"Me oh my oh, it's Cinco de Mayo
Me oh my oh, it's the 5th of May
Jose Cuervo & pico de gallo
Cinco de Mayo it's the 5th of May"
Yeah that's right. I started the show off with "My Heart Will Go On". What of it? However, it weren't no Celine Dion version. It was the lucha-libre-masked surf rock avengers, Los Straitjackets! That's how we roll on Cinco de Mayo.
Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico's independence, right? It's the day that all Mexicans dress like skeletons, right? It's the day that American youth use as an excuse to indulge in way too much Corona and Jose Cuervo, right?
No. No. Si.
Cinco de Mayo is actually a holiday that is really only celebrated in and around the town of Puebla, Mexico. It was the day in 1862 when a greatly out-numbered and out-armed group of Mexican soldiers defeated what was then the most powerful military force on the planet, the French Army. Times sure have changed. Before this battle, Mexico's economy was in ruins and France used Mexico's failure to pay it's debt as an excuse to try to invade the country. Their goal was to take over Mexico City and install Napoleon's relative, Maximilian of Austria, as ruler. However, those hard fighting Mexican soldiers had other plans in mind. And the rest is history, albeit, not very well known. To honor this victory, I played a show full of Mexican-ish tunes.
The first set included the Minutemen's song, Corona, being performed by Tuscon, Arizona's Calexico. Since Corona has become the symbol of Cinco de Mayo, I couldn't think of a better way to start off the show. After that I gave a couple history lessons via tunes by El Vez and John Adams, both titled "Cinco de Mayo". The tune by El Vez is an excellent rock tune that explains the whole situation and reasons for the battle of 5/5. All you history teachers should use it whenever you do a lesson on Cinco de Mayo. The John Adams song on the other hand is a folk tune more about the America's version of Cinco de Mayo.
There's no way I could have done a Mexico inspired show without doing a set by Calexico. The standout of this set was the live tune they did with Mariachi Luz de Luna.
The rest of the show was scattered with other various Mexican tunes or other tunes that could be affiliated with 5/5.
Adios.
1. My Heart Will Go On -- Los Straitjackets -- The Velvet Touch of Los Straitjackets
2. Corona -- Calexico -- Convict Pool
3. Cinco De Mayo -- El Vez -- Graciasland
4. Cinco De Mayo -- John Adams -- Hold On To The Dream
5. Minas De Cobre -- Calexico -- The Black Light
6. El Picador -- Calexico -- Hot Rail
7. Cancion del Mariachi -- Calexico feat. Mariachi Luz de Luna -- Roskilde Festival 7/1/2000
8. Tequila (Champs cover) -- Orchestra America Romantica -- Brazilian Beats 6
9. Viva Mexico -- Mariachi Veracruz -- Testigos de un Amor
10. Chiquita Banana -- The Mariachi Brass featuring Chet Baker
11. South of the Border (Down Mexico Way) -- Chris Isaak -- Baja Sessions
12. Rum -- True Born Calypsonians -- Calypso Limon Legends
13. San Antonio -- Chocquib Town -- Somos Pacifico
14. Mexico/El Son la Negra -- Mariachi Luz de Luna -- Live at Chuy's
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