After all the posts regarding Mecano on Leche's trip report thread, I thought maybe we could resurrect (?) the topic of pop music from the same general period in Spain, the late 80s and early 90s.

I'll list a few CDs of SPANISH pop that I recommend (in addition to Mecano):

Duncan Dhu: Autobiografía; this is a greatest hits album, and I recommend the other albums by Duncan Dhu, but for a novice listener, this has some excellent tunes, good lyrics, and good producing.

El Norte: Tempestad; I don't know if anyone else likes these guys, but for some reason they stick on me like glue. I don't even know if they're around anymore. Catchy pop-rock, with decent lyrics...I've used their songs in HS Spanish class settings w/o problems.

La Unión: Vivir al este de Edén; A must have. These guys are (were) fairly popular around Europe, and I've seen them many times on 120 Minutes (MTV). Also available on Napster, si quieres.

and lastly...

Hombres G: Voy a pasármelo bien; This is the title of the song that I like too, but their best song titles have to be these two gems:
«Tu madre tiene bigote» (Best song title of all time) and «Qué difícil es hacer el amor en un Simca 1000». Anyone who's seen (or driven) a Simca understands the song.

Hey, CaliBasco, thanks for bringing this up!! I have been (thanks to Napster--eek...don't tell on me) trying to recreate a tape that my Spanish boyfriend Arturo made for me in the summer of 1990. I still have the tape (with the classic BAD SONG "Baticueva" by Wilfred y La Ganga), but it's old and falling apart. I have managed to get several of the Hombres G songs you mentioned, along with some others that make me laugh! I will post the list when I get to my home computer. Now, while visiting MadridMan, I can listen to old Spain songs at the same time. What fun!!
Tara

That SNL sketch so funny

Here are some of the songs from the summer 1990 tape my friend made me:

Objetivo Birmania--Los amigos de mis amigas son mis amigos

Danza Invisible--Este lado de la carretera

Los Inhumanos--Que dificil es hacer el amor en un Simca 1000 (Was this Hombres G or Los Inhumanos, Cali? Regardless, it's a hilarious song!)

Radio Futura--Enamorado de la moda juvenil

Hombres G--Chico tienes que cuidarte

Ole Ole--Soldados del amor

Los Rebeldes--Mas alla del bien y del mal

La Guardia--Te seguire

and some absolute favorites: La Guardia--Cuando brille el sol, Radio Futura--Veneno en la piel--which has some excellent Castilian pronunciation!

Such fun to listen to this old stuff! We also danced the lambada in a little gypsy bar all summer...but I don't know WHAT that music was, other than the occasional Gipsy Kings. I also developed a healthy respect for Julio Iglesias, since we had to listen to him in our language class (don't hold that against me, folks!).

I also have the Hombres G song "Marta tiene marcapasos" on my Windows Media Player at the moment.

Which reminds me, I can't find a particular song that begins, "Marta terminó, por fin de trabajar, el viernes por la tarde...blah, blah, blah...simplemente, amor es (or amores) sin palabras...." Anyone (CaliBasco?) know who sang that and what the name was?

Thanks! Tara

[ 04-23-2001: Message edited by: taravb ]

Well, I'm so young, that I didn't get to experience any of this music in its hey day, but a friend of mine who did recommended this stuff to me a few years ago, and I really think its great. Theres the obvious Mecano that we all love, but theres another group, and I only know one song by them. Their name is Amistades Peligrosos, and the song is "Casi nunca balais". I believe they're from Spain. And there was another song, I'm not sure who its by, and I think its from Spain, but its called "Ni Tu Ni Nadie". Does anyone recognize these?

Yes, Expressdance, the song you say is called "Mil campanas" , I think it's singed by Alaska y Dinarama (I'm sure it's Alaska but I'm not sure about Dinarama) and still is played in pubs.
"Que dificil es hacer el amor en un simca 1000" es de los Inhumanos.
There are lots of groups, many of them are still played in pubs...
El Ultimo de la Fila, Ketama, Pata Negra, Loquillo, Seguridad Social, los Nikis, Aerolineas Federales, Siniestro Total, Kiko Veneno, Tequila, los Elegantes, Glutamato ye ye, los Secretos, nacha pop,....

