*y vuelve a repicar ríquititi...*

So… I am a longtime fan of the old television show, I Love Lucy. I’ve considered it my favorite for around 20 years. I started watching it on Nick at Nite with my grandmother when I was quite young and by the time I was 12 or so, I was recording every episode off the television. I was completely obsessed with the show. I had t-shirts, pajamas, read a number of the books about the show and biographies of the actors, and even had a couple I Love Lucy themed games – (I wish I still had the trivia game. It got lost somewhere, but was a lot of fun). In fact, I can still recite the Vitameatavegamin spiel in its entirety – and have a number of the episodes more or less memorized. I suppose if you know that much about me, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to discover I own a Desi Arnaz CD compilation.

 

Obviously, Lucy was the star of the show and rightly so. She was beautiful, a capable business woman, and had impeccable comedic timing. But while Lucy tends to be in the limelight, Desi’s talent shouldn’t be overlooked. His facial expressions and reactions in I Love Lucy episodes were hilarious. But while he was a skilled actor and comedian, his musical talent is also noteworthy. I suppose the most well-known of his songs is “Babalu” because of its constant reference on the show. While it is a fine and energetic song, I think I prefer the song “El Cumbanchero” that is kind of in the same vein with its lively beat and call and answer chorus. “Cuban Cabby” was one of the first Desi performances I really took notice of – and I think I particularly enjoy the contrast of each section of the song.

 

Most of his songs have the sound of much of the popular music of the ‘40s and ‘50s, featuring a strong brass section, but also highlight woodwinds like the flute and clarinet – and always seem to have a solid Latin rhythm that often brings the percussion section into the spotlight. Songs like “In Santiago, Chile”, “Straw Hat Song”, “Guadalajara”, “You Can In Yucatan”, and his rendition of “The Lady In Red” all make me want to dance around the living room and tempt me into learning how to do a proper rumba.

 

Though, I think the most of his songs, fall into the “Latin Swing” genre, he sang quite a few lovely ballads that he sings quite sweetly. “Forever Darling” was the theme from the Lucy and Desi film of the same name and is very pretty, but I think my favorite of his ballads is “Made for Each Other (Tu Felicidad)”. I first heard it on the Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie about 15 years ago, but when I found it a few years back, I fell in love with it. It has fantastic piano interludes, a lovely harmonized flute intro, unobtrusive strings, a Latin beat that keeps it moving forward, and Desi’s sincere vocals. I think my favorite part is when he repeats the chorus in Spanish.

 

Of course, there are a few songs that I’ve only ever been able to find on the show including “Mexican Giveaway” and probably my favorite of all of Desi’s songs, “I’m Breaking My Back (Putting Up A Front For You)”. It’s a song that I think may have also been recorded by Ozzie Nelson, but I’ve not been able to find his version either. I love the sentiment of it – where he’s listing everything he’s been doing trying to impress a special girl – and I find the lyrics quite amusing… in an early 1950s innocence sort of way.

 

All in all, even if you don’t find Desi’s voice appealing, you should still be able to enjoy the lighthearted and entertaining quality that his songs possess.