[i want to remember]

‘I Want to Remember’
Lyrics to Royston Tan's Singapore Arts Festival film.

Remember, recall, return to a moment.
Surrender and fall, from the time of the present.
Close your eyes, if only for a while.
Retrieve the thoughts that make you smile.
Dancing in the rain in Bangkok city.
Screaming like I just don’t care.
Posting a vid with ten thousand hits my songs playing on the air.
My Grandpa
My Dad
making me breakfast, when I was just a kid.
Writing a tune, pancakes and cartoons.
Mummy taking me to school.
(Relax, recall; relax, recall)

My boxing gloves, Rock and Muay Thai all the things about the ring.
Pearly whites, a sunset and sunrise staring at the Northern Lights.
Road trips and jumping off bridges in Bali busking for change in Spain.
Being on stage, Chinese opera my walkman and cassette tapes.
(Relax, recall; relax, recall)

Chorus:
Bap‐bap‐bada‐dap‐pah
looking back to remember,
when it was better.
Bap‐bap‐bada‐dap‐pah
you can’t win all the time,
I hope you’re not trying.
Smile when the stars align
and laugh when they don’t
and walk when they won’t.
We all need a little time
remember the days
that made it okay.