Album: Mil Gracias A Tudos Nuestros Amigos (1980)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The first single from Joe "King" Carrasco & The Crowns, "Buena" was released on Stiff Records in Europe, and included on their self-titled 1980 album, which was their first American release. In our interview with Joe King Carrasco, he explained that he wrote the song with his frequent songwriting partner, Johnny Perez. Said Carrasco: "It was out in Pico and Crenshaw, which is a pretty rough area of LA back in 1979. It was pretty cold. When people answer their phone in Spanish, they go, 'Bueno,' but we changed it to 'Buena,' and thought 'Wow, that's a really good idea for a song.' I had that melody, so we started working from that point. When he says, 'Buena,' we always answer the phone 'Bueno,' and that's where it came from, answering the phone." (Here's our full interview with Joe "King" Carrasco.)

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Edie Brickell

Edie BrickellSongwriter Interviews

Edie Brickell on her collaborations with Paul Simon, Steve Martin and Willie Nelson, and her 2021 album with the New Bohemians.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: '80s EditionMusic Quiz

You know the scenes - Tom Cruise in his own pants-off dance off, Molly Ringwald celebrating her birthday - but do you remember what song is playing?

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

They Might Be Giants

They Might Be GiantsSongwriter Interviews

Who writes a song about a name they found in a phone book? That's just one of the everyday things these guys find to sing about. Anything in their field of vision or general scope of knowledge is fair game. If you cross paths with them, so are you.

Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks

Ron and Russell Mael of SparksSongwriter Interviews

The men of Sparks on their album Hippopotamus, and how Morrissey handled it when they suggested he lighten up.