Latin Mandolin

LA CUCARACHA
One of the most famous of the old popular Spanish songs and catchy melodies.

"La Cucaracha" has many, many verses which they have been added according to the times.

It is the Spanish equivalent of "Yankee Doodle"--a traditional satirical tune periodically fitted out with new lyrics to meet the needs of the moment. The origins of the song are obscure, but apparently it's pretty old. Some verses I came across refer to the Moorish wars in Spain, which concluded with the conquest of the Moorish kingdom of Granada by Ferdinand and Isabella in 1492. (Obviously 1492 was a big year for Ferdinand and Isabella on a number of fronts.) Probably the song itself doesn't go back that far, but in an 1818 book, according to one source, the Mexican writer Jose Joaquin Fernandez de Lizardi claimed the song was brought to Mexico from Spain by a captain of marines.

One can find "La Cucaracha" lyrics commemorating 19th-century conflicts in both Spain and Mexico, but verse production didn't really get rocking until the Mexican revolution of 1910-1920. So many stanzas were added by partisans on all sides during this period that today, despite its Spanish origin, the song is associated mostly with Mexico.

Included among the new lyrics were the verses quoted above. Some say the jape about marijuana was directed at the dictatorial Mexican president Victoriano Huerta (ruled 1913-1914), ridiculed by his many enemies as a drunk and dope fiend who lived only for his daily weed. No doubt the four buzzards and the sexton's mouse were lampoons as well.

Some claim la cucaracha refers solely to Pancho Villa, the bandido/revolutionary general who eluded U.S. troops following a 1916 attack on an American border town, only to be assassinated in 1923. Others say the word refers solely to Villa's car or to the soldaderas, female soldiers/camp followers who provided cooking and other comforts to the various armies. These claims are undoubtedly false--the identity of the cockroach varied with the verse--but still, one shudders. If no one knows the verses to "La Cucaracha," it's probably just as well.

"La Cucaracha" is in 3/4 or 6/8 rhythm, it has 2 different parts, and the simple melody sounds easy but it is actually a bit tricky to play on the mandolin. My version of "La Cucaracha" can be heard on "Entre Guitarras & Mandolinas" (Fusion Acustica Music 002-2005) my soon to be released all instrumental new recording of traditional Mexican and American Folk tunes.

About Sergio Lara

Sergio Lara plays a 1980 Gibson F-5L mandolin, uses Gibson Monel Steel strings and the round side of a Fender Heavy pick. For over 20 years, Sergio has been respected and considered as one of the best artists in acoustic contemporary instrumental music. His last recording with the well-known Latin guitar duo Lara & Reyes, "World Jazz", received a Latin Grammy Award nomination for Best Instrumental Pop Album in 2001. His music belongs to what is known as Latin Jazz and Flamenco Jazz, which falls under the category of Contemporary Instrumental Music and World Music.