TALES FROM THE HEART
...MY SELECTED SONGS
...MY SELECTED SONGS
Ever since The Donna Summer Anthology entered my life, I felt a longing to craft a collection brimming with memories. Now, my heart is full - it's finally done!
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I poured my heart into editing and recording songs with special effects, building a double cassette just for me. Losing my sleeve cover idea crushed me, but even through frustration, I pressed on, determined to finish what mattered so much. This steady progress carried me from one song to the next, each step motivating me to continue building my collection.
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Compiling favourites was thrilling - it brought back memories, even if the sound isn’t professional as I recorded tape-to-tape. There are 65 personal picks on two AD120 TDK Acoustic Dynamic cassettes; no one can include every special song. This project captured my nostalgia and set the stage for dividing the collection into themed sections as it grew.
The WORLD section, for instance, includes Bollywood and international music, though some favourites were left out as I continued compiling. When I updated these notes in 2011, I added more titles marked 'list re-added' or 'list added.' This led me to wonder - why not share even more? Each addition brought new memories and expanded the story the collection tells.
Every song and video clip here comes from YouTube, woven together by my lifelong passion for music. Being a music enthusiast feels like fate and while this site is a personal project, I secretly hope some of this joy finds its way into your heart too. With that in mind, I wanted to share my musical memories with a wider audience.
So, here’s where my story begins, each year a vivid note in my heart’s soundtrack, starting with 1975 - the first beat of this personal timeline.
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1975
1) KU INGIN SELALU DI SAMPING MU (I LONG TO BE WITH YOU ALWAYS)
2) KAULAH MILIK HATI KU (YOU BELONG TO ME)
3) TANGISAN SEMALAM (LAST NIGHT'S CRY)
4) DI MANA KAH DIA (WHERE ARE YOU) by UJI RASHID (recorded as a medley RIPRISE 95 for my home tape)
The very first EP I ever bought was a precious Eid gift when I was five. Pure happiness filled the air as I sang all four tracks over and over. Whenever my mother played KU INGIN SELALU DI SAMPING MU while my father was away in the Philippines for his master,s degree, the song ached with longing. TANGISAN SEMALAM, the EP’s slow song, drenched our home in bittersweet emotion - don’t miss it on YouTube.
5) BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY by THE FOUR SEASONS (list added 30 May 2011)
This catchy '60s tune brings back great memories. I enjoyed watching the LP spin on the turntable as my mother played it.
1976
6) YEH RAATEIN NAYI PURANI by BOLLYWOOD JULIE SOUNDTRACK (list added 13 June 2011)
As a little boy, I loved sitting in front of the record player, listening to my mother's LPs.
7) KISAH NAN LALU (STORY OF THE DISTANT PAST) by SHARIFAH AINI (recorded as HUJAN MIX 95 for my home tape)
As a little kid, I sang this song loudly in the car when my parents’ tapes ran out. They’d smile - sometimes, my mother would lock eyes with my sister and me, half exasperated and half amused. Maybe she was desperately wishing for a moment of peace! Ha ha ha.
8) NIGHT IN LONDON by BOLLYWOOD NIGHT IN LONDON SOUNDTRACK (list added 29 May 2011)
My mother used to play this EP, which originally belonged to my aunt. When my aunt bought a new Hi-Fi system, she gave her old player and EP collection to my mother. I especially loved the track NIGHT IN LONDON. (See YouTube for the song.)
1977
9) NAMA MU TERUKHIR DI HATI KU (YOUR NAME IS IN MY HEART) by UJI RASHID
What can I say? I adore this song. Years ago, my cousin and I shut ourselves in the bathroom to record our voices, laughing so hard as we tried to mimic the original sound. Ha, those moments shine bright in my memory.
1978
10) I'M A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY AND I'M A LITTLE BIT ROCK AND ROLL by DONNY and MARIE (recorded as ABDUL'S OLD SHORT VERSION 95 for my home tape)
Wow, I really like this duo. They were so popular in the 1970s. I used to enjoy watching their weekly TV show. Every Saturday night, I would sit in front of the TV, waiting for their show to start.
1979
11) JOHNNY GUITAR by THE SPOTNICKS (list added 13 JUNE 2011)
I enjoy this standout track from my mother's HAPPY GUITAR LP.
