Merengue question

St Louis

Even Dominicans dont buy merengue. They steal anything they can get and only pick one or two songs to tape or download for variety.

I am surprised you did not die of boredom listening to Rubby Perez doing the same thing over and over. If you take any merengue track by Dominican bands you will find the same pattern. They all sound alike. Every Millie song is a copy of the prior one. Her obnoxious scream is sickening.

This is why at tonights Latin Grammys if any Dominican wins anything I will be surprised. The Puerto Ricans have won most merengue Grammys over the years and some of them are even bored with merengue and have turned to pop very successfully, like Olga Ta?on and Gisselle. Olga just won the pop Grammy a few minutes ago, something that Millie will only have the priviledge to dream of.

The best Dominican bet is Ilegales and Monchy and Alexandra for a Grammy. Illegales is the best Dominican group. Most bachata singers and groups are very good and excel at what they do. DR is turning into a bachata nation. Merengue is dead. It will follow the path of the tango and samba, which is only followed in Brazil and Portugal. Its one for the history books and tourists.

But if you care to listen to merengue, stick to Grupo Mania, Grupo Staff(the best young Dominican band) and the declining Elvis Crespo, who still sounds better than Dominican bands. To?o failed miserably with his last CD and his stupid Yo Kuli Tu Kula garbage. Only brainless people would listen to that. Tulile, a revelation of late has gone into limbo just using his old material. Los Rosarios are too old. Villalona is living off his fame in DR and oldtimers. Young people detest him. No one listens to merengue in the barrios. Some young people are listening to Johnny Venturas son, who has a band and a hit song called "La Almohada", which has a nice beat. I hear the rest of the CD has good stuff. But I hate their style.

TW

I enjoyed Johnny Ventura way back when...
IMO a good merengue motivates the people to have a good time, and for a while, forget about their troubles.
mk
sueltala... que se acab?

Merengue...

mkohn said:

I enjoyed Johnny Ventura way back when...
IMO a good merengue motivates the people to have a good time, and for a while, forget about their troubles.
mk]


you can't deny there is nothing like a merengue to motivate people to dance, but after awhile it gets monotonous and I'm ready for something else.

Click to expand...

not merengue but...

I was wondering if anyone else has heard Zacarias Ferreira's "Amiga Veneno". What makes this song unique is a Santana-like guitar rift. Very unique, in my experience, for a bachata.

Khamari and Forbeca

"Amiga Veneno" by Zacarias Ferreira is one of the reasons bachata has dethroned merengue. This song borrows from Many different rythmns and styles to make bachata better. Ferreira used blues, latin jazz and other techniques to improve on his product. On the other hand, as Forbeca says.....how long can you listen to the same rythmn and wasted lyrics time and time again?

Just today, I had a philosophical headache listening to a merengue tuned on somebody*s radio. Then I asked myself ....why?

Some Dominican band had the nerve to turn "A Dios Le Pido", the Juanes award winning hit song into a merengue. This usage of original hit songs to create merengue arrangements is a disgrace. It is called "fusilamiento"(execution by firing squad). The name itself gives it true meaning. This is the best way to destroy a song and discredit merengue.

Then you wonder why merengue is being given its last rites. This is nothing new, but when it started it marked the beginning of the end for merengue. No one tried the old formula of writing original merengue songs anymore. They figure it is better and easier to ride the coattails of a hit song and make quick money. But people just got sick of it.

If anyone of you would only tried to take the Juanes song and imagine you are the one making the arrangement, you would not be very far from creating the same mess. It takes no genius to just take the same song, add the typical merengue beat..and voila!!! What a f-cking mess.

This is not exclusive of merengue bands. There was once an original movement called "disco" with fresh ideas from people like Barry White, Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer and others. They created the best dance ever, "The Hustle". Better than rock and roll, twist, mashed potatoes, reggae. But newer stars decided to turn Sinatra and other hit songs into disco beats and disco died a premature death. Hard rock survived again.

I recall how some Latin vocalists began to take Paul Anka and Elvis songs and translated them into spanish. They violated "I Will Survive", perhaps the greatest song ever. The artist who suffered most from these parodies was Whitney Houston. None have succeeded.

If you really want to understand what I mean, stop and listen to this monstruosity made with "A Dios Le Pido". You will never wish to listen to merengue again.

TW

Disco??

Disco...the greatest music ever? Dios mio! Golo...I lost all respect for you. And techno, I can't call that music when it comes out of a box.(speaking in general terms mind you)
Discos only value is to remember where you were and what you were doing years ago. I couldn't stand it when it came out and now...a little.
All music ,if you listen to the same thing all the time, gets old. Thats why variety is the best. Depends on where you are, what mood your in and sometimes who your with. But then thats why theres so many different types and styles of music.
I listened to more merengue and bachata when I was in USA just to make me feel like I was here. Now my merengue CDs are collecting dust. Strange on how things change.

Jan

I dont believe you read well. I never said disco was the best music ever, althought I admit it was lots of fun dancing it. What I said was that disco, as well as other music trends, came accompanied with a dance style. In this case it was "the hustle". Wether you liked it or not, it was the best popular dance style created so far, because it involved partner dancing with close contact and a large variety of steps, turns, hip and shoulder movements. I t borrowed some style from salsa. Previous popular dances like rock and roll, mashed potatoes,twist and others required little skill and kept the partners away much of the time.

As far as credit given to the music of the time, I was not the one choosing "I will survive" when it was voted by a creditable poll worlwide as the best song ever. I disagreed with it, but it was not far off. If you dont consider this song that good, I can tell you it is perhaps the most recognizable song ever and a hymn for positive thinking used by merchandisers. This song never misses being used in any major musical event. Was the fact that it was disco a mere coincidence? How come people continue to dance to Saturday Night Fever, even at plays? Coincidence?

When I met electronic, dont pitch me in with techno, unless you dont know who Autechre and FSOL are? Techno is one thing, this is another.

Besides, you should not be so critical when you find bachata music at colmadones to be your favorite.

TW

On Latino Mix I heard them play 50 Cents In The Club Remix and I loved it! It had a merengue beat and sounded so hot! Otherwise I don't listen to much Merengue but that song I can listen to over and over again.

Re: Khamari and Forbeca

Golo100 said:

"
There was once an original movement called "disco" with fresh ideas from people like Barry White, Gloria Gaynor, Donna Summer and others. They created the best dance ever, "The Hustle". Better than rock and roll, twist, mashed potatoes, reggae.

They violated "I Will Survive", perhaps the greatest song ever. TW

Click to expand...

I always suspected. Now I know. Golo has a vagina!

The greatest song ever? Funniest thing I have read on DR in a long time. Even Joey Ramone is laughing in his Grave over that one. Joe Strummer wants to kick your teeth in over that statement. DeeDee just thinks your a ignorant twit!
Next time I see Gloria I'll ask her if she considers her song the greatest song ever. Yes I do know her.

Gabba Gabba Hey!

Golo,
I gotta agree with Tony man. I cant believe you typed that. Have you ever listened to the words of that song? I mean, its ok but its a womans song man.The greatest song ever??? Geeez.
Larry