? Three luxury items, three relatives waiting Each purchase came with caller ID Every ringtone helps me correct my schedule Six in the morning, my Sister needs a stone wall built Airport run for my Cousin, four a.m. sharp Auntie says boxes, “Only a few” At box number forty, I question the count I say, “My weekend’s full” She says, “Interesting. About the money...” Suddenly Saturday opens up And Sunday becomes very flexible At Sunday lunch they sit together Sister, Cousin, and Auntie too Nobody says, “Because you owe us” They hand me a list of things to do I say, “Bukas na lang, promise” Three eyebrows rise as one I start washing every dish Before dessert has even come Utang ay hindi sweldo Oh-ho-ho, now all three call at once The TV goes quiet, the mice take the last mic The chair still argues with my hip Oh-ho-ho, and I can’t hang up Three loans, endless favors, one more ride I bought three toys, and sold my time My weekends now belong to them Oh-ho-ho, oh-ho-ho Three loans, endless favors, one more ride Oh-ho-ho, oh-ho-ho I bought three toys, and sold my time The television still fills half the wall. The mice traded away both microphones. The chair has found my other hip. The ferry captain is calling. He wants to see the Terminator score. Utang ay hindi sweldo. TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Utang ay hindi sweldo English: Debt is not salary 2. Bukas na lang, promise English: I'll do it tomorrow, I promise ============================================================================== 06 — A Friendly Loan? I’ll Pass ============================================================================== LYRICS We shared birthdays, long rides, ordinary days He was part of the rhythm I knew I kept a few ideas we could trade someday Things we could teach and learn Then one day he asked me for money Not a fortune, but enough to leave a mark The question entered quietly But nothing remained the same No interest, no collateral No security, no return His problem didn’t disappear It crossed the table and embraced me Pautang? Pass muna His boat was already taking water No loan could ever mend the leak He was asking me to sink with him The moment money leaves my hands I count it among the missing If any of it finds its way home I will welcome the surprise I opened my wallet one time The question learned the way back One exception became permission And every boundary began to crack I asked about the payment once He answered without answering The closer money came between us The further he moved away from me He forgot his wallet? I can cover today. His card stopped working? These things happen. But a life already taking water Needs repair, not another loan. The first debt still stood between us There was no room for another Until the first one found its way home The door would remain closed Best case, the same amount comes home Smaller than the day it left No profit, protection, or guarantee Only a promise between friends His problem didn’t disappear It crossed the table and embraced me I saw a problem not of my making And had to take it home with me The money never came back And neither did he call An expensive way to purchase silence At least I paid for it in full I stopped asking about the balance Not because the debt was gone Every question made the old friendship Feel further from what it had been I was saving ideas we could trade someday Things we could teach and learn I treasured him as a friend He found treasure in my bag Before the money left my hands I had already disappeared He was talking to my money While I was still standing right there Pautang? Pass muna His boat needs repair, not me on board If the first debt still knows my name There will not be one peso more I treasured him as a friend He found treasure in my bag The cash left after I answered The friendship left when he asked The balance remained open long after the friendship closed. TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Pautang? Pass muna English: A loan? I’ll pass for now ============================================================================== 07 — Twenty from Every Hundred ============================================================================== LYRICS A hundred came marching in Every peso knew the road Bills were waving from one corner Luxury called from down the street Rent was holding up a signboard Power raised its yellow flag The delivery app was shouting “There is something in your bag!” Not one peso looked behind it Not one asked what I would need I stood proudly directing traffic While future me received nothing “Rent, proceed!” “Electricity, turn right!” “Phone bill, keep on moving!” “Golden jacket, green light!” I paid everybody who asked me Everybody knew my name Future me was too polite To send an invoice or complain The traffic lights turned violet Every clock began to spin A silver doorway split the air And somebody stumbled in He wore a company uniform With an ID on his chest And over it, my golden jacket Slightly stained but still well-dressed I raised my traffic whistle “Sir, you cannot enter here.” He looked exactly like me With considerably less hair “Who are you?” “I’m you.” “From when?” “From later.” “Why are you dressed like that?” “You paid everyone else.” He pointed toward the marching money Then slowly looked at me “Rent?” “Paid.” “Electricity?” “Paid.” “Phone?” “Paid.” “Delivery?” “Twice.” “And