Zubir Said - Music

Music

Zubir is primarily remembered for composing Singapore's national anthem, "Majulah Singapura" ("Onward Singapore"). The Malay lyrics exhort Singaporeans to "progress towards happiness together" ("Sama-sama menuju bahagia") so that their "noble aspiration bring Singapore success" ("Cita-cita kita yang mulia / Berjaya Singapura"), and to "unite in a new spirit" ("Marilah kita bersatu / Dengan semangat yang baru").

In 1956, he also submitted three song compositions to the Malayan – later Malaysian – Government for consideration for their national anthem. However, a different song, "Negaraku", was selected in the end.

Zubir is also remembered for his composition "Semoga Bahagia" ("May You Achieve Happiness") which was aimed at primary-school students, advising them to work hard for their future. It has become a Children's Day song for Singaporean children, and is thus often sung in schools on 1 October. It is also performed during the Singapore Youth Festival.

Zubir is estimated to have written about 1,500 songs, including those written for Cathay-Keris Film Productions' Malay films in the 1950s and 1960s. Less than 10% of these songs were recorded. On 22 August 2007, Zubir's family signed an agreement with Universal Music in Malaysia for the latter to manage his works. The copyright in the songs remains with his family. The idea to do so came after his daughter Dr. Rohana met Sandy Monteiro, senior vice-president (Asean) of the Universal Music Publishing Group in 2005 through Monteiro's wife, who was a good friend of hers. Dr. Rohana was reported as saying: "It is time to hand over the songs in order to revive them two decades after my father's passing. I hope to ensure that his songs continue to live in the hearts of young artists in Malaysia."

It is said that Zubir was viewed by many as a composer with a "true Malay soul", as his songs, traditional but yet modern and patriotic, were interwoven with historical messages and Malay truisms. Journalist A. Samad Ismail commented that Zubir and his Minangkabau contemporaries awoke a wave of national consciousness in the 1950s.