Back when I was preparing to move to Bologna (home of Musixmatch HQ), I’d listen to Italian songs to learn and study the language. I found the process both highly enjoyable and very effective, and so decided to repeat it when I began learning Spanish a few years ago. Doing so introduced me to the music of Bad Bunny, and I very quickly understood that my Spanish-learning endeavour would be a much longer one than I’d anticipated, as I basically couldn’t understand A THING he was saying. But while I struggled to understand Bad Bunny’s pronunciation, there was no misunderstanding his skill and talent in the universal language: music.
The title of his new album ‘DeBí TiRAR MáS FOTos’ nicely reflects its mood. With it, Bad Bunny expresses a regret that he ‘should have taken more photos’, but any memories lost in not doing so are surely recovered in the 17 tracks of the record. They present a nostalgic, joyous, and emotional celebration of Puerto Rico, and listening to them feels like flipping through a photo album of the country’s musical and cultural history. I adore this album and can’t wait to tell you more about it!
Songs for the Time Capsule:
NUEVAYoL begins with a sample of ‘Un Verano en Nueva York by ‘El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico’ which instantly tells us what to expect from the track and the album in general. The lyrics tell us that if we want to ‘have fun with charm and beauty’ we only have to live a summer in New York, but I’d argue it’s much easier than that! 30 seconds listening to this song will do. The combination of El Gran Combo’s salsa and Bad Bunny’s trap/reggaeton mix is SO infectious it’s practically impossible not to smile and sway along with.
In his Apple interview with Zane Lowe, Bad Bunny described BAILE INoLVIDABLE as his favourite track of the album, ‘a dream come true’ and ‘one of (his) best experiences ever creating music’. His love of the track was clearly shared by early listeners of the album, as it very quickly went viral and topped the Apple Music Global 100 chart. The lyrics of the song place a breakup in the frame of an ‘unforgettable dance’ and speak more generally on how the legacies of people who have stopped being a part of our lives (for whatever reason) live on in the things they taught us.
No, no te puedo olvidar
No, I can’t forget you
No, no te puedo borrar
No, I can’t erase you
Tú me enseñaste a querer
You taught me how to love
Me enseñaste a bailar
You taught me how to dance
The success of the song is no doubt partly due to the salsa influences in the music, which come thanks to the performances of young musicians from the Puerto Rican Escuela Libre de Musica. Their presence in the song make it the passionate force it is, and highlight Bad Bunny’s intentions to use the album as a vehicle for showcasing the immense musical talent his country has to offer.
This is the title track of the album and its second to go viral. The music and lyrics of the track touched its fans so much they began a social media trend in celebration of it, whereby the track’s chorus is published alongside pictures of lost loved ones.
Debí tirar más fotos de cuando te tuve
I should have taken more photos while I had you
Debí darte más besos y abrazos las veces que pude
I should have given you more kisses and hugs while I could
The song melts into a really palpable nostalgia that’s almost guaranteed to have its listeners agreeing that they too should take more photos! This was certainly my reaction. My first listen had my thoughts turning to my far away loved ones, and my thumbs scrolling through my camera roll to reflect on the memories I’d captured, as well as those that I should have, but didn’t. The immediate personal and cultural impact of the song is strong enough that I wouldn’t be surprised to see it prompt a general phenomenon whereby people take more photos, in attempts to avoid the kind of heart-aching regret Bad Bunny so effectively projects.
In his Apple Music interview, Bad Bunny explained that he had two ambitions with this album, both to share his culture with listeners from around the world, and make something for his culture, his country, his ‘people’. In doing so, he’s created a record that educates as much as it entertains. It showcases the rich musical and cultural heritage Puerto Rico has to offer; an island of musical treasure and talent which, thanks to Bad Bunny and ‘DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS', we can all visit through our listening ears and dancing feet. Give it a go and let Bad Bunny ‘LLeVARTE PA PR’!
