WXPN Radio

The premier guide for new and significant artists in rock, blues, and folk - including NPR-syndicated World Cafe

XPN2 - XPoNential Radio

24/7 Musical discovery. A unique mix of emerging and heritage blues, rock, world, folk, and alt-country artists.

World Cafe Archives

Join the World Cafe through performances and interviews with celebrated and emerging artists.
Listen

Latin Roots #21: Ranchera - October 18, 2012

We are back with another of our popular Latin Roots series. This time Felix Contreras from NPR's Alt-Latino is here to explore the Ranchera. We'll hear old and new examples of this Mexican narrative form. The first song is by Jorge Negrete, one of the most famous Ranchera singers of all time. Ranchera literally translates to "from the ranch," and first began appearing during the Mexican Revolution around 1910. The lyrics were originally written about love and patriotism, but evolved during the ten year Revolution to reflect more of the political climate at the time in Mexico, and was later used in Mexican movies during the boom period of the 1940s, '50s and '60s.

The second song is by Chavel Vargas who passed away this past summer at the age of 93.
  • Listen to the Show:
    Listen to the session at NPR.org/music
  • Show Tracks:
    • Jorge Negrete / MEXICO LINDO Y QUERIDO / 15 Exitos Immortales de Jorge Negrete
    • Chavel Vargas / EN EL ULTIMO TRAGO / Sentimiento de Mexico, Vol. 2
  • Listen to the Playlist:
  • Playlist Tracks:
    • Cuatro Caminos by Jose Alfredo Jimenez and Lola Beltran
    • Media Vuelta by Lucha Villa
    • Amorcita Corazon by Pedro Infante
    • El Ultimo Trago by Chavela Vargas
    • Volver, Volver by Vicente Fernandez
    • Ay Jalisco No Te Rajes by Jorge Negrete
    • En Mi Viejo San Juan by Javier Solis
    • Una vez mas by Rocio Durcal
    • Traigo un Amor by Lucha Reyes
    • La Cancion Mexicana by Flor Silvestre