What's wrong with Bachata?

[earosemena]

It seems that there is a consensus on this board as to the relationship between a mild form of Dominican insanity related to liking Bachata. Since I do and, in fact, I even dance it rather well, I would be interested in more elaborate explanations of the original premise. For educational purposes, of course. (LOL)

 

[Jane J.]

_{What's the matta - you don't like Bachata?}

I looooove bachata. Let the choposity fall where it may...

 

[Criss Colon]

"Bachata" is like American "Country Music"

To be urban,and sophisticated,you can never admit to listening to "CM"! You have to read the Washington Post and the NewYork Times,and only watch Public Television,and then just a little.I have eclectic tastes in all areas.I love "Country" music,Rap,symphony(Boston),etc.etc.The "snobs" on Dr1,pretend to be very upper class,and therefore cannot listen to "Bachata", eat "Fritura",or drink"Mabi".They are simply "Pretenders to the Throne" and should be dismissed as such.I shop at JC Penny,and am proud of it.Cris...."El Bachatero pa siempre"!Anybody want a "Presidente",con "Clamato","Claro que SIIIII!!"

 

[Golo100]

earosemena, is that the right spelling?

I have to admit that I am one of the greatest critics of bachata in this board. I do not mean any harm with this. I understand quite well why foreigners enjoy this music. It has nothing to do with their taste of music, but rather with their activities here in the island.

Most foreigners frequent places where the lower economic classes maintain contact with tourists. The lower classes cater to tourists because they need them for economic support thru vending, sex, tour guiding, errands,and friendship, since the upper classes ignore them and abuse them. Bachata is the music for the poor. Dominican blue bloods would not be caught dead listening to bachata. Some may like it, but still would hide their feelings. This is almost like having the Kennedys in Martha*s Vineyard listening to rap or country western. Ever seen a student from Brown University who likes country western? Or a college station other than the deep South?

However, bachata has made a turn for the better. It seems that by reaching to Western Europe and permeating different levels of society, Dominican blue bloods do not feel as bad as before about bachata and now are beginning to feel that the music that must be avoided is the decadent and fast dying merengue. Note that the blue bloods are confused. They like and enjoy Ballenato(the old cumbia) by people like Carlos Vives, a darling of "jevitos", yet this music comes from the most backward indians in the Andes mountains, and I believe is as bad as wearing a "chacabana", the formal wear at the Iberoamerican Summit, imposed by our stone age president.

Just think. Ballenato is played with accordions!!! Even bachata has long since stop using this backward and useless instrument that makes me cringe. Whenever I see an accordion I run like hell. I rather be mugged by a tiguere in a passola.

Bachata has hit the big time with the surge of Aventura, the saviors of this gender. Aventura are young, fashionably dressed dark colored jevitos who have great charisma and have incredible harmony with Dominican blues and modern music. They have turned bachata into a fashionable thing worldwide. Their top song(the entire CD is full of #1 potential songs) "obsesion" is the our new National Anthem. This is the most popular song ever in this country. It is hard to avoid it and it does not hurt listening to it 1000 times a day. Dont know why? So dont feel so bad anymore. I even like Aventura. They have style. Love their haircuts. I wish I could cut my hair like that.

However, I would worry about you if you like merengue. That is the music for the decadent. Dancing it is a bore and looking at Dominicans in DR dance it is even worse. Ever seen the Night of the Living Dead walking corpses? Thats how they dance merengue here. At the discos in New York and Miami they dance it better than here.

TW

 

[Criss Colon]

GREAT POST "GOLO"!!!!

I will now start listening to "Bachata" through my speakers,and not just using my headphones! "Las Colinas de Arroyo Honda" will never be the same! Pena's son does play "Bachata" ,but you have to "Expect" that! CCCCCCCCCCccccccccCcCccccccCCCC

 

[Meredith]

I LOVE BACHATA, but I HATE country music! Golo, is right about Aventura, they are amazing, combine old style with new style and have hit all audiences with their songs.
I have seen some amazing merengue dancers though, I don't believe that it is dying. You can always make a dance more fun, add new moves, you just have to have the style yourself. I saw some of the most amazing merengue dancers while I was in the DR, and some pretty amazing ones right here in Canada.

 

[earosemena]

Aveentuuura!

 

[arturo]

Country music and northeastern college radio stations/fans: Lucinda Williams, Tift Merritt, Ryan Adams, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Steve Earle, Shelby Lynn, Allison Moorer, that's enough, you must be getting the idea by now. In addition to Golo's example of Brown University, you can hear these artists on the radio stations of Fordham University in New York (WFUV) and New York University. Try another example, or better yet, try not to view the rest of the world in terms of the Dominican Republic. It's a misleading form of inductive reasoning.

I quite like Aventura by the way and I am sympathetic with Milly Quezada's decision to record a few bachata tracks in recent years.

