Cubanocast

Called double entendre in France, doble sentido in Latin America, and hey, that's dirty in Arkansas, double meaning in today's music is the married people in twin beds of musical convention, a throwback to a time when people swaddled overt sexual speech in analogies and metaphors (art is best when pushing against a restraint, but that's another post). Today, unsubtlety is the favored approach of artists and radio stations stream their bawdiness across America as if they felt the radio towers needed an electronic enema. Rap and Reggaeton are the worst. Reggaeton is a good beat rendered unlistenable by the most relentlessly stupid lyrics since Australopithecus Rickys found an evolutionary advantage to crooning their Lucys.** Some rap isn't dumb and some rap isn't dirty, but few manage to avoid both foolishness and vulgarity.

Ranging from almost-sophisticated to modern crude, I've assembled some examples of doble sentido for your listening enjoyment:

The first one isn't about sex, but politics. Se Te Cayo el Tabaco is a phrase applied to somebody who's just been found out-the jig is up, in Cuban. It's an attack on unenlightened Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista.

Listen to Se te Cayo el Tabaco

Se Te Cayo El Tabaco

Now that we're gotten that out of the way, let's proceed to the sexual ones: Here we have the great Miguelito Valdez with La Cachimba de San Juan. A cachimba is a pipe for smoking. San Juan's perfumed cachimba has the "mysterious" power to inspire women to "smoke" it. I love the lazy trumpet and Valdez manages to restrain himself enough to put forth a strait performance void of his sometimes exaggerated vocal flourishes.

Listen to Cachimba.

Cuban Sextetos & Conjuntos

Next we have Anselmo Sacasas wishing to chupar or "suck" on his girl's mouth. He thinks she should learn to chupar as well. That in and of itself doesn't make it doble sentido, but the way he carries on makes the listener believe he desires more than a simple kiss.

Musically, its a gem- beautiful piano and world beating jauntiness.

Listen to Chupa Chupa.

1942-1944

Casino de la Playa's Cascarita doesn't quite mean that unhealthy delicacy, chorizo.

Listen to Quiero un Sombrero.

Memories of Cuba, 1937-1944

Follow up:

Of the modern Cuban double-meaning songs, I chose this one by Manolito y su Trabuco. It's called Caballo Grande Ande o no Ande ("Big Horse or I walk," essentially). The relevant lyrics here are:

Hay que reconocer que no importa el tamano.
You have to recognize that size doesn't matter.

Cuando existe el amor lo de mas (I didn't quite get it, but it's saying that nothing else matters)
When love exists, nothing else matters.

Lo pequeno tiene su valor elegante.
The small has its elegant worth.

Pero yo, Caballo Grande o no ande.
But for me, I only ride on big horses.

Listen to Caballo Grande.

Cuba Si: Pure Cuban Flavor

Now, let's see what our Salvadorian brothers and sisters are up to. As I've mentioned, the most popular rhythm in Central America is Cumbia (here and here). Aniceto Molina is from Columbia, but is very popular in El Salvador. His trademark is a Woody-Woodpecker-like three-part laugh (ahh-ha-ha). Ribald humor is the norm and El Peluquero Salvatrucha is certainly that. The joke here is that a hairdresser is working in a two story building. His sign says things like "We service you above and below" and "We cut hair above and below." A peluquero is a hairdresser and Salvatrucha is a nickname for Salvadorians- like Yankees for Americans.

Listen to Peluquero

Puro Movimiento

Now, when I criticized Reggaeton for its uncleverness, I may have over-spoken a little. With about as much success as AC/DC in Big Balls, Daddy Yankee does try to give the eponymous liquid a double-meaning in his ode to procreation, Gasolina, although the fact that this is their most understated dance song kind of proves my point. I'll give him credit for attempting restraint and award him one and a half sentido. Their baseness is a shame because their dance music is very creative.

Listen to Gasolina

And, you get a bonus video- with wars, sex, and violence in spades:

Warning: --Provocative dancing--

Tormenta Tropical, Vol. 1

Ok That's it. I hope this turned you on to doble sentido. If you like it, sit back and jack it up until you blow your speakers.

**I apologize for the two I Love Lucy references. I try to limit myself to one per post, but I couldn't help myself. To make it up, I won't include any in the next one.