Saturday, July 16, 2011

One of my singing heroes...

The Argentinian singer Facundo Cabral was assassinated on July 9th in Guatemala City on his way to the International Airport.

Many of you are too young or from a country where Cabral was not well known. For me he was a great musical and political influence. He was an well known and highly respected folk singer that sang about social injustice and the ups and down of the human spirit and conditions. Later on in his life, his music became more about the spiritual struggles than the human struggles that were present in his 70's and 80's songs.

I still have the albums that I bought at the JCPenney's in Plaza Las Americas in San Juan, Puerto Rico in the early 80's and I saw him in concert only once; I got to meet him for a brief period of time while he was gracious enough to take some photos with my girlfriends.

He came from very poor beginnings and suffered a lot of personal tragedies including poverty, illness, and the lost of his first wife and child in a plane crash.

I want to dedicated this post to his music because his music made me think and open my eyes about subjects that as a young girl I knew nothing about; but that I became aware of after listening to his songs.







This is my favorite song:

And the last song's verse says:
I’m not from here, nor from there
I have no age, nor future
And being happy is the color of my identity
Facundo Cabral  No soy de Aqui Lyrics:
Me gusta el mar y la mujer cuando llora
las golondrinas y las malas señoras
saltar balcones y abrir las ventanas
y las muchachas en abril

Me gusta el vino tanto como las flores
y los amantes, pero no los señores
me encanta ser amigo de los ladrones
y las canciones en francés
No soy de aquí, ni soy de allá
no tengo edad, ni porvenir
y ser feliz es mi color
de identidad

Me gusta estar tirado siempre en la arena
y en bicicleta perseguir a Manuela
y todo el tiempo para ver las estrellas
con la María en el trigal

No soy de aquí, ni soy de allá
no tengo edad, ni porvenir
y ser feliz es mi color
de identidad


DISCLAIMER: THIS BLOG AND MYSELF HAS NO RIGHTS OVER THE CONTEXT OF THIS LYRICS OR VIDEO JUST OVER THE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS THAT THEY EVOKE ON ME.



Thanks so much for reading and have a lovely and inspiring day!

18 comments:

Comtesse de ferveur said...

I am so sorry to hear about this assassination, I am looking it up for more information. Artists should be free to criticize society in order to make it a better place.

Judy C said...

I'm sad for you. I don't think anyone well known is safe anymore. Sad.

Vix said...

How sad, I hadn't heard the news. We met an Argentinian guy when we were travelling a few years ago, he came and stayed with us for a month and introduced us to Cabral as well as the Gotan Project. x

Ofelia said...

Elizabeth, I'm there with you about being able to criticize the governments and society that we are part of. The Guatemalan police believes that Cabral's promoter Henry Farinas was the intended target and that Cabral was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Ofelia said...

Judy, thanks my dear!

Ofelia said...

Vix, I'm so glad that you know about his music and about El Project Gotan!

Jude said...

So sad. So unnecessary. I don't understand this kind of violence.

Ofelia said...

Jude, I know its just so sad and makes you appreciate the wonders of having a safe place to call home.

AndjelaUndTom said...

Nice blog! :)

Follow me if you like my blog and I'll follow you back. :)

WORLD OF PERFECTION

dressingup-everyday said...

I knew him very well and I'm desolate.He was when I was young , an idol for me.Hope he rest in peace.

Terri said...

He has a beautiful voice. It is always amazing how personally we take the death of artists of all types who have moved and taught us.

fashionoverfifty said...

Ofelia~I have only just met his music through you, but he has a very soulful voice. I hope to hear more of his music even though he has passed. So particularly tragic when an artist is assasinated. Paula

Ofelia said...

Andjela, thanks so much and I'll be checking your blog later on!

Ofelia said...

Yoana, as I was listening to his music and checking his old videos; I was just crying because I knew all of the lyrics and I remember all the songs and they have so much meaning to me.

Ofelia said...

Terri, you are very wise. I think that when we connect to an artist music or performance in a way it becomes part of our own identity.

Ofelia said...

Paula, I hope that as an artist yourself you take the time to read and heard Cabral's music because I believe it will lift your spirit and make you think about our human existence.

paula devi said...

this is so sad. recently two artists, one Palastinian and one Israeli have been assasinated because of their political activism for peace. so sad and tragic. what a world we live in. i listened to the music and will research more about this lovely soul. thank you for telling us about him. thinking of his is sending him a prayer.

Ofelia said...

Paula, you are such a kind soul!
I still remember the music and is still makes me feel elevated.