La Bamba (song)

Infobox Single
Name = La Bamba


Artist = Ritchie Valens
from Album =
A-side = "Donna"
Released = October 1958
Format = 7"
Recorded = 1958
Genre = Latin/rock/pop
Length =
Label =
Writer = William Clauson
Producer = Bob Keane
Certification =
Last single = "Come On, Let's Go" (1958)
This single = "Donna" / "La Bamba" (1958)
Next single = "Fast Freight / Big Baby Blues" (1959)Infobox Single
Name = La Bamba


Artist = Los Lobos
from Album = La Bamba Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side = "Charlena"
Released = 1987
Format = CD single, 7"
Recorded =
Genre = Latin/rock/pop
Length =
Label = Warner Bros. Records
Writer = William Clauson
Producer = Los Lobos
Certification =
Last single = "Come On, Let's Go"/"Ooh! My Head" (1987)
This single = "La Bamba"
(1987)
Next single = "Down on the Riverbed" (1990)

"La Bamba" is a folk song whose origins can be traced to the Mexican state of Veracruz over 300 years ago. It is best known from a 1958 adaptation by Ritchie Valens, a top 40 hit in the the U.S. charts and one of early rock and roll's best-known songs.

Traditional origins

Influenced by Spanish flamenco and Afro-Mexican beats, the song uses the violin, "jaranas", guitar, and harp. Lyrics to the song greatly vary, as performers often improvise verses while performing. However, versions (such as those by musical groups Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan and Los Pregoneros del Puerto) have survived because of the artists' popularity and have become the "definitive" versions. The traditional aspect of "La Bamba" lies in the tune itself, which remains the same through all versions. The name of the dance, which has no direct English translation, is presumably connected with the Spanish verb, "bambolear" meaning "to shake", or perhaps "to stomp". A dissenting view holds that the dance originated in or near one of the towns named Bamba in Angola or the DR Congo.

The traditional "La Bamba" was often played during weddings in Veracruz, where the bride and groom performed the accompanying dance. Today this wedding tradition is mostly lost, but the dance survives through the popularity of "ballet folklórico". The dance is performed in much the same way, displaying the newlywed couple’s unity through the performance of complicated, delicate steps in unison as well as through creation of a bow from a "listón", a long red ribbon, using only their feet.

The "arriba" (literally "up") part of the song suggests the nature of the dance, in which the footwork, called "zapateado", is done faster and faster as the music tempo accelerates. The repeated lyric "Yo no soy marinero" ("Lit: I am not a sailor") refers to Veracruz's marine locale and the husband's promise that he will remain faithful to his wife.

At many gatherings, including the youth conventions of Esperanto (IJK, Internacia Seminario), one traditionally dances to La Bamba in a circle. People dance in the circle and people dance out of it. The people within the circle can take a place in the outer circle by kissing one of the people dancing in it, after this ritual one swaps places. Multiple versions are used for this, Spanish as well as partly or completely sung in Esperanto. [ [http://youtube.com/watch?v=tdtOmqvTUCY YouTube - La Bamba ] ]

Valens' version

The traditional song inspired Ritchie Valens' rock and roll version "La Bamba" in the 1950s. Valens' "La Bamba" infused the traditional tune with a rock beat, making the song accessible to the population of the United States and earning it (and Valens) a place in rock history. The song features simple verse-chorus form. Valens learned the Spanish lyrics phonetically, as he had been raised from birth speaking English. Valens' version of La Bamba is ranked number 345 on "Rolling Stone magazine"'s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It is the only song on the list not sung in English. Ritchie Valens' tapping into a Mexican folk song unwittingly paved the way for "Twist and Shout" and all the other songs based on it since 1962. The first version of the song below is as sung by Richie Valens:

Lyrics

SPANISH:

"Para bailar La Bamba""Para bailar La Bamba, Se necesita una poca de gracia, Una poca de gracia, pa' mí, pa' ti y""Arriba, arriba.. y arriba, arriba Por ti seré por ti seré por ti seré."

"Yo no soy marinero Yo no soy marinero" "Soy capitán soy capitán soy capitán""Ba Ba Bamba""Ba Ba Bamba""Ba Ba Bamba" ENGLISH

"In order to dance La Bamba,""In order to dance La Bamba, you need a little grace""A little grace for me, for you""and up up, and up up""For you I'll be, For you I'll be, For you I'll be "

"I am not a sailor, I am not a sailor""I am a captain, I am a captain""Ba Ba Bamba""Ba Ba Bamba""Ba Ba Bamba""

Another common version is:

SPANISH

"A para bailar La Bamba, A para bailar La Bamba, se necesita, una poca de gracia. Una poca de gracia, y otra cosita.""Ay, arriba, arriba. Ay, arriba, arriba, arriba ire! Yo no soy marinero; por tí, seré."

ENGLISH

"In order to dance La Bamba, In order to dance La Bamba, you need a little grace. A little grace, and a little something.""Hey! Up, up, up I go! I am not a sailor; for you I will be"

There are many other variations and additional verses.

Lila Downs' version

(Para bailar La Bamba…)

Que bonita La Bamba,
Que bonita La Bamba, de madrugá’
Cuando todo’ la bailan,
Cuando todo’ la bailan, en la enrramada
Arriba, ‘rriba y ‘rriba
Arriba, ‘rriba y ‘rriba, y arriba iré
Como la palomita
Como la palomita, volando iré, volando iré, volando iré…

De La Habana han venido
De La Habana han venido nuevos pintores
que pintaron la virgen
que pintaron la virgen de tres colores
Arriba, y mas arriba
Arriba, y mas arriba, y arriba iré
La paloma que traiba
La paloma que traiba ya se me fue
Pa’ los campos floridos de San Andrés

Bamba, Bamba,
Bamba, Bamba,
Bamba, Bamba,
Bamba, Bamba.