Expressdance, you're right, the song is Ni tu ni Nadie. I still listen to Alaska daily (guess some things never change)! Man, I'm getting OLD!

tara- We've got to get together this summer and go bowling (Breakfast Club reference...)!!! (I'll be back home in MN for a wedding in August!) I love that song!!! It's "Amores sin palabras" by El Norte. It's on the release prior to Tempestad. I'll check the album title tonight if I can find it. The album is blue, green and orange...good call!

I was one of the idiots who bought Olé Olé thinking Marta Sanchez was hot (oh the shame)...they are horrible...especially since Marta's dad was an opera singer (if my memory serves me).

Has anyone heard of "Barricada"?

Oh, CaliBasco, on the one hand I am happy to find someone else with musical roots in the mid to late '80s, and on the other hand, I feel pretty darn old (I teach college students, and most of them were about 4 when I was in high school!)! Yes, I can probably quote most of The Breakfast Club, and have an inordinate fondness for Polo cologne, and was obsessed with George Michael, etc. But I insist that I NEVER thought Molly Ringwald was a good actress!

I did DRESS like her, though...ugh!

I listened to various radio stations while driving through Spain in March, but nearly everything was American pop music (which I don't much care for now).

Thanks for the info on that song...if I can get back into Napster, I'll try to get it. Yes, we should go out for tapas AND bowling...they are across the street from each other on Lake and Lyndale streets in Mpls!

Well Hombres G have very good songs, the ones I like
Devuelveme a mi chica
La chica cocodrilo.

And my favorite singer Paloma San Basilio.
I love her songs and voice.
Is she still singing?

Rafael

Well, you're probably only 4 years or so older than me, as Polo was slowly being replaced by the midwestern favorite "Drakkar" (oooh...how exotic!) as I was finishing up at White Bear Lake HS...

I've never paid much attention to the restaurants in Mpls...I think I've been to Figlio's on Hennepin a million times, though...What's the name of the tapas bar? I went to a place called Azur or Azul in 1991, but found it TOO SNOOTY for my tastes. They advertised as a Mediterranean restaurant, but alas, as most, focused on the French.

It's nice to see someone else appreciates El Norte, though...for some reason, I've always liked them.

You can pick up all the Spanish CDs you want at Applause on Snelling just south of I-94 (corner of Ashland and Snelling)...I think they may have changed it to "Cheapo Records". I got Duncan Dhu and Hombres G there.

Ooh...I will have to check out Applause! I didn't know there were any Spanish CDs in town!

And the restaurant is called La Bodega, just south of Lake on Lyndale...next to the CyberX cafe, if that's familiar. La Bodega isn't very old, though, and does specialize in Spanish food (tapas/raciones). The food's not bad, either...not SPAIN, but close!

Just as a quick update to this thread--many of the songs mentioned above can be found (semi-legally, or is it semi-illegally? I have no idea how they are still in business, but I think it's because they don't have a central location for the songs, or some quirky thing like that) at www.audiogalaxy.com. If you have a fast connection, the downloads are pretty quick. And whether you burn all those MP3s onto a CD or not...well, that's up to you!

Hi!

I'm glad to see Alaska y Dinarama's album 'Deseo Carnal' referred to, and the great group Radio Futura mentioned. But please people do not forget the awesome lyrics of Gabinete Caligary's songs: "Camino a Soria", "La culpa fue del cha-cha-cha", "Suite Nupcial", "Mi madre me enseño"....

In Spain, movies like "Pretty in Pink" or "Secret Admirer" were bigger than "The Breakfast Club", ha,ha! (Wow, I was so much in love with Leroy(from the Fame series) and Ralph Macchio back then!!!)

Saluditos.

Hi, Pim--
Now I will have "La culpa fue del cha-cha-cha, que tu me invitaste a bailar..." in my head all day long!!



Tara

You guys can try http://www.musiccity.com/

Calibasco & Tara, that's a real URL above (sorry Calibasco), it's for "Morpheus" the best finder/downloader around. I've tried them all, including Napster and Morpheus rocks.

Speaking of Breakfast Club, I'm in my early 30's too - so I can relate to the 80's vibe. Graduated from Highschool in '86. I also went to music college in Hollywood - so I'm a long-time music lover (all kinds). Unfortunately, however, my knowledge of Spanish tunes/artists is limited.

