In music, versioning songs is a common practice of any beginner. At first, we try to imitate the sounds and voice of our favorite singer, but then we can add chords and make arrangements to give the song we like, features or our own personal seal. In the end, the version may not be as good as the original, or on the contrary, as has happened in some circumstances, the covers surpass the first piece.
According to certain sources, they position "Yesterday" as one of the first songs more versioned of the current popular music. This piece composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, also appears in the Guinness Record book as the song with the greatest radio emissions. Another one that is in all the lists, is "My Way", considered one of the songs more versioned in Spanish and in English of the XX century and that although it was popularized worldwide by Frank Sinatra at the end of the sixties, Gilles Thibaut wrote it and Jacques Revaux and Claude François played it. On the other hand, among the songs written in Spanish is the famous piece Bésame Mucho by Consuelo Velásquez, Mexican, which was composed in 1940 and has been performed by the best singers in the world.
Reviewing some pages and asking some friends who know the music, I tried to make a list with the Venezuelan songs that have more versions, whether made by national or foreign singers. In the end I have been left with five Venezuelan musical pieces that have traveled the world in the voices of renowned national and international performers. Let's see and hear:
Anxiety
This beautiful song is by Venezuelan singer-songwriter Chelique Sarabia who confessed to composing it when he was just 15 years old and coming out of a Mexican movie called Ansiedad. This song has been interpreted by Venezuelans Alfredo Sadel, Simón Díaz and Ricardo Montaner; Spanish Miguel del Río, Mexican Luis Miguel and Juan Gabriel have also made sublime versions. But without a doubt, the most famous version is the one performed by the singer Nat King Cole, who gave the song worldwide fame.
Grinding coffee
The history of the creation of this piece is full of controversy, since some say that it was not Hugo Blanco who composed it, but José Manzo. More than 200 versions of this piece have been made and among the most famous and well-known are the versions made by Julio Iglesia, Javier Solis, "Mina", Ismael Rivera, Pérez Prado, José Feliciano and Paco de Lucía. Likewise, due to its musical structure, this song can be adapted to other musical genres, so we can find versions of Moliendo café with salsa, merengue and even rock rhythms. I share with you a version I found of a festival held in Bogota, Colombia.
Tonada of the full moon
This is a magnificent piece by the great Venezuelan singer-songwriter Simón Díaz. A jewel of Venezuelan music. This piece was really made as a milking song, which is used in the fields to tame the cows and milk them. Specifically it is a tonada, one of the oldest genres of our folklore. This tune is one of Simón Díaz's best known, since the Spanish filmmaker, Pedro Almodóvar, used it in his film La flor de mi secreto (The Flower of my Secret). This piece has been versioned by Caetano Veloso, who makes a masterful and beautiful interpretation, also the young Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade, made an interpretation felt and perfect. That version, along with another great, Jorge Glem, I share with you.
Paint me little black angels
This is a poem by Venezuelan writer Andrés Eloy Blanco, but it was taken to song like other of his poems. Considered by many as an anthem against racial discrimination, it became famous in the voice of Pedro Infante, but other singers also performed it all over the world and in many languages. Such is the case of Eartha Mae Kitt, Agustín Lara, Celia Cruz, Lola Flores, Chavela Vargas, Javier Solís, Los pasteleles verdes, Los ángeles negros. Here is an Italian version, played by Fausto Leali:
Old horse
This is the most versioned song of Venezuelan music. It also belongs to the great Venezuelan singer-songwriter, Simón Díaz. According to Wikipedia, it has been translated into 12 languages and there are more than 300 versions of this musical piece, not to mention the countless recognitions that its creator has obtained, on the subject of it. It has been performed by world-famous singers such as Armando Manzanero, Julio Iglesias, Vicente Fernández, Plácido Domingo, Gilberto Santa Rosa and the Gipsy Kings, version that I leave you here:
Just as in previous posts I spoke to you about Venezuelan food, in this text I wanted to give you a sample of the music that you may have heard at some point, but you were unaware that it is Venezuelan. The idea is to make visible the aromas, flavors, but also the sounds and rhythms that identify and belong to us. To the extent that we can know and show the riches and ingenuity that we possess, you will surely make us prouder of the noble country that we have and of its talent.
I hope you enjoyed these musical pieces and this post. I remind you that you can vote for @adsactly and join our server in discord. Until the next smile. ;)
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