Comments: 10

• Howard Luloff from St. Louis Park, MnThe Sandpipers version of Guantanamera is a very pretty song that was one of the few Spanish language songs to crack the Top 10. They followed it up with a bilingual remake of the Kingsmen hit Louie Louie.
• Art from Pei, CanadaRegardless of the history, the version of the song I have come to love is on youtube "Guantanamera | Playing For Change | Song Around The World". The lyrics contained therein speak to the beauty, kindness and generosity of the Cuban people.
• Kramo from Toronto, CanadaDarn. I thought it was about the greatness of Guantanamo Bay. I was hoping America's Number One Commie had finally come around. What are we supposed to do with people who want us dead? Also known as terrorists. Build more segregated basketball courts for them?
• Mary Helen from HomeThe original song by Joseito Fernandez is about a girl, nothing revolutionary in his lyrics. The later version by Julian Orbon is the one based on the Marti poem. It is this one that is the most well known version and which Pete Seeger adapted for the English. The start of that one, Yo soy un hombre sincero is most familiar. Here is Joseito's version https://youtu.be/xlWqKM9ECHA
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 17th 1966 the Sandpipers performed "Guantanamera" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
  Five months earlier on July 24th it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; and on September 11th it peaked at #9 (for 1 week) and spent 11 weeks on the Top 100...
  It was track number one from their album of the same name; the album produced another Top 100 record ("Louie, Louie", which reached #30)...
  Model Dolores Erickson appeared on album's cover; she was the beauty who also was on the cover of Herb Alpert's 1965 LP 'Whipped Cream & Other Delights'.
• Pedro from Habana, CubaA little historical fact: Marti died 1895. So he did not write anything 1899 I would think...
• Ebby Sargunar from Rugby, United KingdomWhen you are a student songs like Guantanamera inspires you. The effect it has on engineers, scientists and real-producers is different. Makes them try harder. I was so surprised/pleased to see Siddhartha name a comments on this song too. We are both from IIT, Madras, India
• Mike from Franklin County, PaThe english translation for the song reads : " I am a truthful man ( Yo soy un hombre sincero ), From the land of the palm trees ( de donde crece la palma ) . .. And before I die ( Y antes de morirme quirero ) , I like to share the songs of my soul (echar mis versos del alma) . .. My songs are like soft whisper ( Mi verso es de un verde claro ) , And of a crisom red (y de un carma an encendido ). ..My songs are a wounded doe (Mi verso es un cievo herido), That search of a protected mountain (que busca en el monte amparo ). .. With the poor of the earth / land (Con los pobres de la tierra ), I would like to cast my fate (quiero yo mi suerte echar ). ... The stream of the mountain range (El arroyo de la sierra ), Pleases me more than the sea (me complace mas que el mar) .
• Heather from Los Angeles, CaActually I think the song is more a symbol of Pete Seeger. It's probably the song he's most famous for...case and point it's only one of two of his songs listed on SongFacts even though he wrote and recorded volumes more.
• Siddhartha from New Delhi, IndiaIt's ironic that a song which is regarded almost as a symbol of the Cuban nation talks of a part of Cuba which is still held my the USA.

see more comments