La Bamba by Ritchie Valens: Great B-Sides

‘La Bamba’ is a traditional Mexican folk song, from the state of Veracruz. Ritchie Valens, a 17 year old rising star, converted the tune to rock and roll. It’s one of the best known Spanish language tunes in the rock and roll vernacular, but Valens’ version started its life as a b-side.

It was originally issued in 1958 as the b-side to ‘Donna’, a song that Valens wrote as a tribute to his girlfriend Donna Ludwig. Valens was born Richard Valenzuela, but didn’t speak Spanish at his San Fernando home; he had to learn the words phonetically. The words translate as “To dance La Bamba you need to have a little grace”. Valens’ version was recorded with prominent L.A. studio musicians, including Carol Kaye (playing acoustic guitar for this session) and drummer Earl Palmer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WoMCOtPkY8

Valens’ early career was stifled by a fear of flying. He was off school for his grandfather’s funeral in early 1957, when there was an accident over his junior school school. Two planes collided above the school playground and the debris killed three students and injured another 75.

Valens was touring the Midwest in early 1959, on “The Winter Dance Party” tour with Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Dion and the Belmonts, and Frankie Sardo. The winter conditions were tough; drummer Carl Bunch was hospitalised with frostbitten feet, and Valens took over on drums for some of the show.

After a performance in Clear Lake, Iowa, on 2 February 1959, Valens, Holly, and the Big Bopper flew out in a chartered plane. The plane crashed a few minutes after takeoff, killing all the passengers. This event was later commemorated by Don McLean as “the day the music died”. Valens was only 17 when he passed away.

After Valens’ death, ‘La Bamba’ was released on the a-side of a single and included on the posthumous album Ritchie Valens. It’s clearly his legacy song from his brief career as a successful musician – the 1987 biopic about Valens life was named La Bamba. In the movie Lou Diamond Phillips played Valens and Marshall Crenshaw played Buddy Holly. The film also featured a remake of ‘La Bamba’ by Tex-Mex legends Los Lobos – their spirited version was the first all-Spanish language #1 hit in America.

Read More

Aphoristical
Aphoristical

Graham Fyfe is probably the only music blogger to appreciate Neil Diamond and Ariana Grande. Aphoristic Album Reviews features reviews and blog posts across a growing spectrum of popular music.

16 Comments

  1. Even after having read many times about “The Winter Dance Party” tour and the plane crash, it still gives me the creeps. Reportedly, when Buddy Holly learned his touring guitarist Waylon Jennings gave up his seat on the doomed plane to give it to Richie Valens since Valens was sick with flu-like symptoms, Holly joked, “Well, I hope your ol’ bus freezes up.” To which Jennings replied, “Well, I hope your ol’ plane crashes.”
    Can you imagine how Jennings felt afterwards?
    BTW, I didn’t know Valens had such a fear of flying. That makes the sad saga even more tragic!

  2. Great interpretation of the song. I wonder what he might have done. I think Buddy would have been successful unlike most of his fifties peers. The Big Bopper was more of a novelty act.
    Valens was a good guitar player and he could write.

    • Holly and Valens seem most likely to have adapted to post-Beatles rock, right? Valens was super young too. They were both filling in on drums during that tour too.

      • Yes I think so. Holly I’m as sure of as I can be. He would have fit perfectly. I do think Valens would have had a chance. It was such a small sample size but he was talented and like you said so young.

Leave a Reply

More from Aphoristic Album Reviews

Aphoristic Album Reviews is almost entirely written by one person.

Graham Fyfe is probably the only music blogger to appreciate both Neil Diamond and Ariana Grande. Based in Fleet Street (New Zealand), he's been writing this blog since around 2000. Aphoristic Album Reviews features reviews and blog posts across a growing spectrum of popular music.

