Yoyoy Villame

instrument = years_active = 1972–2004 label =

Roman Tesorio Villame (November 18, 1932 – May 18, 2007), better known as Yoyoy Villame , was a Filipino singer, composer, lyricist, actor, politician and comedian.

Early life A native of Calape, Bohol Province, Villame was the youngest of ten children of a fisherman father and fishmonger mother. He started composing songs for the Boy Scouts in his elementary days. Dropping out after his second year in high school, Villame enlisted to become a soldier-trainee of the Philippine Army. Being unhappy with his post in Pampanga, he asked for a discharge after the surrender of rebel leader Luis Taruc. He became a passenger jeepney driver plying the Baclaran-Pasay Taft-Santa Cruz-Dimasalang route. During the ten years of driving jeeps, he would compete in amateur nights held at Plaza Miranda in Quiapo only to lose, reportedly due to his strong Visayan accent.

In 1965, Villame returned to Bohol to become a bus driver, where he formed a rondalla band with some fellow drivers; he sang and played the mandolin. His first recording was in 1972 and entitled "Magellan", a parody of historicism of Ferdinand Magellan's failed 1521 conquest of the Philippines. This became the top-selling record in the Visayas-Mindanao region. Comedian Chiquito recognized his potential and brought Villame back to Manila to be signed to Vicor Records, which re-issued most of the Kinampay catalogue. Touring Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and other parts of Luzon helped Villame establish his name in the country.

Villame was the first to brand his music as "novelty" to distinguish himself from his contemporaries, who tried hard to sound like Perry Como or Frank Sinatra. It was the beginning of a long list of albums and recordings of his politically inspired songs in Bisaya, Tagalog and English.

Career Villame blended Filipino folk melodies, popular tunes and nursery rhymes for his music and then added witty, comedic lyrics that mixed Tagalog, Cebuano and English in a unique grammar he had devised. He also sang of Filipinos’ daily experiences such as traffic congestion in the song "Trapik". He became a national figure in 1977 with his near-anthemic "Mag-exercise Tayo" (“Let us exercise”), which was adopted by government agencies and public schools as the official music for morning exercise routines after the flag ceremony.

Among his most popular songs was "Butse Kik". Originally released under the title "Vietcong Palagdas" with the Embees and the MB Rondalla Band, the song was written from made-up Chinese-sounding words, which Villame allegedly came up with by writing down the names of Chinese stores while waiting for a mechanic to fix his broken-down jeepney in Manila's Chinatown; it borrowed from the tune of Dee Dee Sharp's "Baby Cakes", a 1962 hit. The song would then be covered by a host of artists, Aiza Seguerra and The Company to name a few. The Chinese-Filipino in Cebu felt slighted by the song but dropped plans to sue Villame because not a single actual Chinese word was included in the song.

He moved to Las Piñas, where he became a city councilor for ten years. He then ran for vice-mayor in 1995 on a platform focused against illegal drugs but lost.

Personal life Villame married his 21-year partner Elizabeth "Tessie" (née Codilla) on August 14, 1993 at a chapel in San Diego, California; they had seven children, including singer Hannah Villame. He later converted to the Members Church of God International, known for its television and internet program, Ang Dating Daan.

Death Villame died of cardiac arrest on May 18, 2007. He was buried at Calape Catholic Cemetery in his birthplace of Calape.

