What Caribbean Spanish Music Really Is About

 What Caribbean Spanish Music Really Is About

Central Artist - Ataniro

Artist Description: Born in 1971, Janiro 'Ataniro' Eisden, is an Aruban sensation. He was raised in San Nicolas, Aruba but he left to pursue his education further to the Netherlands. He found his first musical successes after participating in a school talent hunt where he formed a band called 'Basic One' where he was able to make multiple notable radio hits. He gained major success in the Netherlands for being a pioneer a Papiamento (creole language spoken in the Netherlands) rap. He is one of the most famous Aruban artists. A fun fact about Aruba is that though not considered a spanish-speaking country most residents speak a minimum of four languages, spanish being one. That is why I chose him.

'Saus den bo love' by Ataniro is an absolute hit because of its catchy flow and attention-grabbing intro. What caught my eye is the fact that the song is written in both Spanish and Dutch. The title of the song translates to "sauce in your love" and the sauce can be described as intensity or passion. The chorus repeats the phrase "Aa, Ee, e love ken por bai, mas kandela, e love ken por kai," which translates to "Aa, Ee, who can handle love? More fire, who can get burned?". This passionate tune is an invitation to the dance floor, with its unmatched energetic melody. Ataniro definitely displays his loving interest throughout this tune.

Haraca Kiko is definitely a character and his songs are nothing short of a reflection of that. "Los bobos son mios" which was repeated through the chorus translates to mean "the bobos are mine". The artist gives his perspective on society in a humorous or comical nature. The 'bobos' are desribed as ignorant individuals that lack awareness  of what is going on in society and can be easily influenced. A Dominican artist, Haraca Kiko's main message in the song is the importance of challenging norms and thinking out of the box in order to create a more prosperous future individually. The song has a strong appeal to listeners to WAKE UP.

Don Omar, who is widely revered as Puerto Rico's most notable artist and one of the most notable artists from the Caribbean, gives us a feel-good tune in "Danza Kuduro". Most of us can sing this song word for word from start to finish but have no idea what it means. This song is a mix of Spanish and Portugese. The featured artist Lucenzo introduces the Portugese verses. The portrayal of this music video urges listeners to let loose and give in to a good feeling. This song, like the previous songs has a strong appeal to listeners, but in a different way. 

Gente de Zona, a Cuban reggaeton duo, in their song "La Gozadera" has a similar theme to the previous song "Danza Kuduro". 'La Gozadera' translated to English means good time or party. In Cuba it basically means a busy or noisy party, but in the DR or Venezuala it means to enjoy something for a long time. During the song, the artists refer to the various countries to come together and party including Venezuala, Cuba, the DR and Puerto Rico. It is similar to the previous song in that the appeal that is present is to the listeners to drop what they are doing and have a good time. 

Like "Danza Kuduro", the song "Vivir mi Vida" by Marc Anthony is another popular song that people can almost sing word for word and not have the first clue of meaning. Marc Anthony is a New Yorker born to Puerto Rican parents who has gain worldwide fame for his amazing song and vocal ability. The lyrics start with the lines “Voy a reír, voy a bailar, Vivir mi vida” which translate to “I’m going to laugh, I’m going to dance, Live my life.” The song has a different type of tune that the previous ones in this playlist, but it still presents the appeal to the listener and the idea of letting go and having a good time.

 

The song "Esta Rico" by Marc Anthony, Bad Bunny and Will Smith introduces a mix between English and Spanish, with Will Smith being the only English performer. But what does the song mean? Esta Rico translates to mean "Be delicious" and is explained to display the concept of pleasure. The song highlights a flashy lifestyle with the promotion of the enjoyment of intimacy and relationships. Another appeal to the listener, the main themes of the song are escapism and exploration. Overall having a good time in being adventurous with partners are what stand out from this presentation. 

Bibliography

Barrett, W. (2023, September 5). The meaning behind the song: La Gozadera by Marc Anthony. Old Time Music. https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-la-gozadera-by-marc-anthony/

Maynard, N. (2024, January 3). The meaning behind the song: Vivir Mi Vida by Marc Anthony. Old Time Music. https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-vivir-mi-vida-by-marc-anthony-2/

Willard, B. (2023, October 21). The meaning behind the song: Los Bobo son mio by Haraca Kiko. Old Time Music. https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-los-bobo-son-mio-by-haraca-kiko/