My theory? (Only half joking.) This is an ambivalent ode to Fidel Castro... Certainly Castro still had fans in Latin America when this song was written (1968-70) and Silvio Rodriguez was loyal to Castro.... but - from the perspective of the twenty-first century, this line stands out. . . "viejo gobierno de difuntos y flores" (old government of deceased people and flowers) .
How is it possible to believe this is a love song? It has to do with a possible interpretation of "gobierno," with the nature of the Spanish language, and with how beautiful the song is.
This video was my first attempt to put up a song with subtitles and some translation.
Sorry about distracting editing and the errors. (Once "published," no changes pl\ossible.)
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Music glossary by Klaus Reiter, "Der Salsaholic ." For the complete version of this glossary see: Der Salsaholic by K. Reiter
Bachata - Dominican Republic; Dance. Dance and music style in 4/4 measure, originating from the Dominican Republic. A minimal band consists of Guitar, Bongo, Güira and vocals. (ffm)
Batá - Cuba; Instrument; Percussion; Drum. Sacred, two-headed drums. Especially used in Cuba. They come from the Yoruba people of Nigeria. (uw)
More info at the Ebo Okokán pages.
Bongos - Instrument; Percussion; Drum. A pair of small drums, usually held between the knees and played with the fingers. The smaller drum is called the macho and the larger drum is called the hembra. The heads usually consist of goat skin. The macho is tuned to a "c" and the hembra is tuned to an "a". (md)
Boricua - Puertorican. Originated in the indigenous language of the island (kr)
Borinqueño/-a - see Boricua
Bossa nova - Brazil. A style of music developed in the south east of Brazil that merges samba rhythms with jazz-influenced harmonies and melodies. (th)
Campana - Instrument; Percussion; Drum. (spanish: bell) A bell ('cow bell') attached to the timbales-stand or held in one hand, played with a wooden stick. In Salsa it often plays a very steady rhythm (1st and 3rd beat of the measure). (kr)
Clave - Rhythm. a two-measure rhythmic pattern, consisting of five notes, which is the rhythmic basis of much Afro-Cuban, Antillian, and Brazilian music. There are various clave rhythms for different kinds of Cuban, Brazilian, and West African Music. (sr)
See also: Curtis Lanoue's 'Afro-Cuban Folkloric Rhythms'
Claves - Instrument; Percussion. A pair of hardwood, cylindrical sticks which can be used to play clave rhythms. While the typically zthe sticks are of equal size, the African Clave consists of differently sized sticks. The bigger one is hollow (like a tube) and has an additional opening in the middle, where the supporting hand forms a resonating body. (sr, ffm)
Conga - Instrument; Percussion; Drum. 1. the most important hand-drum in latin music. Usually about 30"/75cm high, the complete set of congas contains three drums with different diameter: Quinto, conga and tumba. The quinto may be left away. If not, the quinto (and sometimes a "super quinto") is used for soloing or variations. 2. (or Tres Golpes) mid-sized hand-drum in the Conga set, abt. 11.75"/30cm (kr), (uw)
Cumbia - Colombia; Dance; Rhythm. The most popular dance rhythm of Colombia and the one that has been the most widely spread throughout Latin America. Cumbia is not a clave-based rhythm, but as with many rhythms can be played "in clave." (jewg)
Guajira - Cuba; Rhythm; Musical style. In music it refers to a rythm and style that incorporates a tres guitar or two, maybe piano, and slow, smooth percussion. Look at Cachao's "Master Sessions Vol 1" for the prototypical and beautiful guajira. (m)
Guajiro/a - Cuba. 1. A Cuban peasant. Cuban country folks are known as guajiros. It is not a put down. (m)
Güira - Dominican Republic; Merengue; Instrument; Percussion. A metal percussion instrument used mainly in Dominican merengue music. The sound is produced by scraping the textured surface with a metal fork-like scraper (sr)
Güiro - Instrument; Percussion. Percussion instrument used throughout Latin America, made from a dried, hollowed gourd, into which grooved ridges are carved on the surface. The sound is produced by scraping these ridges with a stick (sr)
Güícharo - Instrument; Percussion. Percussion instrument similar to the güiro, but generally smaller and with thinner ridges. It is played with a metal fork-like scraper. It is used primarily in Puerto Rican music (sr)
Jibaro - caribbean term for a person from the country, the hills... people normally regarded as humble, unsophisticated, hard working... the salt of the Earth, if you will. Sometimes a certain music indigenous to the Islands is called "Jibaro music" (esp)
Merengue - Dominican Republic; Rhythm; Dance; Dominican rhythm and dance. The basic step of the dance is an extremely simple two-step pattern, but it's only Merengue with the right, somehow contrary, hip movement - wich adds the main difficulty to learn the dance. (kr)
Quinto - Instrument; Percussion; Drum. Smallest drum in the Conga set with the brightest sound, abt. 11"/28cm diameter (kr)
Salsa - Rhythm; Dance; Music style. A blend of different Caribbean rhythms and music styles, strongly influenced by the Cuban Son, which started it's way out to the world from 'El Barrio' in New York during the early sixties. From there it was first spread to the Americas (North, Central and South) and then all the other continents. Important instruments are timbal, conga, bongo, claves (all percussion), trumpet / trombone and latin piano. The dance is a 3 step pattern (on a 4/4 measure) with quick-quick-slow rhythm. (kr)
Samba - Brazil. A dance oriented music that emerged in Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, and Bahia in the early part of the century. Songs are characterized by simple but highly syncopated melodies in binary meter with the accent on the second beat. (th)
Son - Cuba; Rhythm; Dance. The Cuban root of today's Salsa. (uw)
Son Montuno - Cuba; Rhythm; Dance. (spanish: 'Mountain-Son', but son also comes from the mountains...) A son that begins on the coro section, so there is no largo or "verse" to it.
Tumba (or Salidor) - Instrument; Percussion; Drum. Largest drum in the Conga set with the deepest sound, abt. 12.5"/31.75cm diameter (kr)
Tumbadora - Cuban term for congas. (cl)
Tumbao - Rhythm. Most important standard rhythm for congas, played on tumba and conga. (uw)
Vallenato - Colombia; Dance; Music Style. (spanish: babe whale). It's origin is from the atlantic coast of Colombia (South America). (pc)
Vallenato actually refers more to an orchestration than a specific rhythm. A traditional vallenato group consists of an accordion, a scraper called a guacharaca, and a hand drum called a caja vallenata. Vallenato groups traditionally play four rhythms called son, paseo, merengue (6/8), and puya. (jewg)
INTERESTING MUSIC RELATED WEB SITES:
1) http://www.afrolatinos.tv/index.php
Explores African elements in Latin music. The home page has some "radio stations," and a trailer as well as links to different countries.
"Violeta Parra." by Rebeca Mauleon
2) http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/artist/content.artist/violeta_parra/en_US
In addition to this very short piece on the famous Chilean folk singer Violeta Parra, this page has links to the New Song Movement ("Nueva Cancion") and Chilean music.
3) NPR, Alt. Latino home page. http://www.npr.org/series/alt-latino/
this will take you to the directory of podcasts for Alt Latino "Alt.Latino 101: Back To The Basics" Wednesday, November 17, 2010 5:34 PM On this week's show . . . a list of essential Latin Alternative/Rock en Español songs.
Basic description of Samba (Brazil).
"Samba Music." by Rebeca Mauleon, National Geographic Music http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/view/page.basic/genre/content.genre/samba_782/en_US (accessed March 2011).
Thompson, Daniella and Richard Paoletti, "Ary Barroso: Giant of Brazilian Song." http://daniellathompson.com/ary/ (accessed March 2011) Links on this page to all sorts of Ary Barroso info.
Toto' La Monpasina "La Colombiana". TRAILER of documentary (English language).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6wpEX-L50c
Latin American Network Information Center: MUSIC http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/region/music/
GLOSSARY OF LA MUSIC TERMS compiled by Klaus Reiter "Der Salsaholic" http://www.salsaholic.de/glossary.htm