12) VOULEZ-VOUS by ABBA
ABBA’s Euro-pop sound was once popular worldwide. This song is one of their pop classics. I still get the same thrill when I listen to it, and they’re still one of my favourite bands..
1980
13) SEMAKIN HARI SEMAKIN SAYANG (EACH DAY I LOVE YOU MORE) by UJI RASHID
"IT'S MY DAY" - there’s no way I’ll ever forget that Sunday at Lucky Garden. My parents bought me an unofficial cassette, ALBUM KENAMAAN by UJI RASHID, and also found me some gorgeous fish for my aquarium. I was floating with happiness. When we got home, my sister Cha grinned and said, "Wow... It's your day." Ooooh YES… It truly was one of the best days of my childhood.
14) KU KEJAR BAYANGAN MU (I'M CHASING YOUR SHADOW) by UJI RASHID & HAIL AMIR
I wanted this album for so long and kept begging my mother to buy the LP. After some tantrums, my mother finally agreed. On Saturday at 7:00, my parents bought it for me at Mr Yap’s record shop. I was so happy!
1981
15) LOVE TO LOVE YOU BABY by DONNA SUMMER
This standout song remains a favourite. My sister taped ON THE RADIO GREATEST HITS VOLUMES I & II for me.
16) CINTA PALSU (FAKE LOVE) by QUINARY M
I finally got the LP on a Sunday at a Lucky Garden record shop, thanks to my mum! I often sing along to the melody. My brother bought the cassette in 1980 and used to play it late at night after studying, just before bed. He introduced me to the singer and even had a crush on the lead singer back then.
17) BERSABAR KALAU BERCINTA (BE PATIENT IF YOU'RE IN LOVE) by THE QUEENS (recorded as BERCINTA REPRISE 95 for my home tape)
A year after first seeing a TV show featuring two sisters singing, I convinced my father to buy their record at Horizon Music Shop in Jaya Supermarket.
18) TERBANG HELANG (FLY EAGLE) by SHARIFAH AINI
I really wanted this LP. The song was so popular in Malaysia when it came out, and it still sounds great today. One afternoon, my mother and sister went out, and when they came home, I opened the door. My sister surprised me by holding the LP right in front of my face! YA HOOOOO. I got it! The date was 31 October 1981.
19) SUPER TROUPER by ABBA
My brother gave me this cassette as a gift. I first heard the song on the radio, and since it was so popular, I often heard it playing from my neighbour's house too. It has such a catchy melody!
20) MERE NASEEM MEIN by BOLLYWOOD NASEEB SOUNDTRACK (list added 29 May 2011)
It all started one afternoon after school when my mother took my sister and me to see a film at Sentosa Cinema. It was a typical Hindi movie with a love triangle and some greed in the story. The soundtracks, like MERE NASEEM MEIN and JOHN JANI JANARDHAN, were so much fun to listen to. (See YouTube for the song.)
21) RAHSIA HATI (MY HEART'S SECRET) by SHARIFAH AINI (recorded as 95 ULANG 1/2 VERSION for my home tape)
This was another gift from my brother, who bought the LP with his scholarship money. He told me he’d buy one for me and one for the family. It was the last day of school. RAHSIA HATI (MY HEART'S SECRET) is the first song on the B-side. What a great tune! Want to know my 'heart's secret'? OK... I always hated school!
22) LIKU CINTA (LOVE BENDS) by ROY and FRAN (recorded as RIPRISE 95 for my home tape)
Oh my, oh my, OH MY GOD! What a great tune. Do you know what I had to do to get this LP? I had to memorise Doa Qunut, a morning prayer in Arabic, all in one day. No more tantrums - now I had to behave. My father said if I could read the prayer to him, the LP would be mine. So, I did it, and yes, I got the LP that same day.
1983
23) MERPATI (PIGEON) by UJI RASHID (recorded as 95 MERPATI REPRISE for my home tape)
YA HOOOOoooo! I first recorded the song from the radio, and a week later, I got the LP. It was an early EID celebration gift. My father took me to Horizon music store in Jaya Supermarket, Malaysia, and bought it for me.
24) SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY by DONNA SUMMER
25) HEAD OVER HEALS by ABBA
I bought two cassettes - 'SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY' (Donna Summer) and THE VISITORS (Abba) - on a Friday during the last school term of 1983. I walked from school to Mr Yap's shop, which was unusual for me since I was more of a homebody. But for the love of music, I just had to do it.
1984
26) BEAT IT by MICHAEL JACKSON (recorded as 95 ASSASSIN REPRISE MIX for my home tape)
One of my sisters went to America to study in 1982. When she came home for the summer holiday, she brought me the Michael Jackson LP 'THRILLER' as a gift because I had asked for it! She used her student money, and I was so grateful. I still remember the smell of a brand-new LP just out of its packaging. LP lovers know what I mean.
1985
27) AKU HANYA SEORANG PENDATANG (I'M JUST AN IMMIGRANT) by FRAN (list added 13 June 2011)
This song has a fantastic voice and is a great track. It was recorded by a wonderful friend of mine. I love both the song and the album.
28) DINO (DINO) by UJI RASHID
I was so happy! I had wanted this song and album for years. After five years of waiting and hoping, my dream finally came true on 28 July 1985.
29) SAVE A PRAYER by DURAN DURAN
30) LOVE IS IN CONTROL (FINGER ON THE TRIGGER) by DONNA SUMMER
I remember that after school, two friends, Noridah and Normadiah, and I, still in our school uniforms, took the No. 50 bus to Jaya Supermarket. I was too nervous to go alone since I didn’t know how to take a public bus. Ha ha, so my friends came with me. That way, I could buy the Duran Duran LP ARENA and Donna Summer’s self-titled album.
31) TAKE ON ME by A-HA
This was one of my first 7" singles from the UK, sent by my sister who was studying there. She didn't come home that summer, so her friend brought the gift to our house. I loved all the singles, but 'TAKE ON ME' stood out the most. From then on, A-HA became one of my favourite bands.
32) RINTIHAN RASA (FEELING OF SADNESS) by UJI RASHID and D J DAVE
I first recorded this great tune from the radio in 1982. But on 3 November 1985, I finally got the original song on a various artists' cassette. That was also the day I bought my very first Walkman! Yay.
1986
33) AKU INGIN DEKAT PADA MU (I WANT TO BE CLOSE TO YOU) by MAZUIN HAMZAH (recorded as ABDUL'S SIMPLE DRUM MIX for my home tape)
One evening, I bought a cassette called TERBANG LAH KAU BURUNG (FLY AWAY, BIRD) by Mazuin at Jaya Jusco, a department store in our area. A funfair was going on at the same time. When I went on the 'big wheel,' I sat next to a famous Malaysian sports figure, Mumtaz Jaafar. She was lovely. I went to the same school as Jaafar’s sister, and of course, we knew each other back then.
34) PAPA DON'T PREACH by MADONNA (recorded as 95 TWO IN ONE LONG VERSION for my home tape)
This was a popular song by the Queen of Pop! It was trendy for young music fans to listen to Madonna back then. I’m one of many who loved this track. I bought the TRUE BLUE cassette at Fajar supermarket on 13 September 1986.
Ooh La Laa! It was a free tape! I don’t remember exactly what happened on 13 September 1986, but when I went to pay for the cassette, I saw 10 or 20 RM on the counter. The money might have been mine. I was still opening my wallet when the cashier took the money and gave me the cassette. Oops. Only God knows the truth. If I did anything wrong, God, please forgive me!
36) CHERI CHERI LADY by MODERN TALKING (list added 13 June 2011)
I love this group and all their records. This song, LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE, is from their second album. I bought it on 4 October 1986.
This song was played at a school party to say goodbye to all the new trainee teachers. I love its melody and beat.
1987
38) THE FINAL COUNTDOWN by EUROPE (recorded as AFA'S NO1 REPRISE 88)
This track was a popular pop-rock song at the time. My sister recorded it for me on one of her homemade compilation tapes and sent it from the United Kingdom.
