How Dominicans identify with music...

Talldrink · Jun 6, 2006

The other day while getting my hair done at a Dominican hair salon I was listening to a local radio station and they were playing only Spanish songs from the 60's and 70's. Everyone - young and old - knew most of the lyrics of the songs, myself included. We sparked a conversation that day at the salon on how Dominicans identify with music.

If you walk into a local lounge (o un cafe como le dicen aya) in DR, they play classic music that goes back 10, 20 or even 30 years back, everyone is singing or humming the lyrics regardless of age.

At my tender age of 29, I love the songs that were popular when my mother was growing up. My best friend is also Dominican, and we both know what a real Spanish music classic is. On the other hand, my other friend who is from another country didn?t know who Rocio Durcal or Rocio Jurado were when the news broke that they died. We realized that many young adults that are from other Latin countries are not exposed to music as we were.

They have no clue who Leo Dan, Leonardo Fabio, Jose Jose, Camilo Sesto, Paquito Guzman, Manolo Galvan, La Lupe, Vikki Karr, Ana Gabriel, Juan Gabriel, Adamo, Jose Luis Peralta, Camboy Estevez, Fausto Rey, Anthony Rios, and Sandro are.

They also don?t realize that:

That the original version of Carolina was not a merengue from Eddy Herrera, it was a beautiful ballad popular circa 1977 sung by Nino Bravo.
That the original version of Anais? ?Esta Vida? was made popular by Marisela Hernandez years ago ? no other version is as good as the original.
That the songs El Vacilon (on Mega 97.9) bases most of its parodies are older than most of the people that actually listen to the show.
That Fernandito Villalona started to sing ballads more than 40 years ago, when he was only 12.
That Los Potros are the sons of El Caballo ? Johnny Ventura
That Antony Santos can actually sing when he sang some beautiful ballads about 20 years ago.

I wonder if this is a dying part of our culture. Now that bachatas are considered romantic (even by me!) I think today?s Dominican kids will still grow up with ?sentimiento? ? but this time with a twist. But what about the real classics? Will they go away never to be remembered or sampled again?

miguel · Jun 6, 2006

Nice!

What many people do not understand is that the DR IS A HAPPY COUNTRY!. MANY think that since the DR is a third world country, that EVERYBODY is unhappy. NOT A CHANCE.

Music, to MANY Dominicans, bring joy and happiness. Haven't we seen a poor limpiabotas, dancing and humming a song in between his "LIMPIABOTAS" chants?.

MOST Dominicans indentity with music, ALL types of music.

MANY people think that Dominicans only know about Merengue, Bachata and Perico Ripiao, not knowing that MOST Dominicans know A LOT about singers from other countries. A LOT.

When we (Dominicans) were young, our fathers and mothers were listening to Raphael, Sandro, Leonardo Fabio, Salvatore Adamo, Julio Iglesias, Felipe Pirela, Vicentico Valdez, Roberto Ledesma, Julio Jaramillo, Daniel Santos, Gilberto Monroig, La Lupe, Rolando Laserie, Tito Rodriguez and other great non-Dominican singers. Therefore, we (Dominicans) grew up liking those singers also.

When a friend of mine said to me "why are you listening to Rafeal Pirela, that song is like 45 years old?, my only reply to him was "let's see, the man had a great voice, the song have some meaning, a true bolero and it also reminds me of my mother and father, I have the best of 4 worlds".

When Dominicans relocate to the US or any other country in the world, MOST DO bring their music, all types of music, with them. ALL music that we identify with.

A lot of young people, nowadays, think that music starts and end with Rap, Raggaeton and Bachata. I guess that they have not explored other types of happiness!.

To me, I am very happy with my: Raphael, Sandro, Favio, Pirela, Adamo, Leo Dan, Nino Bravo, Pecos Kanvas, Claudia de Colombia, Tito Rodriguez, Julio Iglesias, Ledesma, Chiquetete, the 2 Rocios, Lolita, Palito Ortega and MANY, MANY others.

