Angels Brought Me Here

Writing this piece is awkward. Not only is there an overload of items written about the song “Angels Brought Me Here”, it also is kind of old pop ballad already when placed alongside a flood of song choices available over at iTunes and indie musicians’ sites today like MySpace. This, considering that its official single release was on November 24, 2003.

However, its emotional outpouring and relevance still ring true today most especially that it has become a soundtrack of the Korean historical drama “Queen Seon Deok” in the latter’s “Tagalized” version (GMA 7).

The perfect combination of its melody to its lyrics intensifies and deepens the other, and that the moment it got connected to a period drama series, it was provided with an image that you not only listen to the song but see and taste its killer hooks as well:

If you could see /what I see/

That you're the answer to my prayers/

And if you/ could feel/ the tenderness I feel/

You would know/

It would be clear/

That angels brought me here.

Further, the “Seon Deok” tagline “the one who secures the people will acquire the world and rule the ages” is happily married to the theme song and thus effective in achieving the goal of allowing people to sway in to the chord progression in more than one way. The elements of being entertaining, moving, and of invoking invigorating drama have drawn a lot of interest and love from Pinoy viewers.

“Queen Seon Deok”, in addition, tackles on the specifics of real life. The lead character reigned over Silla as first woman ruler and first also to unify three kingdoms in one peninsula. As a musical background to this true story, “Angels Brought Me Here” has beautifully lived up to the purpose of songs painting picture or creating environment where listeners could experience non-aggression. No angst, whatsoever!

It is a mechanical element of a song to maximize “harmony” wherein notes complement or support the melody line. In relation, viewers learn to trust on the focus and great leadership demonstrated by Queen Seon Deok in controlling and dealing with the politics and strife of her time rather than simply watching the retelling of the historical aspect of a woman becoming queen and ruler.

Interestingly, “Angels Brought Me Here” was sold out in two days after the November 2003 release. In fact, it set an Australian record for the highest first week single sales from both a debut artist and an Australian artist (2003 Australian Idol champ Guy Sebastian).

Said Sebastian in an interview: “I reckon it really sums up just what I felt as far as the competition goes. It's a very overwhelming process to go through and you really do feel that there's something else that got you there. Especially with how I didn't feel confident before and then something just clicked and I could look people in the eyes and really try and deliver a song.”

This is something true also to Seon Deok. It was predetermined that she would claim the throne despite sinister plans to kill her based on a damn superstition involving twin births. And of course, there’s her kind of love that endures; the kind of love that the world does not know. Her winning moment must have been a blast and the catchphrase most apt: “Angels brought me here.”

There’s the biblical allusion to a league of angels catching her in her most vulnerable moment to prevent a single bone from breaking. “Indeed, a great inspirational song that summarizes how any winner would have felt during their winning moment,” to borrow Sebastian’s exact words.