39) FANTASIA BULAN MADU (FANTASY OF THE HONEYMOON) by SEARCH
Rock music took over the Malaysian music scene in the late 1980s. The radio was full of rock songs. This one is by one of Malaysia's biggest rock bands and is still one of my favourites. Not many fans know this, but the producer of the track used to live across from my parents' house. Sometimes, he would play the piano and sing the song with his late wife, giving it a different feel. It’s a pop ballad! Now that’s what I call melody.
40) RIVIVAL by MAYUMI ITSUWA (list added 29 May 2011)
I love this song. It has a calming melody and is by one of Japan’s top stars. I first heard it at work, where the music department often played it. The song is sad, romantic, and timeless. I don’t understand the lyrics, but music is a universal language. Listening to it reminds me of working with friends in a department store while waiting for our final high school results.
1988
41) I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY (WHO LOVES ME) by WHITNEY HOUSTON (recorded as 95 DANCE (2) 12" REMIX REPRISE for my home tape)
Who wouldn't love this song? It was a big hit, and Whitney Houston was at her best. I love this track, and the 12" version is even better for the dance floor. 'I WANNA DANCE...' was the first song I danced to at a work party at Jaya Jusco, where I worked while waiting for my final high school results. We all danced to it on Sunday evening, 24 February 1988.
42) HINGGA KE AKHIR WAKTU (UNTIL THE END OF TIME) by FRAN (recorded as 95 REPRISE for my home tape)
I bought the cassette on Sunday, 7 August 1988. I also went to the DJ booth at Jaya Jusco and dedicated the song to my parents.
43) RINDU KU SEMAKIN MENDALAM (MY LOVE IS DEEPER) by UJI RASHID (recorded as 95 RINDU LONG 1/2 MIX for my home tape)
I first heard this long-awaited song by Malaysian singer Uji Rashid on the radio. Long after it was released, I bought the album at a record shop in Lucky Garden, the same shop where I got my first EP and the singer’s first EP in 1975! Can you believe it? That cassette was also the last one I bought from that shop. (The song is not on YouTube.)
1989
44) TITIK BERMULA (THE BEGINNING) by RAJA EMA (recorded as 95 BERMULAH KISAH MIX for my home tape)
This song has a nice tune and lyrics. I played it on my 19th birthday.
45) THIS TIME I KNOW IT'S FOR REAL by DONNA SUMMER (recorded as 12" REMIX 95 RIPRISE for my home tape)
Finally, what I’d been waiting for - I got to see the video! It was during the fasting season, so I prayed at the mosque for a shorter time than usual. I drove my own car instead of going with my parents so I could leave early and rush home to record a video for a show called The Chart Attack. Ya, Hooooo.
1990
46) FENOMENA (PHENOMENON) by SEARCH
One of my favourite songs.
1991
47) ANTARA MATA MU DAN MATA KU (BETWEEN YOUR EYES AND MY EYES) by UJI RASHID and HAIL AMIR
I love every minute of this song. I bought the cassette on 2 July 1991, a re-release for EMI's 25th Anniversary. A few months before moving to the UK, I worked at the Federal Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, managing the Jim Thompson Gift Centre. I used to play the song so loudly that one day, a manager walked by and signalled me to turn it down. Oops.
48) EVERYBODY'S FREE TO FEEL GOOD by ROZALLA (recorded as LONDON 95 BELL MIX for my home tape)
49) LOVE TO HATE YOU by EREASURE
These two songs were really popular on the radio when I first moved to the UK. I heard them often but didn’t know the singers’ names until a college friend told me. These songs are nostalgic for me and remind me of starting a new life in the UK.
50) I BELONG TO YOU by WHITNEY HOUSTON (recorded as YORK 95 REPRISE for my home tape)
51) HAPPY TOGETHER by JASON DONAVON (recorded as YORK 95 REPRISE for my home tape)
52) OYE MI CANTO (HEAR MY VOICE) by GLORIA ESTEFAN (recorded as YORK BELL 95 12" REMIX REPRISE for my home tape)
52) OYE MI CANTO (HEAR MY VOICE) by GLORIA ESTEFAN (recorded as YORK BELL 95 12" REMIX REPRISE for my home tape)
These were the first three cassette singles I got after moving to the UK. Barclays Bank gave new clients a free voucher, so I picked them up with friends at Our Price record shop during a college trip to York on 5 October 1991. I thought the Whitney and Jason Donovan singles would have remixes, but most cassette singles don’t. Only Gloria Estefan’s THE 12" TAPES single had remixes of her hits.
1992
53) WORK THAT MAGIC by DONNA SUMMER
My first Donna Summer cassette in the UK! I love the album MISTAKEN IDENTITY. 'Work That Magic' is my favourite tune... as it's not a CD or LP, I had to rewind the tape many times to hear this particular track! I LOVE it so much to this day.
54) E=MC2 by BIG AUDIO DYNAMITE (recorded as 95 REPRISE for my home tape)
A friend named Mark gave me this home recording tape. I really like the songs he chose. The song 'E=MC2' stands out in my memory because I used to play it during Easter.
55) GUBAHAN RINDU PUISI SYAHDU (A COMPOSITION OF A ROMANTIC POEM) by FAUZIAH LATIFF (recorded as TALIFON 95 MIX for my home tape)
I love this song.
56) IT'S MY LIFE by DR ALBAN
This is the song I danced to in a club! I love it.
57) EROTICA by MADONNA (recorded as 95 CALAR MIX for my home tape)
I bought this cassette with my college friends Grovender and Parish on the way home to my student hall. I often played the song while getting ready to go clubbing every Friday and Saturday night, especially on student nights. I also used to listen to it on my Walkman on the way to work in Providence after college.
58) SOMEDAY I'M COMING BACK by LISA STANDFIELD
This song was a hit. It reminds me of winter in Bradford during the Christmas holiday, getting ready for work at Providence with friends.
1993
59) LOVE HOUSE by SAMANTHA FOX
One time, Khairol, Sam, Dina, Paula, Lynn, and I were dancing to this tune at Khairol’s Cecil Avenue home when we suddenly heard a knock on the wall - or so we thought. We assumed the neighbour was complaining about the loud music, but it turned out the knocking sound was actually part of the song! We had such great times as students.
I bought this cassette on 3 February 1993 during my college trip to Benidorm. Yep, that’s the place! What was it like? Well, it was OK. This song always reminds me of that trip, the studying, and the parties. Once, my friends and I went clubbing from 11 pm to 8 am! That was a new experience for me back then.
61) COULD YOU BE LOVED by BOB MARLEY (list added 30 May 2011)
During a study trip to Benidorm, Spain, I went with friends to local bars and pubs. The pubs played a lot of Bob Marley songs, so I asked my college friend Lee about the music and the singer. From that moment on, I became a fan of Bob Marley.
62) I'M EVERYWOMEN by WHITNEY HOUSTON (recorded as 95 1/2 LONG VERSION for my home tape)
At times, I danced to the song in a club, sometimes with Liz in her room, and sometimes with Khairol in his shared house. We used to dance on his bed as his room was small. A neighbour across the road always peeped at us while he cooked in the kitchen (he's a fellow student also). So, once he was so occupied watching us dancing, his stove caught FIRE! Ha ha ha.
I love this track. I first heard it in Satya's room at McMillan Hall of Residence, a good friend I met in Bradford.
Do you want to dance with me? If you say yes, I’ll take you to heaven.
65) I CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU by UB40 (recorded as 95 SHORT VERSION for my home tape)
66) STAY by KENNY THOMAS
Two tracks that always reminded me of summertime in Cecil Avenue between June and July. I had to rent one of the rooms in the house because I missed my flight home in August. Due to the last-minute ticket booking, there weren't any flights to Malaysia until July. I bought both singles on 7 July 1993.
67) FEELING GOOD by NINA SIMONE (recorded as GETTING NINA 95 MIX for my home tape)
68) HERE COMES THE SUN by NINA SIMONE (recorded as GOOD BYE NINA 95 MIX for my home tape)
I watched the remake of a French film called 'THE ASSASSIN' at the Odeon Cinema in Bradford on Wednesday, 7 July 1993. I instantly fell in love with the soundtrack and Nina Simone. I knew I was moving to Leicester in September, away from my friends, so 'HERE COMES THE SUN' and 'I'M FEELING GOOD' became my new life soundtrack. This film also introduced me to a new musical world - jazz.
My song, I guess at that time.