I must admit though (my turn to humiliate Calibasco) - it's very funny to me seeing the correspondence between to two "mid-western folk" in Minnesota, talking solely about Spanish items, songs, restaurants, etc... as if they live in and/or are craving Spain 24/7.

You both sound very well-versed in your knowledge of Spain, so what the hell are you living in Minnesota for?

edr

Hi, edr--

I'm high school class of '88. I have spent a bit of time recently listening to www.spinner.com -- there are two '80s stations there (for those among us who occasionally crave an early U2 tune).

Spanish music from the late '80s and early '90s is lots of fun...I find that the lyrics are often more clever/silly/pointed/risque than those we were listening to (or maybe they seem more clever because they are in Spanish--but we had nothing to compare with "Que dificil es hacer el amor en un Simca 1000," I am sure).

Re: "it's very funny to me seeing the correspondence between to two "mid-western folk" in Minnesota, talking solely about Spanish items, songs, restaurants, etc... as if they live in and/or are craving Spain 24/7."

I can't speak for CaliBasco, but I think that's true of me! I love Spain more than anywhere in the world (though the Twin Cities are a reasonably close second, if you can believe that from a Florida girl!). I feel at home there every time I visit, and would love to live there someday. The timing is the thing...my husband works in a job he loves (and doesn't speak a bit of Spanish), I am finishing a Ph.D. and need to find a job somewhere (and my Spanish is not good enough to merit being a faculty member at a Spanish university), and our daughter is starting kindergarten next year. AND I hate to fly, and my parents and other family aren't inclined to pick up and move to Spain with us, so that's an obstacle (overcome with Xanax, yes, but I still don't like it--and 9/11 didn't help that!).

But really, the timing is never perfect. So who knows--maybe someday I will follow missmadrid98 over there!

Off to track down my old albums!

Tara

[ 11-28-2001: Message edited by: taravb ]

Ok, I feel ridiculuous for asking this, but as long as everyone else is admiting thier love for cheesy spanish pop music, there is this one song that I heard all the time when I was living there like a year and a half ago that I can't figure out what it is, but the chorus goes as follows " mi vida, si es bonita . . . ya no puedo mas, ya no puedo mas"

And yes I do understand how absurd it is to expect somone to know the song from that horrible description, but hey they did it on "name that tune" didn't they? I think it was a remake of a classic if that help anyone.

thanks

The original song was of Camilo Sesto, I don't remember who sang the new version but the original Camilo has come back with this old hit

edr and taravb: It looks like I slip right in between you two: Class of '87...and edr, I'm in SoCal with you right now, amigo...and yes, we were wondering where you were the last time we all got together!

Of course we all know the top two places in the world to live are: 1] Spain, 2] Minnesota/Twin Cities...and taravb, yes I CAN believe that from a Florida girl, especially after seeing Florida! :p

No doubt about it...Mpls/St. Paul ranks right up there. But don't tell anyone...it's getting crowded up here! I was on Ford Parkway today at 3 p.m., coming toward St. Paul, and it was packed. I don't even bother with the highways much of the time.

But I guess that's nothing compared to CA. Or Florida, for that matter, with all the snowbirds (from Minnesota, I imagine).

Hasta pronto--off to download more Spanish music (I'm giving my college students an exam and since they're busy and I have a fast connection in my classroom, well....)

Tara

I have a confession to make hhhmm...umm... :o I liked that Camilo Sesto-kind of music for many many years ago... and I´m not sure that I´m 100% cured yet .

LomoConQueso,

The song you´re looking for could be "Vivir así es morir de amor" and the text goes something like this:

ya no puedo más
ya no puedo más
siempre se repite la misma historia
ya no puedo más
ya no puedo más
estoy harto de rodar como una noria

vivir así es morir de amor
por amor tengo el alma herida
por amor no quiero más vida que su vida
melancolía...
soy mendigo de sus besos
quiero ser algo más que eso
melancolía...

You guys are awesome, thanks to you I am now listening to a wonderful - albeit kind of embarrasing piece of my personal spanish history.

Thanks.

Hi all!

Ok, if we're talking cheesey Spanish music from the late 80's/early 90's, who remembers "Tractor Amarillo" by Zapato Veloz??? It was out during (or before) the semester I studied in Granada and they'd play it every week at the bars!!!

