Week 13: Cucurrucucú / Paloma Negra

Pedro Infante, Cucurrucucu (Escuela de Vagabundos, 1954)

Well, what better finale than Cucurrucucú... one of Tomás Méndez Sosa's most beautiful songs. Let's look at versions by Pedro Infante (the one above is from a film made in 1954) and of course Lola Beltrán--who in many ways made Cucurrucucu one of her emblems. She worked closely with Tomás Méndez Sosa throughout her career. See also her version of Paloma Negra, below

Pedro Infante

Cucurrucu has been recorded by many many artists--it's one of those songs that's irresistable--everyone wants to make it their own. Listen to Lila Downs. Interestingly,  one of the most beautiful versions comes to us from a Brazileño--Caetano Veloso, early in his career. Caetano Veloso later appeared in one of Pedro Almodovar's films--Hable con ella--singing Currucucu in a scene with much emotionally  resonance. (Almodóvar has  used singers and performing artists in many of his films (Chavela Vargas, dancer Pina Bausch) not just for ambiance and background, but because the feeling of what they do fits so closely with his own vision. In other words, he came to chose them because he also found them an inspiration.

Again, what better way to bring this semester to a close!

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Lola Beltran, 1960

I'll want you to pay close close attention to the letra. Sosa was a master. The way he sets the scene, how he uses repetition--and (maybe most important) all that he leaves out. Poignant, always. The source here are the huapangos of San Luis Potosí and the Huasteca--some of the most beautiful (and animated) songs en la música popular de México. 

Pedro Infante - Cucurrucucú paloma - YouTube

Lola Beltrán -CUCURRUCUCU PALOMA- , 1975. - YouTube

LOLA BELTRAN Y MARIACHI PULIDO: CUCURRUCUCU PALOMA - YouTube
 
Cucurrucucú paloma Lila Downs - YouTube

Caetano Veloso Cucurrucucu Paloma Hable Con Ella - YouTube
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Tomás Méndez Sosa other best known song is Paloma Negra. Lola Beltrán sang it throughout her career--made it famous. And Chavela Vargas recorded it on Macorina, her 1994 re-debut album--when she so re-emerged from seclusion into the later years of her astounding lifer and career. Two beautiful faces of the music of México. (The 2016 film, Chavela, highly recommended!)

Chavela Vargas - Paloma Negra - YouTube
Note that  Chavela sang Paloma Negra fro the film, Frida. But wait to look for that footage, as the tendentious way it presents Frida and Diego skews the meaning of the song in the direction of the plot. Paloma Negra is much more mysterious than that...


Lola Beltrán -PALOMA NEGRA- , 1993 - YouTube

And here's Tomás Méndez Sosa in his own recording (Antonio Bribiesca on guitar):
TOMAS MENDEZ - PALOMA NEGRA (1966) - YouTube

An "extreme: version by Amalia Mendoza:
 Amalia Mendoza - Paloma Negra_(360p).mp4 - YouTube

And an affecting version by Lila Downs:
YouTube - Lila Downs canta Paloma negra
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Lola Beltrán

  





Finally, finally: Here's Lola Beltran doing another song,  Sufriendo a Solas, in unforgettable performance from quite late in her life. This will give you an idea of her full style...
Lola Beltran en Bellas Artes -SUFRIENDO A SOLAS-, 1990..VOB - YouTube

(Gracias a Kory Barrios por todo!) 
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Cucurrucucú

 Tomás Méndez Sosa

Dicen que por las noches
No más se le iba en puro llorar
Dicen que no comía
No más se le iba en puro tomar
Juran que el mismo cielo
Se estremecía al oír su llanto
Cómo sufrió por ella
Y hasta en su muerte la fue llamando

Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay cantaba
Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay gemía
Ay, ay, ay, ay, ay cantaba

De pasión mortal moría

Que una paloma triste
Muy de mañana le va a cantar
A la casita sola
Con sus puertitas de par en par
Juran que esa paloma
No es otra cosa más que su alma
Que todavía espera
A que regrese la desdichada

Cucurrucucú paloma,

cucurrucucú no llores
Las piedras jamás, paloma
¿Qué van a saber de amores

Cucurrucucú, cucurrucucú
Cucurrucucú, cucurrucucú
Cucurrucucú, paloma, ya no le llores