Discography Albums Kinabuhing Bol-Anon 1971 Kinampay Records with the Embees and the MB Liner Rondalla"Magellan" "Alimukoy" "Manoy" "Cora" "Pagkatam-is" "Dagohoy" "Mag-exercise Ta" "Pastilan Anak" "Birth Control" "Biotlogy" "Vietcong Palagdas" "Palagdas March" I Shall Return 1972 Kinampay Records"I Shall Return" "Columbus" "Tiny Bubbles" "Ang Perlas" "Tsuper ng Jeepney" "Pailub Lang Pinangga" "Kinabuhing Bol-Anon" "Kinhason" "Gobiyerno sa Kadagatan" "Malipayon ang Takna" "Crabs Administration" "Wa Na Gyud" The Third Of Yoyoy (Ay Loleng) 1972 Kinampay Records"Painitan" "Kumbera" "Ay Loleng" "Batasan Nga Bag-O" "Ampong Sugarol" "Ani-a Si Rosita" "Vietnam Rose" "Caingit Rock" "Sa Idad Pa Ako'g Sixteen" "Mga Bu-otan" "Paregla sa Mga Batan-on" "Basta" When Christmas Comes 1973 Kinampay Records"When December Comes" "Pinaskohan ni Lolo ug Lola" "Kuliling Ding Dong" "Pasko Na Pod" "Pobreng Manaygunay" "Maayong Pasko" "Misterios ni Herodes" "Mga Pastores Kong Kauban" "Away Im a Manger" "Tala Na Mag-Ambahon" "Pinaskohan sa Akong Trato" "Viva! Viva!" Yoyoy 1977 Plaka Pilipino Records"Mag-exercise Tayo" "Philippine Geography" "Nasaan Ka Darling?" "Mentras Lariang" "Bukonut Woman" "Bungalow" "Tarzan at Barok" "Exercise Boogie" "Welcome Balikbayan" "Oh! My Sweet" "Kanser" Yoyoy Is Barok 1978 Plaka Pilipino Records"Granada" "Kaming Mga Waiter" "Trapik" "I'll Never Love Again" "Awit Na Kanta" "Bombero" "Pangako ng Boy Scout" "Sabi Barok Lab Ko Dabiana" "Biyenan" "Bus Driver Boogie" "Playboy" "Diklamasyon" Gi-Indyan 1978 Plaka Pilipino Records"Pagkamingaw" "Ikaw" "Hikalimti Na Lang" "Kilum-Kilum" "Pasyensya Mga Batig Nawong" "Gi-indyan" "Lorena" "Gugmang Dinalian" "Mag-Flower Dance Kita" "Hain Na" "Bayle sa Tibuok Kalibutan" "Leonora" Tigmo 1980 Plaka Pilipino Records"Tigmo" "Ambot Lucila" "Dalawidaw" "Gue Kha Guid" "Butse Kik" "Ngano" "Gaksa Ako" "Duso-Duso Butong" "Dinhi Ning Yuta Daghang Yawa" "Kan-on Pa" Harana ni Yoyoy: From Saudi with Love 1981 Sunshine Records"Harana" "Pagbu-otan Baya Day" "Dalagang Banikahon" "Bisan" "Ikaw ang Bulak" "Hangtud Kanus-a" "Pasalyo-Anay Lang Ta" "Pinangga Ko" "Salig Na Pinangga" "Gugmang Matinumanon" Best of Yoyoy 1982 Vicor/Sunshine Records"Da, Da, Da (Tsismis)" "Mag-exercise Tayo" "Tarzan at Barok" "Granada "Si Felimon" "Butse Kik" "Hayop Na Combo" "Magellan" "Philippine Geography" "Nasaan Ka Darling?" "Nasalisihan" "Bungalow" "Sion..,'Tion" "Tang-go" The Best of Yoyoy Part 2 1982 Vicor/Sunshine RecordsThe Teacher and the Pupils The Bible Trapik Exercise Boogie Mr. Robot-Bot Diklamasyon ABC and the Music Happy Birthday Kaming Mga Waiter Buhay at Pag-ibig ni Barok Wise (Lies) Gusot Na Rin Mac-Arthur and Dagohoy 1991 Sunshine RecordsDjing-Djing Ay Loling Alimukoy Waltz Hala Charing Kondansoy Cora I Shall Return Painitan Lusay Waltz Dagohoy Pastilan Anak Kinilao Kudeta ni Bonifacio 1988 Sunshine RecordsKudeta ni Bonifacio Huwag 'Yan Eklipse Hey My Country, Philippines I'm Sorry Alam Mo Sikat Na Pangit Lucila T.N.T – U.S.A Balikbayan Ako'y Babalik Tirana, My Dear 1988 Sunshine RecordsKudeta ni Bonifacio (Visaya) Ayaw Na (Huwag 'Yan) Eklipse (Visaya) Kahayag sa Kangitngit Islahanon I'm Sorry (Visaya) I Know (Visaya) Lu-oy (Sundalong Way Itlog) My Country, Philippines Tirana (Visayan Folk Song) Barsi Hey (Visaya) Gitik-Gitik 1994 Alpha Records

Singles "Paregla sa Mga Batan-on" / "Caingit Rock" (1971) "Gobiyerno sa Kadagatan" / "Sa Idad Pa Ako'g Sixteen" (1971) "Magellan" / "Dagohoy" / "Tsuper ng Jeepney" (1971) "Kinilaw" / "Ay Loleng" (1972) "Ang Perlas" (Side B, 1972) "I Shall Return" / "Columbus" (1972) "Crabs Administration" (1972) "Wa Na Gyud" / "Batasan Nga Bag-o" (1972) "Kundansoy Cha Cha" / "Day" "Isprakenhayt" (1973) "Kanser" / "Bungalow" (1977) "Duha" / "Boy Scout Na Ko" (1977) "Tarzan at Barok" / "Mag-Exercise Tayo" (1977) "Philippine Geography" / "Welcome Balikbayan" (1977) "Nasaan Ka Darling" / "Exercise Boogie" (1977) "Granada '78" / "Sabi Barok Lab Ko Dariana" (1978) "Gugmang Dinalian" (Side B; 1978) "Super Hopia Disco" (with Max Surban and Fred Panopio) / "Kawawa Naman Ako" (1978) "Bayle sa Tibuok Kalibutan" / "Pagkamingaw" (1978) "Mag-Flower Dance Kita" / "Gi-Indyan" (1978) "Rapido Rock" / "Bombero" (1980) "Tigmo" / "Gaksa" (1980) "Misteryo ni Herodes" / "Christmas ng Isang Bilanggo" "Aha... Hala Ka" / "Si Felimon, si Felimon" (1982) "Happy Birthday" (1983) "Sangla Lupa Punta Saudi" "Wooly Booly" / "Ang Classmate Kong Alien" (1989) "Piyesta (ng Mga Isda)" / "Tweedle Tweedle Dam" (1993) "Likas-Yaman" (1993) Bikining Itim (1990) Hulihin si... Nardong Toothpick (1990) Ang Titser Kong Alien: Wooly Booly II (1990) Humanap Ka ng Panget (1991) – Cyrano Katabi Ko'y Mamaw (1991) – Brgy. official Andrew Ford Medina: Huwag Kang Gamol (1991) T.O.D.A.S. Again (IBC 13) Eat Bulaga! (New Vision 9, ABS-CBN, GMA 7) Bubble Gang (GMA 7) – guest/himself Maynila (GMA 7) Idol Ko si Kap (GMA 7) Milyonaryong Mini (with Max Surban) (ABS-CBN Regional)

Hokus Pokus (GMA 7) – His last TV role Tunay na Buhay (GMA 7) – Posthumously featured