me?” I checked the traffic ledger “Who are you again?” “Exactly.” He watched another hundred March obediently away Orders sent them marching onward Each one knew where it must go Some were going to obligations Some were chasing something new None were carrying a message For the man I would become He touched the golden jacket And examined one dark stain “At least I bought you something.” “You bought this for yourself.” “But you are wearing it.” “You left me nothing else.” He walked into the intersection Raised one tired open hand Every peso stopped together Like a tiny marching band He took my whistle from me Checked the roads and shook his head “You pay the whole world before me. That arrangement ends today.” Out of every hundred earned First twenty, step this way Eighty, follow the old road Future me gets paid today Dalawampu bawat isang daan Before the bills begin their race Dalawampu bawat isang daan Future me now has a place The first twenty turned together Future me became their guide The other eighty crossed behind them Then continued on their way Rent still waited at the corner Power still expected pay Nothing vanished, nothing panicked We just changed who went first today I watched the traffic moving Everything was still alive The city ran upon the eighty Future me received his twenty-five He looked at me. I checked my math. “Twenty.” “Twenty. Yes. Of course.” By Sunday I approached the twenty With a very modest plan “Just return for one small purchase. You can leave again when you can.” Future me stepped through the doorway Put the whistle to his chest “Don’t pay me one day Then rob me the next.” The twenty stood behind him Trying not to meet my eyes Even they understand When Bhudoy starts to rationalize “It is not exactly spending.” “It is leaving all the same.” “I was only going to borrow.” “You just changed the verb, not the game.” Out of every hundred earned First twenty, step this way Eighty still can run the city Future me gets paid today Dalawampu bawat isang daan Let the old parade begin Dalawampu bawat isang daan Future me goes first again Not the last twenty remaining Not whatever I don’t spend The first twenty from the hundred Goes to future me, my best friend The first twenty from the hundred Goes directly to my best friend The silver doorway flickered open Future me prepared to go The golden jacket caught the light With one distinguished stain below He handed back my traffic whistle “Can you manage from here?” I saluted with great confidence “Perfectly.” Another hundred came marching in I raised my hand “First twenty, this way.” “First twenty, this way.” TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Dalawampu bawat isang daan English: Twenty out of every hundred ============================================================================== 08 — Pay First, Sleep Easy ============================================================================== LYRICS Lola and Lolo loved the letter R That’s how we got Ramon and Rosa One year I stayed with my uncle The next year with my dear auntie Tito Ramon, Tita Rosa, thank you for those unforgettable childhood visits. I learned so much from both of you. Uncle Ramon was a lawyer Beside the main compound of the LTO He knew each date and every deadline And where each document should go His clients never missed a filing His own reminders stayed unread Payday fed the whole office While the bills stayed on his desk New shoes gleamed beneath his trousers School fees waited in a drawer Every purchase became evidence Of what Ramon could afford Bayad muna, tulog mahimbing Let the doorbell ring tonight Pay the people, clear the invoices Then decide what you can buy My cousin took a test on Friday Question one described a train She watched the cashier cross the window And forgot the speed again She held the train inside the station Till the school account was clear The teacher marked the answer wrong But found the payment plan sincere A Grab delivery rang at lunchtime Every slipper vanished inside The household rose at the word delivery Then cash was due, so back they hid The driver, cleaner, and the nanny Waited while the bags came through Luxury filled the front doorway While their salaries stayed due Two tax men came in matching suits With a folder, neat and thin Every figure had been calculated Before they calmly walked in Ramon moved it toward next month But next month had taxes too The money meant for many people Had been spent by only one I spent the next summer with Auntie Rosa By a gas station near the road Before the sunrise touched the windows Rice and eggs were on the stove Drivers, clerks, and early workers Stopped for coffee on their way Money came in coins and small bills Plate by plate throughout the day Every peso had a chair there Some for water, some for rice Some for wages, school, and taxes None were waiting to be spent twice Three percent off the water bill Became tomorrow’s eggs Rosa counted what remained After everything was paid Near midnight, Ramon reached her gate With none of his afternoon glow His necktie loose, his shoulders lower Than the man I used to know Something had to clear by morning But the money had been spent He rang the gate; the porch light answered Rosa met him at the entrance She opened up without a worry No unpaid bill stood at her door She made him coffee, found a blanket Then listened while he paced