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!