Cumbia Thriller! (Los Mirlos otra vez)

I finally am able to listen to all the records I got down in Peru! Oh man, what a wait- it's been two months since I've been back and I haven't been in the same place/time as my records and player. What a tease, but I finally dove into them today and it's pure bliss.

I found this little medley off the Cumbia Thriller album by Los Mirlos. They start off with a cumbia version of MJ's "Thriller" (this version recorded in 1984), then go into a blend of their exitos starting with La Danza de Los Mirlos, La Danza de Petrolero, and Eres Mentirosa.

Off to a good start! More comin'!

p.s. don't really know what's up with the font two posts below. Tried fixing it about 5 times and can't get it right.

Los Mirlos - Cumbia Thriller Medley

Blog jams goin live! - Nov. 23rd at Trophy Bar

Got a bag of records for grazing on, plus some West African loves on mine on display this Monday! I'm making a few batches of some sorrel to keep drinks cheap for ya!
$3 sorrel and rum after midnight, $5 otherwise.

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Fusicology Listing

Los Shapis - La Novia y mas!

Funny song here by big-time chicha act Los Shapis - La Novia (the Girlfriend)

A story of a poor fellow who goes to church to atone for his sins and there happens to be a wedding going on. But say, who is that bride? She looks very familiar...is that my sis...wait a sec- that's my girlfriend with some other guy!

Los Shapis - La Novia

Los Shapis played a truer style of Huayño, an already fused mixture of Andean folk and city-dance music, than other chicha groups like Los Mirlos, Los Diablos Rojos and Los Destellos. While the other groups embraced more guitar elements in their work, Los Shapis embraced their country roots a bit more.

Their songs, like the one above, talked about emotional hardships, drinking, and the failures of love. The following "Juguetito" ("Little Toy") features some great synths and female vocals:

Los Shapis - Juguetito

Of course, since the genre of chicha is named after a low-strength corn beer drank by the Incas, a good bit of drinking is involved in the genre. This song laments the curse of being a drunk as a way to deal with one's problems:

Los Shapis - Borrachito Borrachon

El Sonido de Los Mirlos!

Originally hailing from the San Martin district, a region of northestern Peru that is about half-way between capital city Lima and capital city of Quito, Ecuador, the group who came to be Los Mirlos (The Blackbirds) brought the chicha sound to Lima in 1971. Chicha, as mentioned a few times on here, came about from the Andean mountain music fused with the fiery Colombian cumbia that was gaining popularity in Lima.

Forming in 1968 under the name Los Saetas (The Bolts), brothers Jorge and Carlos Rodriguez Grández incorporated the jungle sound popularized by groups like Juaneco and Sus Combo with a unique use of guitars and accordians. The accordian was mostly dropped en route to Lima and the band is remembered for their reverb-heavy surf guitar rock over a steady cumbia beat and regionally proud lyrics.

The influential guitar work on "La Danza de Los Mirlos" ("The Dance of Los Mirlos") is the unofficial cumbia guitar anthem until today.

Download "La Danza de Los Mirlos" - Los Mirlos



The distinctive melody can be found in many fan versions all over Youtube. Here's a little punk clip by an unknown Peruvian band:



And some bedroom rock!



Taking on a more pointed political and joking approach, "La Danza Del Petrolero" ("The Dance of the Petrol/Oilman") portray oil hungry folks as buffoons.

Grab that "La Danza Del Petrolero" - Los Mirlos