Last week we looked at "Llámame," the Spanish-language version of the hit "Call Me" by Blondie that was recorded but not released during the peak of the New Wave band’s popularity. Today we’re going to briefly examine a song that was recorded in English after it became a popular tune in Spanish.
"Cuando pase el temblor" (“When the Earthquake Ends”, in English) became the second single to be released from Soda Stereo’s second album, Nada personal, in 1985. The lyrics to the song can be interpreted either literally or figuratively as a double entendre but the music itself is a great mix of Andean sounds with traditional rock and roll.
According to an anecdote mentioned on the Hay Que Oir blog, the famed Argentine rock en Español group recorded two English-language versions in 1988 of their previous hits including "Cuando pase el temblor." These songs were recorded in London and were eventually passed on to “an influential English DJ” (the late John Peel?) who then played them on his program. The end product was to be an entire Soda Stereo album in English but “monetary issues” prevented that from becoming a reality.
Does "Cuando pase el temblor" en ingles sound better, equal to or worse than the original? Judge for yourself:
Soda Stereo broke up in 1997 but returned briefly in 2007 for a reunion tour.
Three years ago this Wednesday, Soda frontman Gustavo Cerati fell into a coma after he collapsed following a concert in Venezuela. Cerati’s mother, Lillian Clark said last month that her son has shown “small responses” that have given her “signs of hope” regarding his health.
Video Sources – YouTube via users ubriacone88 and joacodelc
Online Sources – Los Angeles Times; Wikipedia (Spanish); sodastereo.com; Hay Que Oir; The Latin Americanist
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