In recognition of Cinco de Mayo, which is a huge holiday here on the border, and to pay tribute to my latin music influences, I thought it would be more than appropriate to write a post on what is probably the most famous Mexican song of all, "La Bamba".
This song originated in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, probably about a century ago. It's been around a long time; combining Mexican, Indian (as in Aztecs), and to some degree, Africa musical influences. The earliest recordings of "La Bamba" date back to the 1940's. It wasn't until 1958 that the song became widely known as a result of the recording by Ritchie Valens (above). And the rest, as they say, is history.
As far as songwriting goes, this is a perfect example of "less is more". This is a very simple song, in the key of C, using only the major chords: C , G, and F. It has an incredibly great rhythm, backed by superb percussion. It has become a worldwide staple of Mexican influenced music.
The song has been recorded my numerous artists including Harry Belafonte, Trini Lopez, and Neil Diamond. Of course the song was immortalized in the 1987 film of the same name; and Los Lobos turned the song into a mega-hit, reaching number 1 on the charts. A great live version by Los Lobos is below, with killer guitar work by Cesar Rojas.
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