Political Music from Artists in Venezuela and Uruguay
From WolfWikis
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Venezuela & Uruguay
http://www.m-w.com/maps/images/maps/venezuela_map.gif. http://www.m-w.com/maps/images/maps/uruguay_map.gif.
Venezuela is located and takes up most of the northeastern part of border, bordering the Caribbean. The surrounding countries that border Venezuela are Colombia and Brazil. Venezuela was first discovered by Columbus in 1498. He discovered many natives there. Venezuela actually means "Little Venice". To the explorer, it was his personal Venice, Italy. Uruguay actually borders the Atlantic ocean and its neighboring bordering countries are Brazil and Argentina.
Venezuela use to be part of the great Spanish empire. However, a very wise man rose up against this tyranny. His name was Simon Bolivar. Simon Bolivar was an educated man who thought the oppression against the Latin American countries was horrible. He went back to Latin America after experiencing some life in Spain and rose up an army against the Spaniards. All in all, he helped liberate most of the Latin American countries. Simon Bolivar's dream, however, was to create one giant united country called "El Gran Colombia" and unite all the Latin Americans as one nation and one people. However, his dream did not come true as each part of Latin America had different beliefs in how a country should be run. Hence, all the countries that were formed are there now.
Uruguay was actually first colonized by the Portuguese. However, later on, the Spanish overthrew the Portuguese and gained control of Uruguay. However, the people of Uruguay revolted against the Spaniards and gained their independence. Sadly, it was a short victory as the Portuguese in Brazil came and took over Uruguay once again. It wasn't until a few decades later that the people of Uruguay overthrew the Portuguese with the help of the Argentinians.
Venezuela is probably most noted for its Salsa and Merengue music. Uruguay, however, is known for its Indigenous music along with its popular music. Its Indigenous music, which is also its folk music, is candombe, milonga, and murga. It is also known for its Tango music. However, the music known for being a political front against the raging tides of tyranny directed towards the people is known as La Nueva Cancion. La Nueva Cancion combines many different kinds of music such as Salsa, Merengue, and for the most part, the Folk music of the country.
Artists
Ali Primera
El Cantor del Pueblo
Ali Primera was born in Coro, Venezuela. As a child, Ali grew up very poor. He lost his father when he was three years old and moved from place to place with his siblings and mother. Although Ali had a rough life growing up being poor, he still focused on his studies and never quit at the effort he placed into them. As time went by, Ali moved to Caracas, Venezuela where he enrolled in the Central University of Venezuela. It was at this time that Ali himself began to sing and, at first, it was just a hobby. It wasn't until later on that he became very serious and adamant about his music. His first works that are highly regarded by the people are Humanidad and No Basta Rezar
Letra de Humanidad
Humanidad, humanidad
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
Pobre de el niñito campesino.
que aún siendo niño.
tiene que ser hombre para trabajar.
que aún siendo niño.
tiene que ser hombre para trabajar.
Humanidad, humanidad.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
Pobre de el niñito de la calle.
que sonriendo su carita.
pide una lochita para comer pan.
que sonriendo su carita.
pide una lochita para comer pan.
Humanidad, humanidad.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
Pobre de los niñitos del Vietnam.
que en medio de la guerra.
viven aterrados sin poder jugar.
que en medio de la guerra.
viven aterrados sin poder jugar.
Humanidad, humanidad.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
Pobre de el negro que vive en el Norte.
el negro que sufre en el norte.
y que vive luchando por su libertad.
el negro que viven en el norte.
y que sufre luchando por su igualdad.
Humanidad, humanidad.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
Menos mal que todo se arreglará.
eliminaron las lochas.
y ya juntaron un festival.
eliminaron las lochas.
y ya juntaron un festival.
Humanidad, humanidad.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
hay motivos de alegrías.
pero de tristezas.
hay muchos más.
