La Bamba
This song is a traditional mexican flamenco style number that was created over 300 years ago. The original version is not exactly what we are familiar with today.
The man responsible for taking the original traditional number and re-working it is Ritchie Valens. He took the song and turned it into a rock and roll number which was released in 1958. His version made it onto Billboard's list of Greatest Songs of All Time - number 345. This song was Ritchie's biggest hit even though his professional career lasted only 8 months. But in that time, he did big things. On the Day that Music Died, Febuary 3, 1959, he died in a plane crash aged 18. The plane crash also took the lives of Buddy Holly and JP Richardson.
A movie on Ritchie's short life was made in 1987 with Lou Diamond Phillips playing Valens. The soundtrack of that movie featured La Bamba performed by Los Lobos. This is the most popular version of the song.
A lot of other artists have also covered this song: Selena (1988), Marco Da Silva (2000), Dustry Springfield (1968), Wyclef (2004) etc.
A search for all the versions was futile. I have only heard the original, the Los Lobos, Wycleg and Dusty versions.
Playing on my blog are Ritchie Valens' version and the Los Lobos version....
Which do you prefer?
Enjoy!
6 comments:
only awr of ritchie's version... until now. i remember the movie... if i remember correctly he never wanted to travel in a plane for some superstitious reason and when he did he died...
i like his version anyways..
Given that they are almost indistinguishable, I go with the Ritchie Valens original, which I also think is the more popular of the two. Here at least, it is the one played more often on rock radio.
They both sound very similar to me, but I choose Ritchie Valens, maybe because I am more used to that version.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
ive never heard of any of them b4, but he ritchie valvens 1 does sound better.
when i first saw the post i tut u wrote langbaja,i was think who else did 1 of his songs,lol
im so dumb,i have heard it b4,and yh ritche was the best
los lobos are great salsa/merengue/lambada singers.ritchie valens....great italian singer
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