the floor Rosa went back up to sleeping Ramon watched the darkness fade Nothing due could keep her waking Everything had all been paid Bayad muna, tulog mahimbing Let the doorbell ring tonight School is paid, the staff are smiling Every window keeps its light Bayad muna, tulog mahimbing One paycheck cannot pay twice Ramon earned much more than Rosa But every peso left was hers Ramon waited for the roosters Rosa woke at morning light Nothing due had kept her waking Every bill was paid on time Bayad muna Tulog mahimbing TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Lola English: Grandma 2. Lolo English: Grandpa 3. Tito Ramon English: Uncle Ramon 4. Tita Rosa English: Aunt Rosa 5. LTO English: Land Transportation Office, where driver’s licenses are issued and motor vehicles are registered in the Philippines 6. Bayad muna, tulog mahimbing English: Pay first, sleep peacefully ============================================================================== 09 — Go On, Explain It ============================================================================== LYRICS What exactly am I buying? You are buying pure momentum Everybody knows the name We met the founder’s dentist At a very important frisbee game Three directors wore dark neckties And the logo has two wings When successful people nod together Those are very bullish things How does this make me money? Explain mo nga! Where does my profit come from? Explain mo nga! Where does my money go? You can shout above the music You can put a tie on a goat I understand a little less now But I like the way it sounds Our proprietary AI Otto says the signal’s strong It has so many customers It cannot possibly be wrong All confidential, you understand Their names cannot be shown They are all extremely satisfied According to Otto alone What does Otto actually do? The tea leaves formed an arrow Every tarot card said “Buy” We examined the stars closely Your money sign was rising high Then our crystal ball turned golden And displayed an upward swing When four separate signs agree like that We do not question anything Explain mo nga! Tell me how the signal knows Explain mo nga! Tell me where the fortune grows Every answer sounds much stranger Every promise seems to sing I understand much less than earlier But I’m starting to believe What happens if the price goes down? That cannot happen, we researched it On the internet last night Every comment said “AMAZING!” And the stars were five of five One account wrote “TO THE MOON!” Another posted “CANNOT LOSE!” When strangers type in capital letters That is practically a certain win How much should I put in? YOLO! You only live once! So your savings should be brave Money sitting in an account Is already in the grave Everyone around the table Raised a glass and shouted, “WIN!” When the room agrees this loudly That is when you must jump in Explain mo nga! How high can my fortune go? Explain mo nga! Does Otto already know? You can quote the cards and comments You can make a unicorn sing I understand less than ever But I want to buy the thing! Can I put in all my savings? Why stop there when things are growing? Caution interrupts the flow Once your capital transcends you You should let the mystery grow Your funds will reach a higher phase Beyond accounting’s reach If your balance turns invisible Then wealth is almost complete When can I take my millions out? Why withdraw when you are winning? Let the fortune multiply! If you touch the growing balance You disturb the sacred AI! Explain mo nga! Tell me one more certain thing Explain mo nga! How high can my future swing? You can quote the stars and comments You can make a unicorn sing I understand absolutely nothing But I’m going all in! Explain mo nga! Explain mo nga! Every answer shakes the room The louder you keep talking The richer I assume! What exactly am I buying? The future! Whose future? Yours! WHEEEEEEEEE! BHUDOY IS RICH!!! The bank just called. My account is zero. But somebody dropped off a goat for me. It’s wearing a polka-dot tie. Otto? Explain mo nga. TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Explain mo nga English: Go on, explain it ============================================================================== 10 — I Am Not an Expert ============================================================================== LYRICS He read 0DTE as “Zero down, total earnings” Risked a piece of his inheritance With absolute confidence Then one lucky call went higher Four hundred by three a.m. By closing time he wore two gloves With cheap glass in place of gems A velvet robe, a ring light, and a plan He switched the camera on Rocket emojis filled the screen The ordinary man was gone “The Oracle of Manila.” Hindi ako eksperto The phrase he could not say Hindi ako eksperto So he doubled down that day No stop-loss, no position size Just rockets where the facts should be He could not say, “I do not know” But he sparkled professionally, oh professionally He watched Wall Street for his bachelor’s The Wolf gave him his master’s degree Then he shorted Tesla because shorter cars Are easier to park, you see His kindergarten teacher, Miss Suwerte, Had said, “Invest in your future, dear” So he bought one crude-oil futures contract Because the instructions seemed clear He looked at Japanese manga Could not understand a single line The lettering looked just like Evergrande He called it a