{"id":13749,"date":"2012-11-28T00:13:17","date_gmt":"2012-11-28T08:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/?p=13749"},"modified":"2012-11-28T08:55:43","modified_gmt":"2012-11-28T16:55:43","slug":"calle-13-nothing-lost-in-translation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/2012-11\/calle-13-nothing-lost-in-translation\/","title":{"rendered":"Calle 13–Nothing Lost in Translation"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Puerto Rico band Calle 13<\/strong> recently appeared on our radar screen, and we of the Calle (Granada) are now deeply engrossed in the band and their innovative\/moving videos and songs.\u00a0 We admit that our allegiance to lyrics (in our native English) and their emotional sway has caused us to frequently skip over wide swaths of music primarily because we did not comprehend and appreciate the featured foreign tongue (mais, pas la langue Francaise<\/strong>).\u00a0 Shame on us.\u00a0 In the case of Calle 13<\/strong>, with the aid of their powerful videos and songs, we now completely comprehend their messages and the weight of their songs.<\/p>\n

We were introduced to Calle 13<\/strong> initially via their harrowing, UNICEF-<\/strong>endorsed video (immediately below) for their song La Bala (The Bullet)<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 The song speaks specifically to violence in Latin America, but the video follows an invisible bullet that shatters lives not just in Latin America, but around the world.\u00a0 Through this song, the band’s Ren\u00e9<\/strong> P\u00e9rez Joglar<\/strong> (aka Residente<\/strong>) and Eduardo Cabra Mart\u00ednez<\/strong> (aka Visitante<\/strong>) argue against the heart-rending violence that surrounds them.\u00a0 The band has said this:\u00a0 \u201cLa Bala<\/strong><\/em> has stopped being a song within our musical production to become an instrument against violence and the use of firearms around the world,\u201d said Visitante.\u00a0\u201dThis is a battle for peace, and throughout history, music has been a fundamental element that sways the emotions of those who can identify with the message. We trust the music, once again, will help to achieve such an important goal for all humanity\u201d.\u00a0 Hear, hear!\u00a0 The video supports with vignettes of devastation from around the world.<\/p>\n

Check out La Bala<\/strong><\/em> below, followed by the bilingual lyrics, and then followed by a few more superb videos\/song-gems from Calle 13<\/strong>.\u00a0 Make no mistake:\u00a0 Calle 13<\/strong> are seriously serious.\u00a0 But as you will see it’s not all heaviness and political as you will see.\u00a0 If you want to hear more in the genre, or be better tuned in to the alternative Latin scene, check out NPR’s Alt-Latino<\/strong> program HERE<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n