I think of “Guantanamera” as Cuba’s unofficial national anthem. Cuba has an official anthem, but in Cuba, I heard “Guantanamera” at least a hundred times as often as the official song (“El Himno de Bayamo” or “La Bayamesa,” in case you were wondering).
It’s hard to do a bad version of “Guantanamera,” but this is one of my favorites because, as in today’s comic, different people keep joining in. (If you watch the video with captions turned on, you can see English subtitles.)
I live in the south tip of Texas, among the palms, and whenever I return from a trip farther north, I reflexively start singing, “Yo soy un hombre sincero, De donde crecen las palmas …”
(I am a simple man, From where the palm trees grow …”
What a wonderful memory! I believe that my dad had this song on a Sandpipers album. I dug through my old vinyl records but I guess that wasn’t one of the ones I took with me when I moved out many, many years ago. Too bad. Fortunately YouTube has everything.
OldsVistaCruiser 6 months ago
“So it’s mechanical!”
~Bugs Bunny at the end of “Hair-Raising Hare”
MichaelAxelFleming 6 months ago
One ton tomato! He ate a one ton tomato!
suv2000 6 months ago
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sergioandrade Premium Member 6 months ago
I know that song from working in a bar with Cuban customers in the 1970’s, constantly played on the jukebox.
Julius Marold Premium Member 6 months ago
Jose Marti, Cuban poet and essayist, patriot and martyr, who became a symbol of Cuba’s struggle for independence from Spain.
E.Z. Smith Premium Member 6 months ago
I’ve got Pete Seeger singing it to me.
RonnieAThompson Premium Member 6 months ago
Have a great day my friends.
Ichabod Ferguson 6 months ago
A folk group came to my grammar school and sung that when I was a tyke in NJ.
Retliblady Premium Member 6 months ago
We each have our place in the family. His listening is a part of the family
Droptma Styx 6 months ago
one -ton tomato/for she’s a one-ton tomato OK, OK, blame my parent for that
jrankin1959 6 months ago
So? You can’t at least enjoy the music?
DaBump Premium Member 6 months ago
LOVE that song! Would love to sing along!
thegreat.gildersleeve 6 months ago
What’s the point if 90% of your readers can’t understand the big joke????
hooglah 6 months ago
The “Monkees” did it better.
GaryCooper 6 months ago
I love this song.
The verses are poem stanzas by Jose Marti, Cuba’s national poet and national hero.
It was Pete Seeger who realized he could sing Marti’s quatrains to the tune of the folk song “Guantanamera.”
GaryCooper 6 months ago
I think of “Guantanamera” as Cuba’s unofficial national anthem. Cuba has an official anthem, but in Cuba, I heard “Guantanamera” at least a hundred times as often as the official song (“El Himno de Bayamo” or “La Bayamesa,” in case you were wondering).
It’s hard to do a bad version of “Guantanamera,” but this is one of my favorites because, as in today’s comic, different people keep joining in. (If you watch the video with captions turned on, you can see English subtitles.)
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GaryCooper 6 months ago
I live in the south tip of Texas, among the palms, and whenever I return from a trip farther north, I reflexively start singing, “Yo soy un hombre sincero, De donde crecen las palmas …”
(I am a simple man, From where the palm trees grow …”
LNER4472 Premium Member 6 months ago
Among the great Misheard Lyrics® of all time:
“One-Ton-Banana…………… Don’t need a One-Ton Banana………..”
Laurie Stoker Premium Member 6 months ago
What a wonderful memory! I believe that my dad had this song on a Sandpipers album. I dug through my old vinyl records but I guess that wasn’t one of the ones I took with me when I moved out many, many years ago. Too bad. Fortunately YouTube has everything.
Cactus-Pete 6 months ago
It’s a song about someone from Guantánamo.
MarshaOstroff 6 months ago
The lyrics are based the “Versos Sencillos” of the Cuban poet and national hero José Martí.
profesorquijote 6 months ago
I’m surprised Baldo even knows the word “lyrical”.