This is the last of three installments on foreign music. The first two parts are on French music (“Not being able to understand the lyrics is why I love French music”) and German music (“German music—definitely not lost in translation”).
My first experience with Spanish pop music was through Country Day alumnus Gustavo Galindo.
As many of the girls in my class may remember, Galindo’s appearance on World Cultures Day during my middle-school years was always enthusiastically anticipated.
His visits were possibly the first all-school assemblies that we actually looked forward to. After every concert, all the girls would swarm him, demanding autographs, stickers, and any other paraphernalia.
Then, returning to class, a black market would form and intense trading would ensue.
Nonetheless, my admiration for Galindo at the time was connected mainly to his hair instead of his music.
It wasn’t until my mother bought his album Entre la Ciudad y el Mar for me that I started really liking his music. For simply nostalgic purposes I began listening to it. (At the time, I didn’t have the obsession with music in a different language that I have now.)
But once I started listening, I couldn’t stop—I still listen to my two favorite songs (“Paracaídas” and “Buscandote”) at least once a week.
For many years Galindo was the only Latino artist that I listened to. Recently, though, I’ve discovered Romeo Santos.
One of the things I love about Spanish music in general is the heavy influence of classical guitar, and Santos does a great job of incorporating the “Spanish feel” in his pop music.
My favorite album of his right now is Fórmula, Vol. 2; my favorite songs are “Inocente” and “Amigo.”
Having never taken Spanish, I’m lost by the meaning of the words being sung, but this is unimportant. The vocals in Santos’s songs are more a part of the overall musical melody than those of the French and German music I discovered earlier.
Santos’s is the perfect soundtrack for almost any occasion, whether it be a refreshing morning sunrise or a rainy day worthy of hot chocolate. Either way the distinctly Spanish melodies and harmonies will transport you to a calmer place.
