Singing the greens
Ben Nadarajan, Straits Times 3 Apr 10;
The only local song in the compilation is songwriter Clement Chow's Let's Make Our World The Most Beautiful Home. International hits include Saltwater by Julian Lennon. -- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI
MUSIC has gone green with a new CD packed with environmentally friendly songs.
The CD, titled Go Green, contains Singapore's first green song by well-known local songwriter Clement Chow, as well as international hits which promote environmental consciousness, such as Live High by Jason Mraz and Saltwater by Julian Lennon.
The compilation album is produced by the National Environment Agency (NEA) and Warner Music Singapore.
The only local song on the album, Let's Make Our World The Most Beautiful Home, was released last November at the Clean and Green Singapore carnival to mark 40 years of efforts to keep the country clean and green.
The YouTube video of the song has been viewed more than 18,000 times.
It was composed and sung by Chow, who also performed the country's first National Day song, Count On Me Singapore.
Warner Music Singapore's marketing director Simon Nasser said the company liked the 'catchy tune and inspiring lyrics' of the song. 'We were enthused to play our part and collaborate with NEA to further this piece of music and garner more support for the environment.'
NEA chief executive Andrew Tan said: 'It's amazing what happens when you put people with passion and talent together.'
Mr Tan hopes the CD will inspire more aspiring artists to come up with original compositions that raise awareness of environmental issues. 'That way, we can have a collection of memorable songs to promote the message to our schools and youths.'
The album's green theme extends to the eco-friendly materials used to produce it. For example, its covers were made from recycled paper.
Go Green is available at all major music stores for under $20.
The song Let's Make Our World The Most Beautiful Home will be available on the Nokia Music Store. It can also be downloaded as a cellphone ring tone and ring-back connecting tone to all SingTel, M1 and StarHub subscribers.
Meanwhile, Singapore Idol 2006 finalist Jasmine Tye has come up with her own eco-friendly song, Butterfly.
Miss Tye, a National University of Singapore (NUS) graduate, wrote the song for the university's recycling campaign and performed it on campus on Thursday. According to the university's Office of Environmental Sustainability, NUS' recycling rate in 2008 was only 12 per cent, compared to the national average of 56 per cent.
Miss Tye, 22, said: 'I wrote Butterfly because there aren't many songs about recycling or conservation and I feel very strongly about loving our environment. The song is very subtle, telling people to listen to what's happening around us and make an effort to change.'
