Tío Simón for this #ttt
Hello, Hivers and Music lovers!
I’ve been missing in action around here lately. I’m back home after spending several weeks in Bogotá, and since I arrived, I’ve been getting my house and various errands in order. I’ve also resumed my walks in Vizcaya Park, which is near my house. Whenever I go back, I like to see what’s new in the park, and the first thing I noticed this time was a sculpture honoring Simón Díaz. I don’t think there’s a single Venezuelan who doesn’t know who he was—our beloved Tío Simón.
Simón Díaz was a Venezuelan singer-songwriter who, through his songs, gave Llanera music— part of our folklore—a special place in the hearts of Venezuelans.
He earned the nickname “Tío Simón” in the 1980s, when he hosted a children’s TV show where he taught them about our folklore. The show was called Contesta por Tío Simón.
Listening to Simón Díaz’s songs is, for me, a trip back in time to my childhood—to vacations in the Llanos, to swinging in a hammock while listening to his songs, to countless memories at the home of one of my uncles who always played his music and had a huge mango tree in the yard where I used to play with my cousins while one of Simon Diaz tunes played in the background.
So today, to go with these photos of the Simón Díaz sculpture I took on one of my walks, for this #ttt I’m sharing some of his songs.
But before I get into the tunes, let me give you a little background if you are new to Hive and aren't familiar with #threetunetuesday. In the words of @ablaze who initiate it:
The jist is as follows
Every Tuesday I'm going to share 3 songs which I like to listen to and I invite your feedback in the comments below. Better still, why not have a blast of your own Three Tune Tuesday and mention me in the post and I'll come and find the post and upvote it. If you could also use #threetunetuesday tag that would be great, as that is what I use when sifting through all the entries every Wednesday. It'll be a sweet way for us all to discover new music. You'll also be in with a chance of winning the prize - more on that later.
You can find out more at St. Patrick's Day Special for Three Tune Tuesday - Week 251 - win some HBI with his recommendations for this week.
Don't forget to support @ablaze's and if you would like to become a sponsor of #ttt like me, give him a shout out.
And now without further ado, let's go with my tunes for this week.
Tune 1 - Simón Díaz - El Alcaraván
This song is a tonada llanera. It is about an iconic bird of the Venezuelan plains El Alcaraván. According to popular belief in the plains, when an Alcaraván flies and sings over a house, it means a woman is pregnant. This song tells a story around this belief.
Tune 2 - Simón Díaz - Romance en La Lejanía
Simón Díaz didn't just sing songs he wrote himself; he also popularized some songs by other composers. Like this one, which I've always loved, Romance en La Lejanía by composer Pedro Emilio Sánchez.
Tune 3 - Simón Díaz - Tonada de Luna Llena
The third song, Tonada de Luna Llena, is one of his best-known canciones de ordeño. This genre consists of the songs that farmers sing on our plains while milking their cattle.
And I can't close the post without a bonus.
Bonus Tune - Simón Díaz - Caballo Viejo
You may never have heard of Simon Diaz before if you're not Venezuelan, but you might have heard a cover of his most famous song, Caballo Viejo.
The song is a “pasaje,” a genre of music in Los Llanos, just like the “tonadas.” The song became so popular that it has been covered hundreds of times; according to Wikipedia, there are about 300 versions in 12 languages.
This is the original version by Tío Simón.
Have you listened to Simón Díaz before? If you liked the songs, which one did you like the most? Tell me in the comments.
Thank you very much for reading!
Enjoy the music, and enjoy life!
And there is no intention of any copyright infringement.
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