The song speaks to humanity. He wrote the song in the time when Vietnam was going on and he wrote it to the people of Vietnam as well as all the people who grew up poor. He says "Humanity, Humanity, There are happy motives, but there are a lot more sad motives (2x)" sung for Central America's Peace
http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/chem/faculty/castell/pics/flag-of-venezuela.jpg
Primera wrote this song in the late 1960's and rose to fame in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Venezuela at this time was going through an economic crisis. At the time, Venezuela had to reduce the value of its currency. This caused a very steep decline in the standard of living and people began suffering greatly. Poverty became very common amongst most of the Venezuelan society and social instability was at its peak. The people themselves began to form their own ways of speaking their minds since the government itself was looking out for itself and full of corruption. Music was one way that the people expressed themselves. And this Nueva Cancion genra was not only just in Venezuela, but it spread all over the continent and into Central America.
Daniel Viglietti
http://www.terrorfileonline.org/es/images/Daniel_Viglietti.jpg
Daniel was born in Montevideo, Uruguay. He was born to a musical family. He was brought up playing the guitar in which he excelled at greatly. He was a great political activist with his music. He studied at the Uruguayan National Music Conservatory where he became a guitar soloist. His music, which was the genre of la Nueva Cancion, focused on the people of his continent who were taking up arms against the political and economic struggle they were going through. Not a lot of information could be found on Daniel. Only very little bits and pieces of his life. It wasn't until later on in his life that he was forced into exile by his country for his political activism and his beliefs on what was going on in the country.
Uruguay, in the time of Daniel, was going through great political struggles. A guerilla called Tupamaros formed and helped destabilize the country. This brought along great social crisis as the government was in a frenzy and fret. They did not know how to handle the guerilla nor how to get the country stabilized. It was a time of great Social Crisis. Daniel, among with others who believed in the guerilla, sung songs for the people in hope of encouragement. His exile was only one example of how much of a political threat this group was to the government.
Tear Down the Fences!
I ask those who are here If they have never thought That this land belongs to us, And not to those who have all I ask if on the land You have never thought That if our hands our ours Then ours is that which they give us.
Tear down the fences, tear down the fences. The land is ours, Is yours, is his, It’s Pedro’s, Maria’s Juan’s and Jose’s.
If with my song I bother Someone who hears it It’s certain it’s a gringo Or a master of this country.
Tear down the fences, tear down the fences. The land is ours, It’s yours, it’s his, It’s Pedro’s, Maria’s Juan’s and Jose’s.
I ask those who are here If they have never thought That this land belongs to us, And not to those who have all.
Tear down the fences, tear down the fences. The land is ours It’s yours, it’s his It’s Pedro’s, Maria’s, Juan’s and Jose’s.
This song was a very motivational song. It is an encourager of taking what Daniel believed what was "rightfully" his people's land. It was songs like these that caused him to go into exile. However, the fallen losses of the people in the guerilla also took a toll on Daniel. He wrote this song for them.
I only say: Comrade"
Listen, I am going to sing For those who have fallen. Not saying name or sign, I only say: comrades.
And I sing for the others, For those who are alive And who take aim Against the enemy.
There is no secret: My song is that of the wind. I want it to be Nothing but movement.
Without saying name or sign I only say: comrades. Nothing is left to us and There is only one thing to lose:
To lose patience And only find it again When aiming our shots Comrade.
Words against bullets Are of no use, And an unarmed song Can’t face a rifle.
Look at the fatherland that is being born Shared among all; Free blood approaches Bringing us a new life.
The blood of Tupac The blood of Amaru The blood that cries out: Free yourself, brother!
Here is a video of him performing and speaking about politics in a way and encouraging the people about Uruguay and how ti will win. desalambrar
Annotated Bibliography
This site helped me with a little bit of Daniel Viglietti's life.
This one helped with some history of Uruguay
This is the main site I used for the history of Uruguay
This site gave information on Daniel Viglietti and translations of his songs
This site gave me general history of Venezuela
Helped me learn things about Ali Primera. Was all Spanish, kudos maybe?
Another very helpful website about Ali Primera. Had a lot of his songs and lyrics to them