But don't forget that it does not stops there, we(Dominicans) like SOME of the new stuff.

Talldrink · Jun 6, 2006

I have music from many of the artists you mentioned in my Ipod music collection. If you go to a music store in DR - you will still find these songs in a remarstered CD and best of all, they are still selling!

And yes, we do listen to all sorts of music. Juanes was more popular in DR than in the US before La Camisa Negra became popular. And Ana Gabriel, Marco Antonio Solis, and Laura Pausini will sell out a concert in DR at any given time.

Musicqueen · Jun 6, 2006

Talldrink said:
They have no clue who Leo Dan, Leonardo Fabio, Jose Jose, Camilo Sesto, Paquito Guzman, Manolo Galvan, La Lupe, Vikki Karr, Ana Gabriel, Juan Gabriel, Adamo, Jose Luis Peralta, Camboy Estevez, Fausto Rey, Anthony Rios, and Sandro are.

I'm amazed that YOU DO KNOW some of these names...MOST people I know, and I work for a fricking radio station, HAVE NO CLUE!!!

Great post again, Talldrink...

MQ

miguel · Jun 6, 2006

Got it!

Talldrink said:
I have music from many of the artists you mentioned in my Ipod music collection. If you go to a music store in DR - you will still find these songs in a remarstered CD and best of all, they are still selling!

And yes, we do listen to all sorts of music. Juanes was more popular in DR than in the US before La Camisa Negra became popular. And Ana Gabriel, Marco Antonio Solis, and Laura Pausini will sell out a concert in DR at any given time.

I have so much music that even when my g/f gifted me an Ipod, I ended up bying another that holds more songs, 7, 500 songs!!.

I bought, a few years ago, a CD to CD recorder and I recorded ALL my LP's to CD's. The biggest pain in the "axx" was recording about 50 Raphael LP's. After that, they all went straight to my IPods.

I hope that many, here, are not surprised that SOME of us know who Pavatotti, Nelson Ned, Nicola Di Bari, Charles Aznavour, Roberto Carlos, Armando Manzanero, Javier Solis, Pedro Infante, Rogelio Guerra, Lucho Gatica, Lola Flores are.

Btw, every single one that you mentioned are in my IPods also.

El Tigre · Jun 6, 2006

Don't forget to include Lucho Gatica. My grandma loved his music and I listened to it all the times.

TD I too have all of those in my IPOd. I have them under a collection called Musica Del Ayer.

I'm getting goose bumps as I type this. I remember when my father was in the UASD. He used to come to Santiago on his brakes and have me play the LPs on the Vitrola they had in my house. His favorites were Jose Jose, Nino Bravo, Emilio Jose, Salvatore Adame, Leo Dan, Palito Ortega, Ramon Leonardo, Camboy Estevez and Francis Santana.

I grew up listening to that and hope to teach my kids (when I have them) about this WONDERFUL music.

When my little brothers visit me I play this stuff and they laugh at me and say "you are just like father listening to that old crap, you are just like an old man" (i'm only 28) One time I got so freaking upset that I told them to get the hell out of my house if they couldn't respect my musical taste. If I can put up with an hour or two of their glorious Reggaeton they have to respect my musical choices.

I really hope this doesn't die out. As long as we have people like us TD, MQ, Miguel and others it won't die out. We have to preach this stuff to the younger generation.

Dragonfly32837 · Jun 6, 2006

It is so true. I am only 22 years old and I know and love most of the artists that you mentioned. My favorites are Leonardo Fabio, Camilo Sesto, Juan Gabriel, Ana Gabriel, Raphy Leavitt, Leo Dan and Manolo Galvan. I love that green cd from Manolo Galvan that has the songs Abuelo and Pequeño Gorrion. The abuelo songs always reminds me of my grandfather. He is still alive but that is the song that will always remind me of him. My grandfather got me into Ana Gabriel and Vicente Fernandez.

My mother also got me into listening to La Sonora Matancera, Nat King Cole, Los Panchos, among others. I will remember my mother forever when I listen to Angustia from La Sonora Matancera.

