How Music Defines me through my Top 10 albums

I’m amazed at the amount of music that is made throughout the world and I was thinking the other day at how much I’ve heard all the music I enjoy and I was thinking that most of the music I hear defines me. I thought there would be no better way to do this than to do my own personal top 10 albums. I mostly listen to Mexican Regional and Hip-Hop but I tried to include something else to the mix, so enjoy:

10. Tu Ultima Cancion(Los Temerarios)

1. Tu Ultima Cancion

2. Corazon de Otro

3. La Mujer que Sone

4. Ahora Pienso Mas en Ti

5. Eres un Sueno

6. Una Tarde Fue

7. Enamorado de Ti

8. Mi Secreto

9. Voy a Quererte Mas

10. Me Empiezo a Enamorar

I find this album to be sad yet comforting. The first time I heard the album I knew it was a classic. The best songs on this one were “Corazon de Otro” which tells the story of a guy finding out from a girl he has fallen in love with that she loves another man. The story made me think about how much of an idiot I was for telling this to a girl I had a small history with back in High School. Another great song on this one was “La Mujer Que Sone” which tells the story of a guy falling in love with a girl he met in his dreams which is rather hard to think about but in reality we sometimes take our dreams too far sometimes. Two more great songs on this album are Una Tarde Fue and Mi Secreto which are both awesome love songs about regret and crushes on a girl that will never notice him but he hopes one that the girl will love him. This album is great and it was one of the classics for me personally. I wish that more Albums like this were made because the album is so crisp and the instruments used are second to none  with a bass, electric guitar, and the keyboard.

9. London Calling (The Clash)

1. London Calling

2. Brand New Cadillac

3. Jimmy Jazz

4. Hateful

5. Rudie Can’t Fail

6. Spanish Bombs

7. The Right Profile

8. Lost in the Supermarket

9. Clamdown

10. The Guns of Brixton

11. Wrong ‘Em Boyo

12. Death or Glory

13. Koka Kola

14. The Card Cheat

15. Lover’s Rock

16. Four Horseman

17. I’m not Down

18. Revolution Rock

19. Train in Vain(Stand by Me)

This album is something special because it makes  me think about how powerful music can be. One of my good friends, Ricardo, introduced me to this revolutionary group and when I heard this I knew I was hooked due to the content of their music. My favorite songs on this were Spanish Bombs, Lost in the Supermarket, Guns of Brixton, Clampdown, Death or Glory, London Calling, Train in Vain, I’m Not Down, and Rudie Can’t Fail. The reason this cracks my top 10 is because the Clash represented standing up for yourself and not being held down by oppression. This album, I believe represents what struggles people have to go through in order to fulfill their need in life. For example, Guns of Brixton shows that we don’t have to conform to sitting down and taking crap from authority figures and we can in fact die for what we believe in sometimes. Another great song is Lost in the Supermarket which is personally to me speaking volumes as to how we as humans live our lives the way we want to and it is difficult to recognize how others may do so in the same way. Sometimes an album like this is difficult to understand at first but after hearing it a few times I start to understand that reading and listening to the lyrics help to see what The Clash are trying to say with Political statements and how we as individuals fall into social situations which have solutions to them. Overall, a classic no doubt about it and very few like this one come along this often.

