5 Latin Songs, Engineered To Cheer You Up
Celia Cruz, the queen of salsa. Courtesy of the artist. hide caption
Celia Cruz, the queen of salsa.
Courtesy of the artist.In spite of our many musical variations, one thing that seems to unite Latin Americans is our love of suffering in song — the gusto with which we sprinkle musical salt in our wounds. "Perfidia" is one of the best known love ballads of Latin America, and its words paint a terrifying portrait of anxiety and abandonment: "Nobody knows how much I suffer / I sing because I cannot sob / I shake, alone, anxiously / Everyone looks at me and walks away."
We've talked a lot about these love songs, and about cortavenas (vein slashers), so we're doing something different today. We wanted to create a playlist that doubles as a pick-me-up. So we asked Alt.Latino listeners: What do you listen to when you want to stop feeling down and out? We were flooded with suggestions — we might have to record a sequel to this episode — and ended up with a great show in which we play music from a legendary Mexican rock band, a newer Chilean folk artist and, of course, the queen of salsa, the goddess Celia Cruz. Because, as one of our listeners pointed out, if she doesn't make you smile, you might not have actual blood running in your veins.
As always, please help us keep the conversation going: Tell us what songs you pull out when you need to feel a little better.
5 Latin Songs, Engineered To Cheer You Up
Various Artists
- Song: Quilombo, O el Dorado Negro
- from Brazil Classics, Vol. 1: Beleza Tropical
Café Tacuba
- Song: Baile y el Salón
- from Re
Celia Cruz
- Song: Vida Es Un Carnaval [Live Carnegie Version] [Live][*][Version]
- from Reina y Sus Amigos
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Mala Rodríguez
- Song: Especias y Especies
- from Lujo Ibérico
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Gepe
- Song: Fruta Y Te
- from GP
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Chico Buarque
- Song: O Que Será (À Flor da Terra)
- from Meus Caros Amigos
Los Lobos
- Song: Bertha [Live]
- from Just Another Band from East L.A.: A Collection