Memory/Memoria and Music(a)

Corridos in Migrant Memory

by

Martha I Chew Sanchez

Press Release about Corridos in Migrant Memory

Book Review by Maria Herrera-Sobek

New in Music

I cannot think, breathe, write nor work without music. I'm currently studying, reading and writing to Erikah Badu's new release "New Amerikah, Part One (4th World War)", whose album cover seems to be giving props to Angela Davis and old school Pam Grier.

The songs are smooth as ever, especially the track "Me," which is sublime. Badu is certainly working her talent and magic in this exquisite new collection of songs.

Forget Amy Winehouse, listen to this now.

You Must Listen To...

Music, along with writing, is central in my life. I am currently listening to the amazing, the one and only, and there will never be another....


Ben Harper





He is the man!


Check out his masterpiece: "Both Sides of the Gun," which has been compared to The White Album and London Calling...but Harper stands alone in his talent, originality and influence. What a musical magician!

Thank You Lila & Chavela

At a stressful point in time, I always rely on the music of Lila Downs and Chavela Vargas to allow room for me to breathe and remain calm.

Thank you for your music, Lila and Chavela!

Check out Lila's interview about the music featured in the film "Frida" (which also features the amazing Brazilian composer Caetano Veloso).




Lila's interview was posted by OmarLA

Also, check out Lila's rendition of "Paloma Negra" (it's right up there with Lola Beltran's version). Que gran voz!




Lila posted by 2Hermano

And la Diosa, Chavela Vargas, singing "Que Te Vaya Bonito". Te amo, Chavela!

(posted by NPerry5000)

For All Music Lovers...

For all music lovers out there, check out "Hospital Music," the newly released CD by writer, activist and musician Matthew Good, whose website merits being part of your Yahoo Favorites. Great songwriting and memorable melodies.



Who says us fellas who wear glasses are not talented?!

A Tribute to Nina Simone (1933-2003)

A YouTube suscriber by the name of "julieoliverio" created this beautiful and loving tribute to the great Nina Simone, whose cover of "Here Comes the Sun" is 10x better than the original. I love listening to the song when I'm feeling down.



"Here Comes the Sun" is featured in "The Essential Nina Simone, Vol. 2"

Remembering Antonio Aguilar

R.I.P. -- Antonio Aguilar (1919-2007)

"Every Ghetto, Every City" Lauryn Hill

Check out Lauryn Hill's autobiographical song "Every Ghetto, Every City," my favorite hip hop track from "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill":

"I was just a little girl
Skinny legs, a press and curl
My mother always thought I'd be a star
But way before the record deals
Streets that nurtured Lauryn Hill
made sure that I'd never go too far

Every ghetto, every city
and suburban place I been
Make me recall my days, in New Jerusalem

Story starts in Hootaville
Grew up next to Ivy Hill
When kids were stealing quartervilles for fun
"Kill the Guy" in Carter Park
Rode a Mongoose til it's dark
Watching kids show off the stolen ones

Every ghetto, every city
and suburban place I been
Make me recall my days, in the New Jerusalem

You know it's hot
Don't forget, what you got
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back
You know it's hot
Don't forget, what you got
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back

Bag of Bontons, twenty cents and a nickel (well that's a quarter)
Springfield Ave. had the best popsicles
Saturday morning cartoons and Kung-Fu (wuh-TAH!)
Main street roots tonic with the dreds
A beef patty and some coco bread
Move the patch from my Lee's to the tongue of my shoes
'Member, FreLng-Huysen used to have the bomb leather
Back when Doug Fresh and Slick Rick was together
Looking at the crew, we thought we'd all live forever

You know it's hot
Don't forget, what you got
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back
You know it's hot
Don't forget, what you got
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back

