Background on the Chicano Wave

As citizens of the United States, one of the social movements that we learn and speak the least about is the Mexican Civil Rights Movement. The Mexican Social Rights Movement included a variety of social issues- from the possession and restoration of land, the rights of farm workers, equal education to voting and political rights. To read more about the History of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement or to watch Chicano! A History of the Mexican Civil Rights Movement a four part documentary click here.
The word "Chicano" refers to Mexicans who grew up in the United States. This word is now associated with ethnic pride. However it was not always used in that way, it was once used as a demeaning, derogatory word. The Chicano wave brought about a sense of ethnic pride for Mexican Americans. From the late 1950's through the 1970s, Mexican Americans in California, Texas, and the Southwest started to create their own musical voice in the United States. Much of the music created during this time was expressive of the events of the Mexican Civil Rights Movement. During this time period, Latin pop became a huge phenomenon in the US.

Keeping Their Roots Alive

The Chicano musical artists in the United States were losing sight of their heritage and roots. They had disguised their cultural backgrounds and downplayed their cultural roots. Growing up, many of the artists' parents tried to force them into becoming Americanized. Many groups performed in English with English names, wearing matching tuxedos and were pressured to fit into the American r&b genre in order to be successful [1].

Finally after years of trying to please the American record companies, many Chicano groups decided it was time to get in touch with their roots. "Little Joe and the Latinaires" changed their name to "Little Joe y La Familia." Another musical group "The Jaguars" decided to change their name to "Tierra." These are examples of how Mexican American artists implemented change in the United States and made the Chicano wave a successful crossing of cultural borders [2].

Another group called "Los Lobos" had played in local rock-and-roll bands, but after the Chicano Wave had began, they became increasingly more interested in contributing their music to the movement. They were inspired by the social empowerment of Mexican Americans that they had seen in other musical artists' work, and began learning old Mexican songs as a hobby. They began to study various Mexican styles and instruments, and recorded an album of traditional Mexican music in 1978. They later combined traditional and contemporary styles, and incorporated influences from Tex-Mex music through rock and blues with their traditional Mexican rhythms [3].

Ritchie Valens

Ritchie Valens is an important figure in the Chicano Wave, because he had a large part of beginning the movement. At only 17 years old, he became the first Mexican American rock n' roll artist. However, the record company told him that in order to be successful, he had to change his name to a more "American" one. So, he changed his last name from Valenzuela to Valens [1].

Although he had a short career because of his unfortunate and tragic death, Ritche Valens will always be remembered by his music, and specifically, his song "La Bamba." "La Bamba" is a hit that all Americans loved. Isn't it ironic that this single made Ritche Valens known in the United States? People didn't even know what the words meant because they're in Spanish. To see the lyrics for the song "La Bamba" along with the English translation click here. Valens brought Americans musically across the Mexican border through his music, and they instantly fell in love with the Spanish sound. Ritche Valens kicked off the movement that is known today as the Chicano Wave.

Check out Ritchie Valens' official website for more information!

Cannibal & the Headhunters

Cannibal & the Headhunters was a Mexican-American band from East Los Angeles. The band's four members were; Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia,  Joey "YoYo" Jaramillo, Bobby "Rabbit" Jaramillo, and Richard "Scar" Lopez. Cannibal & the Headhunters were the first Mexican American band to have a national hit record in the summer of 1963[1].Cannibal & the Headhunters combined doo-wop (generally love ballads sung by black artists) and soul vocalists and were influenced by many black vocalist groups. This combination of sounds and musical genres clearly demonstrates the group's subconscious attempt to cross musical borders. The first song the band recorded for Rampart records was "Land of 1000 Dances." The Midniters, another popular east-side group also recorded this but it was Cannibal & the Headhunters who achieved success with it [2].The recording eventually reached number 30 on Billboard Charts in 1965 [1]. The song was to be performed and at the rehearsal Frankie "Cannibal" Garcia forgot the words and improvised with "Na Na Na Na"which then stuck and was recorded on the song. This ironically became a token line known by almost everyone across the United States at this time. With a hit record being their claim to fame, The Cannibal & the Headhunters' career began to blossom. The band appeared and performed on many television shows which is where they caught the attention of Paul McCartney. After this, they began to tour with one of the most popular pop groups in history, the Beatles. After their return from the 1965 tour the band continued to record and album which unfortunately did not make it to the charts. The band eventually broke up in 1967, leaving a legacy behind [2].

