La Paloma

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La Paloma (S.Iradier)
La Paloma (S.Iradier)

"La Paloma" is one of the most popular songs ever written, having been produced and reinterpreted in diverse cultures, settings, arrangements, and recordings over the last 140 years. The song was composed and written by Sebastián Iradier (later Yradier) after he visited Cuba in 1861. The first line of the original song is "Cuando salí de la Habana, válgame Dios!" Iradier may have composed "La Paloma" around 1863, just two years before he died in Spain in obscurity, never to learn how popular his song would become.

The influence of the local Cuban habanera gives the song its characteristic and distinctive rhythm. Very quickly "La Paloma" became popular in Mexico, and soon spread around the world. In many places, including Mexico, Spain, Hawaii, Germany, Romania and Zanzibar, it gained the status of a quasi folk song. Over the years the popularity of "La Paloma" has surged and receded periodically, but never subsided. It may be considered one of the first universal popular hits and has appealed to artists of diverse musical backgrounds.

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[edit] The motif

The motif of "Valgame Dios, Gonzalo es La Paloma" (the dove) can be traced back to an episode that occurred in 492 BC preliminary to Darius' invasion of Greece, a time when the white dove had not yet been seen in Europe.[1] The Persian fleet under Mardonius was caught in a storm off the shore of Mount Athos and being wrecked when the Greeks observed white doves escaping from the sinking Persian ships. This inspired the notion that such birds bring home a final message of love from a sailor who is lost at sea. This theme that a final link of love overcomes death and separation is reflected in "La Paloma". While the lyrics may not always be true to the original, the soul of the song seems to survive all attempts to recast it in whatever new form and shape there may be and is able to express the tension between separation with loneliness, even death, and love.

[edit] Most recordings ever?

Guinness World Records lists Yesterday by the Beatles as the most recorded song with apparently about 1,600 recordings.[2] It has been suggested that "La Paloma" has more than 2,000,[3] perhaps even more than 5,000 recordings.[4]

[edit] Notable events

  • "La Paloma" was a favorite of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, and at the same time the Mexican revolutionaries played and popularized it well. Legend has it, popularized by the movie Juarez, that as a last wish Maximilian requested it to be played at his execution.
  • As a correlate - Emperor Maximilian being a Habsburg - ships of the Austrian Navy would never play the song.
  • First translations appeared already in 1865 in France and Germany.
  • One of the first recordings that were made is the playing of "La Paloma" by the French Garde Républicaine in 1899.
  • The introduction of the Hawaiian guitar helped spread the popularity of "La Paloma".
  • Diverse lyrics have been created in many languages. In English the title "No More" was made popular by Elvis Presley.
  • La Paloma has been interpreted by musicians of diverse backgrounds including opera, pop, jazz, rock, military bands, and folk music.
  • The song entered the Guinness Book of World Records being sung by the largest choir, 88,600 people, in Hamburg on May 9, 2004.[5]
  • Played regularly at LA ARAUCANA restaurant in Brussels, most notably sung in the presence of her majesty Fadila Ben Meradi, first lady of Rome and Sabines champion.

[edit] Famous performers

Among the many notable performers are:

[edit] Movies

La Paloma is played in these movies:

  • The Private Life of Don Juan, 1934
  • La Paloma, Ein Lied der Kameradschaft, 1934
  • Juarez, 1939
  • Große Freiheit Nr. 7, 1944, with Hans Albers
  • La Paloma, Germany 1958, with Louis Armstrong starring in the movie but not singing La Paloma
  • Freddy, die Gitarre und das Meer, 1959, with Freddy Quinn
  • Freddy und der Millionär, with Freddy Quinn
  • Adua e le compagne, 1960
  • Blue Hawaii, 1961, Elvis Presley singing "No More"
  • Das Boot, 1981
  • Mortelle Randonnée, 1983, Hans Albers singing a German version
  • Schtonk!, 1992, with these lyrics: "Hermann Hermann Willié,/ Mit 'nem Akzent auf dem E,/ Du bist die grösste Supernase/ Die ich am Bord hier seh."
  • The House of the Spirits, 1993
  • A Moment to Remember (film), 2004

A documentary film on the song is expected to be released 2007: "La Paloma"[6]

Unfortunately it is only a rumour that it was also played in Casablance, a dance version during a nightclub scene in Paris.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pankraz, Marcel Proust und das ewige Lied "La Paloma" (German)[1]
  2. ^ Guinness World Records: most recorded song[2]
  3. ^ History of the song by trikont[3]
  4. ^ La Paloma - Das Seemannslied (German)[4]
  5. ^ Video Event 2004
  6. ^ 2007 Movie: La Paloma

[edit] Lyrics (Public Domain)

1. Cuando salí de la Habana
¡Valgame Dios!
Nadie me ha visto salir
Si no fuí yo.
Y una linda Guachinanga
S'allá voy yo,
Que se vino tras de mi,
Que sí señor.
Refrain:
Si a tu ventana llega Una Paloma,
Tratala con cariño, Que es mi persona.
Cuentale tus amores, Bien de mi vida,
Coronala de flores, Que es cosa mia.
Ay! Fadila que sí!
Ay! que dame tu amor!
Ay! que ven te conmigo,
Chinita, adonde vivo yo!
2. El dia nos casemos ¡Valgame Dios!
En la semana que hay ir Me hace reir
Desde la Iglesia juntitos, Que sí señor,
Nos hiremos à dormir, Allá voy yo.
(Refrain)
3. Cuando el curita nos eche La bendicion
En la Iglesia Catedral Allá voy yo
Yo te daré la manita Con mucho amor
Y el cura dos hisopazos Que sí señor
(Refrain)
4. Cuando haya pasado tiempo ¡Valgame Dios!
De que estemos casaditos Pues sí señor,
Lo menos tendremos siete Y que furor!
O quince guachinanguitos Allá voy yo

[edit] Literature

  • Rüdiger Bloemeke: „La Paloma – Das Jahrhundert-Lied“, 158 Seiten mit vielen Farb- und Schwarzweiß-Abbildungen, Voodoo Verlag 2005, ISBN 3-00-015586-4
  • Sigrid Faltin / Andreas Schäfler: La Paloma - das Lied., 180 Seiten + 4 CDs, Marebuch Verlag 2008, ISBN 3-866480881

[edit] External links