Being from Texas, a large part of my musical upbringing centered around Southern artists such as Beyoncé, Bun B, Slim Thug–all Houston natives. I remember my mom's iPod library being filled with the likes of these artists as well as popular R&B artists such as Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, and Michael Jackson. However, I never really ventured much outside of this. There was so much culture that I would be opened up to eventually, but you never really understand just what awaits you until you. take the first step. And shortly after I began paying attention to my surroundings, embracing the culture that surrounded me, no sooner had I encountered the musical stylings of Selena Quintanilla.
Her songs hit me deep. Songs such as 'Dreaming of You,' 'Como la Flor,' and 'Bidi Bidi Bom Bom' would flood the streets of the small town outside of Houston of which I grew up in. Even after she had passed, she was a Texas legend.
However, there was one song in particular of which resonated with me most. 'Amor Prohibido' was a song completely written and sung in Spanish, so for a large part of my life, even though I had been learning Spanish quite extensively, I went without knowing what the song meant. It wasn't until recently that I played the song while working out in the gym for old time's sake, and realized the lyrical content of the masterpiece. 'Amor Prohibido' is likened to a Romeo & Juliet-esque love story, with analogous lines being that even though the two protagonists in the song were raised in two different societies and the world is telling them that they are not to be together, they fall in love anyways. Such is a trope that has been used in literary media for centuries, however what separates this love song from that of the Shakespearean story, is that of the context.
In Latin cultures, it is expected that families 'marry up,' in that they are expected to marry someone with a higher social status to bring their family fortune. What makes this story so special is Selena rejects tradition–something so integral to the culture–and not just in a way to stick it to popular belief, but because this is important to her and she sees something worth fighting for. This is what I've always believed love to be about–something worth fighting for.
This blog might be one of my favorites of yours in regard to your writing style. The imagery of the ipod and Texan streets had me captured in the moment your sentences paint. Once again, your vulnerability has me awe shook. I really appreciate how much I can your voice throughout this piece, and all your other pieces for that matter. While I haven't listened to Selna before, I understand the power of beautiful lyrics. It's funny how you were listening to that song in the gym when you truly discovered its meaning. I'm definitely going to give her music a listen.
Amor Prohibido is one of my favorite songs by Selena. I speak very little Spanish, so I knew what she was saying but never the cultural aspect of it. I think the concept of marrying up is interesting because it implies that one person will get more out of a marriage than another. It subverts the idea that marriage should happen out of love and instead implies it should happen for monetary gain. The sheer fact that Selena, a woman who grew up in this lifestyle, would make a song disagreeing with this concept is amazing and it goes to show how timeless her music is. This is an excellent musical analysis.