GuacaMusic: Día de Muertos

posted in: By Genres • Features • Latin

Ever wished you could bring a deceased artist back to life just so you could play with him for one night? Wondered what it would be like to be part of a band that no longer exists?

Well, singing and dancing with the dead are exactly the things that Mexicans do every year to celebrate Dí­a de Muertos, also known as Day of the Dead. The main goal of this holiday is to remember friends and family members who have died, and honor them by putting altars with their favorite foods along with other items such as flowers, photos and sugar skulls.

El Dí­a de Muertos is based on the pre-colonial beliefs that death is only a transition from one life to another. Therefore, this day is not a mournful commemoration but rather a joyful celebration of life.

There is no better way to celebrate Dí­a de Muertos than to listen to great songs that are written about it. Here on OurStage, we have a variety of joyful, eccentric and colorful pieces that honor La Muerte like no other.

  • “La Santisima” by Gerardo Beltran, a corrido about the millions of people that pay tribute to the saint called death. Corridos are narrative songs or ballads that often speak about the history and tradition of the local communities.
  • “El Canto a la Muerte” by RA Amaro, a song about what the artist describes as the silliness involved in people taking death for granted, instead of enjoying life to the fullest.
  • “Tres Calaveras“”also by RA Amaro”speaks about the intricate task of learning how to live with the loss of a loved one. The word calavera means skull, the ultimate symbol of death in many cultures.
  • “No Voy a Morir” (feat. Natasha Perez & Fernanda Karolys) by Palenke Soultribe, an Afro-Colombian piece with electro touches that has been in OurStage’s Top Ten Charts and talks about how a person is not going to die from a broken heart.
  • “Lecho de Muerte” by Exterior Interno, a profound melody about how love can sometimes be a deathbed or lecho de muerte, where a person can speak with the phantoms of the past while being consumed by fear.

There is no better time to enjoy Latin music and culture than during the celebration of Dí­a de Muertos, a perfect excuse to sing, dance and write about death without being afraid. Enjoy this playlist. ¡Provecho!