十八岁时的佛瑞迪叛逆不羁，不但没完成了父母的期望成为一名律师，而且还携带着他的吉他离开了家四处流浪。他曾经很潦倒, 也过着乞丐般的生活。在他最为潦倒的时候，他的第一个孩子诞生了。他把他的爱，他的彷徨，他的无助都写到了歌里。 1978年，佛瑞迪以自己用真情谱写成的《Anak (孩子)》这首歌曲，在马尼拉的第一届“大都会流行音乐节”的比赛中得了奖，而从此举世闻名。过后该曲在五十六个国家以二十七种不同的外国语言被翻唱超过数百次，单单在日本的发布就卖了三千万张；它在菲律宾本土一直都保持住了最畅销的唱片纪录，一直到了2006年为此。
记得这首歌在星马一带流行起来时，我还在念小学。那时候老爸在我家乡的小镇上一家老戏院旁经营着卖零食的小店；每天放学后我都要到店里帮忙，周末时还得全天都待在哪儿，功课都得在店里做。每天看着自己的同学们放了学都可以和其他小朋友一样参加活动或到处去玩而自己就是没份，这个“看店”在当年对于一个还没满十岁的我来说是件苦差事，小小的心里老是偷偷地埋怨着父亲的不体谅。不过那段时期最让我印象深刻和最感到安慰的，就是每当戏院的电影开场后那段短短的空闲时间里，对面的那家老咖啡店传来阵阵的西洋歌曲，那是那种用投银角的自动唱片点唱机播放的；点唱机就摆在咖啡店的外面，所以即使在对面隔了一条街，播放的歌曲还是可以听得很清楚。那个年代，这种自动唱片点唱机算是新玩意，所以常常有马来同胞的年轻人投钱点唱英文歌曲。年纪还小的我鸡肠半个都不认识，却听了不少那个年代流行的西洋歌曲，其中有“Bee Gees”的, “ABBA”的 和 “Bonny M”等之类的歌曲。当时只是觉得那些歌曲很好听，到后来长大了才知道那些歌曲是谁唱的。当然这里边包括了佛瑞迪的这首《Anak (孩子)》，回想起来也应该是被播放和听过最多次的一首。
或许应该说，这首歌在无意间成为了我童年的一部分……如今再重温它，已经不是好不好听那么简单了，因为再次的倾听的已不是歌曲，而是一种回忆……是一种记忆中的声音。在这个感恩的季节里贴在这儿，用意在献给天下间的父母和异乡的游子们：愿你们平安、快乐！
《Child (Anak)》
作词/作曲：佛瑞迪·艾吉拉 演唱：佛瑞迪·艾吉拉
When you were born into this world
Your mom and dad saw a dream fulfilled
Dream come true
The answer to their prayers
You were to them a special child
Gave 'em joy every time you smiled
Each time you cried
They're at your side to care
Child, you don't know
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give
To see you through and God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you live
How many seasons came and went
So many years have now been spent
For time ran fast
And now at last you're strong
Now what has gotten over you
You seem to hate your parents too
Do speak out your mind
Why do you find them wrong
Child you don't know
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give
To see you through and God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you live
And now your path has gone astray
Child you ain't sure what to do or say
You're so alone
No friends are on your side
And child you now break down in tears
Let them drive away your fears
Where must you go
Their arms stay open wide
Child you don't know
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give
To see you through and God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you live
Child you don't know
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give
To see you through and God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you live
