World Music Wednesday

Pau Donés was born in the Spanish region of Aragon, but was raised in Barcelona. Along with his band Jarabe de Palo they released the Cuban-influenced La Flaca in 1997 and the title track became a huge hit that summer, selling millions of copies.

I absolutely love this song, from the beginning slow and sexy guitar notes, to the building Latin beat and the smooth Spanish lyrics (of which I understand maybe half, thanks to Señora Navarro and my high school Spanish classes). It is quite a smoldering song.

La Flaca was the informal clubbing anthem of my study abroad experience in Italy in Fall of 1999. I spent many a (swirling and hazy) night trying my best to do some sort of samba imitation on the dancefloor to this alongside my Italian amici. Top notch. As the song says, "y bailar y bailar, y tomar y tomar..." I, of course, had life-altering educational and cultural experiences while studying abroad as well, but those were more during the day.

It is really a fabulous song, bar none. I highly recommend it.

"La Flaca" - Jarabe de Palo