8. The Chronic (Dr.Dre)

1. The Chronic(Intro)

2. Fuck with Dre Day

3. Let Me Ride

4. The day the Niggaz Took over

5. Nuthin’ but a “G” Thang

6. Deeez Nuuuts

7. Lil’ Ghetto Boy

8. A Nigga witta Gun

9. Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat

10. The $20 Sack Pyramid

11. Lyrical Gangbang

12. High Powered

13. The Doctor’s office

14. Stranded on Death Row

15. The Roach(The Chronic Outro)

16. Bitches ain’t shit

I heard this album for the first time in 1994 or so when I was still in first grade when my brother bought the cassette that same year and I remember being drawn in by the “gangster” aspect of the album. Dr. Dre isn’t the best rapper but he produces beats that are insanely good that are incorporated from Jazz, Blues, and he uses a lot of samples as well. For example, on the song “Let Me Ride” he uses a song a song from way back in 1975 called Mothership connection and what you get is a fresh, yet tight beat that is just about being a “G” and the beats make up for what is otherwise not a lyrically masterful album. The reason this is such a classic is because of the stories it tells and some of the songs are about having fun in ways that may be illegal but in reality it’s like a movie, where it’s cool to watch or hear it but we would never really do the things they say in the music. “A Nigga witta Gun” is a good example where it shows how a person may have a gun in possession but it’s not really practical to actually wield a gun. I was also impressed by the sheer quality of instruments that Dre used on this album such as using guitars, flutes, and keyboards. This is the album that set off the explosion for west coast rap and after this many tried to duplicate the success of this but many failed and few succeeded at surpassing this.

7. Grandes Exitos a La Manera de Alejandro Fernandez (Alejandro Fernandez)

1.  La Gloria eres Tu

2. Consentida

3. Encadenados

4. Si Dios Me quita La Vida

5. Conozco a Los Dos

6. Rival

7. No

8. A Pesar de Todo

9. Noche de Ronda

10. La Enramada

11. El Dia que me Quieras

12. Piensa en Mi

13. Mitad tu, Mitad Yo

14. Voy

The first thing I have to say about this album is that I was not a big supporter of this album at first but when I thought about it, I thought about my mom spending her hard earned money to buy me this CD. I listened to it and I thought it was slow and boring but as I kept listening to it after 3 years I was in awe of this man’s voice and the way he spoke about the struggles of love. The best song on this album was “El Dia que me Quieras” which is a beautiful melody of a man who desires for a girl to love him and all that he describes is the wind and the breath of both of them ready to love. The thing I like about this CD is that the way he speaks about love is almost visually inspiring as though he is telling a separate story of how love works in many different aspects. One of the most unique songs here is Si Dios me Quita La Vida which is an awesome song about if a man dies, is he going to be able to protect his love from harm and how is he is going to do so. I was impressed mostly by Fernandez’s vocals on the album because he doesn’t let up or he doesn’t sound nervous when he is singing another hit on this album. There are very few, if any skippers on this album, as the only song that didn’t exactly inspire me was Voy, which is not a great song but it still is a good one nonetheless. This album, to me, remarked what was the peak of his career and he surprised on this album due to his influx and the energy he gave on every song. One thing that particularly made me put this here is the fact that in this album there was the song “A Pesar de Todo” which is a song that inspires me to tell that special someone someday how much they may have flaws but in the end they may be beautiful despite that. All in all, a great album with a great comforting feeling for anyone that’s in love or have experienced any of these things.

6. Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers(Wu-Tang Clan)

1. Bring Da Ruckus

2. Shame on a Nigga

3. Clan in Da Front

4. Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber

5. Can it all be so simple

6. Da Mystery of Chessboxin’

7. Wu-Tang clan ain’t nothin ta F’wit

8. C.R.E.A.M.

9. Method Man

10. Protect Ya Neck

11. Tearz

12. Wu-Tang: 7th Chamber-Part II

What can I say about this one? A classic in my eyes due to the sheer brutality that the mastermind RZA puts on the beats and as well as the crazy lyrics put on by the Wu ensemble. My favorite songs on this one were CREAM, Bring da Ruckus, Da Mystery of Chessboxin’, Protect Ya Neck, Clan in Da Front, Method Man, and Wu-Tang:7th Chamber(part II). Overall, I believe this album made me see the world from a different perspective instead of being stuck in a rut here in Northern California. I saw the struggles that these rappers went through as they speak on CREAM about the struggles that money puts on them and I also saw how much more intelligent rappers can be on Bring the Ruckus as they speak about their obsession with Kung Fu movies and the way they spit there rhymes are just insane. I also enjoy hearing GZA spitting just crazy lyrics on Clan in da Front especially when he just lets everything flow like there is no tomorrow. These guys revolutionized the game of Hip-Hop with this album because it was so good coming from an East Coast perspective and there was the potential for their future albums to be as good as this one but they were unsuccessful. What I found amazing was how much time was spent on the songs themselves as few them go under 4 minutes and most go over that as that shows the ability to keep going a song about life or whatever these guys maybe competing for. Overall, a must have for any Hip-Hop fan.

