Guantanamera

A guajira built to be filled and refilled. The melody belongs to Joseíto Fernández, the sonero who sang it nightly on Cuban radio and long claimed it as his...

A guajira built to be filled and refilled. The melody belongs to Joseíto Fernández, the sonero who sang it nightly on Cuban radio and long claimed it as his own; our earliest cataloged recording is Cuarteto Caney's 1938 side. Its second life came when the verses of José Martí's 'Versos Sencillos' were fitted to the tune, turning a dance number into a national hymn. From there it travels: Celia Cruz gives it salsa muscle, The Sandpipers carry it onto the English-language pop charts, Compay Segundo returns it to the son ensemble, and Celina González sings it as pure Cuban country. One frame, endless verses — the point of the song is that anyone can step up and improvise the next one.

Composer

Joseíto Fernández

Year

1929

Lineage

guajira