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The other day on bus got 'Singapore Idol'

Saw Kit Chan went on stage to sing our all-time fav National Song 'Home'

Hearing her sing it brings back a lot of memories. From secondary school especially, when this song was released.

I still think it is the best National Song ever. Next is Tanya's "Where I Belong'

National Songs in recent years are becoming very forgettable. Who can remember how to sing that song by Rui-en and that seven-eleven guy (Taufik)? I cant even remember the title.

As for Kaira Gong's new National song, I only roughly remember it because the other day I keep hearing my sister sing it. I am sure I will forget it in a few days.

I wonder why recent National songs fail miserably to make an impact on people?

Could it be because this place feel less and less like our home? Is it still our place? Our nation? Where we belong?

Last time whenever I heard 'Home' or 'Where I Belong' I always felt emotions of love for the nation and truly moved. I felt Singapore was really a place to call my own.

But nowadays I sometimes feel Singapore is becoming more and more like a foreign land to me.

I almost thought I arrived in China when I walk around my park in evenings. In fact in alot of places I get that feeling. In Brainforest of Clementi, it felt like a China University. When in Ang Mo Kio I felt like I was in Beijing.

OMG! How come I hear such foreign Chinese spoken with such GREAT FREQUENCY in Singapore?

Why does Singapore feel like it was China? No wonder Westerners always asked which part of China we are from.

Last time when this was home, we had the real warm National Library. The Grand Dame of retro-ness.

Last time when Singapore was Singapore, we had the Drama Centre @ Fort Canning where I spend many happy times. It was small, not very advanced but it was cosy and full of familiar memories.

Last time when we were a great nation city, everywhere was clean and orderly and transport fares were still affordable. A & W was a great fast food restaurant, movies were not expensive, we knew how to do the GREAT SINGAPORE WORKOUT.

In the years to come we probably wouldnt care to have National songs. By then, National Stadium would have been gone.

God Knows how many more other familiar symbols will go.....Capitol? MPH Building? Substation? Padang? Westin Stanford? Shears Bridge?

The Song 'Home' now still evoke emotions. But they are no longer emotions of love or patriotism. It is more like feelings of Nostalgia.

Feelings of Home