5. Illmatic (Nas)

1. The Genesis

2. N.Y. State of Mind

3. Life’s a Bithc

4. The world is yours

5. Halftime

6. Memory Lane(Sittin’ in Da Park)

7. One Love

8. One Time 4 your Mind

9. Represent

10. It Ain’t Hard to tell

Amazing album. I love the way Nas raps and he is not afraid to say what is on his mind because he not only speaks on issues that are relevant to life but in society as well. I find the songs The World is yours, Represent, and Life’s a bitch inspiring due to the sheer storytelling that is told on these songs. He makes me feel inspired when he speaks about being to take life and take risks whatever they may be and acting out on them because we only live once and it is hard to do it again. The reason this album is so good is because there are no guests on this album and with that there are only 10 songs on the album which is something to say due to the way that the album is built ahead of time. This album set the bar for debut album and I hardly think these days any actual artist tries to provide the listener with lyrics and everything is more focused on beats instead of actual lyrics. My favorite line from this album was Sleep is the cousin of the death because with either one we really don’t know what were getting because we are rolling the dice whenever it may happen. Either way Nas shows the way he stands up for the ghetto part of New York and he tries his best to justify the way he lives his life as we have to withhold judgment on anybody. Overall, not only is this a classic but it made me see Hip-Hop from a different point of view because of the rhymes that are exhibited and the excellent storytelling that is shown throughout the album, recommended for anyone that wants to hear Hip-Hop from a different perspective.

4. Puras Rancheras Con Banda Cuisillos(Banda Cuisillos)

1.  Cruz de Olvido

2. Hace Un Ano

3. Por El Amor de Mi Madre

4. Hermoso Carino

5. El Herradero

6. Vuela Paloma

7. Como Paloma Errante

8. Cartas Marcadas

9. Pobre Bohemio

10. Adios Amor

I remember how much I wanted to buy this album due to the classic songs that had been written and performed by other artists and I wanted to see how one of my favorite traditional Bandas sang them. I bought it the day before my 21st birthday and I got it for a bargain at Rasputin’s and I was blown away when I got home and heard it. Cuisillos kicked ass on this album due to the energy that their singer Rayo de Luz sings every song with valor and determination. I found the song Por El amor de mi madre to be meaningful to me because hearing this song made me think how much I’m willing to do for my mom and if I ever get in trouble that is one of the people you can turn to. I also found the song El Herradero to be one of the best songs I’ve ever heard due to how it shows what it means to be living in a pueblo and how much fun it can be to be a country boy in Mexico and eventually I just felt nostalgia hearing this song. I think Como Paloma Errante was the song that made me believe that this band was one band that is so underrated, and yet this album is nearly flawless. When I read a couple years back that this album actually won a grammy, I was proud to hear it because I never knew that professionals would actually consider this as good of an album as I thought it would be. After hearing this album many times, it still holds up and this one is a pure gem.