Music for my family and I has been a way to unite each other. No matter what we disagree in, music will always be something that we can agree on and will bring us together.

Stodgord · Jun 6, 2006

Talldrink said:
That the original version of Anais? ?Esta Vida? was made popular by Marisela Hernandez years ago ? no other version is as good as the original.
?

I think the title of the song is "lo que son las cosas" and I think the original artist was Ednita Nazario from Puerto Rico. I could be wrong but that is what I hear everyone say. By the way my 3 year old love that song and the one from Valeria Lynch (fuera de mi vida). Anyway, singing is in the Dominican livelihood. From the ladies singing while doing their house chores, to the sing along on the buses to and from the capital and the singing of the drunk old man at certain time of the night. I am yet to get on a bus to el cibao where there isn't a sing along. If "querida" is played on the bus, you know for sure you will have a sing along.

Talldrink · Jun 6, 2006

Stogord - you may be correct about Ednita - she is another one that should be added to our Classic list.

My baby girl (who's 2 and 1/2) loves "lo que son las cosas" too - and I HATE the girl who sings it - now I am forced to leave it on when it is playing on the radio just for the little one!

Is funny that your post reminds me of the people who have their radio hooked up to ONE battery. If they have no energy, they still have the radio! Or they put the radio on in the car and just leave the windows open. People sit around it and sip on their Presidentes. No wonder colmados sell according to how loud their speakers are and how cold the Frias can be served. Regardless if there is one colmado on each of the 4 corners of an intersection.

Oh and one more... Also, have you noticed how when the COUNTRY likes one artist or one album, they will play and play and play it some more until da diarrea?? They will put a song on repeat or an album on loop the whole day - and we just get used to it. When I come back from DR I am usually forced to buy a CD because the songs have been burned to my brain!

Keith R · Jun 6, 2006

TD, I'd hazard a guess that my wife knows all those artists and many, many more, especially the ballad singers of yesteryear -- including those from much before she was born, regardless of nationality. This past Christmas I gave her several gifts, but the one that excited her the most -- a CD of Jose Jose's exitos. I had to steal it from her car months later in order to get the tunes into my Ipod, because she listens (and sings) to it constantly. LOL

We used to have an wonderful elderly Brazilian lady living across the street from us when we first moved into my neighborhood. She loved visiting with us in part because she liked having another latina (my wife) on the block, and in part because she could chat in Portuguese with me about Brazilian stuff. Well, one time when my suegra was visiting, she asked Mami what her favorite artists were. The two of them ended up spending the rest of the night singing ancient tangos! They both knew every word, every inflection! It was quite a show.

So yes, my personal observation has been that Dominicans have this thing for music and they are not paroichial about it like some nationalities tend to be (i.e., only play/sing/listen to a certain type of music, or only artists from their country). But, on the other hand, I have found many, many Brazilians to be likewise, so I don't think it's uniquely Dominican...

macocael · Jun 6, 2006

Juan Lockward anyone? He just died recently.

I love the fact that my neighbors listen to old boleros and such. While the stores dont stock the stuff, the people do, in their hearts, in their record collections, or by tuning into the radio.

Many of today's hits are covers of old songs. I used to love listening to El Zafiro for his wild gypsy kind of singing (all that ululation), but then I discovered that many of his songs were very very old and came from other countries -- one of my favorites was a famous tango.

But music plays a special role in the culture here and if you appreciate it and have an ear, you will find that you are welcome just about anywhere! What always amazes me is how everyone knows the words of all the songs. And they pick them up quickly, almost as if by osmosis.

One of the special things about merengue, too, is the way it takes ordinary human suffering and turns it into a kind of joy, it always manages to convert that tear to a laugh. Bachata is cry in your beer music, but merengue is the music of a wise man laughing at folly. Wonderful.

miguel · Jun 6, 2006

Let's see your answers!

Do you guys know that MUSIC is just about the center of EVERYTHING?.