1994
70) I'M A RAINBOW by DONNA SUMMER
This track from THE DONNA SUMMER ANTHOLOGY was my first CD. I bought it with Adrian and Sophie at MG Records on Friday, 21 January 1994, at 11:50 am. Finally, I could hear the unreleased tracks by Donna Summer and the long-awaited 'CARRY ON'! (Please note: the track 'Carry On' has been deleted from my home tape.)
71) WHAT IS LOVE by HADDAWAY (list re-added 29 May 2011 this song was deleted from the home tape. It was replace with Without You by Mariah Carey)
The original notes for this track are tied to one of my sweetest memories, from 16 June 1994 at 1:45 am until 12 July at 3:45 am. Aaaaheemmmm! Well, well, I wonder what that was!
72) WITHOUT YOU by MARIAH CAREY
She was popular at the time and covered a 1970s song. I really love how Mariah Carey used her vocals in this song.
73) YOUR THE BEST THING by D:REAM
You know what? I still love this song. It really brings back memories of weekends spent visiting friends in Bradford during the Easter break.
74) ANGGAPAN MU (YOUR PRESUMPTIONS) by ZIANA ZAIN (list re-added 28 May 2011 this song was deleted from the home tape. It was replace with YOU'RE THE BEST THING by D:REAM)
This was my favourite song at the time. I saw the film SEMBILU, which featured the actress who performed this track. I watched the movie in Kuala Lumpur, at a cinema in Central Market, on 22 August 1994 at 3:30 pm with my friends Narreque and Sam during my summer vacation.
75) YOU DON'T LOVE ME (NO, NO, NO) by DAWN PENN (list added 13 June 2011)
I enjoy every minute of this song. I finally shouted IT'S MINE in my heart on 14 December 1994 after searching high and low for it at every record shop in town. I couldn't find or order the single because it had dropped off the British music chart.
1995
76) WARNA (COLOUR) by SHEILA MAJID
I love this modern Malaysian jazz composition from 1988. According to my notes, it was my first Malaysian CD, sent by my father. But I can't remember which album it was from.
77) MENTERA SEMERAH PADI (MERCURY RED PADDY) by M NASIR (recorded as 95 INTERNATIONAL NIGHT VERSION for mu home tape)
78) MANUSIA (HUMAN) by SHEILA MAJID (recorded as 96 REPRISE for my home tape)
Two songs marked a new experience for me - performing at my university's 95th International Night. 'MENTERA SEMERAH PADI' (Mercury Red Paddy) opened our traditional martial arts dance. I remixed the song, adding special effects and an intro from 'Ulek Mayang' (a classical Malay dance from the state of Terengganu in Malaysia) and Seha's 'Titi Meniti' (Crossing A Bridge) before the main performance. 'MANUSIA' (Human) by Sheila Majid played while fellow students showcased Malaysian traditional outfits at the fashion show on 5 February 1995. It was a great night.
79) CINTA ABADI (TRUE LOVE) by UJI RASHID and HAIL AMIR (list added 13 June 2011)
I was so excited about Uji Rashid's new recording. I bought the tape at a music shop while out clubbing with a friend. As soon as I got home, I played the album in my room around 4:00 in the morning and listened to it on my tape player until 6:30 am! What a great production.
80) BREATH OF HEAVEN by DONNA SUMMER (recorded as ABDUL'S EDIT for my home tape)
It's heaven! Donna Summer's heaven! Donna Summer's voice is just amazing. This was the first Christmas CD I ordered from HMV, and it took eight months to arrive. It's a holiday season CD I still play every Christmas.
The End.
THE HISTORY
The idea for this homemade tape started in December 1993. I chose the songs between April 1994 and June/July 1995. My first taping was in April 1995, and I re-recorded it in July 1995. According to my notes, the re-recording began in February 1996. It took me twenty-eight months to finish the tape!
Well, I guess I should say, get a life, Nik!
Finally, thank you for reading.
Dated 28 / 05 / 2011 to 31 / 05 / 2011, 1 / 6 / 2011, 6 / 6 / 2011, 13 / 6 / 2011 to 15 / 6 / 2011. Updated on the 27th, 28th December 2023, 2nd and 9th January 2024. Refreshed on the 17th and 18th December 2025. Final update and edit 19 December 2025.
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