Frans Baldacchino (il-Budaj)

Frans Baldacchino, il-Budaj has passed away. May he rest in peace. I like to picture him up there teaching the choirs of angels how to sing the Maltese way. Right now I do not have many words to add and will write more later. I will leave you with the words from this "ghana" that Budaj sang at what was probably the last show where I saw him in action in Birgu.

Nahseb illi issa fhimtu
din il-grajja li hawn sehhet
dak il-rahal min nies tbattal
ma fl-ahhar l-imhabba rebhet
l-anglu telaq imma lesta
dak ix-xoghol illi bih tghabba
huwa telaq lejn min baghtu
'ma warajh halla l-imhabba

Bl-imhabba kollox isseddaq
Il-hajja ssir sinfonija
Il-holqien li hawn madwarna
Isir kollu poezija
Ghax l-imhabba kollox tghaqqad
Hija biss li ma tintemmx
Minghajrha f'kull xoghol f'kull arti
Livell tajjeb zgur li m'hemmx

Il-kapulavuri 'siru
bl-imhabba u dedikazzjoni
u fejn hemm il barka taghha
tohrog l-ikbar produzzjoni
imma l-ikbar imhabba fostna
dik li zzommna maghqudin
fejn m'hemmx hi hemm il-mibgheda
hemm il-mewt, gnus imkissrin

Dik l-imhabba lejn kull hlejqa
mhabba mas-sess oppost
u fejn ma ssibhiex isaltan
dak l-ambjent ikun bla gost
jintemmu l-fidi u t-tama
malli l-hajja tkun ghaddiet
l-imhabba eterna tibqa'
fil-belt sbejha tas-swemmiet

l-imhabba eterna tibqa'
fil-belt sbejha tas-smewwiet