strong buy Next he bought a token from a viral star Because villains never smile Three hours later, down ninety percent He bought another pile He heard that Python beat PHP So he bought the ticker PY It wasn’t Python after all But “close enough” was his reply Diversification: A shortage of conviction Risk management: A negative prediction He charged his followers for advice When regulators appeared He showed them both his gloves and said “My credentials are right here” The app let him buy on margin He called the borrowed money free When Margin called, he blocked the number “No one named Margin knows me” Then the broker sold his winners To cover everything that fell He kept the coins and dying options Because they were not selling well Hindi ako eksperto The phrase he would not say Hindi ako eksperto His inheritance was gone The winners sold, the losses stayed Yet still he kept the gloves on He could not say, “I do not know” But he sparkled professionally, oh professionally “Oracle, there are five oil tanker trucks outside. Your broker says you are required to accept delivery.” “Miss Suwerte never said anything about trucks.” TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Hindi ako eksperto English: I am not an expert 2. Suwerte English: Luck or good fortune ============================================================================== 11 — I Am Not an Expert, but Neither Is He ============================================================================== LYRICS I was his tomcat and confidant I heard each private call He knew how to build an airport And how to finish a mall The International Feline Directorate Was impressed with my career I advised an engineer of stature And purred into his ear Then polished voices found his number With shares not yet for sale One man handled the verification One explained each small detail One sent charts and one sent letters One confirmed the funds arrived Every separate voice supported One enormous coordinated lie He meant to impress the family To show what he could bring home He told the plan to no one else Except me lying beside the phone Hindi ako eksperto My engineer should have known Pero hindi rin siya The polished voice on the phone One man vouched for one more man Who vouched for one more lie I purred beside my engineer And never questioned them For eighteen months I heard their voices Curled in the drawer of his desk They spoke of private shares and fortunes And promised him the very best I chose a heated window ledge Fresh tuna every night A silver bowl with filtered water Kept at the perfect height I planned my entrance for the dinner When he’d reveal the promised gain I would sit beside the documents And look expensive in the frame The Directorate congratulated me On influence and rank No cat within the global network Had advised a man so grand Pero hindi rin siya The man who sold the deal Pero hindi rin siya He only sounded real One man vouched for one more man Who vouched for one more lie I purred beside my engineer And never questioned them Then Bhudoy finally read the papers No polished voice, no grand display He saw what eighteen months had hidden And named the fraud within a day Forty million disappeared Through a hundred careful hands He could finish malls and airports But couldn't see through their plans He was still my engineer The same hand scratched my chin A man can build what others can't And still let strangers in Pero hindi rin siya The man who sold the deal Pero hindi rin siya He only sounded real They verified each other Till the paperwork looked true I purred beside my engineer I was believing too An apple tree can lose a branch And still return in spring My engineer is standing too Though changed by everything The lady drinks and keeps her distance We rarely see her now I watch him standing in the orchard Looking past the final bough Alone between the rows of trees He mourns what might have been The tree survives the broken limb But doesn't grow it back again The Directorate has placed me On mandatory garden leave The night birds laugh above my table While I pretend to sleep The man who found the fraud still visits And brings a can for me He says my engineer will rise Like every wounded tree The house is quieter now My engineer bears the cost But I lost my heated perch So I've suffered the most TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Hindi ako eksperto English: I am not an expert 2. Pero hindi rin siya English: But neither is he ============================================================================== 12 — High Risk, High Reward ============================================================================== LYRICS Two siblings stood before the mirror Ten years of figures on the wall Every wage rose with the minimum Never one centavo more at all Then they doubled their own payout Every year with practiced skill In the mirror, coats grew fewer “Lean,” they said “And leaner still” Money was the only language They considered truly clear Every zero earned a trumpet Every gain deserved a cheer Mehr, mehr, immer mehr Nie genug, wir brauchen alles “Raise the glasses, watch it pile up Look how clever we both are” Mehr, mehr, immer mehr While the people disappear “If the pile keeps getting bigger That is all we need to hear” They moved the partner’s portion Under miscellaneous fees Then their dinners, cars, and holidays All became