I wrote this song as a tribute to my beloved birthplace, Ecuador. The song could identify with the sentiment of many immigrants who are far form their home and who cannot and will not forget where they came from. Decima is an ancestral style of singing which is popular in many places of Latin America, from Argentina to Mexico and the Caribbean. Decimas are a series 10-verse poems with each verse has 8 syllables and are written with a very strict rhyme pattern (a b b a a c c d d c). The intro quotes an age-old song called Vasija de Barro from Ecuador. Rhythmically there is a strong African influence inspired in Soukus and the music from Cape Verde and there's also a little Funky Cumbia in the instrumental interludes.
lyrics
DECIMAS A MI TIERRA (Spanish)
ECUADOR TIERRA QUERIDA
HOY QUISIERA YO CANTARTE
Y UNOS VERSOS DEDICARTE
TU RECUERDO ASI ME INSPIRA
LA DULCE MELANCOLIA
QUE LA AÑORANZA HA DEJADO
ENTERRADA EN MI COSTADO
A PESAR DE LA DISTANCIA
ES LA CUNA DE MI INFANCIA
UN AMOR NUNCA OLVIDADO
LOS TUMBOS QUE DA LA VIDA
A MI ME HAN LLEVADO LEJOS
DE MIS HIJOS DE MIS VIEJOS
Y DE MI GENTE QUERIDA
MI CORAZON NO SE OLVIDA
PUES VIVE SIEMPRE PRESENTE
AQUEL RECUERDO LATENTE
QUE INSPIRA ESTA MELODIA
VOY A CANTARLE ESTE DIA
A MI TIERRA Y A MI GENTE
DOTADO DE GRAN BELLEZA
MI PAIS ES UN TESORO
DESDE EL CARCHI HASTA EL ORO
YO LO AFIRMO CON CERTEZA
JUNTO A LA NATURALEZA
CONVIVE UN PUEBLO PUJANTE
HECHANDO SIEMPRE PA’LANTE
A PESAR DE LA INJUSTICIA
DEL ENGAÑO Y LA AVARICIA
DE CORRUPTOS Y FARSANTES
credits
from MANGO,
track released January 26, 2011
Alex Alvear - Bass, Vocals
Rebecca Cline - Keyboards
Karina Colis - Timbal
Ernesto Diaz - Congas
Eric Doob - Drums
Gonzalo Grau - Minor Percussion, Bckgnd. Vocals & Keyboards
Manolo Mairena - Misc. Percussion
Felipe Salles - Tenor Sax
Jared Sims, Alto Sax
Produced by: Gonzalo Grau
Mixed by: Fernando Aponte
supported by 4 fans who also own “Decimas a Mi Tierra”
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
supported by 4 fans who also own “Decimas a Mi Tierra”
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