I never considered myself a good lyrics writer. However, this song has to be my best effort yet. I wrote it inspired in the feeling I had upon returning for the first time to Ecuador after a couple of years in the US. As in many countries with an unjust social and economic system, Ecuador has its share of poverty. It is not uncommon to see very young children working on the streets selling gum or cigarettes or candy or simply begging for money. I realized that while I lived there, a scene of a 5-year old kid working on the street or one of the many beggars you see were just part of the scenery. While there is also poverty in the US, it's not as "out in the open" as it is back home and my initial reaction was one of deep sadness for I had not been exposed to it in a while. This song talks about human misery and indifference. I decided to incorporate a chant for Babalu Aye as he is represented by an old man dressed in rags. The chant is extremely beautiful and it worked perfectly into the mood and the chord progression.
Musically I wanted to marry the Afro-Cuban 6/8 with an Andean 6/8 feel. While the drums emphasize the Andean feel, the congas play an adaptation of a Cuban Columbia. On the verses, Ernesto brilliantly interacts with the melody with floreos (embelishments) common in Cuban Bembe. Marta Gomez sings the lead beautifully, as always! In the Mambo (interlude) again we have sax riffs alternating with some tasty conga fills by Ernesto. The piano suggests a Shuffle feel which makes the whole section pretty grooving.
Gonzalo added Maribula and some Kalimba samples as we move to the chant, breaking later into a Guiro played with Chekeres where he plays all parts.
lyrics
BABALU AYE (Spanish)
UNA MANO SE EXTIENDE
RASGANDO EL AIRE CON SU QUEJIDO
SOLO ENCUENTRA UNA MUECA TRISTE
Y UNA MIRADA LLENA DE OLVIDO
UNA VOZ QUE BUSCA REFUGIO
EN LA PALIDEZ DE LA INDIFERENCIA
CANCION DE UN CORO DE MILLONES QUE SUENA,
PERO NADIE ESCUCHA, QUE SUENA,
PERO NADIE ESCUCHA, QUE SUENA Y NADIE ESCUCHA
UNA TRISTE PLEGARIA
BUSCA EN LOS CIELOS UNA SALIDA
RESIGNANDOSE A SU DESTINO
LLEGARA A LA TIERRA PROMETIDA
LA MISERIA ES UN ESPEJISMO
EN UN GRAN DESIERTO DE OJOS DORMIDOS
QUE EMBRIAGADOS EN SU LETARGO
SUEÑAN QUE NUNCA HA EXISTIDO
Y LO TOCAN, PERO NO LO SIENTEN
LO MATAN Y NO MUERE
BABALU AYE (English)
A hand extends scratching the air with its lament
Only to find a sad frown and a gaze full of oblivion
A voice that seeks refuge in the paleness of indifference
A song from a chorus of millions that resounds
but nobody listens
A mournful prayer seeks a way out in the heavens
Resigning to fate will lead to the promised land
Misery is a mirage in a great desert of sleeping eyes
Who drunk in their lethargy dream it never existed
And they touch it but they cannot feel it
They kill it and it doesn't die
credits
from MANGO,
track released January 26, 2011
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards
Karina Colis - Timbal
Ernesto Diaz - Congas
Eric Doob - Drums
Marta Gomez - Lead Vocals
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards
Gilenny Guzman - Bckgnd. Vocals
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax
Jared Sims, Alto Sax
The music of the Cabo Verde diaspora as played by a band hailing from the Lusophone underground of Luxembourg, recorded in Portugal, reissued by a New York label. This well-travelled sound has been enriched by its journeys. It's an upbeat, synth-infused fast-paced homage to Funaná. Karl Grundmann
Almost impossible to pick a favourite from this bunch, they're all so cool. For now, I'm singling out the Kinks one because it's such an original song choice but ask me tomorrow and it'll be a different one! themichaelmoran
