"La Bamba" (pronounced[laˈβamba]), sometimes known as "La Bomba",[1] is a Mexicanfolk song, originally from the state ofVeracruz. The song is best known from a 1958 adaptation byRitchie Valens, atop 40 hit on the U.S. charts. Valens's version is ranked number 345 onRolling Stone magazine's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" and is the only song on the list not written or sung in English.
The oldest recorded version known is that of Álvaro Hernández Ortiz, who recorded the song in 1938 under the name El Jarocho.
"La Bamba" has beencovered by numerous other artists, most notably byLos Lobos, whose version was the title track of thesoundtrack to the 1987 filmLa Bamba, abiopic about Valens; their version topped many charts in the same year.
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"La Bamba" is a classic example of theson jarocho musical style, which originated in the Mexican state ofVeracruz, and combinesSpanish,indigenous,Afro-Mexican andAfro-Caribbean[2] musical elements.[3] The word "bamba" is of African origin, meaning "wood", referring to dancing on a wooden floor.[4][5]
"La Bamba" is typically played on one or twoarpa jarochas (harps) along with guitar relatives thejarana jarocha and therequinto jarocho.[3] Lyrics to the song vary greatly, as performers often improvise verses while performing. However, versions such as those by musical groupsMariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan and Los Pregoneros del Puerto have survived because of the artists' popularity. The traditional aspect of "La Bamba" lies in the tune, which remains almost the same through most versions. The name of the dance referenced within the song, which has no direct English translation, is presumably connected with the Spanishverb "bambolear", meaning "to sway", "to shake" or "to wobble".[6] In one traditional version of this dance performed at weddings andballet folklórico shows, couples use intricate footwork to create a bow signifying their union.[7]
"La Bamba" may have originated in the last years of the 17th century in 1683 during a slave uprising known as the Bambarria[citation needed]. The song would be played at weddings with lyrics being encouraged to be made up, over 500 known verses exist. The bride and the groom would tie a ribbon together on their toes and dance to La Bamba as a symbol of love.[citation needed] Initially[when?], the song satirized the late and futile efforts made by the viceroy of Mexico[who?] to defend the citizens of the port of Veracruz from pirates[when?].[citation needed] His ships were old and leaky, so a young sailor is frantically "dancing the bomba (water pump)", while bragging that, effectively, he is the captain, the most important person on the ship (for he, alone, keeps it afloat). The fast rhythm and hand movements of the dance comically imitate the action of pumping water[citation needed]. Likewise, its name also alludes to a dance of Spanish origin called bamba, which was popular at that time[when?], whose name sounds close to "bomba".[citation needed] The oldest known historical references come from the town ofAlvarado, Mexico, where it apparently was performed with an atypically lively rhythm.[citation needed]
"La Bamba" has its origin in the state of Veracruz, Mexico.[8] The oldest recorded version known is that of Alvaro Hernández Ortiz,[9] who recorded the song under the name El Jarocho. His recording was released byVictor Records in Mexico in 1938 or 1939, and was reissued on a 1997 compilation byYazoo Records,The Secret Museum of Mankind Vol. 4.[10]
According to a 1945 article inLife, the song and associated dance were brought "out of the jungle" at Veracruz by American bandleader Everett Hoagland, who introduced it at Ciro'snightclub in Mexico City. It became popular, and the song was adopted by Mexican presidential candidateMiguel Alemán Valdés who used it in his successful campaign. Later in 1945, the music and dance were introduced at theStork Club in New York City byArthur Murray.[11] A popular version by Andrés Huesca (1917–1957) and his brother Victor, billed as Hermanos Huesca, was issued onPeerless Records in Mexico around 1945–46. Huesca re-recorded the song forRCA Victor in 1947,[12] and the same year the song featured as a production number in theMGMmusical filmFiesta, performed by a group called Los Bocheros. The song was featured in the 1946 Mexican movieRayando el Sol starringPedro Armendáriz.[citation needed]
The Swedish-American folk singerWilliam Clauson recorded the song in several languages in the early and mid-1950s. He claimed to have heard the song in Veracruz, and in performance slowed down the tempo to encourage audience participation.[13][14] Another version, "somewhatbowdlerized", was recorded byCynthia Gooding on her 1953Elektra album,Mexican Folk Songs.[15]
| "La Bamba" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single byRitchie Valens | ||||
| from the albumRitchie Valens | ||||
| A-side | "Donna" | |||
| Released | October 1958 | |||
| Recorded | 1958 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:06 | |||
| Label | Del-Fi | |||
| Songwriters | Traditional, adapted by Ritchie Valens | |||
| Producer | Bob Keane | |||
| Ritchie Valens singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Ritchie Valens learned the song in his youth, from his cousin Dickie Cota.[16] In 1958 he recorded arock and roll flavored version of "La Bamba",[17] together with session musicians Buddy Clark (string bass);Ernie Freeman (piano);Carol Kaye (acoustic rhythm guitar);René Hall (Danelectro six-string baritone guitar); andEarl Palmer (drums and claves).[18] It was originally released as theB-side of "Donna", on theDel-Fi label.[16]
The song features asimple verse-chorus form. Valens, who was proud of his Mexican heritage, was hesitant at first to merge "La Bamba" with rock and roll, but subsequently agreed to do so. The song ranked No. 98 onVH1's100 Greatest Songs of Rock and Roll in 1999, and No. 59 on VH1's100 Greatest Dance Songs in 2000. Furthermore, Valens' recording of the song was inducted into theLatin Grammy Hall of Fame and theGrammy Hall of Fame.