 

[Criss Colon]

The BOTTOM LINE!

As with most things in LIFE,You may like it,I may hate it,you may hate it,I may like it! Doesn't make you right or make me wrong!Rod Stewerts latest album has Rod "crooning" the "Big Band" Tunes from the 40's& 50's.I really do like Barry Manilow!!!...and "Em&Em"! Go figure."One man's TRASH,is another man's TREASURE"! "To Each His Own"!....Somebody STOP ME!!!CCccCCccCCccColon

 

[earosemena]

I agree with you totally Criss. Para gusto se han hecho colores...The world would be much better if we respected each other?s tastes and points of views. An additional note: I hate snobs of any nationality or persuasion, and that is MY point of view.

 

[Jan]

Well first don't put down "The Night of the Living Dead" That movie was made near my old home in Pwennsylvania. Iv'e played in that graveyard! And they even have the town of Mars mentioned in the movie!
But Bachata. I like it sometimes. Depends on the mood. Its a little bit clunky looking dance but its fun to do sometimes. As is merengue.
Have you ever seen people dancing to "American Music"? It has no style, nothing but some moving their top poprtions of their bottom portions. But try and do it together...almost impossible! They look like a bunch of idiots to me. Thats why I never danced in USA in my whole life.
Merengue and Bachata are fun, close dancing. I laugh the whole time I'm dancing. It's fun! Maybe most of the songs sound the same. Can't help it...I like it!
If your not a blue blood what color blood do you have? Always wondered this...

 

[AnnaC]

Thank you God for poor people and bachata. Thanks for giving us choices too. Imagine if everyone in the world was the same and liked the same things. That would boring.
The reason I thank God for the poor is because we can learn alot of lessons from them.
Jan... I just came back from giving blood and it all looked red to me.

 

[Musicqueen]

Quick story...As you all know by know, I love all things Dominican...including of course Merengue and Bachata...

Love to dance and listen and sing to it!!!

Well, I met the most handsome, educated, well bred man a few weeks ago. In a room full of people, we looked at each other and it was instant attraction...So much so, that even though we were there for other reasons, he asked me if I wanted to leave the very boring party and go somewhere to talk...

Of course I said yes, and was the envy of the rest of the girls at the party...

Starting to see the picture?

When we got to the restaurant where we were going to talk and have a drink, I asked where he was from...He looked very European...Tall and handsome!

...(He's a lawyer, speaks four languages, dresses impeccably!) I almost dropped dead when he told me he was Dominican!!! I liked him even better now!

So, immediately and without thinking (as usual!) I asked him if he knew how to dance Merengue and Bachata...

My, oh my! Big mistake!!!...

Turns out the guy is from a very distinguished family in the DR...and sure enough, he let me know...(although very nicely...) that the DR's "society" doesn't listen to that kind of music...He added that he doesn't agree with that, and he likes and knows how to dance merengue and bachata, but he made sure I understood that "in those circles" it's not "proper" to even admit you like the stuff!

Hmmmm, talk about absurd...and I told him so...Since I grew up in a place where that music was never heard of before, I like salsa, merengue, bachata, vallenato and every other rhythm from the Caribbean...I even learned how to like Tango...although I have not been able to learn to dance it yet!

I enjoy all kinds of music, maybe not so much rap...but even C&W has some wonderful songs I enjoy...

This guy and I have made plans to continue seeing each other, but let me tell you...if he doesn't lighten up about the music...it's not going to last long!

 

[x_man]

my immediate thought:

didn,t ""golo mention he had a son? wow, small world.

 

[RedrumXIII]

I love Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead (which I saw in DR as Zombi 2!!! :O) and Day of the Dead......

redrum

 

[Hillbilly]

Bachata has a beat, words that you can understand, humor (really important) andit is fun. Call me chopo, low class (hell, I'm a hillbilly) but it is listenable....And I love country for many of the same reasons, but then, again I was brought up on WWVA outta Wheeling, West Virginia.
What's wrong with merengue? Done right, it is graceful and sensual. But I am old fashioned and like Luis Alberti and the Dominican National Anthem--Compadre Pedro Juan.

then again, I really like CrissCCCCC's stance-eclectic! That's me.

HB

 

[Meredith]

... and bachata is soooooo Rommannnnticcccccc :knockedou

 

[Jan]

I also like the accordian...or the squeeze box! Cajun music..Zydeco is great! And the "hillbilly" music too. Metamora is great...bluegrass stuff. Sort of like the country music here. Its part of the culture and need to learn to appriciate all for what it is and where it comes from.
I like to hear the old guys doing their thing. But have to admit, sometimes that metal scratchy thingy...whats it called...can get a tad annoying!

 

[Jane J.]

Jan if you mean "la guira", just be thanful your 6-year old doesn't OWN one. Agh.

 

[Jan]

Gracias a dios!!! jejejeje