After yesterday’s cumbias rebajadas, the regular stuff seems fast. First off, a stunning 14-minute cumbia colombiana medley from Mexico’s Tropa Colombiana. Lots of classics in here, heavy on the accordion. Fluid and entrancing, “como si estuvieramos en Colombia!” (“like we were in Colombia!”):
[audio:Tropa Colombiana – Cumbia Exagonal.mp3]Tropa Colombiana – Cumbia Exagonal
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An interview in Spanish which I can’t quite remember doing. But it seems to have happened. Aqui tienen una entrevista conmigo en espanol. No recuerdo haciendola, pero bueno, ya esta: “No hago distinción entre música popular y música experimentalâ€: DJ Rupture* Por Oscar Adad.
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Narcocorridos. Much has been said. But listening? It’s a narrative phenomenon. Meaning stories. Meaning if you can’t understand the lyrics you won’t be getting much critical information from the songs. Take this tune for example. I don’t particularly like this style of music. Yet the lyrics are totally crazy, meticulously descriptive when compared to, say, crack rap. Cumbia is vibe music, many times the lyrics are versions from decades past; Narcocorridos are narrative, dense, detailed short stories set to the tune of cheesy cowboy polkas. It’s intense. Lyric translations in the comment section would be very welcome!
[audio:Exterminador_AMOR EN CANTIDADES.mp3]Exterminador – Amor En Cantidades
Also: a few days ago Lamin saw a couple doing coke on the NYC subway before 9 in the morning. The man made fun of the woman, who had accidentally smudged some power on her nose: “you look like Scarface!”
I became fascinated w/ Narcocorridos from reading Arturo Perez-Reverte’s novel “The Queen of the South.” It’s just a stepping stone in the novel but it’s kind of always there symbolizing the protagonists past in Sinaloa. Quite a good read, and a nice introduction to a masterful author. It’s about the rise of Teresa Mendoza’s global drug trade but saying that sort of overshadows the fact that it’s about a women struggling to survive, something the book never lets you forget.
Anyways peep dat- i know you read.
cool, thanks for the rec. I’m currently reading Elmer Mendoza’s ‘Balas de Plata’ kinda like narco-noir, he and Perez-Reverte are friends. same friend who gave me that gave me “Reina del Sur”, which I will get too soonish, hopefully…. books… time….
Exterminator Group – Bunches of Love
Moooo!
I was born in the Mesquite brush and the Dust Storms
that’s why I’m not afraid and I’ve tried everything!
I was born in Guanajuato and my nickname is the “Stud”
From Leonasta Zelaya a El Paso a San Francisco
I’ve walked the hills, they’ve made me rich through trafficking
Weed and Coke, that’s what I do.
I like the good life, Women and Money,
I have livestock in my Ranch, but I’m not a rancher
I live off of the crops that the Gringos consume.
Friend, I’m the Stud, Like a Mule in Spring
I don’t need “un baser” or Viagra,
Everything I have is Big from trafficking experience. ** exterminator***
I have my private tracks hidden in the hills.
Some the soldiers have found, but they stay quiet.
Money makes the Dog dance.
In Mirajuato the stawberries en Celayual, the Cash box.
In Guanajuato the mummies, and underground I have my laboratories
where I process the herb.
When I come to Cueroamaro, Romita y Manuel Doblado,
In my new truck I’ve got a girl at my side, bags of herb and my horn is “recharged”.
The Stud says goodbye. I will genuflect on Christ’s hill, just in case they kill me. Jose Alfredo already said it, “life is cheap”.
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That’s my rough translation. Not quite as poetic as the original nor is my Mexican Spanish perfect, particularly when it comes to slang and locations, but I think you get the gist of the song here. Disfruta!! Enjoy!!
The Exterminator is definitely a bad dude.
gracias!
Great song & lyrics. The other fabulous novel of the drug trade (& so much more) is Roberto Bolano’s 2666 – once you get past the cheesey campus satire of the first hundred pages.
does anybody know where I can dind more Narcocorrido? fascinating genre, also because it’s so cheerful and up sounding..