I'm an author of The Guitar Puzzle book, an educator and a musician who loves to talk about guitar, musical patterns, and content creation, also sharing a lot of free stuff (videos & PDFs). Subscribe and join over 2,300+ newsletter readers every week!
Why is there a song with three different names?
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Hi my friend! Vedran here, at What The Chord. The other evening, my wife and I were unwinding by the fireplace, and as we sipped our wine, an enchanting melody floated from the radio. It was a song I hadn’t heard before, but its exotic rhythm and melody really captured my attention. I grabbed my phone to find the tune with Shazam before it slipped away, but my wife recognized it instantly as "La Negra Tomasa," a popular Mexican rendition. However, to my surprise, Shazam listed it as "Mandinga!" This piqued my curiosity so I did a quick search, only to reveal the unexpected, a third name—**"Bilongo"**—which turned out to be the original title given by its Afro-Cuban composer, Guillermo Rodríguez Fiffe in 1937. Each name of the song—**La Negra Tomasa, Bilongo,** and **Mandinga**—unveils a layer of its rich cultural tapestry, from its Cuban roots to its African influences and Mexican adaptation. Inspired by this discovery and the beauty of it, I decided to create a guitar lesson and cover of this multicultural melody. Whether you’re a fellow musician or just someone who loves a good story, I invite you to join me in the exploration of "The Song With Three Names." Sit back comfortably and click play, you'll love what I've prepared for you. WATCH: Mandinga / Bilongo / La Negra Tomasa - Guitar Lesson It’s fascinating how a single piece of music can hold so many stories, crossing oceans and generations. “Mandinga” is the name of a Senegambian tribe, “La Negra Tomasa” refers to the Afro-Cuban girl Tomasa in Spanish love slang, and “Bilongo” is an African word for a spell or magic potion. Other notable versions are recorded by artists such as Ruben Gonzalez, Eddie Palmieri and many others. Anyway, I am thrilled to share it with you and I hope it adds a touch of inspiration to your day, just as it did to our evening by the fireplace. Cheers! 🥂 Vedran Gavric P.S. To get started with your own rendition, a backing track and full solo track are available for download here: Enjoy this beautiful melody and let it inspire your creativity! Also, let me know in the comments if you liked it and thanks for watching. Click here to play it -> Mandinga / Bilongo / La Negra Tomasa - GUITAR LESSON |
What The Chord!
I'm an author of The Guitar Puzzle book, an educator and a musician who loves to talk about guitar, musical patterns, and content creation, also sharing a lot of free stuff (videos & PDFs). Subscribe and join over 2,300+ newsletter readers every week!
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