The Voice of Godoy

We will start our random trawl through the CDs I picked up in Nicaragua with Carlos Mejia Godoy, as his was the name that cropped up most when I asked people to recommend some local music. Although I fear that those of us who were not in Nicaragua at the time he first rose to prominence with never really be able to appreciate why he is held in such reverence there, particularly if - like me - you don't speak Spanish and so can't understand what he is singing about.

To give you the brief version of his Wikipedia biography: "Carlos started  his career on the Radio Corporacion, where he would daily compose songs that would rain ridicule and scorn on all politicians and political parties with a biting sense of humour. Many of his songs became associated with the Sandinista movement as songs of the workers and revolutionaries. He even composed a mass for the working classes of Nicaragua."

"Comadre, Téngame al Niño" - Carlos Mejia Godoy

"Alforja Campesina" - Carlos Mejia Godoy

There is plenty of love in Nicaragua for Yankee imperialist music from the era when Carlos was at his most influential, and two songs in particular will stick with me from my own visit. Today's selection is the song that - for reasons that are too confusing to explain - I sang with this lovely lady from Dona Elba's cigar factory in Granada while she rolled me a cigar. I'll tell you the other one next time round.