Ernie's El Dorado Pt 15 - Mexico

Normally I open each episode of our tour of the Americas by telling you a bit about the country we are visiting. But I am going to assume that you all know enough about Mexico to make that unnecessary this time.

I am also going to assume that if you were asked to name a well-known Mexican tune many of you would choose "La Cucaracha". If instead you chose "Speedy Gonzalez" you are disqualified - that was written by David Hess, a songwriter from New York City who was also a bit part player in horror films.

"La Cucaracha" on the other hand is the real thing, so we are going to open with an interpretation by Lila Downs from her Grammy-winning 2004 album "Una Sangre = One Blood". Ms Downs comes from a family of high achievers. Her sister Ida is very big in the bedding industry.

We will follow up that traditional Mexican tune with some traditional Mexican disco. Actress and TV host Veronica Castro also dabbled a bit as a disco diva. This track comes from her 1978 album "Sensaciones". You may recognise it as a version of  "What's Your Name, What's Your Number", a minor hit for Andrea True Connection written by Roger Cook (or Roger Cocinero as he's known in Mexico).

On the subject of cover versions, our next act are probably best known outside Mexico for teaming up with Neville Staples on a version of  "The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum". Los De Abajo - for it is they - also made a couple of albums on David Byrne's Luaka Bop label around the turn of the century. This track comes from "Cybertropic Chilango Power" (2001).

Los De Abajo formed in 1992 and it is quite possible that they were partly inspired to do so by Maldita Vecindad (full name La Maldita Vecindad y los Hijos del Quinto Patio) and their blend of rock, ska and local music. La Maldita were at the height of their powers then, with their "El Circo" album topping the charts in 1991. Today's selection is from that album. 

A few years ago Rolling Stone rated "El Circo" at #8 in a list of the 50 best Latin American rock albums of all time. Further down the list at #48 was the eponymous debut album by La Revolución De Emiliano Zapata. Released in 1971, Rolling Stone says that it "reproduced the acid-rock haze of Cream, Creedence and Quicksilver Messenger Service with touching devotion... [and that] there is a homemade charm to the rough production". See what you think.

From 1971 we step lightly into 1972 where we find Manny Perez y Los Cachiros bashing out some norteño music which sounds like it may have been recorded in the same garage used by the local garage rock bands. This one definitely has a homemade charm to the rough production and Manny's even rougher voice.

We will stick with norteño for our penultimate selection. I found this track by Norteno Solido on a 2016 compilation called "Club Corridos Presenta: La Mentira de Tu Amor". I have not been able to find out anything about Norteno Solido other than they are not to be confused with the allegedly better known Solido. Please don't make that mistake.

As always we finish with some MAR. On this occasion it comes courtesy of a band whose name will resonate with all sports fans - Antidoping. They were formed in Mexico City in 1992 by brothers Pedro and Manuel Apodaca, which I suppose makes them the Mexican equivalent of UB40. This track is from their 2004 album "Esfuerzo Universal" and translates as "United Brothers". It is presumably the Apodacas' theme tune (but not the Campbells).

"La Cucaracha" - Lila Downs

"Cuál Es Tu Nombre Cual Es Tu Número" - Veronica Castro

"Si Existe Ese Lugar" - Los De Abajo

"Mare" - Maldita Vecindad

"At The Foot Of The Mountain" - La Revolución De Emiliano Zapata

"El Chamaco Moderno" - Manny Perez y Los Cachiros

"Por las Calles de Ojinaga" - Norteno Solido

"Unidos Hermanos" - Antidoping

We'll start off the video section with another cover version. This one's nothing to do with Roger Cocinero or Andrea True Connecton though.