World | Philippines
Comedian and singer Villame dies
Comedian and popular singer Yoyoy Villame (real name, Roman Villame), 69, died of a heart attack yesterday afternoon, his daughter Hannah said.
- By Barbara Mae Dacanay, Bureau Chief
- Published: 00:00 May 19, 2007
Manila: Comedian and popular singer Yoyoy Villame (real name, Roman Villame), 69, died of a heart attack yesterday afternoon, his daughter Hannah said.
"He had high fever last Thursday," said his daughter, adding that the singer had a bout with flu before succumbing to heart attack.
Villame became famous in the '70s with compositions written in English-Filipino, which also made fun of his country's colonial history.
A song Magellan was about the Spanish national who came to the Philippines in the 16th century.
He also paid tribute to a hero named Dagohoy, who fought the Spaniards in the 17th century. A song entitled Philippine Geography, was about the unusual places in the Philippines.
Poor people identified with Villame because he capitalised on his Visayan accent, almost broken voice and funny ideas about Philippine history.
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