Ruben Cobos, recorder, 1973
File — Box: 3, CD: 240B
Scope and Contents
Ruben Cobos y sus cuates, Washington, DC, Nov. 1973. (Excellent recording). Cobos and his young singers were in Washington. All songs accompanied by guitar. 1. El reloj (Ernie Sanchez, Pojoaque, New Mexico, Love song about a woman that will leave soon, lover asks clock to stop, she is star of my life, I am nothing without her); 2. Solamente una vez (Ernie y los Borrachos, Love was only one time. Hope lights up my lonely path, bells ring in heart at the miracle of love); 3. Munequita linda (Ruben Cobos, Ernie, et al., Pretty little doll, hair of gold, teeth of pearls, lips of ruby, tell me if you love me the way I adore you, a divine echo tells me you do); 4. Cuando vuelva a tu lado (Mrs. Sanchez, Do not deny me your kisses, do not repeat what is said between us, hold me, kiss me and our hearts will tell); 5. Nosotros (Ernie y Los Borrachos, Although we love each other very much and sincerely, we have to separate, break up, for your well being, I say goodbye); 6. Cuando calienta el sol (Ernie and Ruben, When the sun heats up on the beach, I feel you next to me, delirious, craziness, I shiver, heart beats); 7. Noche de ronda (Ruben and Ernie, Sad night, pain in my heart, the moon cracks on my loneliness, come back to me, to tell her I hope, I die, I wait); 8. Solamente una vez (Ruben and Ernie, Love was only one time, hope set my lonely path on fire, bells ring in heart at the miracle of love); 9. Guadalajara (Ruben and Ernie, Guadalajara in on a plain, and Mexico on a pond, I had to eat cactus even though it picked my hand, the tree where the peacock slept fell, they say I'm a bad man because I ate a peach from a red heart); 10. Nosotros (Ernie, Although we love each other very much and sincerely, we have to separate, break up, for your well being, I say goodbye); 11. Comentario, comments (Sabine Ulibarri remembers a time when he had to present Cobos at a conference, he did so with love, respect and admiration); 12. La recien casada (Cobos, recently married woman thinks she is abandoned by husband who loves freedom, she looks for him, but in this version he is killed in the wars of Valverde by a French traitor, will wait seven years for him. This corrido, ballad is noted in A. M. Espinosa, Romancero de NM, 1953, as a version from Las Vegas, New Mexico. There is an alternate name for song - La viuda abandonado, see CDs 227 and 243); 13. Corrido de Kansas, Vercitos de Vaquero (Cobos relates account of trip to Kansas, fifteen Mexican cowboys with 500 oxen, hard work, they can cross the river because they are from the Rio Grande, the Mother of a vaquero ask a corporal about her son, replies that her son was killed by a ox in corral, Cobos describes variations of this song); 14. La viudita (Ruben y Los Borrachos, my husband is in bed, I am near him praying rosary, I pray that he dies, she cries, but has another lover hidden, my husband went to hell where he pays for times he kicked me, humor, women, domestic violence, death, muerte, crime); 15. Cancion de cuna de los Pastores (Ruben learned this song from Gabino Barela in 1949 in Pecos, New Mexico, MCDaniel gave the song to John Donald Robb who wrote down the music to it. Ruben says that when Robb published the song he did not give credit to Barela. Song, when the shepherds arrive at Bethlehem and find the scene of birth of Christ, they give Him gifts, to say thank you, the Virgin Mary sings this song, lullaby, beautiful boy, while you sleep in arms of love while pain also rests, in arms of a mother, nothing can offend); 16. Comentario (Sabine Ulibarri comments how he enjoys the presence of Ruben Cobos, who he respects, is the preserver of a dying culture, folklore); 17. Cancion del ingles (Ruben, humorous song about a Mexican immigrant, sung for him in 1948 by Amador Abeyta. I am learning English, I can say yes, count to ten, salute Good Morning, How do you do?); 18. Conversacion (rhe importance of one's name); 18. Indita de San Luis Gonzaga de Abaranda (Ruben, ballad with influence of a Native American Indian music, chanting, this song gives thanks for the return of a son from war or for the recuperated health of a loved one, and person promises to do an Indian dance as sacrifice. This song was taught to me by Don Amador Abeyta in Sabinal, New Mexico in 1948. San Luis de Gonzaga appears in the ocean, concede my health, and I will dance. Tradition of San Luis de Gonzaga miracle, saint and Virgin Mary appeared to and saved New Mexico soldiers during storm on ship sailing to Spanish American War, 1898); 19. San Isidro y El alba (Ruben, two alabanzas, describes origin and history of the New Mexican songs without instruments. First song - San Isidro - asks for a blessing of fields before harvest, Spring, sung by farmers with priest in Northern New Mexico, rain, acequias. Saint Isidore, the Laborer, rain for the sinner, pecador, your hand made my nice sown field. Second song - El Alba - is about arrival of day, dawn, let us sing for coming of day, hail Virgin Mary, indulgence of heavens. He describes history of these songs, taught by Spanish priests, change of accented syllables, etc.); 20. Versos varios (various verses, artist painted pretty flowers but could not paint love, love of the poor man, he has wants but never reaches them, I don't sing because I am talented, but because I have gusto in the land, I come from my house with snow on my knees to say good morning to the Castilian rose flower, you had more interest in me than love. Verse from Colombia, the only thing wrong with my girl is that she doesn't have black eyes but I will fix that. I say Ave Maria, Hail Mary, to begin my song. I would marry you just to sleep with you. They say darkness is sad but your eyes are dark and they are my happiness. I would like to kill you and not take away your life); 21. Cielito Lindo (verses by Cobos, seven syllable couplets, Pretty sky, heaven, I would be the air when you breath, the light when you see, I prefer green, hope is never lost); 22. El hijo desobediente (palabras preliminares, Cobos describes his interpretation of song, says that it's not a corrido but a romance antigua, eighteenth century. The disobedient son, Felipe, fights with another boy about his love for a girl, next day they fight again at 4 am, his father comes, asks his son not to fight, his son insults him and father shames him, and he is beaten by other boy, machismo mexicano, guilt, son realizes he is going to die, and gives his belongings to father and poor, and asks to be buried in unholy land because he realizes he is ungrateful, moral of story do not disrespect your elders, parents, discipline, family); 22. Corrido del hijo desobediente (Trio Calaveras, Mexican singers, with guitar); 23. Ella M. Vigil (Ella Martinez Vigil, who helped Cobos with volume two of folklore guide at Colorado College, 1975) Cuando vuelva a tu lado (song, do not deny me your kisses, do not repeat what is said between us, hold me, kiss me and our hearts will tell).
Dates
- 1973
Language of Materials
From the Collection:
English, Spanish
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Extent
From the Collection: 13 boxes (12.25 cu. ft.)
Creator
- From the Collection: Cobos, Rubén (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository
Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451
cswrref@unm.edu