Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Meu limão, meu limoeiro - Limon limonero


Lasse Mårtenson (see earlier entry) recorded "Limon limonero" in 1969 together with dance and vocal duo Koivistolaiset. It was a sizeable summer hit in that year. At those days few people realized that this song wass in fact based on the same Brazilian song "Meu limão, meu limoeiro" as yesterday's Finnpick 'Lemon Tree'. In Brazil the old song was given new life by Wilson Simonal who was a very successful Brazilian singer in the 60s and 70s. The song is credited to his producer Carlos Imperial, but as we have learned the roots of the song are deep in the Brazilian music tradition. Subsequently the Simonal's song found it's way in to Europe and it was a big hit, especially in Spain, in 1968, as the version performed by Henry Stephen. And I guess that's the one our Lasse covered. Henry August Stephen Pierre was one of the pioneers of rock in Venezuela, fronting the 'Los Impala' rock band, before launching solo career in 1966. "Mi Limon Mi Limonero" as his Spanish language version of "Meu limão, meu limoeiro" was called, was his biggest international success. You can see him perform it, here.

Here's the triplet:

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