Music and Jane

[JaneMas]

Documentary of La Lupe on Independent Lens

Independent Lens . LA LUPE QUEEN OF LATIN SOUL | PBS

[Stanley]

Suki:


I loved that song of Aguas de Marzo. Alberto Carrión (of the Banco Popular family) recorded a cover of the song with Spanish lyrics in the 1970s.

Did you ever hear the very 1st album recoerded by El Topo, Las Manos Del Campo? The one with the original "Verde Luz". It was masterpiece, but as far as I can tell it has never been released in CD form. This album was different from his other stuff.

[Suki]

Yes, of course I heard of "Las Manos del Campo", and did you hear the Banco Popular version of "Verde Luz"? It was sung by El Topo along with Lucecita Benitez and Danny Rivera, and many other Puerto Rican artists. Verde Luz in my opinion should be the National Anthem of Puerto Rico. It is full of love and peace and at the same hope for the future. So many people associate hope with the color green too.

Verde Luz del monte y el mar,
Isla Virgen del Coral,
Quiero volver, quiero volver,
A dormir en tus riberas,

Isla mia, flor cautiva, para ti quiero tener----
libre tus cielos, sola tu estrella,
isla doncella, quiero tener.....
Verde luz del monte y el mar

I don't have time for writing all the lyrics though. That was just a few refrains from the song off the top of my head. If that is not an independentista song I don't know what is Stanley? It is so interesting to me, that deep in the heart of so many Puerto Ricans there is a tremendous love of the island and its people. Yet, so many keep quiet about it and move on. Music releases what lurks in the heart of hearts of so many boricuas. Antonio Caban Vale "El Topo" is one of many who has tapped into musically what we all feel, but sometimes just can't express.

See? I think art brings people together so beautifully. It makes us think and it does effect us in positive ways. But it works slowly and subtly and it is not the explosive and often destructive force that other human forms of organization are. If you write a great piece of literature, or compose or song or paint a great picture, or sculpt a piece of art, or do something artistic that is communicative and it reaches others---as far as I am concerned you are saving the human race with that.

Here's a modern Puerto Rican rock version of the song (Fiel de la Vega) is a Puerto Rican band that does rock in Spanish:

YouTube - Fiel a la Vega-"Verdeluz"-Live

Suki

[Stanley]

Suki:

Had no idea Fiel a la Vega did that song. I love rock in Español and there are some good ones in PR.

I find that my musical taste is firmly rooted in the 60s. Like I said--------when one is young the music makes a huge impression and then it brings on the memories (good and bad ones).

You said you have the Serrat Antología CD.

I wanted to explore with you some of the lyrics. I was never much of a poet or into Spanish literature when I was at the UPR, but I enjoy clever lyrics that are not too complicated, LOL. I also enjoy simplicity or when someone sings about something real simple that we take for granted.

IN your CD you have this tune:


******************************************
Aquellas pequeñas cosas
Letra y Música de J.M. Serrat

Uno se cree
que los mató
el tiempo y la ausencia.
Pero su tren
vendió boleto
de ida y vuelta.

Son aquellas pequeñas cosas,
que nos dejó un tiempo de rosas
en un rincón,
en un papel
o en un cajón.

Como un ladrón
te acechan detrás de la puerta.
Te tienen tan
a su merced
como hojas muertas
que el viento arrastra allá o aquí...
Que te sonríen tristes y
nos hacen que lloremos cuando
nadie nos ve.


He is simply talking about those painful memories that we think are repressed or gone. Those simple painful events from the past that can still make a person sad.


In this one here (also on your CD)

Serrat describes the creation of a new day. I like it when he says “y tú, descorre el velo que oscurece el cielo”. So simple and yet so effective.

***************************************************************
Canción infantil...
Para despertar a una paloma morena de tres primaveras
Letra y Música de J.M. Serrat

...Y bueno, pues,
un día más
que se va colando
de contrabando.

Y bueno, pues,
adiós a ayer
y cada uno
a lo que hay que hacer.

Tú, enciende el sol.
Tú, tiñe el mar,
y tú, descorre el velo
que oscurece el cielo,
y tú, ve a blanquear
la espuma y la nube,
la nieve y la lana,
y tú, conmigo a cantar la mañana.

Tú, a dibujar
el trigo y la flor.
Tú, haces de viento,
dales movimiento y
tú les das color.
Tú, amasa los montes.
Tú, al pozo a baldear
y tú, conmigo y el gallo a cantar...

Que hay que empezar
un día más.
Tire pa'lante
que empujan atrás.


And lastly check out The Elegia (words by Miguel Hernandez).
This are powerful emotions of grieving and desperation. The description of digging with his teeth until he finds the calavera is powerful stuff. His anger is evident as well with “sedienta de catástrofes y hambrienta”.

***************************************************************

En mis manos levanto una tormenta
de piedras, rayos y hachas estridentes,
sedienta de catástrofes y hambrienta.

Quiero escarbar la tierra con los dientes,
quiero apartar la tierra parte a parte
a dentelladas secas y calientes.

Quiero mirar la tierra hasta encontrarte
y besarte la noble calavera
y desamordazarte y regresarte.

****************************************************************

[JaneMas]

Suki wasn't there a recent motion in PR to make Verde Luz the National Anthem?

Stanley this is mami

[Stanley]

Originally Posted by JaneMas

Stanley this is mami

She looks like my mom! She also likes that fabric in her clothes. How old is she now?

When I was a kid there was a drive to use “Preciosa” as national anthem. If I am not mistaken the statehooders of the era (probably late 50s-early 60s) were very much against the song because it mentioned the phrase:

“No importa el tirano te trate con negra maldad”

Then there was a petition to Rafael Hernandez (who died in 1965) to change the lyrics of the song to “destino” instead of “tirano.” Now that is what I call besa-culo. To make matters worse Hernández agreed to change the song and you can still find a few recordings from that era that say “destino” instead of “tirano.”

Another similar tune is "Soñando con Puerto Rico" written by Bobby Capó. I actually saw Capó once in a shopping mall when I was a teen.

You also call your mother “mami”----just like Suki, he, he.

[JaneMas]

She does look like your mom. When I saw the pic of your mom I thought the same thing. She's going to be 79 in September.

Preciosa is a beautiful song.

When I was a kid there was a drive to use “Preciosa” as national anthem. If I am not mistaken the statehooders of the era (probably late 50s-early 60s) were very much against the song because it mentioned the phrase:

“No importa el tirano te trate con negra maldad”

Then there was a petition to Rafael Hernandez (who died in 1965) to change the lyrics of the song to “destino” instead of “tirano.” Now that is what I call besa-culo. To make matters worse Hernández agreed to change the song and you can still find a few recordings from that era that say “destino” instead of “tirano.”

Thanks for the information. These are great tibits to know, but don't you mean I can still find a recording that says "tirano" instead of "destino"?

Suki probably has that one! She has wonderful musical tastes doesn't she?