Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Chavela Vargas - La Llorona

"La Llorona" (lit. "The weeping woman") is a Mexican folk song derived from the legend of La Llorona. There are many versions of the song. Its origins are obscure, but, around 1941, composer Andres Henestrosa mentioned hearing the song in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. He popularized the song and may have added to the existing verses.

 The legend of La Llorona is often conflated with La Malinche, the Nahua Princess and consort of Hernan Cortes, the conquistador of the Aztec Empire in Mexico. La Llorona of the song drowned her children in a river in a rage at her unfaithful husband. As a spirit, she was condemned to wander the shores of the river forever searching for her dead children. In Latin America the song is associated with the Day of the Dead.

The late Chavela Vargas is known throughout the Americas for her songs of struggle, defiance, and triumph. When Vargas recorded the song back in the 1990s, she remained loyal to the ranchera genre by making the guitar the primary instrument in the song. Although Vargas did remain true to the typical ranchera sound, she also created her own unique sound in the process. Carlos Gutierrez of Cinema Tropical explains "she took ranchero music and made the music her own. She stripped the music from the trumpet and other arrangements."

Source: Wikipedia




Monday, November 1, 2010

Diego Carrasco y Remedios Amaya - Nana de colores

Diego Carrasco y Remedios Amaya




From Andalucía

Nana de colores


Rojo, blanco, añil, violeta y negro,
rosa, verde, azul, canela y fuego.
Rojo, blanco, añil, violeta y negro,
rosa, verde, azul, canela y fuego.

Te sabes palabras que yo no entiendo,
tú que tienes colores que yo no sueño.

Rojo, blanco, añil, violeta y negro,
rosa, verde, azul, canela y fuego..
Rojo, blanco, añil, violeta y negro,
rosa, verde, azul, canela y fuego.

Que bordas las estrellas que hay en mi cielo,
tú que tienes la esperanza que yo no tengo.

Rojo, blanco, añil, violeta y negro,
rosa, verde, azul, canela y fuego.
Rojo, blanco, añil, violeta y negro,
rosa, verde, azul, canela y fuego.

Que tienes colores que yo ni sueño,
tú que sabes palabritas que yo no entiendo.

Rojo, blanco, añil, violeta y negro,
rosa, verde, azul, canela y fuego.
Rojo, blanco, añil, violeta y negro,
rosa, verde, azul, canela y fuego.

Que bordas las estrellas que hay en el cielo,
tú que tienes la esperanza que yo no tengo.
ay, tu risa mora, yo no la tengo,
tú tienes los colores que yo ni sueño.

Rojo, blanco, añil, violeta y negro,
rosa, verde, azulcanela y fuego.
Rojo, blanco, añil, violeta y negro,
rosa, verde, azul, canela y fuego.