Cultural Outsider Playlist (Comparative Analysis)

Hey everyone! Welcome once again to another installment of my blog :D. Last time the topic at hand covered a musical genre that was popular in my region however, this time we'll be extending our lens into another part of the world. That being South America which is home to the unique and endearing Vallenato music. This genre is heralded as the most popular music genre in Columbia, and traces its origins back to nearly a century ago in the 1940s. Personally, I've recently become interested in Latin American music, so this genre was right up my alley, with its succinct blend of African and Amerindian influences. 

Also, as a side note, due to a lot of the information for the artists below being in Spanish, I had to use Google Translate quite a bit to better understand the context of the songs and biography of the artists. Nonetheless, things can be lost in translations, so my apologies!

We'll first start off with a collective known as Los Diablitos and their most popular song, Los Caminos de La Vida. The group consisted of accordionist Omar Geles and vocalist Miguel Morales. The song translates to "The Ways of Life", and fits the tone perfectly. Throughout the song, the vocalist expresses the harsh reality of life being more daunting than his younger self had envisioned, along with wanting to be a provider for his mother, by relinquishing all of the trials and burdens she had to face when raising him. I personally love this piece, as the passionate lyrics coincide masterfully with the jovial yet melancholic melodies provided by the accordion and tambourines. If I could interview a cultural insider, I would ask:

1. Who were the biggest influences of Los Diablitos?

2. With the subject matter of the song, how difficult was it drafting and performing the lyrics of something so personal?

Moving on to a more sensual song, we have Volver by Los Inquietos. The lead vocalist Nelson Velasquez and accordionist Emerson Plata went on to create eight studio albums together, with their last dance being in 2004, when both musicians decided to retire. Compared to the prior song, this one exudes more of a romantic feel due to the vocalist expressing his affection for his first love, all the while pleading for her to take him back. This message coincides well with the English translation of the song, "Return". The accordion and the tambourines emanate an atmosphere of love with the mystical tone of melodies and rhythms. If I were to question a cultural insider, I'd ask:

1. With Vallenatos primarily being associated with discussing the hardships of life, do you feel as if you played a role in diversifying the subject matters discussed in these songs?

2. Did you ever imagine that this song would become one of your most popular songs?

The next song we have is El Santo Cachón by Los Embajadores Vallenatos. This musical group consists of accordionist Ramiro Colmenares and vocalist Robinson Damian, who both have a touch of Caribbean in them, as one hails from the coast and the other from the interior, respectively. This song chronicles the vocalist's being made aware of his significant other's promiscuity and his dilemma of figuring out whether or not to forgive her misdeed. The title of the song translates to "The Holy Cachon", meaning the lover of a married woman. Compared to the other songs, this one is more playful and whimsical in nature, despite its serious subject matter. The tambourines let off a melody you would hear in a party song, while the accordion gave off a jolly tone. If I were to question a cultural insider, I'd ask:

1. How was the creative process for the music video accompanying the song?

2. To what extent do you think your Caribbean ancestry contributed to your respective rise to prominence in the Vallenatos scene?

Being the most blissful song on the playlist so far, we have Esta Vida by Jorge Celedon. Celedon grew up singing Vallenatos, which fostered his love for the genre. He even won a Grammy at the 8th annual Latin Grammy Awards alongside his accordionist Jimmy Zambrano. This song chronicles Jorge's love for everyday life, despite all the tribulations that are faced on a daily basis. The title translates to "This Life" in english, keeping in line with the theme of the beauty of one's life. The melodies created by the skillful handling of the accordion help to create a joyful atmosphere. Furthermore, the tempo of the tambourines exudes an air of confidence that life is truly a joy worth experiencing. If I were to ask a cultural insider, I'd ask:

1. What inspired Jorge to create this piece?

2. What is the opinion of the Colombian community regarding the message preached in this song?

Lastly, we have quite an interesting piece that differs from the others. The song below is titled "Tell Me Little Bird", which is a cover performed by Dime Pajarito. Originally, this song was created by Vallenato artist Natalie, with the lyrics being written by the video uploader's cousin. Due to no Vallenato songs ever being recorded in English, the uploader decided to conduct an experiment to see how it would turn out. The accordion and tambourines complement one another beautifully to create an infectious melody. I find this little experiment very unique, as amongst the plethora of vallenato songs I've seen, all are performed in Spanish. If I were to question a cultural insider, I'd ask:

1. Are English Vallenato's really non-existent?

 2. Do you think English Vallenato's would be received well by the Columbian community?

Welp, there we have it folks! It was very enjoyable learning all of this new information for such a lovely genre. I hope you can say the same :)

References:

Los Diablitos lineup, biography | Last.fm. (n.d.). Last.fm. https://www.last.fm/music/Los+Diablitos/+wiki

ElVallenato.com. (n.d.). Los embajadores vallenatos | Biografia. https://www.elvallenato.com/artistas/biografia.php?artista=256&mas=Los-Embajadores-Vallenatos

Los Inquietos lineup, biography | Last.fm. (n.d.). Last.fm. https://www.last.fm/music/Los+Inquietos/+wiki

Wikipedia contributors. (2023, October 8). Jorge Celedón. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Celed%C3%B3n