Narcocorrido: A Journey Into the Music of Drugs, Guns, and Guerrillas

I was originally attracted to norteño because of its generally clear lyrics and upbeat tempo. I was studying Spanish, and lyrics of groups such as Los Tigres were easy to understand. The more words I understood, the more I realized that I knew too little of the culture behind it to truly grasp what they were saying. In his book, Wald opens up an entire world. There is a base assumption that the reader will be somewhat familiar with some of the grupos, the political situation in Mexico, and how the politics of criminalizing drug trafficking have been manifested in Mexico and other countries. Wald clarifies the politics, social pressures, and social dynamics that have caused narcocorridos to become possible. He also clarifies one of the more perplexing manifestations: why it is that in some areas of Mexico, all one hears in the mercados, blaring from busses and shops, and blasting from cars are Corridos, but all one hears on the radio is Banda, cumbia, and rock. (not that I don't like Banda/Duranguense, Cumbia, etc.) Wald also goes to great lengths to pay homage to the artists. He opens the listener to Chalino Sanchez, El As de la Sierra, and others. He spends time with the writers and how they truly see the world that they're writing about. This book will give the aficionado of Mexican music a deeper understanding and appreciation - and perhaps open new horizons.

I grew up in the 50's in Los Angeles, California and I heard norteño, Tex-Mex, corridos as part of the background (musical wallpaper for me)of being Mexican-American. I say musical wallpaper because it smacked of country, of the recently immigrated. I prefered instead R & B. Later, I preferred anything (ragas, jazz, American folk, soul, tropical) other than the music that Elijah Wald writes about. After visiting Mexico several times as an adult and hearing rancheras and pop and cumbia, the feeling for the music of Mexico began to grow. After reading Mr. Wald's book I realized that I had ignored a genre of music that had, in fact, been a part of my life from the beginning. Read this book and then buy the music. If you are learning Spanish as a second language, you can generally find the lyrics on-line. There is no better way (short of taking a Mexican lover) to learn and love this beautiful language. The book is well-written, well-reasearched, and will open your musical mind.

I'd like to issue several warnings about this book:1. It isn't an ethnomusicological manifesto. There will be no kinship studies(although there's plenty of kinship amongst the author and his subjects), no chapters dealing with forms, scales, microtones, etc., and there will be no schenkerian(sp?) analysis to the rear of the book. Heck, I don't think he even mentions the workings of the keying system of a diatonic accordeon! So, if you want to play this music, this book will not tell you how.2. This isn't a feminist disection of the Narcocorrido, of the Mexican male/female dynamic, or the moral differences between "Chicanas" & "true" Mexicanas. I don't even think there's one chapter about whether El As or Valerio Longoria was more culturally sensitive to women's issues in their music. Best look to other books for these things, folks(or write it! I'd love to read it! Better yet, find some Mexican women and ask them! ;:^)3. This isn't a socially moralist work. Mr.Wald doesn't go into the reasons why the Tigres or Tuchanes aren't fluent in English, don't wave the American flag, and why they play this "backward", provincial, "ethnic" music that doesn't try to "cross borders" or have "modern" rhythms, like their more socially conscious neighbors, N'sync, who don't sing about drugs, and serenade their chosen markets in a target-appropriate tongue(come on, El As, write me a corrido in English!) ;:^) Anyway, with those things said, I'd like to say what Mr. Wald has done(in my view, of course). He's written a very personal, anecdotal book, one that can take you on an exciting adventure of discovery in first person. I've been to Sinaloa many times(and bought & smoked alot of la hierbia buena, in my younger days), and the atmosphere is perfect. Many of my friends in Sinaloa would consider themselves Valientes, and a number of them lived la vida. This book will safely take you through a compelling music and an equally captivating culture, without bogging you down with judgements. Make those yourself. If you want to know more about this music than the liner notes to an Arhoolie release will tell you, and about what Mexican people are actually listening to, this is the book for you. If you don't own it, it's my opinion that your book collection is the lesser for it! ;:^)

Elijah Wald goes to Mexico in search of the roots of the corrido, and does a superb job as he finds and talks to the main composers and singers of the true and authentic mexican music. the book it's direct and extremely enjoyable. I read it in one afternoon and was unable to put it down until I finished it all.The book it's about the corrido, it is not a political document or passes judgements on anyone lifestyle, only when it pertains to the corrido itself then he goes and gives you a little taste of the political, social and economic factors that relate to the music and living conditions of the people involved. It is a great research job very well done and estremely informative, specially for the novice in this kind of music. A winner!

In Narcocorridos, Elijah Wald successfuly portrays the past present and future of the corrido as we know it. The absolute beauty of this book is the narrative and brilliant context that traces this style of music from its roots to what is now the booming of el Narcocorrido. This is the first piece of literature to my knowledge, that has taken such an indepth, surgical type research that includes every aspect of the composition of a corrido, from the talented people who right it as well as the great artists who make it, and the behind the scenes footage on all of their lives that make up the dominant public of this genre of music. I highly recommend Narcocorridos, for anyone who has ever been interested in Mexican music, is doing research on the subject, or just wants to read a tremendous read.