business necessities In the mirror, one chair emptied Family pictures left the wall “Fewer voices speed decisions Minimalism suits us all” Every column leaned toward them Every decimal behaved What was theirs stayed theirs forever What was yours could be renamed Mehr, mehr, immer mehr Nie genug, wir brauchen alles “Raise the glasses, watch it pile up Look how clever we both are” Mehr, mehr, immer mehr While the people disappear “If the pile keeps getting bigger That is all we need to hear” They announced another record Guests arrived from near and far Each one clocked in for a frog Cast in gold beside the bar In the mirror, yellow plating Flaked and showed the lead below “What a loyal crowd,” they toasted “No one says they have to go” Every guest kept smiling brightly Both hands wrapped around a frog No one hugged the happy siblings Both hands guarded what they got Favor given Interest due Wedding present Invoiced too Birthday greeting Sent by staff Family joke Nobody laughed Charity plaque Twelve feet tall They gave nothing Signed it all Basement gold Through the chute Rusted lock Key won’t turn Gold goes in Door stays shut “Perfect safety” “Very good” They invited paid observers To examine what it showed One reported, “Nothing’s faulty” No one saw that man again Every later expert found the mirror Biased, jealous, out of date Different logos, different letters Same typo on page eight Seven letters, one conclusion “No coordination here” They formed a risk committee Both members took a chair Seven years of possible bad luck Was a risk they could not bear They padded every corner Checked the rope and checked it twice Then they lowered it into the well Their prudent compromise Mehr, mehr, immer mehr Nie genug, wir brauchen alles “Raise the glasses, watch it pile up Nothing negative so far” Mehr, mehr, immer mehr Now the room approves it all “If no mirror shows the losses There were never losses at all” At the bottom of the well It kept sparkling through the night When they leaned above to check it The mirror reflected them just right TRANSLATION NOTES 1. centavo English: one hundredth of a Philippine peso 2. Mehr, mehr, immer mehr English: German for “More, more, always more” 3. Nie genug, wir brauchen alles English: German for “Never enough, we need everything” ============================================================================== 13 — One Good Day ============================================================================== LYRICS “Mila, salamat sa pagkukuwento mo sa akin. Ito ang ‘One Good Day.’” Before the market opened Mila counted what she’d need Rice and soap and cooking oil And something fresh to eat A thousand pesos clear each day Would keep the home supplied She laid one basket on the table And spread the fruits out wide By sunset, not a mango sold The skins had lost their glow The fruit flies started circling Like they already seemed to know She counted nothing in the tin And stacked the signs away By sunrise, twice the mangoes Would brighten her display Next morning, apron tighter Two baskets side by side Yesterday stood beside today Both looking fresh and bright Two baskets in the morning Mangoes bright and tall Mila sees two thousand pesos Waiting in them all One good day Could set the numbers straight Rice and soap and cooking oil Could all come home by eight She only needs One good day The second market day ended Both baskets turning soft She opened up her notebook And crossed no number off Two days sat inside the book A third had joined the page Three carts rolled in by sunrise Like players to a stage Mangoes, limes, papayas Pineapples in a row By closing time, the colors sagged No matter how they glowed She marked another empty line Then checked the count once more By morning, four trucks waited Where three carts stood before Three trucks held the days behind her One held what she’d clear today Mila tied her apron And waved them all her way Four trucks in the morning Colors down the lane Mila sees four thousand pesos Waiting once again One good day Could make the notebook right Every empty line she kept Could disappear tonight She only needs One good day “Mila, everybody!” “Salamat, Bhudoy!” By Thursday, trucks filled every lane With melons, grapes, and limes By Friday, traffic officers Were waving warning signs She kept the older totals And wrote the new below The road became a fruit parade Where traffic used to go The baskets became carts Then carts became a line And trucks became a convoy Past the market sign The police came to clear the road The barangay captain ran One camera brought another No one knew how it began Two helicopters circled overhead The evening broadcast said A fruit emergency was growing In the streets ahead The crowd came out to see it With cameras raised up high They posed beside papayas As the evening traffic crawled by Police along the roadside News crews at the gate Half the city taking pictures Before the hour grew late One good day Could make the notebook right But every empty line remained Uncrossed before the night Fruit beneath the floodlights Headlines on display They all admired the fruit Then everyone walked away Mila checked the empty cash tin And turned another page Six thousand pesos clear tomorrow She smiled and wrote the date TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Mila, salamat sa pagkukuwento mo sa akin. Ito ang ‘One Good Day.’ English: Mila, thank you for telling me your story. This is ‘One Good Day.’ 2. pesos English: Philippine pesos, the currency of the Philippines 3. Salamat, Bhudoy! English: Thank you, Bhudoy! 4. barangay captain English: The elected head of a barangay 5. barangay English: The smallest local administrative unit and community in the Philippines ============================================================================== 14 — My Friend Can’t Drive ============================================================================== LYRICS Top floor above the city New leather chair, enormous desk Boxy computer screens in front of me And phones from end to end A row of televisions Showed news throughout the day Each phone had a second handset Spaghetti cords every which way I bought a movie wind machine The kind they used for storms I must have thought the summer heat Required industrial force It blew my papers off the desk Each time I switched it on Nineteen years old in suit and tie Convinced that I belong I’d worn a tie since sixteen Carried a briefcase into school I read about markets and money Business, risk, and rules Stocks and bonds and currencies Commodities in play Futures, options, swaps and more I learned them day by day Long before I understood The part that Fear could play Then tanks were firing in Moscow At parliament on TV Smoke was rising through the picture From a world far away from me Nothing had changed at BMW Nothing changed in what I knew But the room around me tightened As I watched the pictures move I watched a possibility Become certainty in my mind Those tanks were far away But Fear was next to me I picked up the telephone And moved the risk that day Nothing in my strategy had changed But I traded anyway When the call was over The office settled down The phones were where I left them The city still below Moscow hadn’t changed at all BMW was still the same But something in my chest had eased When I stepped out of the game Nothing happened to the money No disaster, no defeat The crisis carried on without me And I went back to my seat There was no loss to point at No wound upon the page Just a trade that brought me comfort In an uncomfortable age I felt better after selling That much I knew was true The calm arrived immediately Though none of the facts had changed Nothing in my strategy Had told me to unwind I had simply moved the money To quiet what was in my mind Then January brought a headline BMW ’n’ Rover became one The position I had closed in autumn Would have gained from what came next The profit that I didn’t make Was never mine to lose But looking back, I knew exactly What had helped me choose Then one morning from the buyer Came a basket, neatly packed Fruit and chocolates, and a BMW Finished luxury-black A note thanked me for the purchase His best one of the year An excellent financial decision Just not the one I’d made A picture of that BMW Is still sitting on my desk A reminder that when panic leads My judgment isn’t at its best These days when Fear comes visiting I recognize his face I welcome my old friend And give him time and space I give him some banana bread And let my old friend rest I listen to his warning And consider what he says I don’t resent the visit I don’t send my friend away Sometimes Fear has noticed something Worth considering that day I let him ride beside me I let him have his say No matter how much he begs for the wheel He never gets to drive The headlines still come flashing My heartbeat still can change The world can still look different When uncertainty takes shape I check what I am holding I check what facts have changed I welcome my old friend beside me But Fear never gets to drive Страх не сядет за руль TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Страх не сядет за руль English: Fear will not get behind the wheel ============================================================================== 15 — The Unlucky Sister ============================================================================== LYRICS Three sisters sat at breakfast Papa laid three pouches down Each with the same weight of gold “See what you can make today Keep your eyes open Come back when the sun is down” The three sisters took the money And headed into town The first one found an ice cream deal At half the usual price “Only good until this noon” She did not ask him twice She had no carts to sell it from No place to keep it cold “I’ll arrange all that this afternoon” And bought the whole lot sold She hurried off to find two carts And came back rather late Every tub was liquid Waiting patiently at the gate The chickens found the chocolate The dogs discovered cream The cats arrived for strawberry It was everybody’s dream She started with a full pouch She finished with a scoop A very lovely bargain Had become neighborhood soup Such a lovely little profit Such a beautiful amount All the awkward little details Somehow never made the count The second found a French circus Setting canvas near the bay She persuaded them to loan her Their enormous elephant for the day “You must return him bathed,” they warned “He can be particular” She nodded while she counted rides And barely heard that part The children came, the tickets sold She smiled from ear to ear By sunset she was certain She’d found the deal of the year She led him proudly to the ocean “Bath time, there you are” The elephant stopped and faced her With a very serious look "L’océan? Mais enfin! Je suis un éléphant de spectacle. J’ai joué dans les plus belles revues de Paris!" His bathing assistant soon arrived With everything required By the time the elephant smiled again Her pouch felt very light Such a lovely little profit Such a beautiful amount All the awkward little details Somehow never made the count The third one heard the circus rumors Somebody said the camel spoke Someone else was quite convinced The tiger whispered jokes “This must be some kind of scam,” she said Then shrugged, “It doesn’t matter” She checked the price, the place, the crowd And what she’d need to start Maybe someone else could make it work For her, it didn’t fit She never learned which beast could talk And never paid a bit Back home when the sun was down The third one said, “I didn’t make a thing.” The other two looked at her With pity in their eyes “Zero? Nothing? Really?” They shook their heads. “Oh, how unfortunate.” TRANSLATION NOTES 1. L’océan? Mais enfin! Je suis un éléphant de spectacle. J’ai joué dans les plus belles revues de Paris! English: The ocean? Come now! I’m a show elephant. I performed in the finest revues in Paris! ============================================================================== 16 — The Chicken or the Egg ============================================================================== LYRICS Every morning before sunrise Twelve hens wandered through the yard The dog slept underneath the table Nothing seemed particularly hard Twelve eggs waited in the baskets By the time the day began The neighbors came to buy them fresh By breakfast they were gone The eggs were quite spectacular But never made him rich At sundown when the hens came home They played rock, paper, scissors Monday eggs and Tuesday eggs Wednesday brought some more Thursday, Friday, Saturday The same knocks at the door A little feed, a little care A little money spent The chickens kept on being chickens And the eggs kept paying rent Then one Sunday by the gate A pilot pointed at a hen “Why bother with the eggs? BBQ brings bigger checks!” The chicken or the egg? He looked across the yard And counted every hen He thought the answer clear “Why collect a dozen little coins When big money’s right there?” The chicken or the egg? He grilled a hen with garlic A little pepper, extra lime Hung a sign beside the roadside: “Best Chicken of All Time” The customers came running for Chicken dancing on a plate The money came much faster He thought the business great “Eggs are such a tiny business! Look how much I made today!” He grilled two more hens And sold them before noon Nine hens woke on Wednesday morning He barely seemed concerned Three fewer little factories But look how much he earned The chicken or the egg? He watched the grill all morning And counted every sale He thought the answer clear “Why collect a dozen little coins When big money’s right there?” The chicken or the egg? Then came banners, lights and speakers Plastic tables filled the street “Grand Chicken Fiesta Weekend! Bigger! Hotter! More!” The baker brought a mirror ball The plumber brought a drum His neighbor printed matching shirts Saying “Number One” Then he hired a laser show To flash across the sky He called it brand development And never questioned why He hired someone for promotion Bought a chicken suit too tight The promoter could barely lift his elbows But waved with all his might He sold five hens by Saturday The crowd began to roar His best week in history! He had four chickens more He bought a bigger barbecue “Growth!” he shouted to the crowd “This is what winners do!” On Monday morning four hens moved Quietly across the yard Four eggs waited in the baskets He looked at them quite hard “Production seems to be declining.” He checked the feed He checked the nests He even checked for mites And walked the entire fence Then he warmed up the grill And went to see the hens The chicken or the egg? The crowd kept getting bigger The hens kept getting fewer The numbers looked so clear Every time he sold tomorrow Today became a record year The chicken or the egg? Two hens left on Tuesday morning Two eggs shining in the tray “Clearly eggs are not performing. I must pivot right away.” He announced a final special “Double Chicken Closing Night!” Both remaining hens were seasoned Everything was going right The tables filled The music started Lasers crossed the sky He sold out before sunset And nearly cried with pride “More money than ever!” He raised the empty basket “Tomorrow I’ll expand!” Tomorrow came The henhouse was quiet No eggs appeared at all He waited by the baskets Nothing Nothing Nada The chicken or the egg? His biggest sales day ever Not a chicken in the yard The chicken or the egg? He still had the barbecue The banners and the sign The lights started promptly At exactly five till nine The dog looked at the barbecue Then backed away from him TRANSLATION NOTES 1. Nada English: Nothing ============================================================================== 17 — You Always Meet Twice ============================================================================== LYRICS I was young and far from home With a door I had to find Everybody had their reasons Everybody had declined Then an older man said, “Sit” There was nothing much to gain He made room where there was little And he never once explained I had