The Roots of the Narcocorrido

by ROOTS OF NARCOCORRIDO / VARIOUS

Overview

While it might seem a bit disconcerting to the average law-abiding citizen of the United States, narcocorrido has celebrated everything from the smuggling of contraband to drugs from south of the border. The Roots of the Narcocorrido offers a background, in essence, a way to understand why one culture might exalt what another condemns. "El Corrido de Heraclio Bernal" tells the story of one outlaw (Heraclio Bernal) who resisted the Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz and pilfered foreign mining interests in Sinaloa. Unlike a common robber, Bernal became a Robin Hood figure. In this way, the Mexican bandit hero isn't really any different than Woody Guthrie's "Pretty Boy Floyd" or the popularization of outlaws like Bonnie & Clyde in the U.S. during the Depression. Other figures raised to folk hero status in the narcocorrido included "Mariano Resendez," another social revolutionary who smuggled goods across the U.S. border. A connection between these figures and future drug smugglers would be made during the late teens and the 1920s thanks to American prohibition. "Los Tequileros" tells the story of how one group of heroic smugglers was cut down by an ambush in Texas. The intercultural conflict between the U.S and Mexico, in fact, made it easy to see these figures -- even outside of a revolutionary context -- as heroic for struggling against a superior power. From here, it was only a small step toward ballads like "The Fugitive, Marijuana," revealing the highs and lows of the drug smuggling life. As always, Arhoolie has put together a solid package, including informative liner notes. The Roots of the Narcocorrido offers a nice backdrop for understanding the drug smuggler as folk hero, but it's also an enjoyable collection of music. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford Jr.

Product Details

Release Date:	11/09/2004
Label:	ARHOOLIE RECORDS
UPC:	0096297705322

Tracks

1. El Corrido de Heraclio Bernal (The Ballad of Heraclio Bernal)  -  Adan  - Eva Duerto  -  Mariachi Guadalajara
2. Mariano Res¿¿ndez  - Timoteo Cantu  - Jesus Maya
3. Nieves Hern¿¿ndez  -  Satelites
4. Corrido de Mier (Ballad of Mier)  -  Pena  -  Tijerina
5. Los Tequileros (The Tequileros)  - Timoteo Cantu  - Jesus Maya
6. Contrabando de El Paso, Pt. 1 (Contraband of El Paso, Pt. 1)  - Luis Hernandez  - Leonardo Sifuentes
7. Contrabando de El Paso, Pt. 2 (Contraband of El Paso, Pt. 2)  - Luis Hernandez  - Leonardo Sifuentes
8. La Coca¿¿na (Cocaine)  - Pilar Arcos
9. La Marihuana (Marijuana)  -  Trio Garnica Ascencio
10. Corrido de Juan Gac¿¿a (The Ballad of Juan Garc¿¿a)  -  Pinguinos del Norte
11. Garcia y Zamarripa  -  Hermanos Chavarria
12. Los Pateros (The River Bandits)  -  Alegres de Teran
13. Corrido del Hampa, Pt. 1 (Ballad of the Underworld, Pt. 2  -  Flores & Duran
14. Corrido del Hampa, Pt. 2 (Ballad of the Underworld, Pt. 2)  -  Flores & Duran
15. La Canela (Ballad of the Cinnamon)  -  Alegres de Teran
16. Por Morfina y Coca¿¿na, Pt. 1 (Because of Morphine & Cocaine, Pt. 1)  - Juan Gonzalez  - Manuel C. Valdez
17. Por Morfina y Coca¿¿na, Pt. 2 (Because of Morphine & Cocaine, Pt. 2)  - Juan Gonzalez  - Manuel C. Valdez
18. El Contrabandista, Pt. 1 (The Contraband Trafficker, Pt. 1)  - Frank Cantu  - Juan Gaytan
19. El Contrabandista, Pt. 2 (The Contraband Trafficker, Pt. 2)  - Frank Cantu  - Juan Gaytan
20. Carga Blanca (White Cargo)  -  Cuatezones  - Manuel C. Valdez
21. El Profugo (The Fugitive, Marijuana)  - Frank Cantu  - Juan Gaytan
22. Corrido de Juan Meneses (The Ballad of Juan Meneses)  -  Hermanas Guerrero  -  Morgan
23. Francisco Mart¿¿nez  - Juan Gaytan  - Felix Solis
24. Tragedia de los Cargadores (Tragedy of the Drug Couriers)  - Frank Cantu  -  Topo Chico
25. La Cadena (The Chain Gang)  -  Cuatezones  - Manuel C. Valdez
26. El Rey de Pipa Roja (The King of the Road 18-Wheel Tanker)  -  Montenos

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Hermanas Guerrero   Primary Artist
Topo Chico   Primary Artist
Pilar Arcos   Primary Artist
Part 2   Primary Artist
Manuel C. Valdez   Primary Artist
Jimmy Morgan's Conjunto   Primary Artist
Timoteo Cantu   Primary Artist
Montenos   Primary Artist
Conjunto Topo Chico   Primary Artist
Pena   Primary Artist
Los Satelites   Primary Artist
Eva Duerto   Primary Artist
Tijerina   Primary Artist
Duerto Adan   Primary Artist
Frank Cantu   Primary Artist
Mariachi Guadalajara   Primary Artist
Leonardo Sifuentes   Primary Artist
Luis Hernandez   Primary Artist
Los Alegres de Teran   Primary Artist
Cuatezones   Primary Artist
Juan Gaytan   Primary Artist
Hermanos Chavarria   Primary Artist
Los Pingueinos del Norte   Primary Artist
Trio Garnica Ascencio   Primary Artist
Los Montenos   Primary Artist
Flores & Duran   Primary Artist
Juan Gonzalez   Primary Artist
Dueto Adan Y Eva   Primary Artist
Pena & Tijerina   Primary Artist
Jesus Maya   Primary Artist
Felix Solis   Primary Artist
Los Cuatesones   Primary Artist
Malagera   Guitar
Los Morales   Guitar

Technical Credits

Tono Borrego   Group Member
Andres Alvarez   Group Member
Chris Strachwitz   Editing
Manuel C. Valdez   Composer
Manuel Valdez   Group Member
Fidencio Ayala   Group Member
Prof. James Nicolopulos   Translation,Editing,Transcription