The song was listed at number 354 in the500 Greatest Songs of All Time byRolling Stone magazine,[19] being the only non-English language song included in the list.[20] It was also included inRobert Christgau's "Basic Record Library" of 1950s and 1960s recordings published inChristgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981).[21] Valens was inducted posthumously into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.[22] In 2018, Valens' version was selected by theLibrary of Congress for preservation in theNational Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[23] It is also included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 songs that were influential in shaping rock and roll.[24]
| Chart (1959–1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[25] | 87 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[26] | 13 |
| Canada (CHUM Chart)[27] | 1 |
| France (SNEP)[28] | 32 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[29] | 49 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[30] | 22 |
| "La Bamba" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byLos Lobos | ||||
| from the albumLa Bamba Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | ||||
| Language | Spanish | |||
| B-side | "Charlena" | |||
| Released | June 20, 1987 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:54 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Songwriter | Ritchie Valens | |||
| Producer | Los Lobos | |||
| Los Lobos singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
The music video directed bySherman Halsey[31] won the 1988MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film; it also featuredLou Diamond Phillips, the actor who played Valens in the 1987 filmLa Bamba.[32] The song was also the fourth wholly non-English language song to top theBillboard Hot 100.
| Chart (1987) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Australian Music Report)[33] | 1 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[34] | 3 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[35] | 2 |
| Canada Retail Singles (The Record)[36] | 1 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[37] | 1 |
| Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[38] | 2 |
| Finland (Suomen virallinen singlelista)[39] | 1 |
| France (SNEP)[40] | 1 |
| Greece (IFPI)[41] | 1 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[42] | 1 |
| Italy (Musica e dischi)[43] | 1 |
| Italy Airplay (Music & Media)[44] | 8 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[45] | 2 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[46] | 2 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[47] | 1 |
| Norway (VG-lista)[48] | 4 |
| Portugal (IFPI)[49] | 1 |
| Spain (AFYVE)[50] | 1 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[51] | 3 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[52] | 1 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[53] | 1 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[54] | 1 |
| USAdult Contemporary (Billboard)[55] | 4 |
| USHot Country Songs (Billboard)[56] | 57 |
| USHot Latin Songs (Billboard)[57] | 1 |
| USMainstream Rock (Billboard)[58] | 11 |
| Zimbabwe (ZIMA)[59] | 1 |
| West Germany (GfK)[60] | 7 |
| Chart (2016) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[61] | 75 |
| Chart (1987) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia (Australian Music Report)[62] | 2 |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[63] | 20 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[64] | 21 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[65] | 1 |
| European Top 100 Singles (Music & Media)[66] | 12 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[67] | 16 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[68] | 26 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ)[69] | 2 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[70] | 4 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[71] | 18 |
| USBillboard Hot 100[72] | 11 |
| US Hot Crossover Singles (Billboard)[73] | 18 |
| US Hot Latin 50 (Billboard)[74] | 15 |
| USCash Box Top 100 Singles[75] | 11 |
| West Germany (Media Control)[76] | 49 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[77] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
| France (SNEP)[78] | Gold | 500,000* |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[79] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[80] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[81] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States | — | 2,000,000[82] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
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