La Bamba performs magic every day in our house

admin on 22 Mar 2008

Awhile ago, I wrote about the miracles of the song La Bamba. Now, the song has appeared again in our lives, quite by accident (the debate of whether anything is an accident…well for another time…). A friend that was leaving for the States gave me this stack of wonderful CDs. We love them for the car. And I much prefer the group singing over DVDs. It reminds me of singing away to Loretta Lynn when I was young. (Again I’m dating myself!)

One of these CDs was by a guy named Red Grammer. I had no idea who this guy was, but he can sing. His voice is like a smooth milkshake - vanilla - with the real beans. This CD is a bunch of folk songs. Addison will not eat a meal without the CD. The folky-folk songs like Gary Indiana, America the Beautiful, and Day-O are pressed upon my brain like a vice grip. The nannies can sing them - and they speak Spanish. Since La Bamba is in Spanish, the nannies really belt this one out.

About 3/4 the way through the CD - just about the time Addison gets cranky - La Bamba plays on the CD. What is it about this song? Red Grammer’s voice bellows the tune with such joy, no one can resist swinging their hips or at least singing along. Everyone’s got their own rendition. This is my favorite part:

Para bailar la bamba
Para bailar la bamba se necesita una poca de gracia
Una poca de gracia para mi, para ti
Y arriba y arriba
Y arriba y arriba por ti sere, por ti sere, por ti sere

To dance the bamba
to dance the bambe you need a bit of thanks
and up and up
and up and up for you I will be, for you I will be (there)

And I love this one:

Para subir al cielo
Para subir al cielo
Se necesita una escalera grande
Una escalera grande y otra chiquita

To rise to the sky
To rise to the sky
Big stairs are needed
Biig stairs and another little one (just in case)

It’s just a happy song about going up to the sky. Looking up. Being up. As it goes on, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. But to me it makes perfect, complete, and true logic. And after Addison swings his blond hair back and forth like a true rocker, he finishes his dinner.