Top 5 Classic ‘Jejemon’ Songs to Feel the Nostalgic Christmas Chill
by: Dayanella Jucutan
JEJE IS IN! Influencers like Sassa Gurl and Ychan are bringing back the late 2000 vibes with their funny high school skits. This Christmas season, bring out your “acm” (asim) headphones from the comp shop as we reminisce our blunder years yet nostalgic jeje days with these songs!
Ychan is one of the most popular comedian-influencers nowadays. One of his Facebook videos titled “2009 sadgurl iniwan ng kainternet love niya.” garnered 1.8 million views and 296,000 reacts. This video depicted a teenage girl from the late 2000s looking like a stereotypical “jejemon” with her side bangs, “pabebe” voice and mannerisms, and big headphones usually used in computer shops. Ychan is singing the popular song “Luha ‘’ to mourn a lost internet love, which was a norm during the rise of Facebook in 2006.
In another viral video, Sassa Gurl’s Facebook skit titled “Videoke:” portrayed the different kinds of people singing in videoke during a typical Christmas party. The second person in the skit is hesitant to sing the current song playing because it is a jejemon song. In the end, they absolutely nailed the song showing that despite the alienating approach towards anything related to jejemon, it has been part of the modern Filipino pop culture known by many.
Now that Christmas is fast approaching, what is the best way to feel the coldness of the season but to listen to the nostalgic and romantic jeje songs, especially those who are members of the SMP (Samahang Malalamig ang Pasko). Here are the top jejemon songs to reminisce about the cold high school Christmas.
1. SULUTERA by Gagong Rapper
In all forms of media there is a theme that Filipinos love so much; featuring said theme will surely be a mega hit among the general public. This theme revolves around third parties, specifically mistresses. Sulutera is one of these monster hits that revolves around the concept of mistresses, hence the title — a degrading and insulting way of addressing them. This song is also featured in Sassa Gurl’s vlog with its iconic line: “Maganda ka ba like me. Mahusay ka ba, tell me.”
This song, during the late 2000s, is usually the reason why some high schoolers have been sent to the guidance office. The song itself is insulting with its offensive words, “trash talks,” and ad hominem approach of arguing with the mistress. Despite that, it is very catchy that anyone can catch the Last Song Syndrome (LSS) disease. This song is the Anti-Mistress hymn among jejemons, a song that gives off that “bad bitch” stereotype that these adolescents wanted to convey to appear dominant over the “suluteras” in their lives.
The first lines of the chorus, which is fun to sing at the top of your lungs, encompass the message of the song — back off someone’s man or the squad will come at you behind the school, during dismissal.
Putangina mo bitch mangaagaw ka
Sariling boyfriend ko inaangkin mo na
Fuck you bitch, boyfriend ko na siya
Tigilan mo na ang kalandian mo sakanya.
— SULUTERA, Gagong Rapper
2. KABET by Gagong Rapper
Like Sulutera, Kabet by the same artist talks about the issue of a third party and heartbreak. But with this song, Gagong Rapper approached a different way of perceiving one’s emotion when they discovered that their partner is seeing someone behind their back. Unlike the petty catfight conveyed in Sulutera, Kabet shows a meeker point of view wherein the person is hurt but because of their undying love, they are ready to forgive their partner.
This song is a perfect background during inuman when one of the barkada is currently experiencing a major heartbreak. Over the rap and almost lullaby melody of the chorus, friends would encourage the heartbroken companion to move on, while giving them advice that they will not follow in the end. The emotional lyrics and tune of the song brings out the inner belter ala modern Aegis in everyone.
This song is still well-known nowadays, even trending in social media like TikTok, used by viral influencers like Mimiyuhhh with the dance challenge called It Really Hurts Dance Challenge.
It really hurts ang magmahal nang ganito
Kung sino pa’ng pinili ko hindi makuha nang buo
Hanggang gano’n na lang nga kailangan ko ‘tong tanggapin
Na sa puso mo mayro’n na ngang ibang umaangkin
— KABET, Gagong Rapper
3. CLASSMATE by Hambog ng Sagpro Krew
This song is more light-hearted than the first two. During the peak of the jejemon culture, this is usually used by teenagers as a theme song when they confess in the covered court, watched by almost all the people on the campus. It depicts the early stereotypical “Wattpad story” of falling in love with your classmate — the puppy love of fluffiness.
Classmate encompasses the memories of high school first love which is innocent but rebellious with its funny pick-up lines adopted from the popularized character in the late 2000s called Boy Pick-Up. This song is a go-to one in videokes among people who just wanted to have fun especially when they are drunk. This is the younger version of the legendary Kitchie Nadal Medley, albeit Classmate is more associated with the jejemon culture.
Popular YouTuber Kyo Quijano once again popularized this song by making a music video of it which garnered 1.2 million views. Many were addicted to this song because right from the start, the music is already catchy and the lyrics are relatable to many high school memories.
Unang araw palang, minahal na kita
Bakit ba ganito ang aking nadama
‘Di man kita lubusan pang kilala
Eh ano naman, basta mahal kita.
— CLASSMATE, Hambog ng Sagpro Krew
4. LUHA by Repablikan
During the era where jejemon is all around in fashion, songs, pictures, and other forms of media, teenagers are more open with how they feel especially since during these years, the internet started to rise in the Philippines. Through the internet, social media sites have become the diary of many young adults but everything is now in public. Since the online public space emphasizes their desire and curiosity towards romance, internet love boomed among high schoolers all over the country.
The song Luha is known as a “hugot song” or song where you can pull out your hurtful emotions regarding love, more often associated with internet love. These online relationships are hard to maintain, therefore, heartbreaks are often endgame between those involved. Luha is a song loved by many because of its emotional yet healthy message of moving on and accepting one’s fate in love.
Ychan perfectly depicted the song and its message in their video with its funny and unironically enjoyable portrayal of a “sad girl” after a break-up.
Magpaparaya na ako
Dahil ‘di ako gusto ng mahal ko
Sinubukang habulin ka
Akala ko’y magagawa
— LUHA, Repablikan
5. DOTA O AKO by Aikee and Vanessa
Before Mobile Legends Bang Bang and Genshin Impact, Defense of the Ancient or DOTA is one of the most popular video games in the country. Due to its massive popularity, songs inspired by it were released, one of them is DOTA o Ako. This song is about the boy’s addiction to playing DOTA to the point of overlooking his girlfriend. The lack of attention of the boy made the girl question his love for her. This song is another LSS inducing one. No one won’t be able to stop themselves from singing “Anong pipiliin mo, DOTA o Ako” once its first beat drops.
Netflix Philippines released a remake of the song and its music video 10 years later to promote the movie DOTA: Dragon’s Blood. Aikee and Vanessa re-recorded the song. The new version narrates the conclusion of their story: despite the doubts over DOTA, in the end, the guy decided to choose them both.
Anong pipiliin mo
Dota o Ako
Anong mas gusto
Kapag kasama ka,
‘Yan ang nasa isip mo
— Dota o Ako, Aikee and Vanessa
Jejemon songs might have the stigma of being “corny,” “cringe,” or in more outdated terms “jologs,” but no one can’t deny their impact among the generation where it was popularized. Even until now, not only do they bring back memories of yesterday for nostalgia’s sake, the tune, the melody, and the lyrics are still somewhat enjoyable.
Influencers using these songs have also helped their videos in becoming viral due to the songs’ appeal to the general audience. The essence of Christmas would be more uplifting when we let go of these stigmas against these songs — bring back the inner high school jejemon, Hugot at the top of your lungs, and blast them in videokes, parties, and inumans.