Aunque soy chiquitita
Aunque soy chiquitita de aspiración,
Yo le canto a La Bamba
Yo le canto a La Bamba de corazón
Arribita y arriba,
Arriba y más arriba, y arriba van,
y tilín y tilán, y tilín-tin-tán,
repica la campana de Malibrán,
de Malibrán, de Malibrán

Ay morena, morena
Ay morena, morena, yo quiero verte
‘que el son de la Bamba,
porque el son de la Bamba me hace quererte
ay y arriba y arriba, y más arribita,
como la palomita
como la palomita, que viene y va,
que viene y va, que viene y va

Bamba, Bamba,
Bamba, Bamba,
Bamba, Bamba,
Bamba, Bamba.

(Es la Bamba, señores, la melodía, que nos pone en el alma, luz y alegría)

Para bailar La Bamba
Para bailar La Bamba se necesita
Una poca de gracia,
una poca de gracia y otra cosita
Ay arriba y arriba
Ay arriba y arriba y arriba iré
Yo no soy marinero,
Yo no soy marinero, ni lo seré, ni lo seré

Se lo pido mi amigo,
Se lo pido mi amigo, de compasión
Que se acabe La Bamba
Que se acabe La Bamba, y venga otro son
Arriba, ‘rriba y ‘rriba
Arriba, ‘rriba y ‘rriba, y arriba iré
Como la palomita
Como la palomita, volando iré, volando iré, volando iré…

Bamba, Bamba,
Bamba, Bamba,
Bamba, Bamba,
Bamba, Bamba,
Bamba, Bamba…

Charts

Cover versions

The Los Lobos version of the song, released in as part of the soundtrack of the 1987 movie "La Bamba" about Valens' life, concludes with the traditional ever-faster instrumentation, instead of the "bamba-bamba, bamba-bamba..." fadeout of Valens' version. The single went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It also went to No. 1 on the UK charts and the Australian charts.

One of the last versions is from the German-Portuguese singer Marco da Silva, released in 2000.

In 1986, "La Bamba" featured as the background music to a British TV ad for the Vauxhall Nova motor car.

In fall, 1987, the Grateful Dead incorporated "La Bamba" within their version of "Good Lovin'" during several concerts.

In 1988, Latin superstar Selena released the song on her album entitled "Preciosa".

In 1988, song parody writer/performer "Weird Al" Yankovic wrote and recorded a parody of "La Bamba" entitled "Lasagna". The original tune is played with Italian instruments to fit the parody's theme.

In 2001, country music superstar Clay Walker covered this song in his Tex Mex style on his album "Say No More".

In 2003, the song was successfully covered in France by the Star Academy 4 (#2 in France, #1 in Belgium, #11 in Switzerland). ["La Bamba", by Star Academy 4, in French, Belgian and Swiss Singles Charts [http://lescharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Star+Academy+3&titel=La+bamba&cat=s Lescharts.com] (Retrieved June 19, 2008)]

In 2004, fans of Liverpool Football Club adapted the lyrics of "La Bamba" into a song celebrating their new Spanish manager Rafa Benitez and the Spanish players he brought to the club. The song's popularity grew and became an anthem of their UEFA Champions League win in 2005.

In 2005, the Japanese J-ska band Yum!Yum!ORANGE recorded a ska punk cover released in their third album "Orange Funky Radio".

In 2006, it was performed in the Hungarian version of Pop Idol competition (local name: Megasztár) by Magdolna Rúzsa, a Serbia-born Hungarian singer. Her recording was also released on her first CD album ("A döntőkben elhangzott dalok").

In 2007, a cover by Leon Thomas III was featured on the soundtrack of the film "August Rush".

The cover by Los Lobos will be one of the featured songs in the upcoming game "Guitar Hero World Tour".

More cover versions :

*Mike Berry (1963)
*Dean Reed (1965)
*Unit 4+2 (1965)
*The Sandpipers (1966)
*The Ventures (1966) - instrumental version
*Willie Bobo (1967)
*Trini Lopez (1966)
*Dusty Springfield (1968)
*Neil Diamond (1969)
*Antonia Rodriguez (1978) - a 'disco' version
*Baccara (1978)
*The California Raisins (1987)
*Selena (1988)
*Allsortz (2000)
*Clay Walker (2001)
*Wyclef Jean feat. Ro-K & Gammy (October 5, 2004)
*Bubba Hernandez and Alex Meixner aka Polka Freak Out feat. Scrote and Zebar (November 16, 2007)
*Lila Downs
*Henry Mancini and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
* Rancid
*Deer Tick

Trivia

Tom Miller collected over 80 versions of La Bamba for his Rhino Records compilation "The Best of La Bamba".

"Come a Little Bit Closer" by Jay and the Americans, later recorded by Johnny Duncan and Janie Fricke, has the same tune in part of its chorus.

Charts for Covers

Parodies of La Bamba

*In an episode of The Proud Family Lacienega was having a party and her dad booked Trini Lopez instead of Jennifer Lopez and when Zoey says Trini Lopez, Dijonay says some guy singing "La Bambi".
*In Mario Party 7 there is a mini game titled "La Bomba".

References

External links

* [http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/travel/jcar/jcbamba.html "La Bamba" Explained or the Music of Veracruz]
* [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/6596190/la_bamba "La Bamba" information on "Rolling Stone"]
*youtube|YicJPLT1dWU|Music video for Los Lobos' cover of "La Bamba"
* [http://youtube.com/watch?v=tdtOmqvTUCY La Bamba in Esperanto]