Click here to listen to Cannibal & the Headhunter's "Land of 1000 Dances"

Freddy Fender

Freddy Fender is another influential artist who contributed to the Chicano Wave. He was born by the name of Baldemar Huerta in San Benito, Texas, to Mexican-immigrant parents. He grew up in a poor Hispanic neighborhood, and at the young age of 10, made his first appearance on the radio. He played a mix of “Tejano, conjunto, Tex-Mex, and traditional Mexican music,” as well as a mix of blues he incorporated to create his own musical style [1]. A few years later, he decided to change his name, hoping to be accepted by the “gringos” in the United States. He was inspired by his electric guitar to choose the name “Fender,” and added “Freddy” simply because it sounded catchy [1].

Freddy Fender had a great part in leading the Chicanos to make an impact on country music. He also had a great influence on television, and before him, Mexican-Americans were ignored on national TV [2]. Fender had a set-back when he was arrested for smoking marijuana in 1959. In an interview with Freddy Fender posted on Latin America USA, he said, “the song had just gotten into the charts, and I had just gotten into the... prison.” Watch the interview and learn more information on Freddy Fender here.

The song he was referring to was his hit song, “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.” This song was about his struggling love life, and he recorded it in English to reach out to the English-speaking population in the United States. When Fender was convicted, his popularity took a downward spiral, as did this song. Later, in 1975, he re-recorded the song and brought it back to life [3]. 

After being arrested again, this time for bar-fighting, he stopped recording and was hopping between jobs of car washing and cotton picking. He became extremely poor, and was struggling to support his family. After being recognized at the car was by a customer in the musical industry, he started recording again. People were touched by the music he created about his own suffering, and they fell back in love with his songs [1]. 

Between 1974 and1983 he recorded many songs, and was back on the musical map. Freddy Fender "made Mexican-American music impossible to ignore, paving the way for a new generation of chicano artists"[1].

Los Tigres del Norte

Los Tigres del Norte was a Mexican band moved from Sinaloa, Mexico, to San Jose, California in 1968. Their music expressed their experience as Mexican immigrants, and became a long-lasting icon in the United States [1]. Their songs came from the “Norteño” genre, which is most commonly known for “corridos.” Corridos are characterized as being “like the gangster rap of Mexican music,” and reflect stories of violence and drug-trafficking across the Mexican-American border. They express the hardships endured by Mexicans as they made their way across the border into the United States [2].

Los Tigres del Norte were sometimes referred to as “The Beatles of Mexican music” [3]. They have been named as “the most influential regional Mexican group,” and “the genre's greatest statesmen.” One song that caught our attention is called “El Muro,” or “The Wall.” This is an extremely controversial song that is described as “highly outspoken.” It sings about the metaphorical wall that stands at the border between the United States and Mexico, and the tragic disparities experienced among minorities as they cross the "wall"[4].

Los Tigres del Norte played a great role in the Chicano Wave, and brought a new level of Mexican music to the United States. They have been recognized over several decades and distinguished for their exceptional music. They have sold millions of albums, topped the charts, and won several Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards [5]. Click here to watch the PBS Latin America USA chapter on Los Tigres del Norte for some more information!

Is Chicano Music Negatively Affecting Current Day Music?

The Chicano wave was a phenomenon that effected an entire nation of people, whether they be white, black or Mexican-American. It changed the way Mexican-American's portrayed themselves in the years of the 1950's-1970's as well as changed the way many people in the United States viewed Mexican Americans. It brought about a "wave" of music which incorporated a combination of aspects attributed to doo-wop, soul and other genres of music. Chicano recording artists portrayed a sense of pride for their home country, expressing feelings of oppression and dismay brought about by the Mexican-American Revolution. But was all that this "wave" brought about good? Chicano music told these stories much like the "Corridos" that were written in the 1800s. These corridos often exploited rebel leaders in Mexico [1]. This is said to have some sort of effect on the rivalries represented in current day music. Some of the songs written during this time period and even now vocalized the hardships that Mexican-American immigrants went through in the United States. They often depict people like the American government, or immigration officers as the bad guys and exploit them just as the Mexican rebel leaders were exploited in corridos. For example, in 1999 Carlos Santana released the song "Migra" in which he depicts immigration officers as people with hate in their eyes and disdain in their hearts. This is not a positive message to be sharing with society. 

To listen to the Carlos Santana's song "Migra" click here.

To see the lyrics in both Spanish and English click here.

Maybe lyrics like this are the roots of today's music. Current day artists are often blamed for spreading hateful, hurtful messages to the public. However, where did the idea of writing songs like this come from? Can we attribute these derogatory, hurtful songs to the Chicano wave? Maybe we can root it even further back to the 1800's when corridos became popular in Mexico. Music is a universal language that affects almost every person who listens. No matter where it starts, themes and popular topics will forever have an effect on music worldwide.