Btw, macocael, MOST(if not A LOT) merengues, salsas and bachatas were old ballads. One can go as far back as Agustin Lara and you can still "see" people recording his original compositions into some type of genre!.

Btw, I also like Pedro Vargas and I LOVE Carlos Gardel.

Hipocrito Mejia · Jun 7, 2006

It is very rare to find a decent original merengue nowadays. Just look at the album that relaunched El Jeffrey, and you'll notice that there is only one original song that is noteworthy, which seems to go along with the general trend, where maybe 10% of the merengues being recorded are original. (Merengue de Calle does not count!)

miguel · Jun 7, 2006

Amazing!!

Talldrink said:
The other day while getting my hair done at a Dominican hair salon I was listening to a local radio station and they were playing only Spanish songs from the 60's and 70's. Everyone - young and old - knew most of the lyrics of the songs, myself included. We sparked a conversation that day at the salon on how Dominicans identify with music.

If you walk into a local lounge (o un cafe como le dicen aya) in DR, they play classic music that goes back 10, 20 or even 30 years back, everyone is singing or humming the lyrics regardless of age.

At my tender age of 29, I love the songs that were popular when my mother was growing up. My best friend is also Dominican, and we both know what a real Spanish music classic is. On the other hand, my other friend who is from another country didn’t know who Rocio Durcal or Rocio Jurado were when the news broke that they died. We realized that many young adults that are from other Latin countries are not exposed to music as we were.

They have no clue who Leo Dan, Leonardo Fabio, Jose Jose, Camilo Sesto, Paquito Guzman, Manolo Galvan, La Lupe, Vikki Karr, Ana Gabriel, Juan Gabriel, Adamo, Jose Luis Peralta, Camboy Estevez, Fausto Rey, Anthony Rios, and Sandro are.

They also don’t realize that:

That the original version of Carolina was not a merengue from Eddy Herrera, it was a beautiful ballad popular circa 1977 sung by Nino Bravo.

That the original version of Anais’ “Esta Vida” was made popular by Marisela Hernandez years ago – no other version is as good as the original.

That the songs El Vacilon (on Mega 97.9) bases most of its parodies are older than most of the people that actually listen to the show.

That Fernandito Villalona started to sing ballads more than 40 years ago, when he was only 12.

That Los Potros are the sons of El Caballo – Johnny Ventura

That Antony Santos can actually sing when he sang some beautiful ballads about 20 years ago.

I wonder if this is a dying part of our culture. Now that bachatas are considered romantic (even by me!) I think today’s Dominican kids will still grow up with ‘sentimiento’ – but this time with a twist. But what about the real classics? Will they go away never to be remembered or sampled again?

I can not believe that posts on this thread are not "going thru the roof".

This, in my opnion, is one of the best thread that we have had in a very long time. I guess that members are too busy posting on threads about 6-6-6 or a thread ("What most Dominican men expect from their girlfriends") that started fine but turned out to be more of a joke than anything.

I mean, Jesus Christ, music just about moves everything and just about EVERYBODY identify with it, if they don't, they are dead!!. .

When at war, we listen to music,
When in love, we listen to music,
When we are dumped, we listen to music,
When we drink, we listen to music,
When we eat, we listen to music,
When we are making the "sex stuff", we listen to music,
When we are happy, we listen to music,
When we are sad, we listen to music,
When we are in a coma, people put music so we can hear it,
When we miss someone, we listen to music,
When we die, SOME people want music at their funerals,
When we go to the bathroom, SOME like to listen to music,
When there's any type of celebration, we listen to music,
When we are at any office (Doctor's, Dentist's), we listen to music,
When we want to think of someone, we listen to the music that would remind us of that person,
Etc, ect, ect.........

When I die, I want the same thing that Johnny Ventura wants, "cuando yo me muera, no me traigan flores......lo que me vayan a dar, que me lo den ahora".

Robert · Jun 7, 2006

Music and Understanding Youth in the Dominican Republic

Petaka · Jun 7, 2006

Looking for singers info

ok boys and girls go ask your mother, father, grandpa or gramma about these two names. I doubt any of you heard of the them.

