We have seen many different genres on Krannaken.com, but this is the first time I have reviewed a Spanish folk song. However, it makes a pleasant difference – mainly due to its high sound quality. Therefore, I am happy to introduce you to Lamento Cubano by Lourdes Pita. Who is Lourdes Pita? Why should you listen to her music? What is my personal opinion of the song Lamento Cubano? In this post, I will answer all of these questions. You will also get access to Lourdes Pita and Lamento Cubano at the end of the post.
Who is Lourdes Pita?
Lourdes Pita is, as you should already know, of Hispanic origin. She has played the Spanish (or classical) guitar since she was nine. Her mother was Juana Rosa Pita – an internationally renowned Cuban poet in exile. It was Juana who first taught Lourdes to play the guitar. The music that Lourdes Pita has always played would be either Spanish or English folk music.
Lourdes studied classical music while she was in elementary school and high school. Music has always been the biggest burning passion in her life.
What Honours Has Lourdes Pita Achieved?
Her earliest achievement was securing the role of second chair flute in an orchestra when she was still very young. Therefore, Lourdes is a multi-instrumentalist. She also plays bass. However, the guitar has always been her favoured instrument.
Before she went solo, Lourdes Pita played with various bands in Miami. It was in 1986 that she eventually established herself as a solo artist.
When Did Lourdes First Realize Her Passion?
Even though she has played an instrument since the age of nine, it wasn’t until the last year of high school that Lourdes Pita understood that her biggest passion was writing and performing songs.
Where is Lourdes Pita now?
Although much of her youth was spent in Miami, Lourdes is now based in Boston. She has made a name for writing Spanish folk songs like Lamento Cubano. Since moving to Boston, she has self-produced three cassettes. Please note that this was the late 80s. They didn’t have streaming services back then. However, all the cassettes completely sold out and were a roaring success.
The first CD that Lourdes produced wasn’t until the release of Now is the Time in 1994. This release received a substantial amount of radio airplay on College radio stations. Unsurprisingly, it also gained much attention in Spain, where Lourdes Pita achieved radio airplay in Barcelona.
Lourdes Pita was also popular in Prague in the Czech Republic.
What Do I Like About Lourdes Pita and Lamento Cubano?
A few things make Lamento Cubano stand out as a particularly good piece of music.
Firstly, the instruments complement each other. In the intro, the guitar appears to take a lead role. However, there doesn’t appear to be a stand-out instrument in the first verse. If anything, the vocals of Lourdes Pita are the lead element. We always find that music with vocals is more attention-grabbing than instrumental music I have previously described as abstract. In many respects, the fact that I don’t speak Spanish means that this is mainly abstract too.
The instruments also cover all the frequency ranges particularly well. We hear a double bass. The guitar and vocals fill the mid-frequencies, and the piano and horn are slightly more high-pitched.
What Do The Lyrics Mean in English?
The video below has English subtitles…
From reading the lyrics in the video, we understand that it is a patriotic love song for Lourdes’s homeland, Cuba. How has Cuba suffered? I believe the answer lies in communism and the crime rate. Just as with much of south America, there are issues with drugs. It is the origin of much of the world’s cocaine market. Perhaps it is these factors that give the song these words of heartbreak.
Where Can You Learn More?
You are welcome to learn more at the official Lourdes Pita website. You are also welcome to like the Facebook page and follow Lourdes on Twitter. Finally, but by no means least, if you like this song, please also follow Lourdes on Spotify.
