Week 10: Prenda del Alma

Los Alegres de Terán, 1950s. "Los padres de la música norteña"

Prenda del Alma. A good Spring Break song--this one will take us (among other places) to the Texas-México border in about 1974 (see Les Blank's film, Chulas Fronteras).

Here are some engaging versions, starting of course with Los Alegres de Terán. Pay attention to how each version is also a reinterpretation  of the meaning of the song:

Prenda del Alma - Los Alegres de Terán - YouTube  (live video--from film, Chulas Fronteras. 1974) 

Los Alegres De Teran- Prenda Del Alma - YouTube   (audio, studio recording) 

Los Lobos - Prenda Del Alma - YouTube   (con letra) 1990s

Dueto Hermanas Huerta " Prenda Del Alma" - YouTube (in a bolero version)

Las Hermanas Padilla Prenda del Alma - YouTube   (another popular duo, originally from LA) 

Vicente Fernández - Prenda del Alma (Cover Audio) - YouTube (with his high production values)

and a very popular version (around 1980?) by Chalino Sanchez:
Chalino Sanchez: Prenda del Alma - YouTube  (You can look into the back story.)

Plus something totally down home:
Dueto Parranderos de Contreras: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAiDyoQtunY
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Prenda del Alma is one of those older popular songs with a long history--many people have recorded it--and then all of a sudden there's the version by Los Alegres de Terán--which gives it a particular sweetness and vitality all its own. As with all songs, it's meaning depends on how you feel when you sing it. Is Los Alegres version enough to redeem the song? Los Lobos seemed to think so--listen to where they took it. Let's see what you think? And what you can do with this theme in visual terms! Can you redeem it? Redimirla?

The song's author was listed as Ignacio M. Valle. Here's the first recorded version, from 1929 by Margarita de la Vega y Paco Tortulero.  Sounds quite old in style, but that comes with the territory:
La prenda del alma - Margarita de la Vega & Paco Tortulero - YouTube  

For you project--enjoy the recordings, think about the letra, and see where the song takes you visually...!

Prenda del Alma

Ignacio M. Valle

¿Que haré lejos de ti, prenda del alma? 

¿Sin verte, sin oirte y sin hablarte

A cada instante intentaré de ti acordarme 

Aunque sea un imposible nuestro amor

¿Cómo quitar la esencia de las flores? 

¿Cómo quitarle al viento la armonía? 

¿Cómo negar que te amo, vida mía? 

¿Cómo borrar de mi alma esta pasión? 

Al ver el cruel destino nos condena 

Mi bien, de que me olvides tengo miedo 

Mi corazón me dice ya no puedo 

No puedo mis angustias ocultar 

¿Cómo quitar el brillo a las estrellas? 

¿Cómo impedir que corre el manso río?

 ¿Cómo negar que sufre el pecho mío? 

¿Cómo borrar de mi alma esta pasíon?

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Chulas Fronteras. As mentioned above, there's a wonderful and important film, from 1976, Chulas Fronteras (Les Blank and Chris Strachwitz and ) which presents the story of Tex-Mex and Norteño music: CHULAS FRONTERAS DOCUMENTARY/ DOCUMENTAL CHULAS FRONTERAS - YouTube , about 60 minutes. No longer on YouTube, except in short clips, but the DVD is available through Flower Films--and (again, in clips) through the UC Library. Well worth watching the whole film!

  






















You might also check out recordings by Lydia Mendoza--a central figure in early Tex-Mex (tejano) music.--featured in Chulas Fronteras. Just to get her on your radar...
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And a speculation: Listen to the Wienerlieder duos--urban folksongs from Vienna, Austria (for example, here are Heini Griuc and Girk Kurtl) for a hint at how this sound might made its way to México--and found itself transformed! Would be interesting to follow how the lieder tradition in general played a part in this... The transformation is what's important... Here are some additional Wienerlied tracks.