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other letras

My Blood Calms Your Blood | The Weekly Letra

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My Blood Calms Your Blood | The Weekly Letra

Today's letra is an excerpt from a letter (modified to fit the compás) that Simón Bolivar wrote to Manuela Sáenz, a revolutionary heroine from South America who collaborated with Simón Bolivar and is recognized as a feminist symbol of the 19th century wars of independence. I learned about her last night during the show, Mujeres Valientes produced by Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana when I went to see Emilio Ochando perform with the company here in New York ...

Legaste de improviso, como siempre
sonriente, notoria eras tú.

Legaste de improviso, como siempre
sonriente, notoria, te miré.

Mi sangre tu sangre calma
tu sangre la mía amansa.

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Eclipse | The Weekly Letra

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Eclipse | The Weekly Letra

Today in honor of the solar eclipse (which we saw at 99% visibility here in Portland) I give you what is actually a pop song. It's by Lya whose amazing voice you can hear in the video below with Los Makarines.

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Happy International Dance Day  |  The Weekly Letra

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Happy International Dance Day | The Weekly Letra

Today in honor of International Dance Day, I have a couple of videos to share with you that will surely make you want to move. You'll love how into it Paloma Fantova gets in the first video. After that watch Parrita sing today's letra. 

¡Feliz Día Internacional de la Danza!

El Agua Más Cristalina (Chorus)
El Parrita

El agua más cristalina
El vaso más reluciente

El mejor mantel que tenga voy a ponerle
No viene a cenar cualquiera

Viene el señor de señores
Y el rey de reyes

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Mercedes | The Weekly Letra

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Mercedes | The Weekly Letra

Today's post is not a flamenco letra; it is an acrostic that was written for Mercedes Ruíz when she was about eleven years old. It is written on this photo that hangs on a wall at the Peña Los Cernícalos. 

Mercedes
Es, Jerez de la Frontera,
Rica sal de Andalucía,
Conquistando a España entera,
Ella se llama altanera,
Dichosa, como su abuela,
Este nombre de solera
Soy niña de la Plazuela.

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To Juan Carmona Habichuela | The Weekly Letra

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To Juan Carmona Habichuela | The Weekly Letra

The great flamenco guitarist Juan Habichuela, 'Tío Juan,' known as the best cante accompanist, passed away last week

You can see a video of him playing below along with an interview where he talks about his life as a flamenco guitarist. He says he is a guitarist who plays for cante, who loves accompanying cante, who loves cante, who loves flamenco, and that he'll die with all of that.

But first, a poem. 

I saw this on Facebook, written and posted by guitarist Paco Cepero, and I wanted to share it with you:

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Todo es de Color | Viernes con una Letra

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Todo es de Color | Viernes con una Letra

I saw this video the other day on Facebook with Argentina (so beautifully) singing this coletilla,

Todo es de color...

Accompanied by Farruquito, sitting at a dining room table. (You can hear it at about 3 minutes.)

And so, today's letra

It's actually an entire song, and it's kind of long, and you definitely don't want to miss the video of Lole and Manuel performing it live which you'll find (along with the translation) as you scroll down in the post...

Todo es de Color 
J.M. Flores*

Todo es de color

Todo el mundo cuenta sus penas
pidiendo la comprensión, 
quien cuenta sus alegrías
no comprende al que sufrió

 

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Que Nadie Vaya a Llorar | Viernes con una Letra

I told you that today I'd post a video of Manuel Molina singing...

Along with another letra:

Que Nadie Vaya a Llorar

Que nadie vaya a llorar el día que yo me muera
es más hermoso cantar aunque se cante con pena
que nadie vaya llevar ni flores ni ropa negra
no me vayáis a enterrar para pudrirme bajo tierra
es más hermoso cantar mientras mi carne se quema
y luego me ofrecéis al mar o al aire o sobre la arena o en un jardin,
me da igual
pero cuando yo muera que nadie vaya a llorar

Nobody cry the day that I die
It's more beautiful to sing even if one sings with sorrow
Nobody bring flowers or wear black clothes
Don't bury me just to rot underground
It's more beautiful to sing while my flesh burns
And then offer me to the sea, or to the air, or over the sand, or in a garden,
It doesn't matter to me,
But when I die, nobody cry

You can watch another version here, one that will be part of the upcoming Flamenco Sin Fronteras documentary.

Oh, and you might want to check this out as well.

At his funeral, people sang as he requested, and his daughter, Alba Molina wore white.

You might also enjoy these...

If You Truly Believe in God

Paco & Camarón por bulerías

Tell Me

Paco Se Fue

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I Curse Your Green Eyes | Viernes con una Letra

Today a whole song and a video of La Paquera singing it.

Maldigo Tus Ojos Verdes
Antonio Gallardo, Nicolás Sánchez Ortega

En la soledad de mis noches sin luna 
busco los luceros de tus ojos verdes 
y como una loca repito tu nombre
porque tengo miedo de tanto quererte

Tengo que buscar la vida 
con la cruz de tu traición 
soy esa rama caída 
que a nadie da compasión.

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