Music Matters

By Cara Sabia

Even though we’ve all been told throughout our lives not to judge a book by its cover, every one of us has picked up a book, glanced at the cover, decided it looked stupid and thrown it back on the shelf. We can’t help it –– we’re human. The judging process is quick and rarely well-thought out. I think that we judge music similarly to books. Hearing the name of a band or a song can cinch your decision whether or not to like it within a matter of minutes. However, at the risk of sounding cliché, what’s in a name?

When I first heard there was a group of singers called Las Ketchup, I thought I heard wrong. Then I thought, is that a Spanish word and I never knew it? Then my next thoughts were, that’s dumb, who names a band after a condiment! But then I heard their number one song and realized that the name Las Ketchup couldn’t be better suited for this band.

Lola, Lucia and their older sister Pilar combined forces to create Las Ketchup. Their father, Juan Muñoz, better known as El Tomate, is a legendary flamenco guitarist. They chose their name as homage to their father and also because it’s the type of name that people remember. The girls originate from a very musically-inclined family but never believed their music would befall the popularity it has today. Las Ketchup was formed only a year ago, and already their first album, Asereje, aka The Ketchup Song (Hey Hah), has gone platinum in Spain and sits at Number one in Argentina, Mexico and Puerto Rico. It has also been released in Britian, America and Germany.

Some say this song will be the next "Macarena," while others dub it a one-hit-wonder that will go out with the summer just like sandals and tank tops.

I first heard this song in my Spanish class when Profesora Linares played it for us so that we could get a better impression of the gypsy aspect of Spanish music. Now, anyone that’s taken any Spanish classes should have no trouble translating the chorus of this song, "Asereje ja de je be jebe tu de jebere sebiunouva majabi an de bugui an de buididipi." Simple, right? Actually, the chorus isn’t even Spanish –– it’s pure gibberish. Sometimes nonsense songs can be the most fun. The dance has caught on quickly because the moves are easy (think "Macarena" only faster) so anyone can learn to do them.

The album has four different versions of "Asereje" on it: Spanglish, kareoke, hippy and the radio version. The Spanglish version of "Asereje" sounds weird to me. I figure if I’m going to listen to music in another language, I don’t want to hear any English –– I’m not a fan of mixing it together. The kareoke version is great for anyone who wants to make a fool of themselves. I challenge anyone to sing these outrageous lyrics as fast as Lucia, Pilar and Lola can.

The other seven songs on the album are upbeat and fun, but also near impossible to comprehend. Those factors make this album perfect for dancing. Each song has gypsy-like qualities that make me want to run out and learn some belly dancing moves.

"Kusha las Payas" is a fun one and its lyrics are somewhat more comprehensible than Hey Hah. The word kusha is nonsense, but paya means non-gypsy. It’s the story of a bunch of girls going to the beach in the summer and doing everything their parents would never allow.

I like the acoustic guitar rhythm in "Un De Vez En Cuando" because it has that Latin pop/Selena quality. The girls all sing in unison, and it rises a step with the catchy chorus containing the words "bugy bugy." The more I listen to the CD, the more I believe that Las Ketchup has a strong affinity for nonsense words (it’s frighteningly similar to the gibberish of that Hanson sang, but we won’t even go there).

"Sevillanas Pink" is a slow, café jazz number that is refreshing and unique from the vigorous and energentic remainder of songs. Don’t get too relaxed though because right after this song is the Hippy version of "Hey Hah." It’s more acoustic than the original, but it’s totally in Spanish (I like it the best).

"Krapuleo," the name of the next song, not to be confused with an adjective that some may use to describe this CD, is deeply rooted in the old traditions of flamenco. Surprisingly, "Me Persigue Un Chulo" has a few rap verses with their trademark "Ketchup-pop" in between. The chorus is sung in unison and utilizes the electric guitar.

When I first heard "Tengo Un Novio Tantriko," I thought, maybe with some practice, they could be the Andrews Sisters of Latin pop. With the boogying swing and unison vocals, hey, you never know.

The immense success of the band has left even the Muñoz sisters in shock. They are presently working on their next single.