Growing up in the DR I used to listen to a singer called Ramon Perez. This guy used to sing the most beautiful balads and they used to play his records usually at noon, siesta time. I have no idea where he was from or what ever happen to him all I know is he was good.

There was also another one that used to come on TV with Julio Cesar Defillo and those guys.
Her name was Ivette Pereyra and I think she became a dentist. I do not think she had any recordings, but besides been very pretty she had the most beautiful voice on television.

macocael · Jun 7, 2006

MIguel, when I die, I want them to play La Cuna Blanca, No Me Llores Mas, La Mala Maña, and Encontré lo que Buscaba. That will cover my favorite genres here!

One of these days we have to meet, compare notes, music libraries etc. You know where to find me.

Music for me is everything but I do know some people who incomprehensibly are not into it. S trange.

Talldrink · Jun 7, 2006

El Tigre said:
...I really hope this doesn't die out. As long as we have people like us TD, MQ, Miguel and others it won't die out. We have to preach this stuff to the younger generation.

Yesterday I was playing Camilo Sesto (again) my baby girl usually bops to anything I play (she LOVES music). My son (8) asked me to put HIS favorite song on - guess which one it was! Fresa Salvaje. I put it on and both of them were jamming to it, I played it about 3 times in a row until I got home. I taught him the lyrics to the hook and most of the beginning. My daughter did the chorus (that real aunthentic 70's sounding hook!) and he sings the rest.

It was a kodak moment - one of my proud moments as a Dominican mom... :cheeky:

miguel · Jun 7, 2006

Nice!

macocael said:
MIguel, when I die, I want them to play La Cuna Blanca, No Me Llores Mas, La Mala Maña, and Encontré lo que Buscaba. That will cover my favorite genres here!

One of these days we have to meet, compare notes, music libraries etc. You know where to find me.

Music for me is everything but I do know some people who incomprehensibly are not into it. S trange.

See, one of the songs that I want played at my funeral is Johnny Ventura's "El muerto". Why?:

Because I know that when I die, I will be stopped at "the gate", God is going to deny me entry and He will tell me to go "downstairs" and when I do, "the diablo" is ALSO going to deny me entry to his "KingDoom". They both claim that I have been too bad to be in Heaven and wayyyy to bad too be in Hell, hahahahahaha!!!.

macocael, I told you once that I have some music in my IPods that WILL knock your socks off(even without taking your shoes off). You name the genre, I probably have it. Just let me know, I will pack my Ipods, my Ipods speakers and we can be listening to non-stop music for 312.50 HOURS (13 DAYS!!!). Got any Presidentes and some mouth wash??. LOL.

Btw, my daughter's friends at college are always asking her about the "funny music/songs" that she has on her IPod. Born and raised in the US but she LOVEEEEEES Camilo Sesto's "Presa Salvage". Have liked it since she was a baby. Chiquetete's "En la puerta de Toledo" is another favorite of hers. Not to mention songs going back to Javier Solis and Olga Guillot (one of her grandma's, RIP, favorites). Not to mention Wilkins and Danny Rivera and of course, Raphael, Nino Bravo and Sandro!. Like she says: "I have everything from my generation and also from my father and grandparents generation". Not bad, huh!.

miguel · Jun 7, 2006

Ohhhhh!

I forgot to mention:

"Cartas Amarillas" by Nino Bravo is one of my all times favorite. I can honestly say that I can listen to that song, over and over again, for a whole week and NOT get sick of it!!.

What a shame he died so darn young and in his prime!!.

How Dominicans identify with music...

El Mujeron

I didn't last long...

El Mujeron

Miami Nice!

I didn't last long...

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator

Bronze

Bronze

El Mujeron

"Believe it!"

Bronze

I didn't last long...

Bronze

I didn't last long...

Stay Frosty!

New member

Bronze

El Mujeron

I didn't last long...

I didn't last long...