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Music

Here is a youtube playlist of all the songs people have been sharing with me.

The music people shared was more varied than the dishes. I suppose songs travel with more ease than culinary traditions. Nevertheless the vast majority shared music in Spanish. People often mentioned their local traditional music as something that connects them to home but ultimately settled for a song that had more personal meaning to them and wasn’t necessarily from their place of birth.

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Most of the songs that have been shared with me are in this youtube playlist. Below I’ve put them into categories with some explanations to make some sense of what’s been shared.

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Two different people shared Salvadorian singer, Jhosse Lora’s songs with me: “Me Gustan Las Pupusas” (mentioned by Sonia) is a good example of 80s Salvadorean  Cumbia - very different from other countries’ Cumbia. And in “Atol de Elote” (shared by Pati) he shouts out the style of his music as being Cumbiarengue.

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Ritmo Punta, the Honduran version of the above has a more Caribbean feel to it. It is a fast danceable style mostly heard in Honduras but has spread into the Neighbouring countries. Examples of this are Kazzabe (Karla), Sopa de Caracol (Lore) and Los Gatos Bravos.

 

A lot of Venezuelans are very connected to two of the most widespread local styles. Firstly, joropo or música llanera, with the signature harp sounds (Elisa Guerrero, Reynaldo Armas, both shared by Dinajac). Secondly the gaitas of the Zuila state associated in the entire country with the Christmas period (Ricardo Cepeda - shared by Johan and Astolfo Romero, Maracaibo 15 - shared by Aura). Note that the Venezuelan gaita music style has no apparent connection to the gaita instrument (bagpipe in Spain or an Indigenous flute played in the Colombian Atlantic region). 

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Religious music is something that has been mentioned by many. Religion is a large part of the Latin American main stream. It is a central point in a lot of the participant’s lives. Many mention it in relation to their forced migration and explain that their faith is one of the only things that keeps them going. This is reflected in their vocabulary but also in a lot of the music that has been shared with me. The songs are: Tomas Ocampo - Valle de Lagrimas shared by Jimena, Altisimo Milagroso Salvador shared and sung by Daniel. I’d also put Ernesto’s poem he wrote for his mother in this category. 

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Reggaeton was mentioned less than it’s heard on the streets of Mexico and Colombia. Unsurprisingly it has been shared predominantly by the younger participants.

  • “La Reunión De Los Vaqueros”
    Wisin y Yandel (shared by Carolina)

  • “Tu Foto” - Ozuna (shared by Casandra)

  • “Miss Lonely” - Sech Ft. Anuel AA, Karol G, Farruko, De La Ghetto, Justin Quiles (Final Remix By Dela) - (shared by José)

  • “Rakata" - Wisin y Yandel
    (mentioned by Luís)

 

 

What’s called romantic music is huge in the Americas. There are many classics up and down the continent. Here are the ones that have been shared with me:

  • “Perdona si te hago llorar” - Juan Gabriel (Mexican singer shared by Antoni)

  • “Si Te Pudiera Mentir” - Marco Antonio Solis (Mexican singer shared by Edwin)

  • “Madrecita querida” - Vicente Fernandez (famous Mexican ranchera music singer shared by Aura)

  • “Los Hijos del Sol” - Ricardo Montaner (A song about child labour by Argentine Venezuelan singer shared by Ramón, his reason for migrating is so his children don’t have to work and can go to school)

 

 

Latin American poets: 

  • “Oleo de una mujer con sombrero” - Silvio Rodriguez
    (Cuban Trova poet and songwriter born in the 40s. Shared by Ruben) 

  • “Poema de Amor” - Roque Dalton
    (Salvadorian author, activist, poet. Mentioned by Sonia)

These are the English speaking songs that have been shared. In Marlyn’s case it was her deceased sister’s favourite song. Mauricio made a point in learning English through EDM:

  • “Faded” - Alan Walker - (Mauricio)

  • “Imagine” - John Lennon - (Marlyn)

  • “Hey Jude” - The Beatles
    (shared by Ruben, a big Beatles fan)

  • “Another Day in Paradise” - Phil Collins
    (shared by Johan)

  • “Anarchy in the UK” - Sex Pistols
    (shared by Yaya)

 

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I got introduced to Guatemalan Rock:

  • "El Norte" - Ricardo Andrade
    Guatemalan singer shot dead in 2002 shared by Cruz)

  • Malacates Trebol Shop (shared by Fausto)

 

 

Often the music shared connected the participants to their family and more particularly to their parents. Here are some Latin American oldies:

  • “Como Te Extraño Mi Amor” - Leo Dan
    60’s Argentinean singer from the 60s shared by Carlos Geovanny) 

  • “Te Juro Que Te Amo” - Los Terricolas
    Venezuelan 60s romantic pop shared by Juan Carlos)

  • “El Reloj” - Los Panchos
    (classic 40s/50s trio formed in New York, shared by Justo) 

  • “Divina Niña” - Oscar D’León
    (although more of a salsa hit than an oldie Pedro shared this song because it reminded him of his deceased father)

Many songs have themes to do with migration or explore concepts of identity:

  • “Tengo que despedirme” - Donald Ruiz
    (José)

  • “El Norte” - Ricardo Andrade
    Guatemalan singer shot dead in 2002 shared by Cruz)

  • “Latino” - Los Adolescentes

  • (Salsa song about being Latin, shared by Patricia)

  • “El Triunfador” - Los Iracundos
    (an Uruguayan 60s pop band singing about the journey that life is: “with a bag on the shoulder…”, shared by Alejandro who remembers singing it whilst walking along the train rails getting into Mexico)

The following songs are about Venezuelan Identity in particular.

  • “Voy Pa’ Maracaibo” -  Maracaibo15 
    (shared by Aura)

  • “Gloria al Bravo Pueblo” - The Venezuelan National Anthem (shared by Wilians)

  • “Venezuela” - Luis Silva
    (shared by Dorangelys)

  • “Me Quedo en Venezuela” - Carlos Baute
    (shared by José Luis)

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Songs that don’t fit into a category are

  • “Hakuna Matata” - El Rey Leon
    (shared by Rodolfo)

  • “Carmina Burana” - Karl Orff
    (shared by Estefany)

  • “Belz” - Ensemble Kol Aviv
    (shared by Colette) 

  • “aab naan aavaz” - Homayoun Shajarian
    (shared by Ehsan from Iran)

  • “Summertime” - Vybz Kartel
    (shared by Kwame from Ghana)

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