La Bamba (song)

Lore & Background

The song's origins lie in the son jarocho style of Veracruz, blending Spanish, indigenous, Afro-Mexican, and Afro-Caribbean elements. The oldest known recording is from 1938 by Álvaro Hernández Ortiz. The lyrics are often improvised, and the dance associated with the song may derive from the Spanish verb "bambolear" (to sway) or from African roots, possibly the Bamba or Bambara peoples. In traditional wedding performances, couples used intricate footwork to create a bow, and guests personalized the lyrics, sometimes leading to fights if the new words were insulting. The song initially satirized the viceroy of Mexico's futile efforts to defend Veracruz from pirates, with the dance mimicking the action of pumping water from leaky ships.

Reader's Guide

Ritchie Valens learned "La Bamba" from his cousin Dickie Cota and recorded a rock and roll version in 1958 with session musicians including Earl Palmer and Carol Kaye. Originally the B-side of "Donna," it became a top 40 hit and is the only non-English song on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Valens's version was inducted into the Latin Grammy Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2018 it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry. Los Lobos recorded a version for the 1987 biopic "La Bamba," which topped many charts and won an MTV Video Music Award. The song has been covered by many artists, including Harry Belafonte, Selena, and "Weird Al" Yankovic, whose parody "Lasagna" appeared on his album "Even Worse."

Did You Know?

• The oldest recorded version of "La Bamba" is from 1938 by Álvaro Hernández Ortiz, under the name El Jarocho.
• The dance name 'Bamba' may derive from the Spanish verb 'bambolear' (to sway) or from African origins, possibly the Bamba or Bambara peoples.
• Los Lobos's 1987 version of the song topped many charts and won the 1988 MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film.