Is it wrong to love the music of Trini Lopez?
To answer that you would have to ask yourself what you get out of the music.
The important word in that sentence is "you".
If "you" love the music, for whatever reason, then so be it.
That's enough to make it as good as The Beatles or Elvis to "you".
I'm not suggesting that Trini Lopez is on the same level as Elvis, Lennon or McCartney when it comes to historical and cultural significance.
That would be ridiculous.
What I am saying is that Trini is on the same level of historical and cultural significance as is George Michael, Eddie Vedder and Kanye West.
And Trini is infinitely more entertaining than any of them ….
….well, to me at least.
Music is an individual thing and what strikes a chord (sic) in one person may not do the same in another.
Of course there are those artists who strike many chords and transcend music but we are talking about Elvis, The Beatles, Dylan, Sinatra, Hank Williams, Chuck Berry and perhaps another dozen or so artists.
The rest are artists whose music we like or don't like.
They may change your life but they don't change many lives.
It is just music after all.
But sometimes inadvertently musicians come to find themselves as signpost to change.
Trini, because of his widespread popularity in the 1960s (especially on the US Adult Contemporary charts as well as on television) must have had a hand in breaking down the doors of exclusion to Mexican American musicians. If he didn't break it down his non-threatening MOR rock (or at least that's what it became) gave middle American acceptance of his cultural antecedents in a way Richie Valens (and his miscegenation) or Sam the Sham and his eccentricities didn't.
Trini has had a historical cultural influence … can Eddie Vedder say the same?
Of course I'm being sarcastic.
Aren't I?
I do love the music of Trini Lopez
What do I get from the music – I get beats, I get rhythm, I get straight ahead music where the delivery and good times are more important that the message which does slide through unnoticed on occasions.
The line notes to this album tell you what Trini is and isn't:
"Trini Lopez has the knack of making every song he sings sound like FUN. He's not "hippie" or "avant-garde" or "socioconscious". He's just a helluva lot of fun to listen to"
"Some people think there's something wrong with a guy who smiles all the time. If that's true, then there's probably something wrong with Trini Lopez – because he smiles a lot. Not only that, he goes around singing all the time! And he makes other people smile and sing! As a matter of fact, this new Trini Lopez album will more than likely make YOU smile and sing a lot. Take it home and play it a few times. Then see if anybody's looking at you strangely"
I guarantee you they will be.
But fuck 'em.
This is fun music.
Though the fun has been a little retrained on this album. Trini's Mex-American go-go guitar sound has been turned down a little here. There are "Hollywood style" horns accompanying him on the songs, something that is reinforced by fact that five of the songs are movie themes.
The other songs are made up of familiar hits of the day.
I suspect there was a desire to change Trini into a Dean Martin type of variety star (with rock and pop leanings) – that's great for Dean but doesn't necessarily work for Trini.
Check out my other comments for biographical detail.
Tracks (best in italics)
- There's A Kind Of Hush (All Over The World) – (Reed-Stephens) – not with Trini around there isn't. Trini plays with this one and gives it the "Lopez treatment". What was a catchy MOR tune now becomes a go-go song with repetitive rhythmic guitar and short bursts of Alpert-esque horns. The song was a hit in 1967 for Herman's Hermits (#4US). It was originally done by co-writer by Geoff Stephens with his New Vaudeville Band group. A single by Gary and the Hornets from Ohio had significant regional success with the song in 1966.
- Theme From The Sand Pebbles (And We Were Lovers) – (Bricusse-Goldsmith) – There was nothing upbeat in this film ("The Sand Pebbles") of historical cynicism and social alienation as embodied by Steve McQueen. Here it comes as a McKuen-esque tale with a "Theme for a Summer Place" type of intro. Trini takes it down a notch and creates something ethereal, albeit MOR ethereal.
- Sunny – (Bobby Hebb) – up-tempo – Trini captures the magic of Bobby Hebbs original (#2 US 1966). Hebbs song about the choice of optimism over pessimism is quite powerful. The song has been done by everyone but Trini's bounce to the song is positively joyous. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_(song)
- Hold Me Now And Forever – (Zeller-Costa) – from the Dean Martin western film "Rough Night in Jericho" – a interesting film and the song has been stripped of any authentic country though it does have a certain 60s lackadaisical Hollywood county lope to it.
- Guanatanamera (Lady Of Guantanamo) – (José Martí-Pete Seeger-Héctor Angulo) – no one can fuck up this song – a great song and Latino types add that extra zing to it that only an authentic Latinos can do. Although associated with Pete Seeger the Sandpipers had a hit with it (#9US) in 1966.
- You Talk Too Much – (Jones-Hall) – A hit for Joe Jones (#3US) in 1960. This version has a gentle acoustic bounce – straight pop with some nice tinky guitar in the bridge which could have come from a Elvis movie of the same era. In act the whole song could have been written for an Elvis film.
- I Wanna Be Free – (Boyce-Hart) – a very Boyce and Hart song whose airy pop you wouldn't think works with Trini – but it does. Originally done by The Monkees on their debut 1966 album.
- Once I Wondered – (Adamson-Fain) – mush. A song from the stage version of "Around the World in Eighty Days" by Harold Adamson and Sammy Fain.
- Where's The Love – (Legrand-Weinstein) – from "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg") – more mush but then so the premise of the film (the delivery of the premise in the film was outstanding). The song has been done by everyone http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Will_Wait_For_You
- In The Land Of Plenty – (Cymbal-Costa) – The only song "original" on the album? Written by ex-singer Johnny Cymbal and arranger Don Costa. This is as close as you'll get to a protest song from Trini – and quite effective lyrically. There are no call to arms or thoughts for strident militancy at it's core but there is a question made of American society. It's not unpatriotic its just saying why is there poverty in the "land of plenty"?
- The Eyes Of Love – (Russell-Jones) – from the film "Banning" – not really all that good. Bob Rusell and Quincy Jones wrote it and it was nominated for an Oscar. Jack Jones did the most well known version at the time.
- Born Free – (Barry-Black) – from the film "Born Free – for a slab of MOR this song always was and is such a good song but it works because we know the film and the e motional environmentalism it advocates. Though associated with Matt Monro and Andy Williams, Roger Williams had a instrumental hit with it in 1966 (#7US).
And …
Perfect for parties …. I'm keeping it.
Chart Action
US
Singles
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Album
1967 #162
England
Singles
Album
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Sounds
Guanatanamera (Lady Of Guantanamo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40VYtcZAiaM
I Wanna Be Free
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGs1ZdTc3Os
In The Land Of Plenty
Mp3 attached
Trini Lopez – In The Land Of Plenty
Others
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya_vUAF94gM
with The Ventures doing The Doors (and Hawaii Five-O) …this smokes …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbpcrtzVMK8
Review
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Bio
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trini_Lopez
http://www.pennydreadfulvintage.com/1960s-go-go-dancing-pictures-and-videos/
Website
http://www.trinilopez.com/
Trivia
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