3. El Hijo del Pueblo ( Vicente Fernandez)

1. Escuche Las Golondrinas

2. La Primera Caricia

3. la Ley Del Monte

4. Campanas de Olvido

5. No me Hagas Menos

6. Dejo de Quererme

7. Hasta la Tumba

8. La Ley de La Vida

9. Que Triste Estoy

10. Le Pese a Quien le Pese

11. El Hijo Del Pueblo

This is the album that got me into Mexican music and I’m proud to say everything about it is great and consistent. From the opening song, you can tell that Chente is filled with sadness over hearing ornates. I also feel the album is filled with melodies that hare hard to duplicate and it also is filled with great stories of how girls sometimes forget us guys without any real idea as to why. This is one of the first CD’s that I heard and every time I hear La Ley del Monte or La Primera Caricia I feel like I’m one with Chente as I feel he is singing to the few yet he is appealing to the many. My favorite song on the album was El Hijo del Pueblo which tells the story of a young man who, even though he is poor he is not afraid to admit it to his friends and even to his girlfriend. I also found La Ley de la Vida to be a message as to how Rancheros are supposed to be and how they may live their lives throughout many realms. I don’t think Vicente ever had this good of an album again which was so crisp with the trumpets, guitars, and Violins. Overall, great album and awesome from start to finish.

2. East 1999 (Bone Thugs-N-Harmony)

1. Da Introduction

2. East 1999

3. Eternal

4. Crept and we Came

5. Down’71(The Getaway)

6. Mr. Bill Collector

7. Budsmokers only

8. Crossroad

9. Me Killa

’10. Land of Tha Heartless

11. No Shorts, No losses

12. 1st of tha Month

13. Buddah Lovaz

14. Die, Die, Die,

15. Mr Oujia 2

16. Mo’ Murda

17. Shotz to Da Double Glock

This album was purchased by my brother and when I heard it years later I felt it was a lyrical masterpiece. I was obsessed with Krayzie,Layzie, Wish, Bizzy, and Flesh and the way they just rapped fast about murdering, stealing money, and the fun parts of life. Once again, it was cool to think about this stuff but to actually do it would be extremely difficult due to my morals not actually allowing me to do the stuff. It’s like a movie that you play out in our head and you just are amazed at how fast these guys rap and they make everything flow slow well. My top 3 songs on this were East 1999, Down 71, and Crossroad. I found East 1999 to be about the end of the world and what it may be like if it did happen. The video also speaks volumes about how the world may come to an end and how we may not be prepared for it if any type of people took the world over. I found the idea behind down 71 to be pretty cool as it deals with three of the guys stealing money and trying to get away which is an awesome concept just trying to imagine it. Crossroad is essentially in my top 10 songs ever because we have to remember those that have passed on and it is difficult to understand where they may go when they pass. This song shows that once they gone we still see them again wherever we may end up, be it Heaven or Hell. Overall, I think this album helped out Hip-Hop in the mid west as it grew much more so after this.

1. El Gallo de Sinaloa (Chalino Sanchez)

1. El Gallo de Sinaloa

2. Don Arturo Garcia

3. Flor Margarita

4. Juan Samaniego

5. Noches Tenebrosas

6. Don Jose castro

7. Vestido, Anillo y Corona

8. Paloma Envenenada

9. Contrabando de la Frontera

10. Amador Garcia

This is my favorite album ever, no questions about it as I was mulling over whether I wanted to choose this one or the East 1999 album. Chalino represented something new and inspiring as he sang about Drug Cartels, love, the Mexican Revolution, old school corridos, and yet he didn’t have the best singing voice. He made up for it with his heart and his willingness to have passion in the way he sang his sings. All the songs on this album mean something to me but the one that is my absolute favorite is the first song, El gallo de Sinaloa. This song tells a story about a young man that is selling drugs, yet he does so without harming others because he is so well liked. I like the fact that he also sings about love as well with four love songs included on this one, the best ones being Flor Margarita and Vestido, Anillo, y Corona. I like these ones in particular because they speak volumes as to how there may be a girl that everyone believes is beautiful and she is expecting every guy to like her but she is so disillusioned. The song depicts how this girl knows everything about love and she just does so the guys can become more confident but in the end it ends up with nothing. The second song deals with a guy who gets cheated on, yet he is already ready to get married and he finds out from a friend that this girl broke his heart. All the other songs are just as good but in particular I found the mentioned ones to be special and meaningful. Overall, an album that still holds good ground and I can honestly say if anyone would mind offering their top 10 alums on Blog land you’re more than welcome to, good night everyone!