nothing he could need No advantage I could bring Just a road I had to travel And a chance at something new He had years enough behind him I was still becoming me Still he pulled another chair up And made a place for me No promise No account No favor written down He opened up a door And then we both went on You always meet twice Though I never know just when Once as who I am today Once as who I’ve been You always meet twice Sometimes years have gone between Sometimes no one else is watching Still I answer to myself Years went on and roads grew longer Life had moved us both along I’d discovered a few more answers And learned where I’d been wrong Then I saw a thing worth doing Something useful I could bring No request and no reminder No old favor pulling strings So I went and found what mattered And brought it within reach Held it safely for a while Till it could be his alone No invoice No amount No balance coming due Some things I choose to care for Simply because I do You always meet twice Though I never know just when Once as who I am today Once as who I’ve been You always meet twice Sometimes years have gone between Sometimes no one else is watching Still I answer to myself There came a day when what I carried Could have served me very well There were numbers on the table There was something I could sell I would like to say temptation Never entered through the door But I knew exactly what it offered That is what decisions are for So I put it where it belonged And made certain it was his Not because a debt was waiting Not because a ledger cared When I lend a hand I write no balance down When someone lends a hand I carry that with me 情けは人の為ならず Not as something I must settle Not as something I must pay But I remember who made room When everybody turned away There are choices that are painful There are times when I say no I can make the hard decision Without adding needless hurt And when nobody is watching When the room is finally still Can I look myself straight in the eyes And live with what I did? You always meet twice Though I never know just when Once as who I am today Once as who I’ve been You always meet twice Maybe neither keeps the score Someone once made room for me I make room where I can I never kept a book of favors There is nothing left to prove When I look into myself I’m at peace with what I do You always meet twice You always meet twice TRANSLATION NOTES 1. 情けは人の為ならず English: Kindness is not only for the sake of others ============================================================================== 18 — What Is It All For? ============================================================================== LYRICS I learned to keep a little for later To keep tomorrow somewhere near But every now and then I wonder Why I worked so hard to keep it here Some evenings after work were waiting With a board beside the shore I plugged a little pump into the car And let it do the chore Dinner in a bag up front A soda cold for me... okay... two The sun went down across the water And nobody needed anything I paddled till the light grew thinner Then packed the evening in Nothing grand had happened Still I’d gladly do it again What is it all for? A little space to breathe? An evening nobody can hurry? The freedom to just leave? A quiet place on open water? A sunset I can keep? What is it all for? Sometimes something simply breaks And that is all it has to be An inconvenience for an afternoon Not a catastrophe And once, when something mattered Was much too close to being lost I had enough to stand between it And whatever it would cost No medal waited at the end No lesson filled the air What mattered stayed where it belonged And nothing more was said What is it all for? A little less to fear? The chance to keep what matters When the edge suddenly comes near? A problem staying only As large as it should be? What is it all for? Once trouble crossed an ocean And people wanted to respond I knew how to build a pathway Out of papers, plans and speech Nothing anyone would photograph No ribbon at the end Just a way for willing hands To give what they could give Another time a friend needed someone And plans became quite small I had the freedom to just stay And not explain at all What is it all for? The things that I can make? The hours I can give away When somebody needs me there? The chance to make something That wasn’t there before? What is it all for? There are places where silence pays well Where an answer has a price Where somebody may suggest, strongly That looking elsewhere would be wise I like knowing I can listen Then say exactly what I see Some pressure loses weight When I am free to disagree Maybe freedom is that simple Maybe freedom costs much more Maybe having enough behind me Lets me choose what I stand for Maybe it is dinner Maybe it is time Maybe it is keeping Something safe for one more night Maybe it is building Something useful from the start Maybe it is being there Maybe something more What is it all for? I still don’t really know A little more space for choosing? A little less need to bend? A chance to give A chance to stay A chance to make A chance to play A little peace when things go wrong A little freedom to say no What is it all for? Maybe there is no one answer Maybe that would ask too much I only know that now and then It turns into a life TRANSLATION NOTES No translation notes required for this track.