With lyrics like:

"Me miraste con ojos de gacela
Cuando fui a visitarte en mi 600
Me pusiste de cara de pantera
Cuando viste aquel coche tan pequeno

Sabes bien que soy hombre del campo
y que solo tengo descapotable
cuando llegue el proximo domingo
voy a traerlo para impresionarte

Tengo un tractor amarillo
porque lleva ultima moda
hay que comprar un tractor
ya lo deci a mi madre
porque es la forma mas barata
de tener descapotable

Pero yo como vivo en el campo
solo puedo vacilar con mi tractor..."

who can deny the quality of that era's music?!

-GG

[ 11-29-2001: Message edited by: GranadaGirl ]

[ 11-29-2001: Message edited by: GranadaGirl ]

Here you have the lyrics for the song by Camilo Sesto. The new version Miguelito was telling about is song by El Canto del Loco .



[ 11-30-2001: Message edited by: Antonio ]

There was something special about that 80s & early 90s music coming out of Spain, but I don't consider it "olden days."

It prompted me to read all the posts carefully in this link, and I found out that only one person referred to their music collection as including "albums." It reminded me that I need to buy a couple of spare turntables for my own records...

It also reminded me of what happened a few months back when I went into a BestBuy and told the clerk I was looking for a "really good turntable."

He looked at me puzzled, and said, "I'm new here. What they for? Part of a refrigerator or sumpin?"

I laughed, and said, "Never mind." Then I went looking for someone with gray hair, and a bald spot on the back of their head. They didn't have any, but maybe - special order?

Since I have over 300 LP records in my music collection, and about 800 to 900 singles, I need to insure I have good turntables available. Guess I'll have to start looking at garage sales, where old fogies like me are selling their goodies....

Now don't get the wrong impression. I wasn't there, with Thomas Edison, the day he invented the first gramaphone. I was late. Couldn't catch the trolley on time...

Wolf (Whose "wall of electronic music making thingies is getting pretty darned full!)

Wolf,

Try ebay for a turntable. You can find just about anything there.
http://www.ebay.com

Type in turntable in the search field. I just tried it and a ton of turntables came up from $19 to $150+.

Good Luck, old man! HA!

edr

Wolf,

Turntables are still readily available and will be for a long time to come. They just aren't carried at the local electronics superstores anymore. This is a company I've ordered from with decent pricing.
http://www.jandr.com/JRSectionView.proce...t=Current_Price

Leche, edr,

Thanks! I think I'm going to order one from the people at J&R. Since I need a 3 speed, to include the old 78s I inherited, which include Judy Garland, Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey, and some of the old greats, I need that total capacity. It looks like their selection is pretty decent.

I think I'm going to commit all my old 78s to CDs by putting the music into my computer, and download onto the CDs. That should keep those old records safe for a lot longer. I don't want them wearing out before they have to.

Wolf

Wow Antonio - I couldn't feel more stupid right now. After you typed out all those lyrics and I realized that all those times I sang along with the song, singing "mi vida, si es bonita, amor" only to now find out that the whole time they were saying "vivir así es morir de amor" I guess that year spent studying spanish was really all for nothing. Or maybe I can attribute it to the large amounts of alcohol that had usually been consumed by the time that song came on. Lets hope its the latter!

Thanks though!

I downloaded Morpheus on Saturday, but I couldn't think of any Spanish songs I wanted that I didn't already have. But I'll take the list above and try some new things. Thanks!! Morpheus is so much fun!!!

I do have Tractor Amarillo - a great song, and I also taped a commercial off the radio from Cadena Dial to the tune of that song:

"Yo como soy buen hispano, no escucho la musica extranjera, solo me gusta la musica en español, Radio Cadena Dial . . . "

I downloaded "Que dificil es hacer el amor en un Simca 2000" and "Mil Campanas" last night. Two great songs. Thanks for the suggestions!
I also got more Alaska and Gabinete Caligari.
What great music!!!! I am officially addicted to Morpheus.

Hey LomoConQueso, don't feel so bad...I have trouble with English songs! For the longest time I thought the Steve Miller Band was singing "Big old Jed had a light on" [Big Old Jet Airliner] and Elton John was singing "She had electric boobs and her mom did too..." [Bennie and the Jets]...I for one understand and forgive your misunderstanding!

Make sure that anyone trying to link to Morphius uses this link: www.morphius.com , and not the unrelated www.morpheus.com .

[ 12-06-2001: Message edited by: MadridMan ]