Review Pages

Read about the discographies of musical acts from the 1960s to the present day. Browse this site's review archives or enjoy these random selections:

The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America
The Hold Steady Album Reviews

Vocalist Craig Finn and guitarist Tab Kubler started their careers with the indie-rock band Lifter Puller. They formed The Hold Steady after watching The Band‘s The Last Waltz. But unlike The Band, The Hold Steady aren’t rooted in traditional music forms; musically they resemble 1970s classic rock like Bruce Springsteen […]
Sam Phillips Martinis and Bikinis
Sam Phillips Album Reviews

Not to be confused with the Sun Records boss of the same name, Sam Phillips started her career in 1980s Christian pop. She used her birth name, Leslie Phillips, in the 1980s and was marketed as the Christian Cyndi Lauper. Based on Phillips’ raspy voice and appearance, I’m surprised they […]
Primal Scream Screamadelica
1990s Miscellany

This page collects miscellaneous reviews for 1990s artists who I’ve just covered a handful of albums by: Eric Clapton | Dream Theater | Ben Harper | Various Artists: Heisei No Oto | Alanis Morissette | Nas | Oasis | Liz Phair | Primal Scream | Stone Temple Pilots | Teenage Fanclub | […]
About Aphoristic Album Reviews

I was born in 1979, in Lower Hutt New Zealand. I grew up in a household where the main music was bagpipes and Christian radio. When I discovered pop music at the age of 12 it was new and exciting, and vintage acts like Simon and Garfunkel and The Beatles […]
Punk and New Wave Reviews

Rock music underwent a revolution in the late 1970s. A new generation of acts arrived, often stripping their sound back with basic songs and simple arrangements. Some of these bands failed to make a huge dent commercially, despite critical acclaim. Others like U2 and Blondie rode their stripped-down sound to […]
2020s Miscellany

This page collects album reviews for 2020s artists of whom I’ve only reviewed one or two albums. This page became a little long to edit easily so there’s a part two covering M-Z. Alex G | Alvvays | Amaarae | Animal Collective | Ichiko Aoba | Fiona Apple | Art […]

Blog Posts

I add new blog posts to this website every week. Browse the archives or enjoy these random selections:

10 Best Jimi Hendrix Songs

James Marshall Hendrix was born in Seattle. After his discharge from the army he became a musician, spending years gigging with acts like Little Richard, Sam Cooke, and Ike & Tina Turner. Despite his immense talent, it wasn’t until he was spotted by Keith Richard’s girlfriend and signed by former […]
10 Best Dire Straits Songs

Dire Straits emerged at the height of punk in the UK, where Mark Knopfler’s smooth and accomplished guitar playing was at odds with the prevailing trends. Coupled with Mark Freuder Knopfler’s questionable taste in sweatbands, Dire Straits were never cool. Most of these ten tracks are taken from 1980’s Making Movies and […]
Talk Talk Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best

Formed in 1981, London’s Talk Talk enjoyed an unusual career trajectory. They started their record career as a passable synth-pop band, often compared to Duran Duran. Early hits like 1984’s ‘Such A Shame’ and ‘It’s My Life’ allowed them access to larger recording budgets. Their music became more experimental and […]
10 Best Sandy Denny Songs

Sandy Denny is best-known to rock fans for her guest vocal on Led Zeppelin’s ‘Battle of Evermore’, and her contribution to acclaimed Fairport Convention records like Liege & Lief. But she also carved out a solo career as a singer-songwriter in the 1970s. Denny’s an impressive vocalist, warm and expressive, […]
10 Best Dave Dobbyn Songs

If you’re not from Australasia, chances are that you’re not familiar with Dave Dobbyn – he’s ubiquitous in New Zealand, but obscure everywhere else. When a panel selected the New Zealand’s best ever popular songs in 2001, five Dave Dobbyn songs were included in the top 30 (and ‘Outlook for […]
Red House Painters Ocean Beach
Red House Painters Albums: Ranked from Worst to Best

The Red House Painters took their name from a Tennessee painting crew named The International League Of Revolutionary House Painters. Leader Mark Kozelek came from Ohio, but formed the band in San Francisco. Kozelek was joined by drummer Anthony Koutsos, bassist Jerry Vessel, and guitarist Gorden Mack – Mack left […]
%d bloggers like this: