‘Jangan percaya mulutnya lelaki, berani sumpah, tapi takut mati.’
‘Don’t believe a mouth of a man, dare to swear, but afraid to die.’
These are the lyrics to the popular 1920’s song called
Terang Bulan. If you’ve heard it, you’d instantly recognise the melody as the tune to Malaysia’s national anthem
Negaraku.
Striking a curious chord in me the first time I heard it, I immediately set out to find why this was so. Looking up the history of the melody, there are some differing accounts to its origin.
Before the melody became the national anthem