La Llorona (song)

"La Llorona" (lit. "The weeping woman") is a Mexican folk song. The song originated in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Its origins are obscure, but composer Andres Henestrosa in about 1940 popularized the song and may have added to the existing verses..

Composition

Originally the song's name and inspiration comes from the ancient legend of the same name La Llorona popular in Mexico and South America, but, because most of the verses of the song were composed during the Mexican Revolution (1910-1920), or later, the story lines differ when comparing the song and the legend. Usually the singers only take a few verses for their versions. Below are some of them and some of the English translations:[1][2][3]

The melody of La Llorona, is on public domain.


Interpretations of "La Llorona"

One popular interpretation of the song is of the singer feeling trapped by this woman (La Llorona) who has fallen in love with him. If he even thinks about leaving her, she weeps. He tries everything in his power to leave her, but he is trapped by pity for the woman. He wishes to be taken down to the river to be drowned, and so then his suffering can finally end. The suffering that the man goes through from being trapped in a relationship with a woman in a way parallels the suffering that the woman in the legend goes through from having her lover leave her. Other interpretation following the lyrics is that the "llorona" is the singers, a possible dessertor in the version here, deceased or married to another lover which would explain all the morbid references through the song and why he never seems to actually try to get to her "duelo" mourning, "campo santo" cementery, "ayer lloraba por verte llorona y ahora porque te ví" yesterday I cried for seeing you Llorona and now because I saw you. The Llorona is traditionally a Banshee like folk ghost that haunts her lover after having drowned her children and is now crying for her children and fortells dead to those who see it but is not really related to this song. There are many variation to the verses of the song that have been adapted for different audiences throughout the years. But is not considered a love song by itself for its sad overall feeling and has been used for Día de Muertos festivities.

“La Llorona” falls under the genre of Mexican folklore and ranchera because of its origins as a legend and its heavy use of the guitar, respectively. The two artists most commonly referred to as the singer of "La Llorona" are Costa Rican-born Mexican singer Chavela Vargas

The Spanish singer Raphael recorded La Llorona in the mid 1960s. Joan Baez recorded La Llorona on her Gracias a la Vida album, originally released in March 1974. [4]

In 2006, Dulce Pontes recorded a version in Portuguese, A chorona, on her album "O Coração Tem Três Portas".

Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade covered the song on her album Musas Volumen 2 released in 2018.

Singer Angela Aguilar, daughter of Pepe Aguilar, covered the song on her album Primero Soy Mexicana, also released in 2018.[5]

Emilie-Claire Barlow covered the song on her 11th album Clear Day. Recorded with the Metropole Orkest Conducted by Jules Buckley this version features lyrics translated to the French as well as an original verse. It was arranged for orchestra by Emilie-Claire Barlow and Steve Webster (bassist).

Chavela Vargas

The late Vargas is known throughout the Americas for her songs of struggle, defiance, and triumph.[6] When Vargas recorded the song back in the 1990s, she remained loyal to the ranchera genre by making the guitar the primary instrument in the song.[7][8] Although Vargas did remain true to the typical ranchera sound, she also created her own unique sound in the process. Carlos Gutierrez of Cinema Tropical explains "she took ranchero music and made the music her own. She stripped the music from the trumpet and other arrangements."[9]

Lila Downs

Downs' version of "La Llorona" was released as part of her debut album, La Sandunga. The song is one of 12 tracks in Downs' album, which was officially released on June 29, 1999, under the label Narada.[10] Downs' recording incorporates contemporary elements; La Sandunga was one of the first to merge the sounds of traditional music and modern rhythms such as jazz, blues, and bolero. The album was popular in many countries, selling over 500,000 units worldwide. Downs even ventured out to making several versions of her rendition of the song, including a mariachi[11] and a piano version.[12] Downs says of the song, “after ten years of singing it ["La Llorona"] in concerts and clubs, it has taught me about how spiritual music can be.”[13] According to Downs, “La Llorona” is about a sacred female death or a deity. The song is regularly sung in her hometown of Oaxaca, at baptisms, weddings and various rites of passage. In Downs' particular interpretation of the song, she aims to compare the Spanish invasion of Mexico and the aftermath resulting in the demise of indigenous culture, with La Llorona’s loss. Downs is mourning a time before the Europeans came, through song.[13] "La Llorona" was also included on her 2001 album Border. She dedicated this album to the spirits of Mexican migrants who have died crossing the line.[14] "La Llorona", with its themes of death and longing, corresponds well with the themes in her Border album.

Frida film

The song “La Llorona” appears in the film Frida (2002), about Frida Kahlo, directed by Julie Taymor[15] and starring Mexican actress Salma Hayek. Chavela Vargas was invited for a special appearance, singing her version of "La Llorona". It is well known that Vargas was a close friend and a frequent house guest of Frida Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera. Vargas was so close to Kahlo, that a short-lasting affair is speculated to have occurred between the two before Kahlo married Rivera.[16]

In the film, Vargas plays the role of a ghost who consoles Kahlo. Kahlo had been drinking in a bar for some time when she notices a ghost sitting down at a nearby table. A black shawl, which references the song lyrics, is wrapped around the ghost and Kahlo initially is quite hesitant to approach her. As Kahlo is about to sit next to the ghost, the ghost reveals her face to Kahlo. Kahlo continues to listen to Vargas’ interpretation of the song, and becomes overwhelmed by her memories and begins to cry. Kahlo begins to remember the car accident that changed her life and also her turbulent past with her husband.

Coco film

The song “La Llorona” is featured in the 2017 Disney-Pixar film Coco; it is performed by Alanna Ubach as Imelda Rivera and Antonio Sol in a guest appearance as Ernesto de la Cruz in the English version and Angelica Vale and Marco Antonio Solis in the Spanish version. In the film, Imelda sings the song during the sunrise concert as she attempts to evade Ernesto who sings the song in duet with her.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ es:La Llorona (música)
  2. ↑ "Nana Mouskouri - La Llorona Lyrics - MetroLyrics".
  3. ↑ "Letra de La Llorona de Joan Baez". Coveralia.
  4. ↑ "Joan Baez - Discography, Gracias a la Vida".
  5. ↑ "Ángela Aguilar estrena "Primero Soy Mexicana"" [Ángela Aguilar premieres "Primero Soy Mexicana"]. Bandamax (in Spanish). March 7, 2018.
  6. ↑ "La Llorona: The Rebel Spirit of Chavela Vargas".
  7. ↑ "Defiant singer was a cultural force in Mexico". Los Angeles Times.
  8. ↑ "Chavela Vargas - La Llorona (Video Clip)". YouTube.
  9. ↑ https://www.npr.org/blogs/therecord/2012/08/06/158166344/chavela-vargas-legendary-ranchera-singer-has-died
  10. ↑ http://www.narada.com/images/albumpage/lasandunga/lasandunga_page.htm
  11. ↑ "Lila Downs - La Llorona - Frida Kahlo". YouTube.
  12. ↑ "YouTube".
  13. 1 2 Guernica Magazine. "Wise Latina". Guernica / A Magazine of Art & Politics.
  14. ↑ http://www.narada.com/images/albumpage/Border/border_page.htm
  15. ↑ "Frida (2002)". IMDb. 22 November 2002.
  16. ↑ https://www.npr.org/2010/11/13/131295564/chavela-vargas-the-voice-of-triumph

Bibliography

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