Now that the spring breezes are finally thawing the frozen North American tundra I call home, it is decided that prom season is in full swing. After experiencing my own prom, it is evident that our common prom playlists need a slight Latin sabor.....or maybe a full blown injection of flavor. Here are my top ten Latin songs for prom that are completely M.I.A.
1. "La Bomba" by Ricky Martin - If you ever need a party starter, go straight to the youtube and load up the dear Ricky Martin. The generous portion of his career is flawless, and his greatest hits can get absolutely anyone to move. "La Bomba" just happens to be my personal favorite, mostly for that syncopated beat aligning with snappy lyrics and a horn section to make anyone feel ready to morph into their Latin self.
2. "Vamo' A Portarnos Mal" by Calle 13 - The trumpets and chant like refrain for this song, one of Calle 13's many tunes, is perfect for any time in life when it's appropriate to be wild and feel pumped. There's a less complicated beat, so those with two left feet might be more comfortable fist pumping instead of moving to a salsa rhythm.
3. "Loba" by Shakira - Yes, it's just "She Wolf" in Spanish...but then again, it is "She Wolf" in Spanish! This song adds more passion to an already well known dance track. Plus, the familiarity of such a song means you're more likely to pick up a few words and impress your friends with your bilingual abilities.
4. "Salvapantallas" by Jorge Drexler - This ballad, written by Uruguayan singer-songwriter Jorge Drexler, is a lullaby for all. The calming guitar paired with his high vocals calms the raucous crowd down into a room full of peaceful couples. It's a refreshing change up from hearing Lifehouse and the Goo Goo Dolls over...and over...and over.
5. "El Matador" by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs - Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, like many Latin artists, blend traditional sounds of the region with others, like rock, ska, reggae, and more. The rhythm of this song gets the room swaying (from excitement, not from heatstroke) and the drums simply incite hip movement. It's guaranteed to work its way into all of your playlists.
6. "A Dios Le Pido" by Juanes - I have a lovely appreciation for Juanes. Though some of his songs can feel repetitive, "A Dios Le Pido" isn't one of his top hits for nothing. The guitar riffs are stellar, and his high vocal range has a crisp pronunciation that likes to hang around your ears and make you feel ready to dance.
7. "La Luz" by Juanes - This tune is catchy beyond all belief, and after hearing it in Target I could not get away from it. For more information, see above.
8. "Las flores de Emilio" by Fiel a la Vega - Fiel a la Vega, an absolutely classic "rock en español" group from Puerto Rico, is my favorite band for any dinner party, drive, or moment where I need to have a good time. This track, off of their first album "Fiel a la Vega" captures the combination of Latin percussion with amazing guitar work.
9. " Bailando Por Ahi" by Juan Magan - Fans of Zumba will recognize this song with it's generic pop background with the absolutely catchy refrain "Ayer la vi". Bonus points if you get this song played AND you remember the Zumba routine.
10. "Escapar" by Enrique Inglesias- If you can dig back into your mind to about 2000, you may remember Enrique's hit "Escape". This is really just the original Spanish version, but I always feel that listening to a song in Spanish after hearing it in English is so refreshing. One can really understand how another language can have its own intonations and layers of sound. This song is also one of my all time favorites, and I do not care how tacky anyone may say it is.
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