The Sound of Christmas in Latin America, in 8 Songs

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/23/arts/music/latin-america-christmas-songs.html

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Music is a crucial part of Christmas in Latin America, but the soundtrack varies widely depending on where you’re celebrating. Genres and moods differ in each country, and songs that have nothing to do with Christmas are also played mainly during the holiday season (for reasons that are sometimes hard to trace).

In Puerto Rico, José Feliciano remains a local favorite — his 1970 track “Feliz Navidad” has become a modern holiday classic — while Mexicans take part in a tradition called posadas, which involve traveling the streets singing songs and re-enacting Joseph and Mary’s search for a room in Bethlehem. Some cities sing to the rhythm of their country’s well-known styles, and some have developed different seasonal traditions. Here’s a playlist of eight songs that have become as critical to Christmas celebrations in Latin America as Nativity scenes and poinsettias.

With its lively trumpets, El Gran Combo’s “La Fiesta de Pilito” echoes the loud music, continuous parties and late-night caroling (known as parranda) that usually take place during the holiday season on the island. The group’s 1985 hit, composed by Luis “Pilito” Cruz and featured on its album “Nuestra Música,” encourages a break from stress in honor of the holidays: “Let’s forget about everything/And let’s have some fun.” Members of the band, which formed in 1962, come and go, but the salsa giants continue to perform all over the world.

In many Latin American countries, Christmas remains strongly tied to its religious roots. In Mexico, families often go door to door singing choral hymns accompanied by acoustic guitar while holding candles to set a peaceful, holy night. This villancico, or Christmas carol, that dates back to the late 1500s, has a touch of the folky Colombian style known as vallenato thanks to the accordion that helps signal to neighbors that a group of devotees are on the way.

Joe Arroyo, a Colombian singer and songwriter who died in 2011 at age 55, is the perfect example of a Christmas-music craftsman who made songs that had nothing to do with Christmas. This song from 1988 is a lively blast of salsa with lyrics that proclaim love for the coastal Colombian city Barranquilla and the amiability of its people. Arroyo is known for releasing his albums in December, making his songs frequent Christmas soundtracks. You’re likely to hear this upbeat tune during the traditional late-night dinner many Colombians have before opening gifts at the stroke of midnight.

The merengue star Johnny Ventura used this song to make it clear how Dominicans handle their nearly four-month-long Christmas season. “Salsa pa’ Tu Lechón” trumpets the basics — manicongo and lerenes (both peanut-shaped tubers served with traditional Dominican dishes) and keeping up with your dancing partner’s fast-paced twists and turns. Ventura, a singer and bandleader who served as the mayor of Santo Domingo for four years, first released this song in 1972.

For most children who grew up in Latin America, the ubiquitous “El Burrito de Belén” (or “El Burrito Sabanero”) will bring back strong memories. The original version, by the Venezuelan singer and composer Simón Díaz, came out in 1972, though covers by child performers like La Rondallita have become more acclaimed. The song’s catchy chorus narrates an expedition to visit Jesus in Bethlehem with kid-friendly lyrics (“Hurry up, donkey!/We’re off to see Jesus!”) The song has become a staple in almost every Latin American country during the Christmas season, as younger children learn the jovial “tuki-tuki-tuki-TA” chant for their neighborhood performances.

The Afro-Cuban rhythms of “El Negro Esta Cocinando,” or “The Black Man Is Cooking,” pay tribute to Cuba’s rich culinary culture. Los Van Van, a Cuban band formed in 1969, is known for its timba and songo beats, similar to those of salsa. This song is frequently played throughout the Christmas season even though there is no specific mention of the holiday in its lyrics.

Victor Jara’s music still resonates strongly with the people of Chile for its role during the political movements against Augusto Pinochet during the 1970s. (He was murdered in 1973 by men under Pinochet’s command at age 40.) This song translates to “Maria, I beg of you” and its lyrics express a person’s wishes to visit Jesus after his birth. The song, released in 1966, has become part of the more formal and traditional celebrations held in Chilean households that strive to keep Christmas strongly tied to religion.

Luis Aguile’s 1969 “Ven a Mi Casa Esta Navidad” is a song about longing that’s steeped in melancholy. Aguile, an Argentine actor and singer who died in 2009, offers a seat at his table for those who can’t get home to their loved ones for Christmas. “You are far from your friends, your country and your home,” he sings, acknowledging the heartache of yearning for a mother or a son. Yet he offers words of comfort: “But I want you to know, tonight, he will be next to you.”