Corridos
4 vinyl records found
The corrido is Mexico's narrative song tradition, a ballad form rooted in 15th century Spanish romance that documents everything from rural life and historical events to outlaws and modern social struggles. These songs follow a distinct structure: an introduction, the story proper, and a moral conclusion, typically set to a steady waltz or polka-like rhythm played by regional ensembles.
About the Corridos genre
The corrido emerged as a vital form during the Mexican and Nicaraguan Revolutions of the 20th century, when it served as a medium for spreading news and social commentary among peasant communities. Themes range from legendary frontier criminals and heroes to love stories and women's experiences, with titles like La Venganza de Maria and La tragedia de Rosita demonstrating the genre's breadth. Later corridos adapted to contemporary issues including narcocorridos about drug trafficking, immigration, and migrant labor.
Unlike the related ranchera, which varies in rhythm and serves primarily for dancing, the corrido maintains a consistent beat and prioritizes storytelling. Both forms feature instrumental introductions and ornamental passages interrupting the verses, performed by mariachi, norteño, banda, duranguense, Tejano, and grupero ensembles depending on regional tradition. The corrido's flexibility has allowed it to absorb influences beyond Mexican sources, including blues and ska, and to accommodate non-Spanish lyrics in English and Spanglish, particularly among Chicano communities in the United States. Groups like Luis Valdez's Teatro Campesino adopted the corrido as an organizing tool for farmworker movements in California during the 1960s, demonstrating its enduring role in cultural expression and social mobilization.