Annotations for Sounds: Music

Sometimes people in Texas marvel at how few others have heard the Tejano Conjunto music that they are so passionate about.

[accordion]

Si se puede, si se puede, si se puede...

In this scene at a union celebration, the music is provided by Los Jornaleros del Norte, five men who haven't quit their real life day jobs.

They're members of L.A.'s day laborers union and they play their topical songs at labor and immigrant rights events.

[Music]

[Music]

[Music] Oh, Donna, oh, Donna, oh, Donna, oh, Donna.

[Music]

[Music]

[Music] In Old New Mexico, way before the advent of the railroad, candle flames danced in tin sconces on white plaster walls. Tin flames lit the faces of Christian saints. Tin crosses led processions of worship.

In those days, traders brought in small tin items. Then in the mid-1800s, the railroads began to haul in large sheets of tin. It became plentiful for the first time, inspiring the golden days of tin making for the next 75 years.

Sadly, we don't know much about tin's history. Few artists signed their work, and much of it has been lost. But today, tin making is popular once again in New Mexico.

[Music] It's a musical hybrid.

Electrónica meets down-home Mexican music. [Music]

This is Tijuana. Come in.

This musical fusion is called Nortec, Norteño and Techno.

[Singing] Cucurrucucú Paloma. Cucurrucucú no llores.

That's right. And what you will find interesting is that that song actually originally was a Persian love song that Javier translated the lyrics into Spanish. [Music]

Gracias a ti.

I like to be in America, okay by me in America, everything free in America. For a small fee in America.