There is a nice (albeit brief) article about Juan Luis Guerra in the NYT today that addresses the problem of world music (”music whose lyrics we can’t understand”). The music sounds great and perhaps hints at something exotic, different; but without understanding the lyrics we may be missing out on something huge.
Guerra–one of the musicians whose music I most enjoy both listening and dancing to– is an excellent case in point. His music is eminently pleasing to listen to, but did you realize that that infectious dance beat obscures a biting criticism of the state of healthcare? That the deliciously romantic melody and smooth singing belie a striking use of language and poetry? Upon every listening I gain a new insight into the Spanish language, Dominican culture, musicality, and meaning.
When I became fluent in Italian, Italian music was no more ”world music” to me, but a whole new world of pop, rock, rap, R&B, folk, and more. When I learned to dance salsa, merengue, cha cha cha, and bachata, and to comprehend the Spanish words, tropical music was no longer “world”– or even “Latin” music to me, but four new distinct genres of music with their own musical and rhythmical structure, and tradition of political expression.
To be honest, the term “world music” rather grates on me, and I avoid its use whenever possible. The same thing has happened to dances not originating in the European or American traditions in the U.S. Anything that does not fit neatly into the categories of ballet, modern, jazz, hip hop, or ballroom dance are “world dances,” discounting the rich tradition and meaning behind each one of them.
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July 22, 2008 at 10:41 am
Nichelle
I agree with you on the labeling of world music/dance. “World” can seem to imply that anything not Euro or American-centric is alien or “other.” Labels in art fail miserably most of the time (see my post Classic Confusion for evidence). Obviously, it is sometimes a bit cumbersome to list every dance tradition individually, and even regions in Europe have dance forms which are native to a region. So, my question is, what is a better label when speaking of dance (or music) that is not ballet, modern, jazz, ballroom, etc? Do you have a preferred label that encompasses dances that develop and grow within a particular region of the world, without the notes of condescension? I’ve heard others, but I am curious about your opinion as you are experienced in many traditions. Thanks!
August 26, 2008 at 6:17 pm
koolricky
It’s obvious that understanding the lyrics adds another dimension. But most times, when the lyrics are written together with the music, one can very easily understand what’s being said, without understanding a single word. Fortunately I speak Spanish and I can understand most of what’s said in Tango lyrics (except for the alien lunfardo) but I have spoke to many English-only speaking people that can understand what the lyrics are all about without knowing more to spanish than “Hola, que pasa?”
August 27, 2008 at 12:05 am
Maria
Nichelle, I don’t have a good answer to your question. Ideally, we would call everything by its name, but that raises of the question of where we draw the lines on genres/subgenres, etc. We can also not expect everyone to be versed in every genre of music throughout the world. Really my intention was to start a dialogue and consider the very questions you asked. At any rate, I’d be happier with someone at least approximating the area of the world or the language, rather than calling something just “world music.” “Latin music” is perfectly acceptable to me. If someone can’t tell a reggaeton from a guaguanco, it’s perfectly understandable!
Koolricky, I think it’s true that many times you can figure out what a song is about without speaking the language. With salsa romantica songs that is certainly the case. When I first heard “El Preso” by Fruko y Sus Tesos my Spanish wasn’t so hot and the music is so infectuous I figured it was about a happy topic. I was shocked when I found out it was about the despair of a prison inmate. Salsa is musically a lot of fun but it can also be very political.