Drill teams on Munn street
'Member when Hawthorne and Chancellor had beef
Moving Records was on Central Ave.
I was there at dancing school
South Orange Ave. at Borlin pool
Unaware of what we didn't have
Writing my friends' names on my jeans with a marker
July 4th races outside Parker
Fireworks at Martin Stadium
The Untouchable P.S.P.
where all them crazy be
And car thieves got away through Irvington
Hillside brings beef with the cops
Self Destruction record drops
And everybody's name was Muslim (children playing, women producing)
Sensations and eighty-eight
attracted kids from out of state
And everybody used to do the wop (wop it out, wop it out, wop it out)
Jack ya jack ya jack ya body
Nah, the BizMark used to amp up the party
I wish those days, they didn't stop

Every ghetto, every city
and suburban place I been
Make me recall my days, in New Jerusalem

You know it's hot
Don't forget, what you got
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back
You know it's hot
Don't forget, what you got
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back
You know it's hot
Don't forget, what you got

Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back
Lookin back.. lookin back, lookin back, lookin back"

Lauryn Hill, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill"

"Whatever Happened?" by The Strokes

("I'll throw you outta my house if you don't cut that hair!")

My current favorite song that insists on forgetting...

"Whatever Happened?"

by The Strokes (as featured in the Marie Antoinette soundtrack):

I want to be forgotten,

and I don't want to be reminded.

You say "please don't make this harder."

No, I won't yet.

I wanna be beside her.

She wanna be admired.

You say "please don't make this harder."

No, I won't yet.

Oh dear, is it really all true?

Did they offend us and they want it to sound new?

Top ten ideas for countdown shows...

Whose culture is this and does anybody know?

I wait and tell myself "life ain't chess,"

But no one comes in and yes, you're alone...

You don't miss me, I know.

Oh Tennessee, what did you write?

I come together in the middle of the night.

Oh that's an ending that I can't write, 'cause

I've got you to let me down.

I want to be forgotten,

and I don't want to be reminded.

You say "please don't make this harder."

No, I won't yet.

I want to be beside her.

She wanna be admired.

You say "please don't make this harder."

No, I won't yet...

Remembering "Lola, La Grande"

Currently listening (and weeping) to:

Lola "La Grande" Beltran (1932-1996)

Lila Downs

Lila Downs:

1. Viborita - Lila Downs
2. Dignificada - Lila Downs
3. Cielo Rojo - Lila Downs
4. La Bamba - Lila Downs
5. One Blood - Lila Downs
6. Malinche - Lila Downs
7. Tirineni Tsitsiki - Lila Downs
8. La Cucaracha - Lila Downs
9. Mother Jones - Lila Downs
10. Paloma Negra - Lila Downs
11. Brown Paper People - Lila Downs
12. Una Sangre - Lila Downs
13. Yanahuari Nin - Lila Downs

Remembering La Reyna de Tex Mex -- Selena (1971-1995)

When listening to, and remembering, the artistas who have left the most memorable music in our cultura, we must never forget La Reyna:


Selena (1971-1995)

(get out the boots and start dancin'!)

Listening to the Matriarch of Tex Mex

This Spring Break '07, it's been all about music. I've been listening to Joan Baez, Lola Beltran, Lalo Guerrero, Lila Downs, Chavela Vargas and the lovely Lydia Mendoza

Remembering the Father of Chicano Music -- Eduardo "Lalo" Guerrero

Recordando a: Eduardo "Lalo" Guerrero (1916-2005)

Guerrero was the trailblazer for all Chicano musicians with an impressive repertoire that included boleros, corridos, children's canciones and blues songs. As a lyricist, he wrote about the plight of farmworkers and created "spoofs" of traditional American songs. His "pachuco style" music was immortalized in the Golden Globe nominated drama/musical "Zoot Suit" (1981), which featured a young Edward James Olmos as "El Pachuco". Don Guerrero's music has been so influential as to have earned numerous covers by the likes of Jose Alfredo Jimenez, Lola Beltran and Los Panchos--grand figures in the history of Mexican music.

Ay de Mi, Llorona!

Currently listening
(and weeping) to:



"Gracias a la Vida/Here's to Life" (1974)

Joan Baez