"Salsa" Remakes Exposed
- Thread starter Myst
- Start date
1derpalm
Son Montuno
The original (well original band, but not original performance, but still in its original song form):
The remake. NOT a fan per se. The vocals sound good and relatively faithful to the original but it just doesn't feel right to me for a relatively white Nuyorican to be singing @about being of Congolese stock (well I guess if his singers are, that's cool).
Also it feels wierd to me that a relatively white Nuyorican to be singing about being of Congolese stock (I guess that it's cool if the singers are.
The remake. NOT a fan per se. The vocals sound good and relatively faithful to the original but it just doesn't feel right to me for a relatively white Nuyorican to be singing @about being of Congolese stock (well I guess if his singers are, that's cool).
Also it feels wierd to me that a relatively white Nuyorican to be singing about being of Congolese stock (I guess that it's cool if the singers are.
Decídete mi amor is a bolero written by José Antonio Méndez; here's a recording of his though I'm not sure it's the earliest:
It was also recorded in 1953 by Sonora Matancera with Vincentico Valdés:
Grupo Monumental's version (70s I think) is also worth a look:
Déjala que siga (andando) is written by Reinaldo Bolaños; I've found recordings by Maximo & Manito:
and Pupi y su Charanga (1975):
Late 70s (uncertain, judging by Areito catalog number), Tito Gómez & Orquesta de Enrique Jorrín combined the two, appending the chorus of Déjala que siga to Decídete mi amor (though both tracks are listed separately on the album):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slACRI8PpHo
Here's a TV recording, not sure if the youtube info on who's involved is entirely accurate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKilmjESZYc
In 1985, Hector Lavoe recorded the same medley for his album Revento. It's mysteriously credited to tango composer Edgardo Donato, probably a mixup with a different song of the name Déjala que siga.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehAjLIhdXCQ
It was also recorded in 1953 by Sonora Matancera with Vincentico Valdés:
Grupo Monumental's version (70s I think) is also worth a look:
Déjala que siga (andando) is written by Reinaldo Bolaños; I've found recordings by Maximo & Manito:
and Pupi y su Charanga (1975):
Late 70s (uncertain, judging by Areito catalog number), Tito Gómez & Orquesta de Enrique Jorrín combined the two, appending the chorus of Déjala que siga to Decídete mi amor (though both tracks are listed separately on the album):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slACRI8PpHo
Here's a TV recording, not sure if the youtube info on who's involved is entirely accurate:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKilmjESZYc
In 1985, Hector Lavoe recorded the same medley for his album Revento. It's mysteriously credited to tango composer Edgardo Donato, probably a mixup with a different song of the name Déjala que siga.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehAjLIhdXCQ
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
Wow I like the Lavoe version a lot and had no idea of all that history behind it (the fact that Fania list it as a tango cover doesn't help). I really like Tito Gómez and combining the 2 songs is a genius move. I wonder if that was the first time they were put together like that.
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
What's the track? An original of Achilipú?
1derpalm
Son Montuno
I dislike both greatly but especially the gran combo version
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
I dislike both too although it's interesting to learn of their existence. Funnily enough I only discovered them because of you. As I may have previously mentioned, I love the El Gran Combo version.
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
I think that may be a common complaint. Maybe it used to get rinsed in the UK too, although personally I have no recollection of ever having heard it played anywhere, ever.
El Gran Combo have such an insanely wide catalogue of very danceable, very good tracks, so focusing on just one of them really makes no sense.
1derpalm
Son Montuno
Achiripu and ojas China's, all the time.
Bandida: never. Wtf
Oscar Avilés & Zambo Cavera - Bandida; Peru, 1973; vals peruano due to Pancho Quiroz
El Gran Combo - Bandida; 1981
Oscar d'Léon - Bandida; 1981
I wonder why both covers are from 1981; maybe there was another popular Peruvian cover around that time?
There's another vals peruano, Sincera confesión, recorded by both Zambo Cavera and Oscar d'Léon around 1980, not sure about the exact timeline there.
This reminds me to something I wonder about:
Both famous versions of "Lluvia" are from 1984 (the one from Willie Rosario and the other one from Ray de la Paz & Louie Ramirez). So who was first? Or did they cover coincidentally at the same time?
The original seems to be "Agua que cae del cielo" from Adalberto Alvarez with Son 14 (1981).
Old live version Ray de la Paz & Louie Ramirez:
Yeah... these days we only see the album releases, and we're used to see bands release albums, and then go on tour to perform the songs from that album. But back then, I imagine (would love confirmation/correction from those who know more) the focus could have been more on performing their repertory live, and then occasionally going to the studio to snapshot that. So maybe "Agua que cae del cielo" had been played by one or the other for a while, and it wasn't that the release of the first album triggered the second group to also record it?
1derpalm
Son Montuno
Rarely do I like a remake more, but the Gran Combo Horn lines are my favorite thing in life in this song. Not a fan of the others.
I'm struck by how strongly this sounds like Son 14. There's something very distinct to their style that shines through
DJ Yuca
Son Montuno
I think most salsa covers of their tracks slow them down somewhat - they tended towards a fast sound. Their original version of Son para un sonero is popular in Cali salsa venues.